What did he work it with - to know to back it?

Ticked plenty of boxes for low grade handicap though onlooker , first time tongue tie , rock bottom weight , a few sheckles for it and handicap debut.

Previous " form " totally irrelevant being a handicap debutant , may as well never have appeared on a racecourse before.

Lateral thinking selection.

looked a shrewd last few minutes gamble..dawson a strange booking.

Who are the owners Featherstone Racing?

Only two horses in training and seemingly first runners this year.

I don't suppose there is any connection, but Hugh Taylor is famous for being a Featherstone Rovers fan. Surely he wouldn't have it right off and not tell Lara

It made the trifecta quite decent .....

EX:    £217.20
Trifecta:    £3,130.80

SF:    £67.35
Tricast:    £533.74

Yes - Hayden - and I highlighted the First-time Tongue-Strap in my post.

However - I was Not saying anything like - You could not back it.

I posed a Question intimating ...

How did Trainer Ronald Thompson know that he had 'a bet' on his hands ... When he has absolutely Nothing at Home to work the horse with - in order to ascertain 'the time of day'...

'They all go fast past TREES' - So ...

He must have taken it elsewhere - to gallop with somebody's else established Form horse(s)

Perhaps he galloped it against a car?

With just a single Winner in the past 3 years - He could probably only afford an old Morris Minor.

Still ruing the day Manton came for Handsome Sailor.

Well he's got a 70-rated 5yo in his yard who ran to an RPR of 75 over the C/D 2 months ago, so probably that one. He's 83 years old, and rode his first winner as a 16yo, probably still rides out. Kerrin McAvoy and Davy Russell have ridden winners for him. I reckon he knows what he's doing.

Churchill Bay then ged. That must be the one.

verbotene liebe -

Name your own Brownie Points  Total that marvellous Memory.

I was not aware - let alone had forgotten.

Ronald Thompson had Handsome Sailor as a 2-yr-old, before the horse was bought by Robert Sangster.

Sangster sent it to be trained by Michael Dickinson - recently installed as Master of Manton, the Training Centre Sangster had recently purchased, too.

Somewhat surprisingly (understatement) Dickinson failed somewhat spectacularly at Manton - and had to go to America, to try and resurrect his reputation.

Handsome Sailor was then trained by Barry Hills.

I am impressed that you dug that out from the memory bank - verbotene liebe

Well done - sir!

Thanks Onlooker - my second batch of brownie points from you with a gap of many years in between  - the first for noting that Nureyev began his career with P T Walwyn.

If memory serves the reason for the purchase of Handsome Sailor was that they sought a solid lead horse for their first batch of juveniles who they expected to be brimming with talent but who turned out to be a shower of whatever.  When Barry Hills  was called in to clear out the mess he turned him into a William Hill Sprint Championship ( Nunthorpe) winner. Was at York that day and the Convivial was won by a certain Danehill

"looked a shrewd last few minutes gamble..dawson a strange booking."   I take it u mean in a positive sense. Well that's what I thought..a competant jockey but not a really big name to draw attention.

Apologies onlooker , you did highlight