Today's best bets, by Chris Cook
For all the (legitimate) cavelling about time of year, going and absentees, Champions Day was an excellent day's racing on Saturday. If you happened to miss it, don't fret: you can watch all of Channel 4's broadcast via this link, so long as you've got three hours to spare.
Separately, here's what the start of Champions Day looked like if you're Richard Hughes, who had a camera on his helmet, which has also produced some lovely shots.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who lived through yesterday in Britain to learn that the going is testing at all three racecourses staging action today. It's only soft at Plumpton, though it might feel deeper than that as they come up that hill on the final circuit.
There's a decent novice handicap chase there in which Uxizandre (3.50) is backable at 6-4, making his first start in the colours of J P McManus after the Million In Mind Syndicate sold him for £100,000. He ran a fine race when fifth in an Aintree Grade One behind At Fishers Cross (also owned by JP), when really you'd have said he wanted a more testing surface. Soft ground is fine, he has always looked a chasing prospect, yet is assessed on his hurdles form.
His main rival, Loose Chips, won a couple of handicap hurdles last term and is not therefore so likely to have anything in hand. Plus, though he goes on soft, he didn't strike me as crying out for a fence.
Pontefract is heavy in places, which ought not to be an issue for Madam Lillibet (4.40), a 4-1 shot. A daughter of Authorized, whose progeny have a 23% strike-rate on heavy (13/56), she won on her first race for six months at Newcastle last month but is only 4lb higher. The runner-up has since won from a 2lb higher mark.
At Windsor (heavy), look out for another Authorized, Authoritarian (3.30) representing the Richard Hannon / Richard Hughes team which has had such a good year and which habitually does so well at this track. Authoritarian won this last year under Willy Twiston-Davies from a 3lb higher mark but has had a disappointing year, mostly on ground that was probably too quick.
She sports first-time blinkers and is unlikely to respond as dramatically as Olympic Glory did on Saturday but they may still sharpen her up sufficiently to get over the line here.
Tipping competition - a new week
Congratulations to last week's winner, glavintoby, who found Trackmate (9-1) on Friday to finish on +25.50, beating the long-time leader, Tommy2002 (+23.50).
This week's prize is a copy of RFO's Jumps Guide 2013-14, a superb introduction and companion to the new season, packed with statistics, insights, tips and features, including from regular contributers Steve Mellish and Steffan Edwards. It's a labour of love from people who enjoy the game as much as you do. If you don't win, you can buy it here.
To kick things off, we'd like your selections, please, for these races: 4.20 Plumpton, 4.40 Pontefract, 5.00 Windsor.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
