Timeform UK SmartPlays: Wednesday May 1

Our final SmartPlay is in action at Kempton

There is a high-quality card at Ascot, but perhaps the best bets on Wednesday can be found at Pontefract and Kempton...

The 15:55 at Pontefract looks like a competitive fillies' handicap, featuring a few horses that could be ahead of their marks, but it is the Richard Hannon-trained Heading North - who finished an excellent third behind some promising colts at Newmarket - that is taken to come out on top. Heading North is possibly slightly more exposed than some of her rivals but she produced a career-best effort on her return at Newmarket and a 3 lb rise in the weights looks by no means prohibitive considering the front trio pulled a long way clear of some useful, unexposed prospects. She is evidently in good heart and a big performance is expected.

Having travelled with zest at the head of affairs for much of the way, Dream Alley appeared to get slightly tired in the closing stages at Ripon, eventually finishing an encouraging third; he can make amends in the 17:00 at Pontefract. Dream Alley was making his seasonal reappearance at Ripon, however, and just seemed to be lacking a bit for fitness, so he ought to strip a lot fitter today. The way he moved last time suggests that he is still a well-handicapped horse and, having had just the five starts, he clearly remains open to improvement.

Our final SmartPlay runs in the concluding race at Kempton (21:05) as we select Mambo Spirit to complete the hat-trick. A 6 lb rise in the weights for his latest win and the widest draw will ensure that Mambo Spirit won't have things all his own way, but the nine-year-old is currently thriving, really enjoying a good run of form, and can continue the winning sequence. Mambo Spirit's temperament has been called into question in the past, but you wouldn't know it based on his two most recent outings; the way he travelled, quickened and forged clear last time gave the impression that he is one to keep onside in current form.

Timeform SmartPlays:
Back Heading North @ 4.67/2 in the 15:55 at Pontefract
Back Dream Alley @ 3.55/2 in the 17:00 Pontefract
Back Mambo Spirit @ 3.7511/4 in the 21:05 at Kempton

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