Thursday tips: Dave Nevison has three fancies at Huntingdon

Three low-grade handicaps at Huntingdon on Thursday have attracted decent field sizes, and hopefully the trio below will put their best foot forwards. 

This nine-year-old is modest over both hurdles and fences but two of his three wins in handicap chases have come off a higher mark than Thursday. 

For one of his limited ability, he does win races and based on his current mark it will not be long until he lands another. He ran well enough last time on his first outing over fences for a while when third over course and distance and has been dropped another 1lb since then. 

He is not a brilliant jumper but most of his rivals have got plenty of letters in their form figures so he should go well if keeping errors to a minimum. 

On the 40th anniversary of Eastenders Dirty Den would be a topical winner here, but that isn’t the only reason to back him. 

He won his bumper at this track on his racecourse debut (from a horse now winning hurdles off 117) and for a while was tried at the very highest level before changing stables. 

Since joining Anthony Charlton, he has been campaigned with getting a decent handicap mark and that been achieved. 

Last time out he was backed into favouritism but the waiting tactics were overdone and he ended up finishing second, doing all his best work in the closing stages. 

Callum Pritchard taking off 5lb negates a 3lb rise and I would be very surprised if Dirty Den didn’t go well again. We can all celebrate in the Queen Vic if it goes in! 

The Killehena and McPherson stable had been on the cold list for a while but have come back to form since the end of January and this modest mare should hopefully be fit enough to run well after a three-month break. 

She won a summer jumping novice event at Uttoxeter and followed up with a good effort under a penalty. 

This led to an overly high handicap mark, which she has struggled with, but she has slipped 9lb and my eye is drawn to a 10lb claimer being booked to ride. Oscar Palmer has ridden winners for Seamus Mullins and Rebecca Curtis and gone close a few times for Alan King, so he is clearly well regarded and his claim is significant.