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Sam King may have failed to land a blow with his three selections yesterday but he’s back with a trio of strongly fancied wagers on this tremendous Thursday…
Ripon hosts an interesting seven-race card and I'm really sweet on the chances on Nigwa in the Ripon Cathedral Handicap at 4.20.
It's easy to argue that she was an unlucky loser at Hamilton a few weeks ago and I think she'd have got his head in front with a clear passage.
Ed Bethell's charge beat the now 92-rated Marhaba The Champ in a course and distance maiden on her third career start and is surely well-handicapped off a mark of 80.
The daughter of Sea The Stars had to sit at suffer against the rail for much of the contest at Hamilton last-time-out and only failed to reel in a horse that got a much cleaner run down the outside of the field by a neck. A 1lb nudge up the weights for that effort in defeat will pose no issues and with quick ground to suit and Ed Bethell's team in excellent form (25%, 3-12 for the last 14 days), I'm really struggling to see how he doesn't go very close in this.
Selection: Nigwa – General 15/8
The Download The At The Races App Handicap at 5.22 may not be people's most favoured punting affair this afternoon but I'm finding it hard to leave out the veteran Round The Island.
Simon Whitaker's bay showed he still had a healthy appetite for racing at the age of ten with a really pleasing reappearance sixth at Catterick last month and he probably would have finished much closer granted a cleaner run. He had plenty to do approaching the 3f pole and found his path repeatedly blocked as the field entered the final stages. It looked like a really solid effort to only be beaten one-and-three-quarter lengths at the line and I can't understand why the reopposing Hurstwood, who finished fifth that day, is over half the price.
Although there's no out-and-out front-runner in the field, I'm hoping there's enough pace on up front for Round The Island to aim at but even so, at a current price of 8/1 I'd be disappointed if he wasn't involved as he searches for a third course and distance success.
Selection: Round The Island – General 8/1
We head to Carlisle for our third selection. Carlisle's seven-race evening card may not carry the same prestige of its infamous Carlisle Belle meeting staged later this month but there are still some interesting prospects on show. The Great Orton Handicap at 6.50 has attracted a field of twelve and Obama Army can make a long trip worthwhile for the Jack Channon team.
Jack Channon has done well since taking over the training reigns from his father having already saddled fifteen winners to date.
The Berkshire-based trainer has no fears of travelling the distance for his winners either having already been on the scoresheet at Northern tracks Catterick and Redcar.
It looks notable that he sends last-start winner Obama Army on an approximate 560-mile round trip to Carlisle this evening and the son of Washington DC is his sole runner on the card.
His recent form looks really solid for Class 6 level with the horse that beat him at Wetherby two starts ago having followed up since. The form of his narrow Bath success last-time-out also took a timely boost with the runner-up going one better at Brighton earlier in the week and he looks just the type of horse that the handicapper may struggle to get a grasp on.
A 1lb bump up the weights hardly looks excessive and with his hardy attitude a commendable asset at this level, I'm expecting him to follow up.
Selection: Obama Army – General 2/1