'He should prove devilishly difficult to catch' - our Monday tipster returns with four fancies

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Deadly Missile
1.37 Hereford
1pt each-way

Ballybeen
2.37 Hereford
1pt win

Deed Pole
3.50 Lingfield
1pt win

Gustav Graves
6.30 Wolverhampton
1pt win

It often pays to front-run or sit close to the pace at Hereford, and Ballybeen can take full advantage of a potentially easy lead in the 2m5f handicap chase (2.37).

The eight-year-old delivered a career-best performance when narrowly failing to make all at Chepstow last time out.

He got into a lovely rhythm under Dylan Johnston that day and was pegged back only halfway up the run-in by Ballycamus, who went on to beat him by three-quarters of a length.

The fourth, Ballybegg, has since franked the form with a smooth ten-length victory over Malaita at Ludlow.

Ballybeen coped well with the heavy ground at Chepstow but, as a son of Presenting, there is a definite possibility he will be more suited by the less testing conditions at Hereford.

He receives weight from all eight rivals, most of whom are invariably ridden patiently from off the pace, and should prove devilishly difficult to catch.

The slick-jumping Imac Wood, a course-and-distance winner who caught the eye at Doncaster last time, promises to provide the biggest threat, but Ballybeen can keep him at bay.

Deadly Missile, another by Presenting, is very one-paced but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he outran expected big odds in the 3m1f handicap chase (1.37).

The seven-year-old, who seems at his best on good ground, ran several fine races in defeat last year, including over course and distance when second to Can’t Beat History in October.

He competes off 1lb lower this time and carries just 10st 3lb, which means he receives a considerable amount of weight from some eminently opposable rivals towards the top of the handicap.

Deadly Missile often runs in snatches and can come off the bridle a long way from home, but he usually responds and does his best work towards the finish.

He almost snatched an unlikely victory at Market Rasen in September when going down by three-quarters of a length to Great D’Ange, after appearing to have less than no chance turning for home.

If he can keep tabs on those towards the head of affairs down the back straight for the final time, his undoubted stamina can see him secure an each-way return for backers at the very least.

Deed Pole, given a break after disappointing on his first start over a longer trip at Brighton in June, has returned this winter with three excellent efforts at a mile.

After finishing third at Chelmsford and Lingfield, he justified 9-4 favouritism on his return to the Surrey track when beating Edmund Ironside by a neck last month off a mark of 58.

He shaped on each occasion as though the step back up in trip would see him to even better effect, and a 2lb rise for that breakthrough success should not stop him in the 1m2f handicap (3.50) at Lingfield.

Deed Pole overcame a bad draw in stall ten to win his race, and appears much more favourably berthed this time in box five.

He has arguably more scope for improvement than prolific scorer Chagall, and it could be that my selection has most to fear from the Richard Hannon-trained Pink Lily.

Gustav Graves ran a series of creditable races in turf sprint handicaps last summer, during a time when his stable was essentially out of sorts.

The Derek Shaw yard is in much better heart now and Gustav Graves confirmed that general wellbeing when pouncing late for a comfortable success in a 5f handicap at Wolverhampton over Christmas.

Things didn’t really pan out for him on a return trip to Dunstall Park this month when he finished a running-on third behind Reigning Profit and Rodborough (won at Southwell next time out), and it would be premature to assume he’s in the handicapper’s grip.

The first two home that night occupied the first two places from the start and clearly held a significant advantage over Gustav Graves, who was held up towards the rear of the field. He was raised 7lb for his fluent victory two runs ago, but has been dropped 1lb since the defeat.

He went close off higher marks on turf last spring and can resume winning ways in the second 5f handicap (6.30) on Wolverhampton's card. 

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