Dave Nevison's Thursday tips: bets at Taunton and Ludlow

It is interesting this five-year-old has had his latest two runs at the Military meetings at Sandown given his namesake is a former rider in those traditional events. 

He returns to a conventional meeting here, and definitely caught the eye last time out. He is also back up in trip which, given the way he was staying on last time out, looks certain to suit him very well (especially as he's a winning pointer). 

He has top weight in this contest, but it is a basement level 0-95 handicap, and it looks a very realistic chance for to show improvement plus get off the mark under rules.

It is difficult to get away from Badbury Rings as the potential improver here, and it is no surprise he's a short price.

His first three runs over two miles can clearly be ignored, and he has looked a different proposition stepped up to three miles in handicaps.

The selection ran two good races over this course and distance in strong affairs for the grade, and won an awful lot easier at Wincanton than the half-length margin suggests last time. 

A rise of 9lb for that victory may look harsh, but I have strong doubts it will be enough to stop him following up.

Entity Of Substanz would definitely not be the first horse not to make it up Wetherby’s testing home straight in heavy ground at the end of three miles. 

He mixed it with a well-handicapped rival for most of that race and, even though he tired markedly, he was still only beaten 18 lengths at the line. 

Dan Skelton's charge drops back in trip here at an easier track, as well as being lowered back down a pound in the weights, so I expect a good run.