Racing tips: Sea Invasion should be on a lenient rating for his handicap debut at Plumpton

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Well, after three years of doing this and taking over from Tommo, my time has come to hand over the reins. It's been a blast and enjoyed it thoroughly, but there are more important things than just horse racing in life and my time over the next few months will be limited so I'd rather pass it over.

I can't thank Mr Fix It for giving me the opportunity to do this. They took a risk on a guy who had a passion for racing and just posted selections with write-ups on Twitter and was then given a chance to write alongside Tommo and Voice Of Value for Royal Ascot and Cheltenham, to then be the main man.

I'm sure you'll see me here in the future doing the occasional cover or maybe some extra pieces of work. I'll be reading the comments and might even pop up with a selection or two. We've had some memorable winning selections over the years with Sire Du Berlais instantly coming to my mind when winning at 50/1 at last year's Cheltenham Festival, plus many other big-priced selections.

Thanks as always to you hardcore Mr Fix It users who have commented every day. It's a great community and make sure you support the next main headliner, as I'm sure you will.

Ffos Las 3:25 – Stellar Stream 4/1 (1pt)

I was tempted to go for one of the older boys in the lineup for this race but there are clearly risks attached going for them as they are all out of form, so I ended up going for the horse at the bottom of the weights with Stellar Stream.

The going is heavy at Ffos Las, so obviously, it's going to take a lot of getting home over this 3m 4f trip. There are proven stayers at the trip, but I can pick out weaknesses in their form and I thought that Stellar Stream might be able to progress in this slightly better race from last time out and land a second regional national race in a row after winning the North Welsh National at Bangor over 3m 5f last time. I actually think the form looks solid from his race at Bangor as the runner-up and third were unexposed at the trip and seemed to have improved for the increase in distance. We know that this horse handles the ground and stays the trip out well and when you combine that with his weight of 9st 13lbs with Ben Godfrey taking off 3lbs from his 10st 2lbs, I think that is a winning formula for a horse who could easily still be on a lenient handicap mark of 109.

I don't think Pimlico Point stays the trip. That might sound ridiculous as he has never tried this far, but he was very weary over 3m on testing ground at Exeter, and although he was idling, I think he was severely tired. The form of that win is decent, but I'd have massive reservations on him staying this trip, especially on the back of his lumbered effort at this track on heavy ground two runs ago. Art Decco has to prove he stays this far, and though he is improving he has shot up the ratings as a result and I don't think the form isn't the strongest as the runner-up did win on his next start but was then very poor the time after. Well Dick's form doesn't grab me into backing him, that looked like a weak race at Warwick and was mainly going up against non-stayers, and the runner-up was on a career-high mark at the age of 10, so it's hardly inspiring. The older boys like Amateur and The Galloping Bear have to be respected, especially the former as he is a two-time winner of this race, but I think he prefers a sounder surface, and the latter is very out of form but should enjoy this weaker race even off 12st.

Plumpton 3:05 – Sea Invasion 9/2 (2pt)

I was gutted to see Sea Invasion not taking his chance at Kempton last time out as I thought he had a superb chance in a Class 3 (0-140) handicap at Kempton where he would've been running out of the weights, but carrying a feather weight. They decided to not run based on the soft ground, so based on that and now he gets a quicker surface he has to be a bet in this race.

I refuse to believe that this horse isn't on a very good handicap mark and even though he is carrying 12st 2lbs, but that is effectively 11st 11lbs with Freddie Gordon claiming 5lbs, he should be able to win a race like this and with authority if he is as good as I think he is against this weak field. I think that they've rated this horse since getting him as there was some decent late money for him last time out at Kempton over 2m (went off at 16s, but was much bigger earlier). He was outpaced, but stayed well to the task and plugged on into fourth late into that race. Based on that performance the 5f extra distance should be right up his street, also the fact he was 2nd on his sole PTP start would suggest that the added stamina is perfect for him.

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