Four meetings on a midweek card, and the shape of it is familiar. Nottingham gives us the spine, a run of horses we trust at sensible prices, while the bigger numbers sit out at Ripon, the Curragh and Newton Abbot for anyone happy to take a swing.
Start at Nottingham, because that is where the day is steadiest. Orangesandlemons heads the list at 4:18. She landed her latest win on this very track last October and now drops back to a level she has already proven too good for. The step up in trip looks to suit, the draw is kind, and Bethell’s record here reads well. Half an hour later Gatehouse drops in grade after a flat turf debut at Newmarket where he hung left throughout. Before that he was unbeaten in two on the all-weather, Havlin takes over, and the grade drop looks the shrewd move. Then Run This Way at 5:18, two from two since the blinkers went on, the last a defeat of sixteen rivals at Thirsk. A 7lb rise is the cost of that form, but the momentum is plainly with her and the draw is spot on.
Ripon is where the value lives if you want a price. Magic Boy does his best running there, and his recent placed efforts carry more substance than the bare finishing order suggests. He broke his duck in a tight Redcar finish last autumn and comes back just 2lb higher for a yard that is firing. At 15s, he is worth a small interest each way. Rock Of England goes in the later race as the more solid of the two.
Over in Ireland, Carrigans Grove is the one we keep coming back to at the Curragh. Three wins last year, one over this course and distance, and he races just 2lb above that mark. The 7f last time stretched his stamina, so dropping back to a sharper trip plays right to his strengths. Amiata is the speculative each-way poke earlier on the card.
Newton Abbot rounds things off over jumps, where American Land carries our only sizeable win stake and Howth goes each way at a bigger number.
Yesterday gave us a winner in Rubellite at 5.5, backed up by three placed runners in Scottish Anthem, Queen Sana and Musical Soldier. A solid afternoon all round.
Plenty to work with today. The Nottingham trio set the tone, but keep an eye on Ripon if you fancy chasing a price.