An excellent 28/1 that went off 33/1 starting price winner today.

Yarmouth

2.50 1m2f Class 2 Handicap – Protected Guest 16/1

Certainly more of a punt than a confident bet on this one but his course form of 1311 makes him look overpriced and intriguing, he bolted up in this race last year off 81 albeit beating just 3 rivals, but the form was boosted with the 4 lengths back 2nd winning a good race NTO and Protected Guest also followed up over a slightly further trip here 6lbs higher in the handicap NTO. He went up a further 5lb to 92 where he’s looked to of struggled off his new mark, but just 3 runs to his name since and one of them on unsuitable soft ground and another over a unsuitable sharp mile doesn’t do him justice and now dropped to a more suitable mark of 89 and back over his favoured course he could easily bounce back to form. Jockey Tom Queally has been on the avoid list for most of the summer, but he’s recently come in to form with 2 winners in the last week and is a little safer to back with a bit more confidence ATM.

5.40 7f Class 5 Handicap – Tulloona 7/1

A six race maiden that done his best work over 7 furlongs earlier in the year, he’s recently been tried over 6 furlongs where he’s really taken the eye over a trip that was clearly too sharp, he was slowly away but quickly and effortlessly caught up to mid pack where he shaped well for most until 2 out where he was outpaced but he stayed on well in the closing stages to claim a good 3rd in a good form race. Today he goes up in trip which will be a big plus, he’s handily dropped a little by the handicapper and he also gets the services of first time cheek pieces which will help his concentration and looks like it will be a great move. Jockey Jack Mitchell whose having a great season and is in excellent recent form with 8 winners the last fortnight, an impressive 25% strike rate and to boot has a +£31.67 LSP at Yarmouth in his career.

Goodwood

3.00 1m2f Class 2 Handicap – Great Example 5/1

Bolted up at Ripon in what’s turned out to be a great form race leaving his mark of 91 looking very lenient, from there he went to Salisbury over 1m4f in a first time handicap clearly not getting the trip at a stiff course, he sensibly was dropped back to 1m2f at a more suitable Nottingham course where he took full advantage of his exposable looking mark to win by a very easy 2+ lengths eased down and even hanging badly, again proving well ahead of the handicapper, he goes up just 6lbs for that dominant display and this is a step up in grade but to my eye he should take that in his stride. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is in great current form with 7 wins from 24 runners the last 2 weeks plus a further 8 places, including a close 2nd in today’s Ebor, a very impressive 62% win and place strike rate. Jason Watson has been booked once again who was on LTO and has a great partnership with SBS with a 32% strike rate and a positive level stake profit with trainer and at Goodwood.

Russell Blair