Tuesday Racing Tips: Knowsley can find road to victory

Jump racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland on Tuesday, with four National Hunt meetings during the afternoon before attention turns to Southwell’s evening all-weather Flat card.

Amongst our Monday fancies is a lightly raced handicapper for trainer Paul Nicholls who ran in a Grade 2 last season.

14:15 Wincanton - Ede'iffs Elton @ 9/2

Ede'iffs Elton knows Wincanton like the back of his hand and can add a fourth course victory at the track in the 3m1f handicap chase.

The Robert Walford-trained nine-year-old has form figures of 44441211 in chases at Wincanton, and the latest fourth came in a warm Saturday race in front of the ITV cameras on Badger Beer day.

Ede’iffs Elton was noted making good late headway over an inadequate 2m4f trip there as the yard’s second string, and the form looks reasonable given the three-length second has scored since and is now rated 11lb higher.

The selection usually progresses massively for his seasonal return and normal improvement from that comeback should make him tough to beat off a 2lb lower mark.

14:22 Ffos Las - Knowsley Road @ 11/4

Paul Nicholls only saddles one runner on the card at Ffos Las and that is Knowsley Road in the 2m3f novice handicap chase.

He has an interesting Dan Skelton-trained rival in King Of Ryhope to beat, but I’m expecting Harry Cobden to do the business on this well-regarded six-year-old.

Knowsley Road was sent off a 7-2 chance for Warwick’s Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle in January after recording two smooth novice successes, and enhanced his reputation slightly by finishing third there.

He gave the impression he might improve for a step up to three miles in future starts but has looked a non-stayer in both races over that distance, each at Newbury.

The tailed-off finishes have coincided with a 4lb drop in the weights, and it is surely only a matter of time before things click over fences for this lightly raced type, who can improve with his November return behind him down half a mile in trip. He can aid Cobden’s jockeys’ title bid.

14:52 Ffos Las - John Betjeman @ 5/1

John Betjeman is another course specialist who takes the eye as he brings strong claims to the table in Ffos Las's 2m handicap hurdle for trainer Mark Gillard.

The aptly named John Betjeman bounced back to form when second under a big weight at Kempton last time and certainly saves his best for Ffos Las, with course form figures of 2122131.

The three victories were earned on varying ground conditions, so soft terrain holds few fears, and while they were each gained off lower marks, the 7lb claim of William Maggs is going to help.

Maggs is operating at a 20 per cent strike-rake in Britain (9-46) and backing his mounts blindly to £1 stakes would have yielded a £11.38 profit. A reproduction of the Kempton effort should ensure John Betjeman goes close at his happiest hunting ground.