Best Bets: Friday 17 December

FERNDALE NIDGE (Trap 2) - 18:19 Nottingham

The first of three selections at Nottingham comes in the opening A2 contest at 18:19, with FERNDALE NIDGE expected to show his class. A regular on the Open circuit in 2021, it hasn’t yet clicked for Ferndale Nidge following an enforced absence in the autumn but this is his easiest assignment for some time and given he should be back at peak fitness now, he really ought to take some stopping with a clear run.

RIDGEDALE BLAKE (Trap 6) - 18:36 Nottingham 

The make-up of the 18:36 race could be crucial, with sole-wide seed RIDGEDALE BLAKE fancied to make the most of what will hopefully be a clear passage. Most unusually for him, Ridgedale Blake got it wrong out of the boxes here last week as he is normally a consistently-fast trapper and assuming he reverts to type, he really ought to lead these up before hopefully asserting from the second bend.

MISTER HAPPY (Trap 5) - 19:41 Nottingham 

MISTER HAPPY has yet to win from six starts so far, but he did well to finish as close as he did when two-lengths second in this grade last week given he suffered crowding. The 19:41 contest looks a slightly weaker contest on paper so this could be the time for Mister Happy to redress his maiden status.