The Philip Hobbs-trained Defi Du Seuil is 6/4 market leader at BetVictor for Saturday’s Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown where he is likely to be opposed by previous winners Un De Sceaux (3/1) who won in 2016 and 2017 scorer Politologue who is 4/1 with BetVictor.

They go at Haydock this afternoon and my two against the field in the opener are Teescomponentstrig and Ashfield Paddy (12.50) with marginal preference for the latter who represents the stable of Jonjo O’Neill. The selection looked in need of further when third at Uttoxeter last month. Do note the selection is entered at Wetherby at the weekend and would escape a penalty today for that race given it is a conditional jockey’s event.

Teescomponentstrig faced an impossible task behind Jamie Snowdon’s subsequent winner Thomas McDonagh at Hexham last time and he is another who looks ready for a step up in trip having been doing his best work late.

Bally Conor will be winning races this term, but I thought Keep Wondering (1.20) ran a cracker at Aintree on his hurdles debut when runner up to the unbeaten Mossy Fen with a subsequent winner – Jelski – well held in third. The selection is a winning pointer on soft ground, and he is taken to go one better back in the north west.

Dashel Drasher only got as first at Newbury behind Champ on Friday and makes a quick reappearance for Jeremy Scott. He must go close, but few novices have impressed me more with their jumping this year as Champagne Mystery (1.55) and he can give the Scott runner 5lbs in the valuable novice chase. The selection made all at Aintree last month and there must be a chance he will get embroiled in a battle for the lead with Dashel Drasher who also likes to make the running.

The “Introductory” Hurdle is a cracker and On To Victory was rated 100+ on the level and had winning form on soft ground. He must go close, but a chance is taken on the hurdling debutante Marie’s Rock (2.25) who created such a favourable impression when winning her sole Bumper at Ffos Las – albeit on good ground – back in the spring. I hope it is a good day for the Nicky Henderson yard.

The Ogle Gogle Man looks a threat to all from the foot of the weights in the 3m 2f Handicap Chase, but I must give Garrane (3.00) another chance having run a stinker at Cheltenham in the amateur riders’ race when tailed off. His near six-week absence from the track suggests something was amiss and I am convinced he is better than that.

At Ludlow Darling Du Large (1.30) has been raised 8lbs for a fluent Hereford success on good ground last time and if she is in the same form, she must take plenty of beating although the ground was given as soft at the Shropshire track at noon on Tuesday.

My two against the field in the valuable handicap chase are the front-runner Another Venture making his seasonal reappearance for Kim Bailey and Sumkindofking (2.05) with preference for the latter who finished runner up in this corresponding race 12 months ago off a 1lb higher mark. The winner of the race – Beau Du Brizais – is now rated 15lbs higher and Noel George gets on very well with the selection who should have the fast pace he needs to follow.

I was disappointed with the chase debut of Tidal Flow and I hope to see Commodore Barry (2.40) make it third time lucky over fences for Kim Bailey in a good Beginners Chase. The selection has finished second in both chases to date but has the scope for the larger obstacles and gets the vote ahead of recent Cheltenham handicap hurdle winner Golan Fortune who is a winning point-to-pointer.

It could be a good day for Bailey who also saddles Those Tiger Feet (3.10) who did us a favour when scoring at Exeter on his reappearance from an 8lbs lower mark. He steps up to 3m for the first time this afternoon but remains open to further improvement for all connections and all Mud fans. That’s right!

For all the latest odds head to BetVictor.com and follow @BetVictorRacing on Twitter

Be Lucky!