Horse racing tips: Dave Nevison's best bets for Huntingdon

2.00 Huntingdon: Sherborne

He’s stepped up in trip here which looks certain to suit.

Sherborne has a strong-staying pedigree and this £105,000 purchase gave the first return on that investment at Lingfield last time on just his second hurdles run, taking things up two-out to win like a real stayer after being back into favouritism. He has run well on both starts over hurdles.

Sherborne has not run for two months, but he reappears with his stable among the winners this week and I am hopeful he will be fit enough. Most of his winning relatives are rated much higher than 115 and this mark on handicap debut certainly gives him possibilities to improve over this trip.

3.10 Huntingdon: Bells Of Peterboro

He needs to go up further in the weights to get into the Pertemps Final so I am expecting a strong run in this qualifier.

Bells Of Peterboro won so easily at Chepstow last month and the runner-up Kateson is a decent yardstick, and despite others in the race not running to form that looks a strong effort. I am sure Alan Johns would have been concerned about having won by 22 lengths, and the jockey would possibly have been relieved that the handicapper only raised Bells Of Peterboro by 8lbs.

Stamina is clearly this horse’s strong point and the extra two furlongs here will not be any negative. Indeed, it could bring out more improvement.

3.40 Huntingdon: Maliboo

With expected improvement from her chase debut last time, she can show herself to be on a good mark with a trouble-free round.

I am very surprised that Maliboo has not been tried over fences until aged nine given she won Irish point-to-point – as did her dam – while her sister Inch Lala was a half-decent handicapper over fences. Maliboo did win over hurdles at Perth last spring and was consistent at a low grade.

She was beaten 30 lengths last time but jumped okay and only faded after being headed two-out at Fakenham, possibly losing a shoe at that point. There is usually no coming back usually once overtaken at Fakenham and I am happy to take positives from her jumping.

She has been dropped 3lbs for that run.