He can be keen mackies, so I think he needs holding on to. I see the RP have given him a "finished well" comment, unfortunately not well enough

Good luck GB, and well done.   Horse went TIMBER shortly after you posted !

Dinneratmidnight, 1pt EW @ 25-1, 4.20 Ripon

Dinneratmidnight makes a little appeal at 25-1, and although there is a concern the drop to 5f is not ideal, this is still likely to represent enough of a test given the ground.

He has been lightly raced and was returning from 10 months off when running well on his recent debut for Richard Guest over 6f at Kempton, albeit well placed given how the race panned out but still shaping well against some bang-in-form recent AW winners.

The notebook run actually came the one time he encountered soft ground, at Leicester over 6f in August 2014, and while it seemed he was struggling in the ground early on in the race, he apppeared to be finishing to good effect until his rider was forced to stop riding inside the final furlong; that was a class 3 race and he's now 6lb lower in a class 4 grade.

Dinneratmidnight still has to show he can string 2 good runs together given how lightly raced he has been, but a chance is taken at 25-1, and being drawn one, his rider may have the option to tack over to the far rail, which can be an advantage in testing ground at Ripon.

Debit, 7.40 Bath, 1pt EW @ 16-1

Debit is a 19-race maiden who failed to win for both Clive Cox and Brian Ellison at trips up to a mile, however, his last three starts for current trainer Simon Hodgson have been around 10f on the AW and two of them have suggested that he may benefit from going even further, given the way he has stayed on.

This evening's test over 11.5f on potentially softish turf represents a much stiffer test and he has to prove he has the stamina for it, but his pedigree as well as run style is encouraging on that front given he's out of a Silver Hawk mare.

Debit's earlier form over shorter and off a much higher mark (rated 73 when finishing second behind progressive Withernsea in 2014, and last season placed behind subsequent Ayr Gold Cup winner Don't Touch in a maiden), strongly indicates that he handles soft ground perfectly well.

Debit is now rated just 57, and Rhiain Ingram, for whom he went well 3 starts back when finishing second at Wolverhampton, takes off 7lb, so he's potentially well handicapped back on turf, particularly if suited by the step up in trip.

Noor Al Haya, 4.50 Bath, 1pt EW @ 14-1

Noor Al Haya doesn't have a good record on the AW given she has failed to even place in 13 attempts, so it was encouraging regarding her wellbeing that shaped reasonably well on her most recent start at Kempton, travelling well but failing to secure the clearest of runs up the straight and leaving the impression she was better than the bare result.

It has to be said she's not always the easiest (can be slow away and pull hard), but she's back on her last winning mark, is a course and distance winner on good to soft, and has Megan Nicholls to take off 7lb.

Noor Al Haya hasn't been seen for 7 weeks, but her previous win over C/D came off an even longer break, so hopefully connections have just been waiting for the turf and she will be fit enough to do herself justice.

Jazz Ranger, 1pt EW @ 14-1, 8.05 Dundalk

Jazz Ranger caught my eye at Leopardstown last backend on his third run, and he has since gone on to show a decent level of form over hurdles on testing ground.

He doesn't appear to have a mark yet and perhaps he's running here to get handicapped, but interesting that connections have booked Donnacha O'Brien (2 from 4 for the yard, +33) to take 5lb off, and while he has to prove his effectiveness on Polytrack, the step up to 12f on the level should suit.

A4, indexed, with a sturdy blue cover

Debit 7.50 btw

Thanks for pointing out the correct time

Good luck with KS, striding. Seemed they went for a touch on it at Southwell during the winter; looks interesting trying turf for just the second time.

The more obvious one I considered was Onorina, who impressed me with the way she got the job done at Lingfield (turf) last season, and again caught the eye at Kempton when last seen.

No denying it, a bad day at the office, with conditions proving worse than Noor Al Haya probably cares for, the market suggesting Jazz Ranger was indeed there just to get a mark, and I don't know what happened to poor Debit but it didn't sound good

Onorina ran OK in 4th, but all it all meant 7 costly points dropped on the day.

George

Needless to say won't be giving kay sera another chance, just looks a poor animal.

Hardest part of the game is when one you've noted wins unbacked George. Especially at the sort of prices you put up. Easy to want to put everything up at times!

Really keen on the chances of Indy in the 7f conditions race at Thirsk today.

Has a bit to find at the weights but is lightly raced for its age. Running over further last year but to my eye is suited by a shorter trip. Didn't get home in the spring mile having had them all on the stretch going off too quick into a strong headwind, the form of his 2nd at Ripon has worked out very well with the first and fourth that day both improving a stone since. Yard in form after a quiet year last year too. I Fancy Indy to make all.

Gl with yours

Oh to hell with it, I'm having 3 more picks to make up a 10p (un)lucky 15!

