Usual health warnings apply. BENBATL has been racing at a higher level than this this season (5th in the Derby and the King George, 2nd in the Dante, 3rd in the Craven Stakes) and was a winner at Royal Ascot the last time he dropped down to this (Group 3) level. Slight question mark about the ground, but we have to trust the trainer on that. No certainty, and not in the same bracket as The Revenant bet the other day, but very interesting back in Group 3 company. He is 9/2 with most firms (1/4 odds each way, 1, 2, 3). Not surprisingly, the 5/1 for the Super Reds has been hoovered up but 9/2 is still freely available. Not getting McBurnie is not the blow the bookies seem to have assumed, given our regular 4-5-1 formation. That may well flummox Preston, who have admittedly been pretty stingy in defence. With Super Tom, Mamadou and Ike Ike Ugbo to call on we have options, but the midfielders will pop two or three in while they are watching our lone striker.
Our away form is poor and we haven't kept a clean sheet at Preston for many years but 16/1 for 1 nil is well worth a punt.
