RIPON SATURDAY

2.40 WILLIAM HILL SILVER TROPHY HANDICAP 6F

Many will be looking for draw clues here in relation to the Great St Wilfrid itself, but any analysis is complicated by the make-up of the field, and the first impression gleaned is that the far side runners are largely devoid of early pace, which suggests the speed will be concentrated in the centre of the track. Whether those who blaze the trail will seek to move to the far rail or stay in the middle is unclear but it’s dangerous to expect both sprint handicaps to unfold in the same fashion.

In an open race for the consolation, Bossipop is put forward as the pick, arriving as he does in a rich vein of form and with his middle draw potentially advantageous. Tim Easterby’s gelding is something of a course specialist despite just the one win here, his overall record at Yorkshire’s ‘garden track’ reading 21222. His win at Ripon came on heavy ground, but he’s shown similar form on good, and is effective on all but the quickest turf.

His most recent second to the in-foal Avon Breeze came from an identical mark to the one he runs off here and from the same draw to boot. It’s very hard to see him out of the frame, despite the big field.

3.15 WILLIAM HILL GREAT ST WILFRID HANDICAP 6F

With Kachy an absentee, the low numbers could be vulnerable without an obvious pacemaker to chase, but Pipers Note is tactically versatile and ought to go well from stall three with his excellent course record to bear in mind. He’s also racing off a lower mark than when making the frame in competitive events at Ascot on his last two starts and merits plenty of respect on that basis.

He’s tempting, but marginal preference is for the progressive Robero, who hasn’t been seen since a decent fifth in the Bunbury Cup. Of the first six home at Newmarket, only Robero, from stall three, was drawn low, and he can be rated as better than the bare result, with the seven-furlong trip arguably stretching him at this level.

Back to six furlongs now, and with the speed to take a favourable track position from his middle draw, he looks more likely to get things run to suit than a few of his main rivals. Before the Bunbury Cup, he’d posted a sparkling time for the conditions when beating nine rivals at Pontefract, several of whom have won competitive handicaps since. That suggests that Mick Easterby’s charge remains on a workable handicap mark and he’s expected to make a bold bid from the front.

NEWBURY SATURDAY

2.25 BETFRED GEOFFREY FREER STAKES (GROUP 3) 1M 5F 61Y

Frontiersman is clearly the one to beat on ratings here, but he’s unproven at the trip, and has looked less than willing to engage in battle on his last two starts, getting excused on the first occasion in the Coronation Cup when the track was deemed to blame for his waywardness, but blotting his copybook in no uncertain terms when hanging away from his main rival in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket last time.

This is easier on paper, but the Godolphin horse is best treated with caution after his latest display, and clear preference is for Defoe, who has won all three starts this season, starting off with the fiercely competitive London Gold Cup at this venue. He has since shown improvement to win in contrasting conditions at York and marked himself down as a possible St Leger candidate by taking the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton. There have been murmurs in some quarters that Roger Varian’s yard is out of form, but these seem to be emanating from those with a purely binary mentality when it comes to such things.

In the last 10 days, Varian has sent out 30 consecutive losers, but a closer look shows that a third of those have finished second, and there is evidently nothing wrong with the yard’s inmates that a bit of luck won’t quickly cure.

3.35 BETFRED HUNGERFORD STAKES (GROUP 2) 7F

Owen Burrows has been downbeat about the chances of Massaat in the Hungerford, pointing out that last year’s 2000 Guineas runner-up doesn’t do much at home and will improve for the outing. That’s as may be, but this is the same Massaat who won on debut as a juvenile, and split Galileo Gold and Ribchester in the Guineas despite the lack of a previous run, and while he disappointed subsequently, the Newmarket form makes him a clear pick against rivals who fall short of the top echelon.

Breton Rock is a most likeable performer, but will do well to carry a penalty for his shock win in the Lennox Stakes, which owed much to him having room to open up against opponents who seemed more determined to get in each others’ way.

I’m tempted to give Sir Dancealot another chance given he was beaten before the race started at Goodwood, but the argument for him was predicated on handicapping and the nature of big-field contests so this may not be the best opportunity to recoup losses.

NEWMARKET SATURDAY

2.10 RANDOX HEALTH GREY HORSE HANDICAP (6F)

The Grey Horse Handicap is viewed as a novelty, and it probably does the job of getting a few more bums on seats, but its marketing niche doesn’t preculde it from providing a good betting opportunity, and it does that in the shape of the rapidly improving Dark Power, who impressed with the manner of his victory over several in-form opponents at Leicester last weekend.

Clive Cox’s colt wasn’t ideally suited by the soft early pace, needing to be ridden along before most of his rivals, but he picked up in willing style, and was always holding the late challengers despite the margins being quite small. He has a big weight with a penalty to carry here, but looks destined for better company, and can defy his impost.

RECOMMENDED

DARK POWER 2.10 Newmarket – 2pts win @ 10/2 (Bet365)

DEFOE 2.25 Newbury – 2pts win @ 2/1 (general)

BOSSIPOP 2.40 Ripon – 1pt e/w @ 7/1 (Bet365)

ROBERO 3.15 Ripon – 1pt e/w @ 12/1 (general)

WINNER

Golden Apollo 4/1 Ascot