Timeform Radio Tips: Thursday January 31

David Cleary has three bets lined up for Thursday.

David Cleary heads to Wincanton and Towcester for today's bets...

With Wincanton having survived its morning inspection, there's a full programme in Britain for the first time in ages this afternoon. Even so, Wincanton's hurdles track isn't fit for racing, so the course is staging an all-chase card. There are some interesting horses on show, with the veterans handicap at 15:10 making plenty of appeal from a punting point of view, having a good each-way shape.

Of the ten declared runners, two, Mon Mome and Tamarinbleu, look lights of other days while two more, Sea Saffron and The Sawyer, haven't returned as if in much form this winter. Jaunty Journey's jumping is seldom up to a task like this, and Pentiffic can also make mistakes - as he did last time - although the combination of trip and heavy going are even more of a concern. 

Master Overseer is wildly inconsistent and probably needs to dominate, which he seems unlikely to be able to do here. Michel Le Bon has two ways of running as well and is tried in cheekpieces first time after a dismal effort in the Welsh National last time. A reproduction of his reappearance second over this track in the Badger Ales would see him very hard to beat, but he's surely not one to rely on at the likely short odds. 

That leaves Richard's Sundance and Desperate Dex. The latter is in top form and sure to run well under conditions which suit him, so there's clearly a case for backing him. Richard's Sundance has a good record here and needed the run after travelling well for a long way at Doncaster last time. On form, Richard's Sundance has good place claims at least and is capable of winning if things go his way. 

At Towcester, the conditional jockeys handicap chase at 14:50 is a shocker. Mujamead makes a little appeal on his second here in December, while the exposed Domoly should at least run a race. However, if Petie McSweetie has any future he ought to win this. His form in points and bumpers suggest he's a fair bit better than he's shown so far over hurdles and he had an impossible task on his chasing debut. Petie McSweetie is having just his second start for Richard Woollacott and can add another win to his trainer's promising first-season tally.
 
Recommended bets:
Back Richard's Sundance @ 8.615/2 and Desperate Dex @ 6.611/2 in the 15:10 at Wincanton
Back Petie McSweetie @ 4.84/1 in the 14:50 at Towcester

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