Ripon 3.25

 

It remains to be seen whether this field will split, near (low) and far (high rail) or whether they'll go one side or the other or down the middle. I'll hedge bets therefore on the draw conundrum.

 

Many on seasonal debut and very few with proven form fresh.

 

At the top of the market Mid Winster looked very promising at Doncaster for Midgeley on UK debut and if backing up that run is the one they all have to beat. The niggle is Ripon, its not as billiard smooth as Doncaster and a different proposition and at lower then 3/1 I'm keen to see if i can beat it.

 

Fox Hill has had a run but not a great handicap mark and 13th of 14 on sole Course run. Mutanaaseq was runner up 10 days ago, has strong claims and good to see Ruth Carr who has a torrid 2019 back in some kind of form. The same applies to David Griffiths and in Terentum Star a very very well handicapped horse. It's a Course and Distance winner but all previous evidence suggests it may be one to track on couple of runs after this as usually improves a bundle for seasonal debut.

 

The pair I most like are fit from AW and running off nice Turf marks. 

 

DARK DEFENDER would be a hugely popular and emotion winner for the Bastimans following the recent sad death of Rebecca, a Course and Distance winner, has won on seasonal debut, around last win mark and drawn in Stall 2. There is nothing not to like and a bit of luck and a win would be widely welcome and well received you'd think.

 

At the bottom of the market SPARTAN FLYER looks over-priced, it's fit from the AW and on last AW win mark of 78. Has gone a bit sour in that genre but has a Course win here and Distance wins elsewhere at the trip, was more highly tried on turf in the past and looks like one who could beat more home than the early markets suggest.