Ripon 19/6/08

[fintron]

2.10

Final Salute - one of Bryan Smart's and half sister to several winners up to 7f. By Royal Applause, a multiple winner over this distance, including one on Gd/Sft (soft here today). 5/2

[mccauley39]

Shenandoah lady 5.40 Ripon 1point win, Lightly raced horse, won with a bit in hand last time, it is a step up grade but good lady jock onboard.Plus won on good/soft so should like the ground

[Guy Fawkes]

2:45 KNARESBOROUGH HANDICAP (CLASS 5) (3yo+,0-75) Winner £2,914.20 5f GD-FM

A small field but a competitive one none the less, even with just 8 runners.

TIMBER TREASURE had been banging on the door of late after blinkers were applied, and got off the mark LTO at Haydock in a competitive 6f affair, the fact back down to 5f is a slight worry . Carries an extra 6lb for that. Ran well over a mile in August last year here. Change in ground now means the going is an unknown quantity.

HIGHLAND WARRIOR ran a decent 2nd on Soft LTO in a Class 4 at York and the winner of that Crimson Fern ran decently on Sunday despite bolting before the start. Doesn’t seem the most straightforward and is perhaps hard to catch right. Goes on most ground if in the mood and has won off marks higher than todays. Won this last year with the same trainer/jockey but has to contend with jockeys poor record this time (0-36 last 14 days).

WOTASHIRTFUL is an interesting runner – won well for the first time LTO in a 5f sprint at Newcastle over 5f on GS. Had been running consistently before then and 3lb higher today - trainer/jockey combo a definite plus.

WINDJAMMER looks to have it all to do off a mark of 68 (well held LTO off the same). 3 win to date have come off 63, 62 and 57.

MANDURAH is another won he seems well held on his mark. Won 3 starts ago over 5f on GF but went up 4lb for that and that looks high enough, despite beating home Timber Treasure by 1l that day.

FAST FREDDIE has done all his winning on the AW and hasn’t made the frame on any of his 6 starts on turf.

STEEL CITY BOY is another horse who seems much better on the AW. On same mark as last 2 starts on the turf but showed nothing on those races, however, Does go better on GF ground and finished 3rd over 5f in May at Redcar in a seller. Cheekpieces tried for 1st time, not without a chance but just cannot see him winning today.

NEVER WITHOUT ME struggles when up at anything over 60 ran decently LTO but had only beaten 4 horses home in the last 4 races before then.

Hard for me to look past the top 3 in the weights. Was only going to bet on 2 but the recently changed soft ground could have played in HIGHLAND WARRIOR's hooves.

TIMBER TREASURE 50% of stake @ 3.00
HIGHLAND WARRIOR 25% of stake @ 5.9
WOTASHIRTFUL 25% of stake @ 7.0

[Rainbow]

my best bet of the day would be timber treasure 245 ripon. pace up front. can sit in behind and then change gear when needed. should go close.