BEST of the BETS

Kim Bailey is in good form with 5 winners and 7 placers from 19 runners over past month (3 of the 7 unplaced horses were big prices), so I am hoping his good form continues with MON PALOIS (10/1) who is having his first run of season, absence shouldn’t be a problem as trainer usually has them ready and won with Wandrin Star returning from a similar break last Sunday. Bailey also has an excellent record at Wetherby, showing a level stakes profit for 4 out of last 6 seasons with runners here, his only previous runner in this race finished 2nd (13/2) in 2013. Selection has run here twice before, winning a bumper on his debut and was running well before falling two out over fences last December. Usually, this race is won by horses towards top of the handicap (top 3-4 in weights) but whenever the going has been soft in past, the lower weights have done better so with selection carrying just under 11 stone should be ok. Obviously there is a doubt about the distance as this trip is shorter than ideal for the selection, but I hope they go fast enough and with soft ground it may bring his stamina into play.

Orsenfoolsies is another one who usually runs well here and could be interesting at 25/1 but in these conditions he has a big weight to carry even with the 7 lbs claimed by conditional jockey.

It is a very competitive race, and with doubts about the distance I am not confident, so only a small each way bet on Mon Palois @ 10/1.

Good luck.