Timeform Radio Tips: Stoute's gelding holds strong Claims

Sir Michael Stoute's Claim has a good chance at Yarmouth

David Cleary fired in a winner at BSP 34.033/1 on Saturday and he provides you with two bets today... 

A long and busy day is in prospect, with three well-supported seven-race cards on the Flat this afternoon, followed by double jumping action this evening. The best bet of the afternoon may be Checkpoint in the mile-and-a-half maiden at Bath, due off at 15.20. Just six are set to line up but at least four of them can be given a chance (Ballinderry Boy has shown little so far but could conceivably improve markedly for a big step up in trip). Jullundar is the most exposed of the likely quartet and has to race on much firmer ground than previously on turf. That might even suit him but the likelihood is one of the others will improve past him. In any case, one of the others has already shown better form, the four-year-old Checkpoint.

A reproduction of his second at Salisbury last summer would very likely to be good enough to win this. He didn't match that effort on his final start and might have been expected to have run over hurdles during the winter, after joining Gary Moore from Sir Henry Cecil. However, Checkpoint hadn't shown much on soft going on his debut on the Flat and it may just be the prevailing conditions which have kept him off since August. He should be well suited by the step up in trip this afternoon. Of the other pair, Refer has a good pedigree and showed some promise in a weak maiden at Windsor, run on very different ground from that he'll face this afternoon. Could Be has shown promise on polytrack and may improve for the switch to turf this afternoon but his form doesn't have much depth to it. At the morning prices, Checkpoint looks the bet.

The 15.10 at Yarmouth sees four of the seven runners making their first appearance of the year, but, provided he's tuned up for his return, Claim makes a fair bit of appeal. Gelded since finishing a good fourth in a nursery over course and distance on his final start at two, Claim is less exposed than most of these and looks the type to progress again at three. His form looks stronger than that of the other unexposed runner in the line-up George Cinq, who is also making his reappearance. Claim may also have a tactical advantage and George Cinq isn't certain to improve for the step up to a mile either.

Recommended bets

Back Checkpoint @ 5.04/1 in the 15.20 at Bath
Back Claim @ 4.3100/30 in the 15.10 at Yarmouth

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