Timeform Radio Tips: A Lingering fancy at Brighton

Stephen's best bet runs at Brighton on Monday

Timeform's Stephen Molyneux brings you bets from Nottingham and Newton Abbot on Monday...

Rory Delargy and I have swapped radio shifts this week and it's fair to say that Rory has got the best of this particular deal (all my fault), today's racing uninspiring to say the least! Field sizes at Brighton and, perhaps more surprisingly, Windsor, will only increase the clamour for blank Monday's and when a four-runner novice hurdle at Newton Abbot is the highlight in the height of the Flat season there is clearly a problem somewhere. 

There are still winners to be had, however, and Excuse To Linger looks the best bet on the card at Brighton in the 16:45. He is taking on the hat-trick seeking Macaabra who made all with plenty to spare here last week but it's unlikely she will be afforded her own way in front today with Jonnie Skull in the line-up and Excuse To Linger will be a much tougher opponent than the ones she bullied in that modest contest.

He only has the maiden win to his name but shaped well behind Bright Strike on his reappearance then didn't seem to get home over one mile behind Sea Shanty (a winner since) more recently. That form is arguably stronger than Macaabra's and with Jeremy Noseda operating at a strike rate of 41% here in recent seasons, he makes plenty of appeal at around the 3.0 mark.      

My other selection is speculative to say the least and I am scraping the bottom of the barrel by plumping for a regressive maiden who struggled to beat the ambulance home on his most recent start. Samba Night is the horse in question and he lines up in the concluding sprint handicap at 17:15 but at least he offers some value, currently trading around 20.

The hope is that a tongue tie does something for him on what will be just his second start for Jeremy Gask having been trained by James Eustace last season (also had one go over hurdles for Polly Gundry). He did at least show a bit of dash before weakening at Salisbury and has been dropped another 3 lb since that run, leaving him on a mark of 54 and bearing in mind he was hitting the frame off marks in the low 60's last year, any sort of a revival will see him go well today. It probably isn't worth backing him for a place as he is something of a boom or bust selection but given he's tended to race prominently on most of his starts, he could offer some back-to-lay potential.

Not a great deal catches the eye at Newton Abbot but it could be worth monitoring the betting in the 16:30 where Kasban has his first start for Jim Best. He has the tongue tie back on, has been fitted with a visor and is back on a firm surface so there are plenty of reasons to expect a revival of sorts today having looked regressive when last seen. The yard landed a big gamble last week (admittedly with a much different sort to this one) and a small play at his current odds of 8 is worth a go.

Recommended Bets:

Back Excuse To Linger @ 2.77/4 in the 16:45 at Brighton
Back Samba Night @ 24.023/1 in the 17:15 at Brighton
Back Kasban @ 8.07/1 in the 16:30 at Newton Abbot

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