Ripon’s sprint course is unique with its many undulations and so it usually pays to side with a horse that has strong course form. Furthermore, tomorrow’s William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap (3.20 p.m.) over six furlongs is regularly targeted by local Yorkshire trainers who have won 13 of the last 15 runnings of the race.
SECRET GUEST ticks both of the above boxes in that he was third in this very race a year ago, as well as being second at the course later in the season, and he is trained in North Yorkshire by Bryan Smart. In addition to that, he is in good form having been runner-up at Thirsk last time out in a fairly competitive six-furlong handicap.
With regular jockey Andrew Breslin in the saddle and claiming 3lbs as an apprentice, Secret Guest has every chance of making the frame or better tomorrow. Back him 1 point each way at 17-2 with William Hill, paying five places. Rousing Encore, from the in-form Ruth Carr yard, and Mister Sox, from the equally in-form Tim Easterby stable, head a long list of dangers but I am leaving it at just the one bet in the race.
JUMBY loves nothing better than racing at Newbury, on really fast ground and over a distance of seven furlongs, and he will have all three ideal conditions when he contests the TPT Fire Handicap tomorrow (3 p.m.).
Now aged seven, Eve Johnson Houghton’s gelding was rated as high as 112 in his prime when he won some top races, including the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes – also on tomorrow’s Newbury card – three years ago.
Jumby is no longer up to the task of winning a Group 2 contest, hence he swerves the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes tomorrow, but he is more than capable of landing an 11-runner handicap off a mark of just 94. Unfortunately, the nice 10-1 each way price available two days ago has gone so back him 2 points win at 11-2 with William Hill, Betfred, Ladbrokes, Coral or BetVictor.
Tomorrow’s Hungerford Stakes is too hard for me to fathom out so instead I will have two ante-post wagers as my final bets this week. I love backing talented horses ante-post when you know their clear target and when they are not ground-dependent. Step forward NO HALF MEASURES who is being aimed at the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on 6 September.
Top jockey-turned-trainer Richard Hughes’ four-year-old filly caused an upset when winning the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup Stakes at Newmarket last month at odds of 66-1. That was over six furlongs on good-to-firm ground but Hughes is adamant she will be even better on much softer ground. Indeed, if it rains hard in the run-up to her September assignment, it will blunt the speed of some of her rivals.
With the race favourite Lazzat fluffing his lines at Deauville last weekend, this six-furlong contest is wide open. Back No Half Measures 1 point each way at 12-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both paying three places.
Looking ahead to York, I am afraid Plage de Havre is a non runner in the Sky Bet Ebor a week tomorrow, I imagine after a setback, but my two other ante-post bets put up last week for York have shortened in price. I certainly have high hopes for Old Cock in the Clipper Handicap on Wednesday.
I will also add one more bet at York to my ante-post portfolio. As things stand, DANCING IN PARIS is unlikely to make the cut for the Sky Bet Ebor. So that means he is likely to run next Wednesday in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (4.10 p.m.) over two miles.
The hope for connections would be he wins the £50,000-plus first prize and also that he picks up at penalty which might get him into the Ebor line-up four days later. His trainer, Ian Williams, did just that with Alfred Boucher three years ago, with the horse beaten only a short head in the Ebor under a penalty by no-less-than Trawlerman, who won this year’s Ascot Gold Cup.
With all of this in mind, back Dancing In Paris 1 point each way at 12-1 with bet365, paying four places, for the Wednesday handicap with Saffie Osborne booked for the ride. Dancing In Paris can pull too hard and be a tricky ride but Osborne rode him well when second at Glorious Goodwood and he is up only 2lbs in the ratings for that big run.
I will be back a week today to take a close look at the final two days of York’s wonderful Ebor meeting.
Pending:
2 points win Jumby at 11-2 in the TPT Fire Handicap.
1 point each way Secret Guest at 17-2 in the Great St Wilfred, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Dancing In Paris at 12-1 for the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Old Cock at 25-1 for theClipper Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Plage De Havre at 16-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. NR.
1 point each way Majestic Warrior at 25-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way No Half Measures at 12-1 for the Sprint Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 2 points
1 point each way Arisaig at 9-1 for the Shergar Cup Mile, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2025 flat season running total: + 107.43 points.
2024-5 jump season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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