Today's Racing Tips: Tambourine to hit the right tune at Exeter

Six One Nine (advised at 5/1) put in an excellent round of jumping and clearly appreciated the return to a sounder surface when winning comfortably at Newcastle yesterday. Half an hour later, my other selection, Cancan, lost out in a photo finish having been sent off a well backed favourite.

There are two bets for today’s racing at Exeter.

Exeter Tips

15:40 – 2m3f Virgin Bet Handicap Chase (Class 4)

This looks to be between the three market leaders with preference for the hat-trick seeking JOBESGREEN LAD (NAP - 1 point win bet at 7/2). This Tom George-trained seven-year-old has relished the switch to fences and has won his last two starts in good style after finishing second to a subsequent winner on his chasing debut. His first victory over the larger obstacles came at Ludlow, where he beat the reopposing Ambion Hill by over three lengths. His most recent success came by a commanding eight-lengths suggesting that he remains open to plenty more improvement. A 9lb rise will make life tougher but he should be well suited by today’s stiff 2m3f and finished second on his only previous visit to Exeter, albeit over hurdles.

16:45 – 2m7f Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)

The final race on the card can go to MR TAMBOURINE MAN (1 point win bet at 12/1), a well-bred son of Galileo that ran once on the flat for Aidan O’Brien. His best effort over hurdles to date came when he finished second at Newton Abbot back in September. That came over the longest distance he has raced over (2m5f) and saw him keeping on at the finish. He has since looked short of pace in three races over 2m4f before plugging on to finish a remote fourth on each occasion. On that evidence, this step up to 2m7f at a stiff track like Exeter should really suit him. He is also dropping down in to Class 4 company and his handicap mark continues to slide. The bang in form Bean In Trouble is the obvious danger.