Dreese, 1.45 Thirsk, 1pt EW @ 25-1

This is as specualtive as it gets, given concerns over fitness and whether he wants it this soft, and what the horse has left to offer, but at a big price I'm prepared to take a chance.

After a few poor runs for James Tate, he was picked up cheaply by Richard Fahey, who won a claimer with him at Catterick, and that was when Marjorie Fife claimed him.

I didn't think a couple of the runs for Fife last season were without hope, considering 5f might have been too sharp, or the ground too quick over 6f. He's had 7 months off and he's returning here without any headgear / tongue-tie, but he's dropped a few lb in the weights, and interesting to see if Fife can restore him back to his best.

Straduff, 6.40 Wolverhampton, 1pt EW @ 11-1

After shaping with promise on his debut at Brighton last season, Straduff returned this year looking very much like a handicap project judging from the market in 2 runs, but he wasn't without support on his handicap debut off a mark of 60 at Lingfield 17 days ago in first time cheekpieces when sent off favourite, but things didn't go to plan, with the horse losing its action when still in contention turning into the straight.

Presumably it was nothing serious as he's returning to the track relatively quickly, but he seems weak in the betting today despite being kept to the same grade, and perhaps some of that apparent market weakness has something to do with the drop in trip to 6f, which is a concern,  but in a weak race he still looks relatively unexposed and open to improvement, so a chance is taken at a double-figure price.

Invincible Wish, 8.10 Wolverhampton, 1pt EW @ 12-1

I selected Invincible Wish on Wednesday on the basis that the step up to 12f could suit, but things didn't pan out with the horse taking a grip in rear and having a lot to do in the straight, but again he caught the eye with his finishing effort, suggesting the trip isn't a problem.

His free-going tendency is a concern and the hope is that run will have taken the fizz out of him, and with Mister Marcasite in the field there may be a bit of pace on; also a hood is being tried again.

Keep it going George. Only a matter of time before the winners start to flow.

The weather has made things very tricky on the turf so far. When Mitchum is on a hat trick you know the form is upside down!

Today's 3 guesses are exactly that given I'm guessing about ground and fitness.

Fairy Flute, 2.00 Navan, 1pt EW @ 20-1

By Peintre Celebre and a half-sister to a 10f winner, doesn't exactly scream sprinter, but connections seem to think she is one having kept her at sprint trips to date.

Considering her pedigree, I thought she was quite an eyecatcher on her 2YO debut over 6f at Naas back in 2014, looking green but catching the eye with her she saw her race out. She never ran again as a 2YO, and she kicked off 2015 with another promising run over 6f at the Curragh, but her next two starts were disappointing at 6 and 5f.

She now goes handicapping off 61, which looks feasible on some of her maiden form, but there are nagging doubts about the 6f trip and she's unproven on the ground, but I'm intrigued that they're persevering with her, so a chance is taken at a price.

Mega Fortune, 3.40 Navan, 1pt EW @ 25-1
Gentil J, 3.40 Navan, 1pt EW @ 16-1

Andy Oliver runs 3 in this and these two I've noted when qualifying for a mark. It has to be said there doesn't seem much market confidence behind either at the moment.

I suppose the more obvious one is Gentil J who shaped particularly well over 1m at Navan and Leopardstown last backend, leaving the impression she'll be suited by step up in trip this season; being by Jeremy offers hope she'll be fine on the ground.

Mega Fortune caught my eye at Dundalk on his third start, not only as a physically good sort, but also how he shaped in the race despite not being knocked about in the final furlong.

He's not badly bred being a half-brother to the useful Arakan, and while he has to prove himself over 10f on testing ground, there is hope in the pedigree being a full brother to a 10f winner on heavy in France; been gelded since last seen and gets first time cheekpieces today.

Hang on, just noticed there's a paragraph missing

Which should have said he's re-opposing Navigate, who might have been perceived as the bigger eye-catcher given he was left with a lot to do and made up plenty of ground to finish just ahead of Englishman, who's 1lb better off, but I'm hoping Englishman will come on more fitness-wise given Martyn Meade appears to have his string well forward, and at the prices I've gone with Englishman.

First time I have looked at the thread George, best of luck with it, we were a bit unlucky Saturday with Invincible Wish.

Well done George, about time! LOL

stridingedge    03 Apr 16 15:30 
Englishman ran well for a long way on return (faster ground) last season. likes soft hopefully handles this testing slog.Very tricky contest but on best form should be competitive this class.

25/1 a small poke for me for a bit of interest today

gl

stridingedge    03 Apr 16 15:33 
typical first run back englishman

travelled aswell as anything to 2f out then given a cosy ride

wd George

sill man striding

wd george and keep it going, I'd be very surprised if the thread doesn't show a very decent profit by the end of the season.

wd George

Told you it would come George!

Hope you had some pennies on Captain Scooby too.

Well done