Best Bets: Thursday 1 December

Droopys Turbine (Trap 6) - 12.43 Sheffield

We kick off with DROOPYS TURBINE (Trap 6) in the four-bend handicap at 12.43. Boasting a style well served by the demands of handicap racing, his main objective may well prove clearing Swift Manners (Trap 5) but with an edge on the sectional clock in standard four-bend races we’re hopeful he can and, in a race where those at the front don’t look the strongest, we’re hopeful he has himself in a challenging position by the third bend and can power home off the last on the inside to enhance his sound record in this discipline.

Fourpenny Dream (Trap 5) - 13.44 Sheffield

FOURPENNY DREAM (Trap 5, 13.44) arrives on a losing run stretching back to late-September, her relative lack of early pace often proving her downfall. Shaping much better than the bare result on her penultimate start, she is again best not judged too harshly on her latest effort, beaten by a very quick winner for the grade in a race which has already thrown up subsequent winners. Crucially, she lines up in a race largely lacking in early-paced types, and we’re hopeful the daughter of Sparta Maestro can turn handy around the opening couple of bends on this occasion and prove too good for her rivals.

Teddy Thomas (Trap 6) - 20.27 Sunderland

Our final selection comes at Sunderland’s evening meeting and despite meeting with a series of agonising defeats, TEDDY THOMAS (Trap 6, 20.27) should really be up to getting back on the scoresheet. Already proven at a higher level (three-time winner in A5 grade earlier this year) he hasn’t been seen to very best effect in meeting with crowding of late, including when runner-up in this class seven days ago. However, he’s drawn outside a pair arriving out of sorts and could well turn handy on the run up this evening and, if doing so, is expected to prove a tough nut to crack for those to his inner.