'He looked a hurdler going places when winning twice last season' - our Monday tipster has four selections

Members' Club tipping is our top-tier betting advice service, starring our biggest and best experts.

This and lots more exclusive insight is published every night on racingpost.com from 6pm.

Members' Club tipping is also available daily in the Racing Post newspaper.

Playtogetaway
3.00 Hereford
1pt win

For Gina
3.20 Plumpton
1pt win

Ray’s The One
4.20 Plumpton
1pt win

Privatory
4.20 Plumpton
1pt win

Ray’s The One, who tackles Plumpton’s 2m handicap hurdle (4.20), is a horse close to my heart.

The seven-year-old won the Fontwell race which I sponsor in memory of my parents in both 2021 and 2022, and was primed for a hat-trick last year until connections pulled him out an hour before the race because of heavy ground which was bordering on unraceable.

Ray’s The One was rerouted to Ascot ten days later and ran better than his finishing position of tenth as a 50-1 shot behind Titan Discovery suggests. Havaila, who finished sixth, gave the form a timely boost on Friday when powering up the Sandown hill to slam Issam by two and a half lengths.

Ray’s The One’s last Fontwell success was achieved off an official mark of 100. He is 2lb lower now, and that’s not the only reason to fancy his chance. For instance, he meets Tara Iti, who beat him into sixth place in a Fontwell handicap hurdle last April, on 20lb better terms.

He will relish the drying ground, his trainer Mark Pattinson ended a losing run last Wednesday when Nubough won at Lingfield, and there is also the suspicion that Ray’s The One is a grade above the calibre of opponent he faces in Plumpton’s 0-100 Class 5.

After all, he ran really well for a long way when third to the talented Yorksea in a Class 3 Fontwell 0-130 on Boxing Day 2022 off 10lb higher than his current rating.

It would be churlish – and possibly unprofitable – to ignore the fact that one of Ray’s The One’s Plumpton rivals, Privatory, finished a place ahead of him in the Tara Iti race and is now 14lb better off at the weights when Aidan Weaver’s 10lb claim is factored into the equation.

The Gary Moore-trained Privatory was given an opening mark of 124 after landing some good bets on his first start for the Horsham stable at Sandown in March 2022.

He’s been well beaten on most runs since graduating to handicaps, but his rating has dropped to 87 – effectively 77 with the rider’s 10lb claim.

In addition, there was a definite whiff of a revival when he finished sixth behind Commanding View over course and distance last month.

Cannoned into by Birdman Bob when that runner slipped up after the fifth-last, Privatory rallied down the back straight, and was only six lengths off the leader turning for home. In the circumstances, Privatory fared much better than could reasonably be expected at the time he was hampered.

The flame certainly flickered that afternoon and, if it burns this time, he has the ability to raze this field to the ground. 

For Gina takes the eye from her position at the foot of the weights for the 3m1f handicap hurdle (3.20). Lucy Wadham’s six-year-old produced a career-best last time out when bolting up by 11 lengths from Redbridge Rosie at Fakenham.

Admittedly, that contest rather fell apart on the final circuit, but there was no disguising the manner in which For Gina imposed her authority from the penultimate flight.

She competes from 3lb out of the handicap, but can continue on an upward curve by making the most of the weight she receives from unexposed Doughmore Bay and Lassue.

Playtogetaway looked a hurdler going places when winning small-field Huntingdon and Worcester handicap hurdles last season impressively.

Although there is little substance to the form of those victories, Playtogetaway couldn’t have won in easier fashion, and I very much doubt 114 is his ceiling.

I wrote in my notes that Playtogetaway was “last off the bridle by almost three furlongs” when he won at Huntingdon, and that’s normally the mark of a very well-handicapped performer indeed.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained six-year-old looks one to follow this term and can launch his campaign in the best possible style by landing Hereford’s 2m handicap hurdle (3.00).

He was declared to run at Catterick on December 28, but missed the engagement owing to ‘unsuitable ground’.

In-form O’Neill has had another four weeks to get further work into Playtogetaway ahead of his seasonal reappearance, so there should be no worries in terms of the gelding’s fitness.

Read more:

The Punt Acca: Harry Wilson's three horse racing tips from Hereford and Plumpton on Monday

Monday's free racing tips: six horses to consider putting in your multiples

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.