Paypal

[email protected]

X NAP

Horses and boosts

Newsletter exclusives

Libor Lad is being well-supported for the owner at Hereford, shortening into 7/2 from 5/1. He was knocking at the door with a couple of seconds and he finally got off the mark with a win at Uttoxeter LTO.

He’s up 6lb for that success but is showing plenty of improvement and looks good value. Fergus Gillard also has a couple of wins in his last seven rides, so is in relatively good form.

Massai Mara is an interesting debutant in this sphere for John O’Shea in the second at Hereford, and is the 13/8 fav. He fetched 170,000gns when leaving the Gosdens after two wins in eight, but Nicky Henderson’s Goblet Of Fire already has experience in this field.

Ok, he was beaten by 15 lengths when fourth on his debut at Sandown. But that is still the best hurdles form in this race and there’s every chance he can come on from that to win under James Bowen today. He’s currently 15/8 but appears to be shortening.

The Skelton’s have discovered a bit of form of late, with Dan now operating off at reasonable 19% SR, but their rules debutant Lightening Mahler is drifting slightly in 13:58 and preference is for Melusine De Pail at 7/4.

The Noel Williams-trained horse is a former point winner who has showed encouraging signs over hurdles when 3-16 from 28/1 at Ludlow in October and 2-10 from 9/1 at Lingfield in November. There’s plenty to like and he could open his account under rules today.

Billy Loughnane rode three winners in a row at Kempton yesterday, including on First Company for his dad, and I quite like the look of Novation at 5/1 in the 12:45 at Lingfield. The George Boughey-trained horse hasn’t really lived up to expectations in his three races thus far, but he’s coming back from a seven-month break having been gelded and there’s the potential for improvement.