Friday horse racing tips: Dave Nevison’s three best bets

1.10 Catterick: Prairie Wolf

I am hoping that he goes off a bigger price than what he should here in essentially a weak event.

Secret Secret is the first one to consider after being very well-backed on stable debut for Neil Mulholland last time, but a bad mistake cost him impetus which he couldn’t regain up the punishing Wetherby straight. Such mistakes seem to be feature of his hurdles form and he regularly started at short prices of late.

Prairie Wolf was a useful two-time winner in bumpers but has yet to convert that form to hurdles. The signs were much better last time though, when he ran a neck second over two miles at this track in first-time cheekpieces.

That was in the 0-120 bracket and he takes a massive class drop here to the 0-100 grade, while I feel he is likely to improve stepped up in trip (most bumper winners go further than the minimum distance).

Sue Smith may be short of winners in the last couple of weeks but so many have been placed and the trainer did have a treble New Years Day. Hopefully Prairie Wolf can give her a deserved break.

2.00 Chepstow: Hipop Des Ongrais

He was an impressive 11-length winner at Fontwell last time and has been raised 8lb for that success, but given that three of those he beat have won on their subsequent starts it now looks a very lenient rise for such a strong performance.

Hipop Des Ongrais has clearly adapted to English fences very well judged on how he jumped last time and if he handles Chepstow’s stiffer fences just as well he should go in again.

I feel William Philo should have struck for the column on Tuesday, but hopefully the in-form Robert Walford will supply us a compensatory winner here.

3.30 Chepstow: Fairlawn Flyer

Peter Bowen may be short of winners in January but I don’t believe he is out of form (up until Wednesday his last five runners had all been beaten less than 10 lengths so ran well) and he just needs to get the sort of lucky turn Fairlawn Flyer enjoyed last time out.

However, I don’t believe Fairlawn Flyer will need one to fall in front of him again this time to continue his winning run. He obviously enjoys the local Welsh air as all his wins over fences have come at Ffos Las and he’s only been raised 1lb for the lucky win last time out.