With Ascot’s Champions Day coming up this Saturday we are nearing the end of the Flat season, meaning the National Hunt venues begin to come out of hibernation, including Hereford who host their season opener on Tuesday.

The Herefordshire venue opens its doors with a decent card featuring a mix of Hurdle and Chase races, and there are appealing bets over both sets of obstacles.

14:25 – On Se Calme @ 13/2

Our opening tip comes in the second race on the card, the Class 4 Mares’ ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle over 2m, where On Se Calme can get the job done for Alan King.

Her career has been somewhat of a disappointment so far, but her latest fourth at Market Rasen on her seasonal reappearance was a step in the right direction and a sign that she is ready to build on the promise she showed when landing a bumper in 2022.

That aforementioned fourth was a sign that the wind surgery she had in the summer may bring the required improvement going forward and, with no obvious standout star in this race, she should have enough to at least make the frame, or potentially even get off the mark over hurdles.

The booking of an in-form Gavin Sheehan, who is operating at a 19% strike-rate in the past fortnight, will only increase her chances and she looks a solid each-way bet.

15:35 – Classic Concorde @ 9/4

Classic Concorde arrives in Herefordshire in the form of his life, looking for a four-timer, and the Class 4 Handicap Hurdle looks a great opportunity to add another win to his growing total.

The 10-year-old has enjoyed an excellent run of late, most recently landing his hat-trick in a 2m7f soft ground handicap at Bangor-On-Dee and he has only been raised 3lb for that effort.

With a tendency to lead from the front, albeit to great effect recently when making all in his previous two wins, there is a fear that this step up to 3m1½f may affect his front-running tactics.

However, he has proven himself on slower ground over shorter trips and the likely good going should make the extra distance a non-factor, as he will have the perfect conditions to show his exceptional speed and stamina.

It is risky to back against the in-form Skelton yard, but their representative Lady Berlais is yet to show much in her career, so backing proven-winner Classic Concorde looks the way to go.

16:10 – Hellfire Princess @ 13/2

The following Bill Chapman Memorial Handicap Chase provides our final tip, where Hellfire Princess can land this Class 5 over 2m5f.

She won a bumper at this track last year before going on to disappoint over hurdles since then, but there is the suspicion that fences may be more up her street and, back at a course she knows well, this could be a good opportunity for a first win since her debut.

There is also the bonus that Hellfire Princess’s trainer Kerry Lee had the best strike-rate of any at Hereford last season, with 47% (8-17) of her entries finishing first, so she clearly knows how to land a winner at the venue.

If taking to fences well, she should have enough to see off the likes of Ben Buie, who is up 4lb following a Warwick win and is going over much further here, and Family Pot, who arrives following a lengthy break.