Derek ‘Tommo’ Thompson is no stranger to giving us TV Gold. Here he is doing it yet again in a recent AtTheRaces broadband. His compliment to a beautiful lady being interviewed on the horse racing channel doesn’t quite go to plan!

In the Sunracing.co.uk Handicap (2.20) at Southwell on New Year’s Day, Angel Palanas proved no match for Black Salt over 6 furlongs at the Nottinghamshire track two weeks ago, but the latter has won both starts on Fibresand with plenty in hand and looks one to follow. Angel Palanas has been raised 2lb for that effort, but won easily on his previous start, over course and distance, the previous week and, even in this slightly higher grade, deserves another chance to confirm that promise.

Karl Burke’s five-year-old has been a regular at Southwell over the last twelve months or so, winning four of his twelve starts, including twice over course and distance, and appears to be at the top of his game at present. He’ll need to be, to record his first win in 0-95 company off a career-high mark of 81, but has made good progress since returned to Fibresand in November and may not have finished yet.

Middleham Moor trainer Karl Burke has a highly respectable 12-53 (23%) strike rate with his older horses at Southwell over the last five seasons, for a healthy level stakes profit of 35.83 points, and Angel Palanas looks to have every chance of improving that record. The Mayson gelding has struck up a good relationship with apprentice Jonathan Fisher and the partnership may, once again, be able to show some exposed rivals a clean pair of heels.

Selection: Southwell 2.20 Angel Palanas to win

It wasn’t all that long ago that Areen Heart was the apple of Richard Fahey’s eye and, although the Exceed And Excel gelding hasn’t quite hit the heights that the Musley Bank trainer perhaps thought he might earlier in his career, he has, at least, made up into a consistent, albeit modest, handicapper. The four-year-old lines up in the Sunracing.co.uk Handicap at Lingfield on Wednesday and appears to have every chance of recording his second course and distance win.

Areen Heart took a few runs to find his form following his transfer to David O’Meara just over a year ago but, following a 171-day break, has run well more than not since returning to action in May. Indeed, he deserves a change of fortune, having been beaten three-quarters of a length, a neck and a neck on his last three outings, including in a better race than this over course and distance three starts ago. At 4-1 it looks like good value to us, and you can sign up here if you’re looking to place a bet with an online bookmaker. He’s actually 3lb better off for the short head he finished in front of Breaking Records when they were second and third, respectively, behind Dubai One in a similar race at Wolverhampton 11 days ago so, granted luck in running, he should confirm the form with that rival.

With the possible exception of topweight Belle Meade, who’s now 14lb higher in the weights than when last winning a handicap and has run poorly on both attempts on Polytrack, nothing else really makes much appeal. Areen Heart remains competitively weighted and, despite his recent bout of ‘seconditis’, can gain an overdue win.

Selection: Lingfield 1.10 Areen Heart to win 4/1

The Betway Handicap (2.40) at Lingfield on Tuesday is the best race of the afternoon, in terms of quality, at the Surrey track and, with most of his rivals yet to win in this grade, may present topweight Breden with an opportunity to gain recompense for a luckless run, over a mile, on his last visit to the course in April. On that occasion – on his first run back from 173-day break following a wind operation – Linda Jewell’s 8-year-old was denied a clear run from the two-furlong marker, but when finally in the clear, in the last hundred yards or so, ran on strongly to finish third, beaten two heads, behind the winner, Unforgiving Minute. That performance came off a handicap mark of 86 and, having won comfortably over the straight mile at Newbury in the summer, Breden races off a 3lb higher mark.

The son of multiple Group 1 winner Shamardal steps back up to a mile and a quarter, but has won a couple of times over that distance on turf and, reunited with Robert Winston – who won on him at Newbury – must surely find this an easier assignment than when down the field, at odds of 50/1, in the Silver Cambridgeshire at Newmarket on his last appearance in September. Of course, his 53-day absence isn’t ideal, but he won after a longer break at Newbury and his previous course form suggests he’s well treated on his return to Polytrack and if winning is matters to you a visit to Online Casino Deutschland wouldn’t go a miss!  In a small field, a slowly-run, ‘messy’ race is always a possibility, but Breden appears versatile, tactically, and can strike a blow for his small, dual-purpose trainer.

Selection: Lingfield 2.40 Breden to win 6/1