Horse racing tips: Timeform's best bets at Pontefract Monday -

*All prices are up to date with our stylish widgets, while copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change

MIDNIGHT LION has good middle-distance pedigree and promising form when hitting the frame in a solid run at Newmarket for his August debut. He was strong in betting on the back of that display and rode well again when he finished second to another promising guy on a similar trip to this one at Goodwood last time out. This race does not look as strong and it is an excellent opportunity for him to open his account. Selection stable mate Red Bird is an interesting newcomer and she needs to keep an eye on the bets.

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SASY BEAUTIFUL finished runner-up to smart Trillium on her Newbury debut in July and was only narrowly disallowed when she took the same job at Windsor on her next start. She wasn’t in the same form when she was only third at Newbury last time out, but this race is going well, and she’s looking particularly interesting now that she’s making her handicap debut from from what should prove to be an achievable mark of 78. Reward Smile, coming in after a good third to Ayr, may pose the biggest threat.

IMPROVISE has only found one too good in its last two starts, finding a debutant with a well-supported handicap too good at Newmarket in June and only exhausted late in testing conditions at Epsom last time out. She looked the likeliest winner on this latest occasion – she traded at 1.01 in run on Betfair – and is almost certainly capable of winning races from this sort of mark, so it’s worth checking out. store again. Emperor Caradoc is coming up and is another to consider.

MATT WHITE comes on the back of two two-mile wins at Catterick and she may have even more to offer in that area. She was very strong in the bets last time out, sweeping an 8-pound weight increase in style from a subsequent winner, so form has substance, and that longer journey should be within her reach. She is favored over Flint Hill, which runs particularly well on this course, and in-form veteran Wynford.

GAINSBOURG has a good record on this course and he produced a career-best effort when recording a second run and a distance hit in the cheeks for the first time 18 days ago. He seemed to be well adapted by a drop in the course and it was really difficult to distance himself from his rivals in the last stages. The handicapper lifted him 6 pounds for the effort, which seems perfectly fair, and he seems safe to close once again. Menelaus is probably the runner on the court with room to improve a bit, so he’s a threat, with Tangled rounding out the shortlist.

SOBEGRAND did plenty of appeal on paper and was shaped with plenty of encouragement on his Kempton debut last month, doing all his best work on the finish after showing considerable greenery early on. He’s riding at a mile and a half now, which is sure to suit, while the addition of cheekbones should also help him focus better. There should be too much for Reach and Aegis Power, both of which have shown ability.

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CARLTON AND CO finished narrowly behind course and distance specialist Round The Island here last month, but the Easterbys filly took a significant step forward that day and she may have even more progress up his sleeve. She can reverse this form, though Round The Island itself is once again a serious threat, while Patontheback and Brides Bay can also be involved in what appears to be an open handicap.

BEATIE IS BACK had gone out with the Bronze Cup wash at Ayr after a break last month, but he is attracting strong interest with his lowered sights here. The Richard Fahey rep has improved in each of his three all-time starts at the start of this year and remains open to improvement. Sweet Glance made a good change to Catterick last time out and will be a threat if he responds well to the new headgear.

1:25 p.m. – Midnight Lion
13:55 – Sassy beauty
2:30 p.m. – Improvise
15:05 – Flat White
3:40 p.m. – Gainsbourg
4:15 p.m. – Sobegrand
4:50 p.m. – Carlton and Co.
5:25 p.m. – Beattie is back

*All prices are up to date with our stylish widgets, while copy odds are accurate at time of publication but subject to change

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