Some cracking racing over the next couple of days George and there should be plenty of eyecatchers to take away.I gave today a miss but have 23 races down to have a look at for Saturday and plenty of big fields hopefully a winner or 2 under the radar

Cheers George I've backed a few but but put up what I thought were too big on my thread.I like Gershwin in the last at Sandown though he's the right price I think he could be well in and given his entries and the booking of Frankie he should be ready.

Just thinking about that Ripon race again, I suppose it could be argued that Midhmaar was flattered to an extent given Dolphin Vista (who had to use up gas from a wide draw to get a prominent position) and Move Up were close up to what appeared a strong pace, but I still think there was a lot to like about the run.

Pleasure Dome, 4.35 Sandown, 1pt EW @ 16-1

Pleasure Dome finished behind today's rival Shall We when they both made their debut over 1m at Chelmsford in November, and while the latter is open to any amount of improvement herself, I did think there would be more to come from Pleasure Dome  too and a chance is taken at a much bigger price, now tackling 10f.

She looks a sizable sort, who seemed to attract a bit of support at prices in the market (16-1 into 12-1, BFSP: 16.24), and in the race itself she shaped quite well, making up plenty of ground after being wide into the straight to be beaten just under 3l at the finish, leaving the impression a step up in trip will suit.
Pleasure Dome now switches to the grass but is related to turf winners and her dam is from the family of Kingston Hill.

Altarsheed, 5.05 Sandown, 1pt EW @ 22-1

It was disappointing Altarsheed was turned over at evens on his reappearance at Chelmsford 15 days ago, but he remains of interest now up in trip to 10f as he left the distinct impression last season in two turf runs that even as a 2YO he was crying out for a longer trip than a mile, particularly at Haydock when being caught flat footed as the pace lifted before staying on well for third behind today's rival Dal Harraild.

His dam was a 12f winner and he's a half-brother to winners up to13f, so the pedigree backs up the visual impression, and he remains unexposed on turf.

Ban Shoof, 1pt win @ 10-1, 5.25 Doncaster

Ban Shoof seemed to show improved form for the switch to Tapeta when winning on his reappearance at Wolverhampton this month, but there's no reason on pedigree (by Shirocco, half-brother to Cambridgeshire winner Educate) why he shouldn't be effective on turf, and it could be that this good-bodied sort has just improved and developed over the winter.

The form of his win may not amount to much (third beaten since), but there was a lot to like about how Ban Shoof got the job done, travelling well if a little keen, and showing a good attitude after being wide into the straight to get on top close home.

Being by Shirocco and out of a 12f winner on turf, the stiffer test on turf should suit.

Puzzled about the riding arrangements in the first race at Sandown Paul Hanagan is riding Ebtihaal not James Doyle and Dane O'Neill is riding Abareeq not Paul Hanagan? Will Paul Hanagan ride Ebtihaal for S bin Suroor in the Derby?

I'm tempted to take a bit of a flyer on Emjayem in the 4.55 at Donny today. Very lightly raced for his age he looked a well handicapped horse in the Autumn and he returns today off a mark I'd expect him to be winning off. If he's fit enough I'd fancy him to go close and although he's no great record fresh, his return from a break at Windsor last season bodes well for his ability to do it today. Slight concern about the ground as it'll be slower than he's raced on before but I'd be prepared to take a chance at the price.

He's 28-1 with some books and as short as 10-1 with others.

Gl with yours today

I'd expect Ruby's Day to run well fresh George.

Nice place to start the day!

I hadn't realised Midhmaar had been such a big price good start in a very hard race

Auspicion, 3.15 Ripon, 1pt EW @ 16-1

Auspicion was ultimately disappointing for William Haggas, who had been quick to apply blinkers, and after some heavy defeats (though wasn't disgraced on his final start for Haggas over a trip probably on the short side), was sold to Tom Tate for 22,000 gns.

