Wednesday tips: Andy Stephens has four fancies

This is a weak veterans’ handicap chase and it is not difficult to imagine Skyhill bullying his five rivals into submission. 

The 12-year-old has a fine wins-to-runs ratio for a horse who has only ever competed at a modest level – ten wins from 45 outings – and he was a runaway winner at Kelso last time when up with pace from the outset. 

A 6lb rise for that success looks lenient and he’s shown a soft spot for this track, winning twice over course and distance from three visits. 

He is also assured plenty of assistance from the saddle, with Charlie Maggs (2/8 at Catterick) booked in a race restricted to conditional jockeys. 

The Rebecca Menzies-trained seven-year-old looked unlucky not to win over course and distance last month when he was touched off by an unexposed rival after losing vital ground at the final flight. 

He was last off the bridle, but connections clearly believe he’s keeping a little something to himself as the first-time cheekpieces he wore that day are now replaced by a first-time visor. 

My Friend Yeats has been nudged up 3lb in the ratings, but he remains lightly raced, having had only six starts under Rules, and it’s likely there is a bit more to come. The early 7-1 looks fair enough.

Menzies has a 20% strike-rate at Catterick in the past five seasons (22 winners from 111 runners) and you would be £25.71 in profit had you blindly put £1 on all her runners at the track during this period. 

I’m hoping Menzies can strike with both her runners on Wednesday, although Mister Moodles is less obvious than My Friend Yeats after failing to complete in his two races this season. 

He was probably in need of the run when pulling up on the first occasion, having been off for five months, but his latest effort was more eye-catching as he threatened to make all in a first-time visor over 2m 4f at Sedgefield before getting weary and eventually falling at the final flight when well held. 

Mister Moodles was clear three out in that Sedgefield race and still moving strongly, but he had done a bit too much, too soon, and there’s also a chance he was still short of peak fitness. 

Dropping back half a mile in trip seems a good move and he should get the goodish ground which serves him well. The headgear is retained and I also like the prospect of him getting an uncontested lead, as none of his rivals are habitual front-runners. At an early 18-1, I'll have worse ideas.

Far Away West is an obvious one to monitor in the betting on his first start for Dan Skelton, but he may well be overbet. 

The Glen Rovers heads the betting at 5-2 as he seeks to complete a Kempton hat-trick, plus a fifth win from his past seven starts, but he faces no easy task confirming earlier superiority over Andaleep. 

The pair clashed in the Middle Distance Series Final over course and distance in November when The Glen Rovers got on top in the closing stages and prevailed by just under a length. 

They have since gone their separate ways. The winner followed up here last month, while Andaleep again ran well in defeat at Wolverhampton last time. 

The upshot is that the ever-reliable Andaleep gets a 10lb pull for the rematch and is actually 13lb better off because Sean Bowen, the regular rider of The Glen Rovers, has lost his 3lb claim since that original November clash. 

Chalked up at 11-2 in the early betting, Andaleep looks a decent bet to turn the tables.