Chris Dixon's horses to follow plus a race and trainer to follow

Racing TV duties mean I’ll be making the short trip to Wetherby on Wednesday afternoon where much bigger fields than we’ve been used to of late make for some very competitive races.

The opening couple of contests have short-priced favourites that I don’t especially want to take on but at the same time have little interest in backing. I was going to put forward Up For Parol as one to back in the handicap hurdle at 2.05 but the price (2-1) disappeared and I couldn’t advise him as a play at the current 5-4. So, my focus has switched to Roger Rarebit in the penultimate race at 3.50.

Yet to make an impact in four starts so far, he has shown glimmers of ability along the way. Dropped out in rear at Chepstow last time, I liked the way he moved into midfield from the end of the back straight and at no point was he given a particularly hard time, very much looking like one who might be capable of better.

Fifth home Petty Cash made an even more significant move through the race to finish fifth and has since come out to win well on his handicap debut last week and I think Roger Rarebit could take a similarly big step forward here. From the in-form team of Tom Lacey, the stable strike rate with handicap debutants (5/15 in the last 12 months) is evidence of a yard capable of getting one well-handicapped and I think the return to a longer trip is a likely positive. Generally available at 11-2, I’m happy to back him at that price.

Onto the notebook horses for your racingtv.com tracker and there’s five to add, including a couple from the Betfair Hurdle on Saturday.

Milton Harris has enjoyed a tremendous season and I’d be surprised if his juvenile hurdler Hasty Parisian doesn’t add to his tally after being allotted an opening mark of 107 following two hurdles outings over inadequate trips.

Outpaced from an early stage in a race run at a strong tempo at Doncaster last week, his jumping was also initially big and novicey, but he warmed to his task through the race, eventually seeing it out well to be three lengths away in third at the line, despite having being hampered by a late faller.

Bred to stay really well, I suspect he’ll look a different horse when sent over at least 2m4f and beyond, while at some point the application of some headgear may also eek out some progress.

Saint Arvans was outpaced on the turn for home before sticking pluckily to his task to take third against an in-form and well-handicapped pair at Catterick on Tuesday.

Only 2lb higher than for his win at Wetherby earlier in the campaign, this runs suggests he still has mileage in his current mark and the return to a more galloping track or perhaps slightly longer trip may well see him prove the point.

Mawkeb has had a few goes since joining Mick Appleby and is yet to get his head in front but things haven’t quite gone his way since going close on his stable debut last month and his fifth-place at Newcastle on Tuesday was a much better run than it looks on paper.

Ultimately beaten 2 ¾ lengths, he was unfortunate to be caught in traffic on the stands rail as the race developed away from him with those switched to the middle enjoying a clearer passage through. Hitting the line strongly and with more to give, I think he would’ve gone close with a clear run and he looks ready to break is maiden, especially if given another go over a mile at this track.

The Betfair Hurdle field might have been a smaller one this year but there’s plenty to suggest it will prove a very strong piece of form. With improvers filling the first three places (including a novice in second), the fourth horse was a weights dropper while in fifth was last year’s winner who had taken a handicap off only 4 lb lower earlier in the season.

With an improving handicap debutant in sixth and in-form horses in seventh and eighth, the first half of the field was packed with horses of interest to one extent or another and the form is underpinned by a good overall time. As such, I’ll be keeping an eye on anything coming out of this race, but the two I’d suggest adding to the tracker are Lord Baddesley (fourth) and Knappers Hill (sixth).

The handicapper has taken a chance with Lord Baddesley and the way he finished off from the back of the field here suggests he could take advantage soon if given a chance over a longer trip. Smart bumper performer Knappers Hill is also in need of further now and will look well-treated when stepped up in trip. I think he can win a big handicap.

Colin Tizzard’s team have hit top form this month (7/32, strike rate 22%) building on the revival shown in January following a torrid December (3/63 strike rate 5%). It’s been noticeable that a number of the recent winners for the yard had run poorly during that quiet spell in December and were either bouncing straight back to form or building on improved efforts on a subsequent start in January.

A flick through the current entries for the yard shows a number of horses who fit a similar recent profile and I’ll be taking a close look at them when declared over the next couple of weeks.