Dave Nevison's Wednesday tips: selections at Wetherby and Kempton

After winning a competitive novices' hurdle at Carlisle on his seasonal reappearance, Dan Skelton sent Tormund Giantsbane to Sandown for the Grade Two Betfair Winter Novices' Hurdle. He finished fourth of five there behind No Drama This End in what was a slowly-run race, and that wouldn’t have suited him. 

However, that contest is already working out well as the first and last finishers have already won since. This is his first handicap, and a rating of 123 looks a generous opening mark, given the strength of that latest effort. 

Stratusnine won a maiden on turf as a two-year-old, but has continued his progress well this winter on the all-weather, and has a consistent row of form figures (until unseating coming out of the stalls last time out).

He was an outsider in that Listed event in January, but is back in handicap company this time off the same rating as his last completed effort. 

The selection had to make the running at Wolverhampton two starts ago, and will be better suited by the likely strong pace this time as he should get a lead. 

The drop back down to six furlongs will not be an issue in a strongly-run race, and I expect the Hugo Palmer-trained gelding to go close again. 

Although she has been a beaten favourite on her past two starts, including when I tipped her on her penultimate outing, I am happy to give Rajinoora another chance to land a handicap on the all-weather.

Michael Bell’s three-year-old filly ran well again last time out when clipping heels early on in the race, but then stayed on with real purpose which suggested this step up in trip will be within her range.

She races off the same mark here, and I'm hoping it will be a case of third time lucky.