Jack Berry, better known for his handling of sprinters, saddles the useful Best Of All in the Joint Race Committee Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh today and this game mare should not be missed.
The daughter of Try My Best is well suited by waiting tactics and a fast pace and she can follow up her easy course and distance success of last month when she trounced Scaraben by six lengths, winning with any amount in hand.
In that sort of form Best of All should not be opposed on a track that is ideal for her style of running and she is a confident nap selection.
Channel 4 covers four races from Lingfield and it could pay armchair punters to side with Friendly Brave in the first division of the Ladbroke Handicap.
Gay Kelleway's sprinter returned to his best at the Surrey venue last time when he finished strongly to catch Goodbye Gateman on the line for a short head victory.
That race was over five furlongs and today's step up to six should prove ideal for Friendly Brave and he can win again.
The bang-in-form Astral Inva- sion can complete his hat-trick in the Brake Bros Food Service Handicap Chase at Uttoxeter.
Making all for wins at Hereford and Leicester, Astral Invasion can employ similar tactics to complete his three-timer despite a 13lb rise in the weights for those victories.
Providing Newbury passes an early-morning inspection, French Holly stands out as the best bet on the card in the Grade One Challow Hurdle.
This well-made son of Sir Ivor showed smart form in bumpers before making a successful transition to hurdles with two impressive victories.
On his debut over timber at Ayr Ferdy Murphy's charge acquitted himself well. Always travelling strongly, the seven-year-old led two out and quickened readily clear to slam subsequent winner Legendry Line by five lengths.
It was a similar story next time at Haydock where French Holly once more displayed a nice turn of foot to race away on the run-in and score by a comfortable three and a half lengths from the useful Foundry Lane.
Both those efforts were over two miles and connections must be encouraged by the speed shown by the gelding, who has the scope and appearance of a true stayer.
This imposing individual did his last piece of work on Thursday morning and Murphy expressed himself "very pleased" with the horse's progress. The step up to 21 furlongs of the Challow will prove ideal at this stage of his career.
Earlier on the card River Man- date has sound claims in the Mandarin Handicap Chase over an extended three and a quarter miles.
Tim Forster's out-and-outstayer ran a race full of promise on his reappearance at Chepstow when a length and a half second to Dom Samourai, who franked the form when second to Earth Summit in the Coral Welsh National.
Grey Shot, winner of last year's Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket, yesterday attracted further support with William Hill for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle. Ian Balding's smart stayer won his only start over hurdles to date in impressive fashion and has been shortened two points into 14 to 1.
