Ghost Run ran okay to finish 4th, but there was a late non-runner, so no extra place.

Baileys Polka Dot appeared to run well at Thirsk three runs back against one that time showed was well handicapped, but this was the second shocker from her in the space of nine days.

2024 Running P/L: +108.28 pts

It's an easy game this...Flatley made most of the running round Newbury lto to win, so drawn two at Chester with a suspect stayer to his inside, he'll be leading again...

Nope, never better than mid-div and didn't finish his race off with any gusto. I should have given more consideration to the going, as he's probably wants it quick, but they'd evidently done a 'good' job with the watering and the going was changed to good-to-soft after race one.

2024 Running P/L: +106.28 pts

* Knight not Knights

Thank you chav. A desperate finish, didn't think he was going to get there.

As for Irish Dancer, he ran a bit better to finish in mid-div. Maybe he'll be one for when the market vibes are more positive.

2024 Running P/L: +111.48 pts

WD George

Cheers dealer, Cobs & Virgin.

Cheers DG.
Good luck today.

Alzahir, 1pt EW @ 11-1, 3.05 Newmarket

Alzahir has been worryingly weak in the betting this morning, but he comes here on the back of an eyecatching run in a big field handicap at Glorious Goodwood (7f, g-f), where if anything he travelled a bit too well in behind the pace and then having been caught in a pocket around two furlongs out he lost some momentum. His effort admittedly did seem to flatten out in the closing stages having been in the clear inside the final furlong, but it still looked a good run to finish fifth of the 18 runners, beaten just over 2L, considering the first four had been more patiently ridden.

This is a slight rise in class and it remains to be seen if this potentially more tactical affair in a smaller field suits given he can be keen, but that latest effort suggested David O'Meara will be winning races with him, and the selection, who was formerly trained by the Gosdens, is now rated 9lb below his peak rating of 100.

Shatin Venture, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 6.42 Ayr

Shatin Venture made an encouraging return from nearly 11 months off over C/D nineteen days ago when finishing 4th, when like today he was having to race from out of the handicap. He doesn't have a 7lb claimer on board this time to help offset being 'wrong' at the weights and it has to be hoped he goes the right way from that belated reappearance, but he's unexposed after just four starts and hopefully is open to further improvement.

DG, I was interested to see what Saffie Osborne was riding at Haydock after she pulled out of the Shergar Cup due to "other commitments", but down to just the 3 mounts now following two NRs, suppose American Arrow is the main reason she's there given how she eulogized about the filly after making a winning debut on her.

Well done with Mintana, DG

Thanks George

I dug myself a big hole at Haydock, that one got me out of it!

Harswell Dandy, 1pt EW @ 9-1, 3.10 Beverley

Harswell Dandy was looking relatively exposed when the only filly in the race and sent off the outsider of four for a restricted novice at Musselburgh (5f, good) last month, but there didn't seem any fluke about her victory as she overcame the outside stall and kept on well to prevail. In retrospect, perhaps she didn't need to improve on the pick of her form to win that contest, but she would appear to be on a workable mark of 65 on the balance of her form.

The concern is that she has since run in a nursery back over the same C/D and performed poorly, but as that looked too bad to be true she might be worth another chance at a double-figure price.

Stryder, 1pt EW @ 14-1, 5.35 Chelmsford

Stryder remains of a little interest on the all-weather. He had probably shaped better than his finishing position suggested at Wolverhampton (5f) in Janurary, and he followed that with a good effort over this evening's C/D in a slightly stronger grade when going down by just a neck,.

The selection was then off for nearly four months and four runs back on turf weren't much to shout about with the pick of them being an okay effort to make the frame at Brighton (5.5f, g-f) in June; and while better might have been expected returned to the AW last-time-out at Wolverhampton, he might have had an excuse as he was drawn and raced wide.

Stryder hasn't had many chances on synthetics and is better drawn this time so hopefully can give a better account,  with a tongue-tie reapplied and Kaiya Fraser booked for this apprentice handicap.

Bennetot, 1pt EW @ 12-1, 7.00 Windsor (4 PLACES)

Bennetot had caught the eye at Pontefract (one mile, g-f) early last month when doing well to make the frame having endured a wide trip, and then at Ripon (one mile, g-s) he again performed creditably to finish a close-up 4th. He seemingly disappointed on his latest start at Ascot (one mile, g-f, finished behind Obelix), but was racing from out off the handicap and was held-up in a steadily-run race.

He's dropped back in grade for this Racing League contest and can race off a 3lb lower mark than for that Pontefract effort, and while it's not clear what the ideal conditions may be for this ex-French-trained gelding who was a 9f ("soft" ground) and 10f (Polytrack) winner in France, he has shown enough since joining David O'Meara to suggest he can win races for his current yard.

Good luck cobs. It looks competitive enough but taken a chance at the prices.

Harswell Dandy has come in a little since I started typing three hours ago to be a 9s chance generally, so should have changed the last paragraph, though is still a double-figure price in places.

WD GB
Saved the best to last

Well done George

Wd George gl ….

Well done George. Great price

A couple against the field at prices in the Group 3 fillies and mares' race at Naas

Apricot Ice 1pt EW @ 30-1, 3.07 Naas (4 PLACES)
Shandy 1pt EW @ 40-1, 3.07 Naas (4 PLACES)

Apricot Ice and Shandy are very much up against it in this Group 3 contest both on official ratings and the form of the C/D Listed race last month which was contested by a number of these and was won by Nighteyes. However, both Apricot Ice and Shandy probably wanted their efforts marking up considering they raced centre to far side on a day when there appeared to be an advantage in racing stands-side, so they both seemed to do well in the circumstances to be in contention going into the final furlong before gradually fading out of it.

Nighteyes is clearly an improving filly even if she was flattered to an extent by racing to victory up the perceived 'golden highway', and it's no positive to the chance of the Ger Lyons-trained Apricot Ice that Colin Keane is being allowed to jump ship to the David 0'Meara-trained runner, but a chance is taken at the odds that on a more (hopefully) level playing field at least one of the selections can at least make the frame.

=====================

King Of Fury, 1pt EW @ 13-2, 3.25 Yarmouth (4 PLACES)

King Of Fury has proved to be a frustrating sort this season having been selected twice previously on the thread on the basis of his reappearance run at this course over 7f (good) back in May, when off a mark of 70 he finished runner-up in a 0-85 to the heavily-backed Wild Tiger, who went to win the Royal Hunt Cup and is now rated over 100. It might have been a case that something had to finish second in that five-runner contest, but the selection has run well in three of his four runs since under varying conditions to suggest there is a win in him.

He still has to conclusively prove his stamina for a mile and is returning from a short break today, but he should be up to winning races off a mark of 68, particularly in this lower grade, and hopefully the return to this track along with Adam Farragher (who was aboard for that reappearance run) being back in the plate are both positives.

WD, that will help the p/l

WD George….

Welldone