Paddy Brennan: “This is tough under a 10lb penalty, but hopefully he will go well”

Taunton

12.30pm

Alaphilippe

This will obviously be very tough carrying a 10lb penalty – Tile Tapper is the clear pick of the weights on official ratings – but our horse has done everything asked of him of late and is improving with his racing, for all he probably only did was he was entitled to at Sedgefield last time. This is his toughest task to date, and there are two or three dangerous rivals in here apart from Tile Tapper, but hopefully he is capable of a bold show.

1.35pm

Pyramid Place

He was clearly right up against it in the Finale at Chepstow and his sights have been much lowered here, off 104 in a handicap. He had earlier won well in the soft at Bangor, for all that may not have been the strongest of races, and he clearly has a lightly-raced profile.

4.00pm

Agent Valdez

I have to admit that we were expecting more from her at Cheltenham last month but maybe she was simply a bit flat after winning at Leicester eight days previously. She was showing us all the right signs after that win, but the truth is you never truly know until you are in a racing environment. She actually races off a 2lb higher mark here, as she was running under a 7lb penalty at Cheltenham and went up 9lb for the Leicester win, but I like her chances all the same.

4.30pm

Blue Bikini

She was beaten a long way at Ludlow last time but she had earlier shaped much better when fourth at Warwick on debut, and a reproduction of that run gives her a chance here.