2.05 - William Hill Double Your Odds EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (1m)
Mark Johnston has won this race twice in the last four runnings and so Allen Key is one to be noted for the Middleham trainer, albeit the Mastercraftsman colt has improvement to locate on the back of finishing fifth (of six) in his Sandown debut nine days ago.
He should do better, but EXMINSTER might be good enough to give weight to this field.
Ed Bethell's son of Ribchester won at Redcar (7f, good to firm) in July, popular in the betting and scoring with a good late run despite showing plenty greenness once he was in front. Mister Camacho weakened to be fourth in the same contest and may struggle to overturn that deficit despite a 6lb pull at the weight as the winner looks sure to improve.
Knight Rider has changed hands after two runs and can do better in time, while the filly Never No Trouble will have a future too having finished fifth in a Catterick maiden on debut.
2.40 - William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes (6f)
The pair with experience are DYNAMIC FORCE and Taj Alriyadh and it's more than likely they fight this out between them. They have combined already to win 3-3 races they have contested.
Dynamic Force, a son of Kodiac, showed a really decisive turn of foot on debut at Ayr (5½f, good to firm) late last month to put his rivals in the naughty corner before extending away in the closing stages and winning by four-lengths.
Connections clearly think he could be good, as he holds entries in the Mill Reef and Middle Park Stakes next month. There's every chance he hardens his credentials for that sort of prize by winning this.
He will seemingly get a challenge from Taj Alriyadh, however, Karl Burke's Mehmas colt victorious already at Catterick over 5f/6f in the space of seven days last month. He showed an ability to handle good-to-soft/good-to-firm in those wins and is another smart-looking prospect.
He was long odds-on in the second of those wins and beat a previous novice winner in ready fashion despite conceding a penalty. This looks an interesting match-up on paper.
Despite costing ?56,000 and 70,000 gns respectively as 2YOs, both Tim Easterby's Streetsense Bertie and Richard Fahey's To Everest find themselves with sizeable challenges to negotiate on debut. Only strong market support for either would serve to suggest they are up to downing this smart pair first time out.
3.10 - William Hill Silver Trophy Handicap (Consolation Race For The Great St Wilfrid, 6f)
With four runners engaged, Tim Easterby has a strong hand here and True Blue Moon rates as one that should go well for him. He's rated 1lb lower than when scoring at Hamilton back in May and has generally held his form since. Flying Pursuit was a C&D winner on seasonal bow here in May and is another that is well-handicapped now. He could put some recent disappointments behind him.
Fortamour was strong in the finish when scoring over C&D (good) at the start of this month and comes here rated only 2lb higher, ensuring trainer Ben Haslam will have high hopes once again.
Out The Hat remains low-mileage and has won 2-3 starts this season. Jedd O'Keefe's 3YO faces a tough challenge now but is likely to be in the mix from early on and cannot be discounted.
Citron Major put his best foot forward to win at York three weeks ago but hasn't previously been able to put a winning sequence together.
The choice in a wide open race is COOPERATION for Richard Fahey's team. He won over C&D (good to soft) at the start of last month, continuing a really consistent run of form this season that also included a fast-ground win at Hamilton in June.
He flopped last time at Doncaster but that surely wasn't his true running and the slow pace didn't help him. This is unlikely to be run in similar fashion. The return of Paul Hanagan is major plus-point given their record together and the 3YO Mehmas gelding can rebound from that effort a fortnight ago.
3.45 - William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap (6f)
Between them Tim Easterby, David O'Meara and Richard Fahey have combined to win seven of the last ten renewals of this race. They could be very much to the fore once again.
Last year's winner Staxton is back for another go for Easterby. He was disappointing at Glorious Goodwood (in a race won by Mr Wagyu) but that was on soft ground and he had earlier conquered a few of these in decisive fashion up at Hamilton. He can likely bounce back to form in defence of this crown and will be popular in the betting on these revised terms.
One that has been bubbling under the surface of late is EMBOUR for Ruth Carr. He began the season with a win at Redcar (6f, good to firm) and has run decent races in defeat since at the likes of Hamilton, Newcastle and Musselburgh in a busy summer.
He was eventually well fended off in last month's Stewards' Cup consolation race at Glorious Goodwood, won by Mr Wagyu and featuring a good few of these. He is much better off on these revised terms however and has run a good race since in Scotland. He has dropped 4lb below his Redcar win-mark and is worth taking a chance on at a decent price now.
Hat-trick seeking Lincoln Park has Harry Burns offsetting his latest penalty and may challenge, while Golden Apollo and Music Society are potential contenders from the Easterby team.
Muscika is one of two representatives for David O'Meara and isn't crossed off, especially if getting a good start, while stablemate Soul Seeker is engaged at Thirsk on Friday evening and unlikely to face this task.
Gale Force Maya was only foiled late on over C&D 12 days ago and Michael Dods' mare is very capable on her day. She had 9st 9lb on her back last time but will feel much less of a burden now and Paul Mulrennan's charge is another with each-way claims.
4.20 - Visit Attheraces.com Handicap (1m)
There's plenty familiarity amongst these rivals. Garden Oasis just held off Kettle Hill at York (1m, good to firm) in July and both are contenders again. William Haggas' gelding is 1lb better off and still capable of better, so he may turn things around.
That Knavesmire form did though pay a compliment to COPPER AND FIVE, who was gaining a second win of the season when holding Garden Oasis at bay over this C&D four weeks ago.
Ruth Carr's 5YO is rated 4lb higher now but it still getting weight from the field today and regular rider Joanna Mason eases that burden still more to the tune of 3lb. They should go close again.
Haydock winner Rains Of Castamere has had a nice break since his June success and Mick Channon's gelding is a very reliable barometer, seemingly sure to give his running again under Silvestre De Sousa having had a pair of next-time-out winner behind him in the Merseyside success.
4.50 - William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap (1m2f)
Kingman filly MS GANDHI shaped with promise in a couple of all-weather novices last November after proving unsuited by soft ground on debut at Yarmouth. Roger Varian's charge wasn't seen again until a handicap bow at Newmarket (1m2f, good) at the end of last month.
She started favourite and was eventually beaten a length into second spot in a race where the more experienced winner came from off a slow pace to claim the spoils. Ms Gandhi should have learned plenty from that experience and is tipped to build on it now with fitness boosted as well.
Myristica was a C&D winner 12 days ago for Tim Easterby, scoring with plenty in hand, and the daughter of Harzand is a contender once more despite a 7lb rise. The other last-time-out winner, Lasting Legacy, has only gone up 3lb for scoring in determined fashion at Pontefract and is worth another crack at this increased distance.
Look out too for Life On The Rocks, the colt having shown definite promise in three runs for Kevin Ryan earlier in the summer and now switched to Richard Fahey (cost 80,000 gns) ahead of this first foray into a handicap from a workable mark of 76.
5.25 - Visit Ripon-races.co.uk Handicap (1m4f)
Not the strongest finale, with a few of these eight runners struggling at present. We Still Believe looks set to go in as favourite for Ben Haslam. The Lawman gelding won at Hamilton in May and twice last month went close at Haydock and Redcar over 1m2f. This extra yardage is in his favour potentially and his mark remains the same.
The interesting one against him is Australia gelding GEORGE BANCROFT, a pillar-to-post winner at Chepstow over this distance in June for Roger Varian. He had every chance to fold in the closing stages of that race when the pursuers got to his girths but he rallied strongly and won in determined fashion.
He's up 4lb and now fitted with first-time cheekpieces having switched to Charlie Longsdon since. There's possibly more to come from him and, on the evidence of that win in Wales, he will test the resolve of his rivals.
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