Ripon Saturday 13th August

 

In recent years a HIGH draw was favoured here and certainly in the Meeting on Monday it seemed to be the favoured side. A Rail though can be an advantage and in a maximum field you would not discount the far Rial but with the 15 running i can see them coming Stands (High side) from the off with Hyperfocus in Stall 7 and last years winner JUSTANOTHERBOTTLE likely to be involved up front early and coming to the High side trying to grab an early pitch on the Rail.

 

We shouldn't discount LOW entirely with the favourite Blackrod and the class horse of the race Sumerghand drawn 1 and 3 respectively.

 

Clearly Blackrod and Summerghand have excellent chances but will need to be very tactically astute and for that reason and at the prices I'll overlook them today but Summerghand would be a hugely popular winner. The draw seems to be the main reason for the price of Emporer Saint in my opinion and it doesn't really cry out to be backed each way at the price. Misty grey gets Stall 15 and would be a welcome winner for Tom Dascombe who is really having to start all over again as a Trainer having left the patronage of Michael Owen but I think that one is better on AW than turf.

 

JUSTANOTHERBOTTLE bolted up from a High Draw last year, loves the Course and has won here again since, its 13 lbs higher and drawn 10 but hard to leave out in terms of an investment. SNASH is one i like and progressing with wins off 82 and 87 and up to 90 in Stall 14 and another worth a small investment with some bookies going generously to 5th place.

 

Hyperfocus could take some pegging back from Stall 7 and if you want a "contrarian" £1 each way on one to buck all the trends ten VENTURA EXPRESS who was runner up in the Silver Trophy on this Card last year from a low draw challenging the draw bias, runs here from Stall 4 at a big price off a mark of 85 for the in-form Midgeley yard. It's worth a small investment on its Course record alone.

 

My idea of the best each way value in the race though is FORTAMOUR it's a Course and Distance specialist, drawn in Stall 11, has wins off 80 and 85, not brilliantly handicapped off a mark of 89 but interesting as it ticks every box and frankly I don't see anything middle to high who is well handicapped.

 

TIP - Fortamour / Tracker - Justanotherbottle / shrapnel - Snash / £1 e/w on 12 Ventura Express @ 33/1 .

 

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NORTHERN 4.00 Handicap - Class 6 - 1 mile 2 furlongs - 11 run - Good to Firm

 

A pretty poor Class race but at the top end there have to be stamina doubts about Bearwith and whilst Make A Prophet is knocking on the door, at 2/1 its no value.

 

Kodiellen has disappointed me a few times, they step up in trip and on the Dams side i can see why so I'll cover it off with £1 each way type bet, Milltown Lily is interesting on one bit of form at Beverley since coming from Ireland and the yard regularly throw a big priced winner in and MAY PUNCH another upped in trip should be in the first 3 home.

 

The one that stands out though for me at a really nice price is SEVEN FOR A POUND, a Course and Distance winner last year off a mark of 45 and on this undulating straight that Course form stands out, it's not really fired yet this season but if it can run prominently as it prefers nd get in to a nice rhythm it does look a very generous each way price in the early markets.

 

TRACKER - SEVEN FOR A POUND (shrapnel win on May Punch) = £1 e/w on Kodiellen