Timeform Radio Tips: Keppols to win at Ffos Las

Ffos Las Racecourse.

Jeremy Grayson heads to Ffos Las hopeful of finding a couple of winners...

With the retirement of Denman, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges there have been a few empty boxes to fill in "Millionaires' Row", the run of stables at Paul Nicholls' yard reserved for his very best performers. The 3m novices' chase at Ffos Las this afternoon (16:00) ought to give Rules racegoers the first indication as to why Keppols Hill now resides in one of those boxes.

Successful in an Irish point at the second attempt, having only been denied a winning debut (on ground as deep as today's will be in west Wales) by a sticky jump at the last, the Indian Danehill gelding's unbeaten run of four victories between the flags in Britain earlier this year significantly included three around galloping, flattish left-handers - Ffos Las will thus hold zero terrors. Stamina beyond this trip, should it be needed, is also guaranteed, given the six-year-old's success in the 3m4f Cornish Grand National at Trebudannon last Easter.

The 140-rated hurdler Makethemostofnow, 3-3 around Ffos Las, and last season's Tommy Whittle Chase runner-up Our Island, offer up strong opposition, but their presence should also hopefully serve to keep Keppols Hill's odds of reward bigger than might ordinarily have been the case for a Nicholls novice chase debutant.

Backers of dual springtime winner Newton Tonic in Ffos Las's 2m5f handicap chase (14:50), meanwhile, will have to trust that the likely short favourite can translate his winning form to a left-handed track, continues to respond positively to the eyeshields and doesn't get pestered for his preferred uncontested lead by anything else in this bigger field (most likely With Grace).

That's a lot to have to hope for, and at the projected prices he's well worth taking on with Misstree Dancer on her first start for Nick Williams. The Bandmaster mare now rates 4lb lower than when a 2m6f novice handicap around the virtually identical Newbury provided her last winning opportunity in December 2010, and whilst there was possibly an element of fortune to that success (2l down but still going well when left clear last), that event was still markedly stronger than today's.

Twice a 2m5f-2m6f hurdles winner on heavy ground prior to that, everything about today's assignment looks set fair for her if Williams has found the key to her again.

Recommended Bets
Back Keppols Hill in the 16:00 at Ffos Las
Back Misstree Dancer in the 14:50 at Ffos Las

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