Horse Racing Tips: Williams and Deutsch supported by Spotlight

Another four meetings are scheduled to take place today, as the eyes of the National Hunt world begin to tilt toward the upcoming Dublin Racing Festival. The first race on Wednesday comes from Dundalk at 13:30, with action taking place until 20:30 at Kempton. Here we take a look at some of the most popular naps, provide a stat of the day that is hopefully a good pointer and round-up some of the latest racing news...

Wednesday's Most Popular Naps

A trio of horses have been picked by three experts as the best bet today, with the first running in the 14:10 at Exeter. The horse represents trainer Jamie Snowden and has his trusted rider Gavin Sheehan in the plate, and is a 7/2 favourite at the time of writing PASSING WELL. The seven year old was a decent hurdler but has emerged as an even better chaser, and with a win and a third in his last two runs he is fancied to improve again here as an unexposed type over staying trips. The horse he finished third behind at Newbury last time out Henry's Friend is well regarded and the weight of money already behind this horse is unsurprising looking at his profile.

AWAYTHELAD runs for Ben Pauling and Beau Morgan in the 14:55 at Leicester today and is the second horse of the trio fancied by three experts. The horse is already a short priced favourite for glory but it would be no surprise to see him go off evens or shorter, with his claims patently obvious. He was penalised 5lbs for his win last time out in good style at Ludlow on heavy, when shedding the maiden tag, but of course Morgan still possesses his five pound claim so the horse runs here effectively unpenalised. He should take plenty of stopping.

Finally, in the 18:30 at Kempton William Haggas and Tom Marquand combine with favourite BREWING. The five year old has won four of his five starts thus far, all coming on this AW surface, but blotted his copy book with a poor run at Newcastle on New Year's Day. Connections found nothing amiss and were puzzled by his flop, but he remains a horse with promise and is well fancied to bounce back to his best and prove he still has plenty in hand from this mark.

Follow The Leaders

After the top two in the leaderboard yesterday agreed on their Nap - only for the horse to be a late non-runner - today there is disagreement between the second and third. Both are siding with a runner in the 14:10 at Exeter for their best bet of the day, with West Country siding with THE CHANGING MAN and The Punt picking PASSING WELL. The latter is the favourite and brings solid placed form behind Henry's Friend last time out, while the former has run poorly the last twice - unseating behind Stay Away Fay before being thumped fifty lengths by Grey Dawning. Both of those horses are well fancied for the Brown Advisory, and three starts back The Changing Man did push Stay Away Fay to within 2 lengths, so if he bounces back to that form he could go close.

Spotlight still sit pretty at the top of the Naps table, and their fancy as the best bet of the day looks a classic Venetia Williams project horse. JO LESCRIBAA ran some decent races in France before switching to Williams' yard, and although he has run a few solid races over hurdles the plan has always looked to be get him a nice handicap mark and plunder some prizes. He has course form around here and now making his handicap bow, as well as being tasked with a step up in trip, he looks the most likely winner with Charlie Deutsch taking the ride as is the norm on Williams' horses.

1. Spotlight - Jo Lescribaa - 16:25 Leicester - P&L: £22.80
2. West Country - The Changing Man - 14:10 Exeter - P&L: £9.09
3. The Punt - Passing Well - 14:10 Exeter - P&L: £6.87