Timeform Radio Tips: Monday December 10

Racing takes place at Musselburgh today.

David Cleary suggests a brace of bets at Musselburgh on Monday...

With Musselburgh avoiding frost overnight, there was no need for the planned inspection for this afternoon's main meeting. Some decent prize money and the prospect of less testing ground has drawn some competitive fields for the handicaps on the card, including raiders from several southern-based stables, notably those of Charlie Longsdon and John Ferguson. Both yards are in good form and may well make the journey north a successful one.

Indeed, the feature two-mile chase at 13.20 could well rest between the pair's representatives Hazy Tom and Creekside. The two of them met at Towcester in October when Ferguson-trained Creekside came out on top, despite some novicey jumping on his chasing debut. Longsdon's Hazy Tom was disappointing that day, starting favourite, but made amends when reverting to front running tactics at Warwick next time, his jumping much more convincing than it had been at Towcester. Hazy Tom won't have things all his own way from the front switched to handicap company this afternoon, with several other pacesetters in the field, but he looks to have been handed a lenient mark on hurdles form. The same could be said of Creekside, who ran his best race when second in a juvenile handicap hurdle at Ascot in the spring, form which worked out well. Assuming Creekside has learnt from his chasing debut, he will go close and looks the bet at the morning prices. Hazy Tom is the main danger and may well be worth a saver.

The handicap hurdle at 14.20 looks competitive on the face of it, but plenty of these are better at two miles than today's trip and the Longsdon-trained Castletown Bridge is likely to take all the beating. The form of both his races this season is working out well, and although he weakened late on over this trip in a well-run race on softish ground at Wincanton in the first of them, he surely won't be found wanting for stamina over this easy track. The still-unexposed Castletown Bridge is also likely to be well positioned, which may well be an advantage the way the race is likely to be run. 

Timeform Radio Tips:
Back Creekside @ 8.615/2 in the 13.20 at Musselburgh
Back Castletown Bridge @ 4.47/2 in the 14.20 at Musselburgh

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