He was gelded ahead of his first start for Tate, for whom he made his debut at Wolverhampton, and the run caught my eye; taking a keen hold early without any cover, the horse was steadied back towards the rear of the field, and although he could make no impression in the straight, he wasn't given a hard time but still seemed to hit the line well, doing enough imo to suggest he wasn't a lost cause just yet.

Auspicion's mark has dropped to 77, which puts him 9lb below the mark he was on when close up behind big improvers Third Time Lucky, Polarisation and Go Dan Go, and ahead of 3 subsequent winners in a race at Musselburgh last June which worked out really well.

Auspicion remains lightly raced, is potentially well drawn here in 3, and we know he handles the course as he won his maiden here (the form hasn't worked out too badly in retrospect with subsequent winners Cymro and Dark Red behind), and interesting to see if Tom Tate can restore the horse back to his best.

Kaatskill Nap, 1.40 Haydock, 1pt EW @ 33-1

This is a bit of a guess. He made his debut towards the end of August last season at Newbury over 1m, and although he finished well held, I didn't think the run was without promise; slowly away, he was noticeably green, however he was soon tracking the pace before running green and being left behind, but towards the end of the race I got the impression the penny was dropping and he seemed to hit the line quite well.

He could be up against some useful sorts here and normally I'd rather just watch again with a view to the future,  however, his stable has started the season well and have had a maiden winner at Nottingham who seemed to improve a lot on what she had shown last season, so it's not impossible this fella could come on a lot from his first run, particularly given how green he was on debut, and he has been gelded since last seen; interesting also that connections are stepping him straight up to 12f.

Cheers for that James. Perhaps come here instead for the better ground.

Fell out the stalls, very very green and won cosily. Haggas knew!

Yep, he didn't want to say much did he!

The wee glint in his eye was telling

Allfredandnobell, 1pt EW @ 12-1, 2.50 Thirsk

He caught my eye on his debut over 6f at Ripon last season, not getting the clearest of runs and seeming to finish with plenty left in the tank; he than ran respectably in a couple of maiden auctions (not beaten far by horses who went on to win nurseries off marks in the 70s / 80s), each time shaping as though a step up in trip could suit; his nursery debut over 6f at Pontefract was disappointing, for which he has been dropped 3lb to a mark of 62.

Allfredandnobell is of some interest today stepping up in trip today to a mile; his dam is a half-sister to Champion Stakes winner Storming Home, and also to 3 winners at 10f-12f.

Well done George

Well done George the quicker ground will have helped though shame about the nr's

Fantastic stuff, well done again George! I think that may be the final straw for my Ladcrooks account

Didn't realize there was a significant NR in the 5.00 race, will check what price I came out with

Ah 10p r4 in the Thirsk race too, damn it

How late was the withdrawl? Did the bookies no re-make the market afterwards? If they remade the market and returned a 20/1 sp surely I should get paid at 20/1 rather than 20/1 minus r4?

It was a late withdrawal, go-all-in, horse burst out of the stalls.

Cheers again, a relief to get a decent winning day cuz the stats were starting to turn ugly!

Lightning Spree, 1pt win @ 9-1, 4.20 Ayr

Lightning Spree is of a little interest returning to the C/D of my notebook run; he caught my eye when he ran at Ayr last September and the 12l he was beaten that day did not tell the full story; restrained and dropped in at the start, he travelled well if a little keenly, and was noted making promising headway up the inside rail when denied a clear run and shuffled back to rear, losing all chance in the process.

It's a worry he has only been seen twice since and been disappointing both times, though it's possible to excuse both defeats on account of racing too freely at Hamilton on his final start of last season, and his reappearance run at Doncaster on account of the demanding ground / lack of race fitness.

Those two poor runs have seen Lightning Spree's mark drop 5lb, which allows him into this 0 - 65, and with that seemingly unlucky run at Ayr last season not forgotten, a chance is taken Lightning Spree will revive returned to more favourable conditions and off his reduced mark.