Fine Form
David O’Meara’s
Goyard RI – 7.40
is defending a 100 per cent record at Ripon and can defy top weight in the Mark’s Choice, Ripon’s Most-Winning Horse Handicap.
This time last year Goyard had only had the one run, so he is still likely to be improving after a busy second half to last season.
Second on debut at Doncaster, he won twice at Ripon at odds-on and looked like he might be a fair bit above average.
In his last two outings of 2025 he was well held but having kicked off the new campaign with a good effort in defeat at Pontefract, there should still be more to come from a mark of 82.
William Haggas has an impressive strike-rate at the Garden Racecourse and his
Keep It Classic RI – 8.15
is of interest in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap.
By Too Darn Hot out of a Group Three winner for Jessica Harrington in I’m So Fancy, he has so far not lived up to his pedigree having achieved a lowly rating of just 52.
Haggas would surely have moved him on, though, if he did not think he was capable of winning races and perhaps the application of a tongue-tie will bring about some improvement.
Ed Dunlop is enjoying a productive season and his
Tie Fighter RI – 8.52
can give him another winner in the David Chapman Memorial Handicap.
Dunlop has been mixing up the headgear in his recent starts, suggesting he thinks he might be keeping something back for himself, but there have been signs of ability over the course of his nine-race career to date.
The Charlie Johnston-trained
Redline AY – 2.30
might be capable of defying a penalty against the boys in the EBF Stallions Restricted Novice Stakes at Ayr.
She made a winning debut at Carlisle when beating horses with previous experience, which is always a good sign.
Considering her dam was a Listed winner, someone may have missed out on a real bargain given she was bought back by her vendor at just 10,000 guineas at the yearling sales last autumn.
Jim Goldie is usually the man to follow at Ayr and his
Ashen AY – 3.30
holds strong claims in the Watch Racing TV Free For 31 Days Handicap.
A winner on his penultimate run, he was not far away off 4lb higher last time out, suggesting there is still scope off his new mark.
Safe Harbor WL – 8.00
will not be winning out of turn if she can get her head in front in the Roy Grimwood Memorial Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Only twice outside the first three in seven starts, she has finished second in her last three outings, including off her current mark of 69 in a competitive Newmarket heat last time.
It is somewhat hard to believe she is still a maiden, but it is surely only a matter of time before the wins begin to rack up and this low-key event could represent the perfect opportunity for her to break her duck.
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