Richard Fahey goes for a third Great St Wilfrid victory with four runners heading to post in Saturday's feature - check out his thoughts on the entire team.
Best chances
3.15 Ripon - William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap
2.40 Ripon - William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes
4.35 Doncaster - Sun Racing No1 Racing Site Handicap
It’s William Hill Great St Wilfrid day at Ripon on Saturday and it’s a race we’ve done well in recently, sending out the one-two when Don’t Touch won in 2015 and Baccarat also taking top spot a couple of years before that.
We’ve got four going for glory this time around with Kimberella lining up on the back of his game Listed win at Chester last time.
I’m pretty sure he holds the track record there so the course won’t be an issue at all and he’s obviously a good, hardy performer. We’re taking off 7lb with him and Oakley Brown is a good kid – the horse will give his all.
Growl is really well handicapped on his best form and ran well again when third in the Stewards’ Cup. He's definitely a better horse on softer ground though so that would be in the back of my mind if it keeps drying out.
Growl is drawn low under Paul so we might end up heading down the far side but we’ll wait and see.
Brian The Snail is a star, we all love him to bits. Tony gets on well with the horse and I couldn’t rule him out running a massive race. Time will tell if stall 17 is a positive but being high hasn’t been a bad thing in previous editions.
The St Wilfrid team is completed by Marie Of Lyon under Danny Tudhope. She’s always been a filly I like a lot and that hasn’t changed. Put a line through her Goodwood run as the saddle slipped. She’s capable of winning from her current mark.
We’ve got two in the consolation race – the Silver Trophy Handicap – with Paul riding Gin In The Inn. He can be a bit in and out and some rain would help but he too likes the track. We could be in no-man’s land from stall two but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stick to that far rail.
Paddy Power is very temperamental. On the York run he’d have a good chance, while Boundsy isn’t badly handicapped now but he only tends to win when there’s cut in the ground. I won’t be the only one hoping for a spot more rain.
Immokalee looks a bit exposed in the CHS Vehicles Novice Auction Stakes but I’ve been a fraction disappointed with her as on her homework she’d had a nice chance in this sort of company.
Baronial Pride runs in the William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes and he’s a horse we like a lot. He’s a lovely, big horse and we’re learning all the time with him but I don’t think things went right for him at York. We feel he’s a good bit better than that.
Vera Drake goes in the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap and we’ve been getting a bit frustrated as she’s been placed lots of times. She was too keen last time but is honest and in good form. I hope dropping back a bit in trip will help her.
Shazzab is bottom weight in the Get Free Tips On attheraces.com Handicap and she’s just been waiting for nice ground. I’d be a fraction worried she might just need this.
Up at Doncaster it could be quite quick ground but Arctic Fox is ready to run and should give a fair account in the Follow Sun Racing On Twitter EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes. She’s been a bit of a backward type and could need the experience to bring her forward.
Right Action is better on nice ground and could find it a bit lively in the sunracing.co.uk Handicap. He’s in decent order, though.
Indomeneo is as honest as the day is long and the trip looks right in the Sun Racing Top Tips And Previews Handicap, where we also run Windsor Cross. He won when upped to this trip at Ripon the other day and while this is a better calibre of race, he’s a horse that can certainly gallop.
It was good to see Andok win for the first time in a while at Redcar at the start of the month and he’s only gone up 2lb so must have a chance of following up in the Follow Top Tipsters At Sun Racing Apprentice Handicap.
We’ve a couple of runners down at Newmarket, starting with Amber Spark in the randox.com Fillies’ Nursery Handicap. She's gone up 7lb in the weights for winning well at Newcastle and we’re happy with her. I wasn’t too upset to see the race has cut up a little bit.
Queen Penn has just been finding the ground too fast this summer and would prefer it if it was on the slower side in the Randox Food Handicap.
Dance Diva is likely to be our representative in the Listed Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract on Sunday. She’s in great form but we’re guessing a little bit with the distance.
