Timeform Radio Tips: Hannon to Take The Lead?

David Cleary heads to Nottingham on Tuesday.

David Cleary heads to Nottingham for today's best bets...

It's fair to say this afternoon's three Flat cards are what is euphemistically described as industry-friendly, with the open, handicap-heavy, bread-and-butter fare on offer hardly leavened at all by any horses with pretensions to bigger and better things. With an average of just under eleven runners a race over the twenty-three on offer, winner finding won't be that easy. So, having got my excuse in first, let's head to Nottingham.

The sprint handicap at 14:50 is, on the face of it, not one of the more obvious races for a bet, but there are plenty in the field that are exposed or that have questions to answer. The fitting of headgear after a good effort last time is a puzzle with the otherwise-interesting Laudation, while Megamunch is clearly better than his unlucky fourth at Wolverhampton last time. However, that is factored into his price and this may not unfolded ideally for his style of racing. The answer may be Take The Lead. She is making her reappearance, but it seems unlikely she'll be wanting for fitness, given she hails from the Richard Hannon yard. Take The Lead looks to have been given a fair mark for her handicap debut, the pick of her maiden form at two reading well in the light of today's opposition. She showed her best form when winning on soft ground at Leicester on her final start but the manner in which she travels suggests that that improvement was merely her learning all the while, rather than due to the surface.

The classified event at 17:20 is a tight contest on the figures as well, not surprisingly given that eight of the eleven have a BHA mark of 70, the ceiling for this event (two of the others are on 69). That mark may well underestimate Dark Templar's form but he has to prove himself on turf and over a mile. On the other hand, Plenum isn't the pick of the weights but he has more potential than anything in the field and looks sure to step up on his reappearance form at Windsor. Although Plenum was strong in the betting that day, he wasn't fully wound up by any means and was looked after once his chance had gone. He should strip a lot fitter this afternoon and will take the beating. 

Recommended Bets:
Both at Nottingham
Back Take The Lead @ 6.611/2 in the 14:50
Back Plenum @ 4.216/5 in the 17:20

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