The Student Punter

16:20 Wolverhampton Servo finished off his race well at Newcastle last time out despite having to weave his way through the field and has only been raised 4lb which looks fair.. That effort was a personal best and was only his eighth start so its possible we haven't seen the best of him yet, but I don't think he offers much in the way of value at the head of the market. Instead I fancy a much more exposed runner each-way in the shape of Stamp Duty . The ten year old did well to make up late ground from the rear last time over course and distance in a race where the first three home all raced up with the pace. I'd be confident that Suzzanne France's gelding can reverse the form with the re-opposing Mount Cheiron in this contest, he has been dropped a pound, Phil Dennis claims three and I'd be disappointed if he can't hit the frame here. Stamp Duty 9/1  - 1 Point Each-Way 16:50 Wolverhampton Although he has been raised 6lb for his latest success, Cale...

20:10 Ripon Sandra's Secret made all in impressive fashion over course and distance last time out, is drawn to attack again and is 2lb well in under a penalty so has solid claims with Silvestre De Sousa remaining in the saddle. However, in the hope that Dougan and Henley put more pressure on the lead this time I'm going to take the favourite on. The obvious one would be Pipers Note who has dropped to a mark 1lb lower than when winning this last year and ran creditably in a better race than this at York recently. Mont Kiara  is the one I like at a bigger price though. Having won off marks as high as 90 in the past this mark of 84 should be within his capabilities and if the leaders go fast enough they could set it up for him. He ran well to finish sixth in an Ascot handicap last time out won by Dreamfield who has some fancy Royal Ascot entries as well as a July Cup entry. He was unchallenged for the lead that day which was always going to make it difficult for Mont Kiara...

14:00 Redcar Jensue  shaped with promise on her second career start at Chester and I think she can put her experience to good use here and come out on top. Despite having a favourable draw in stall 2, she missed the break and found herself very poorly positioned early on, she made eye-catching late headway while still looking green at a track which it is very favourable to be up with the pace. With the step up to six furlongs and the change of track set to suit she could prove tough to beat. Mark Johnston is is good form currently and it would be no surprise to see his runner score on debut but the 5/2 on offer about Jensue looks more than fair. Jensue 5/2  - 2 Points Win 16:10 Lingfield Despite the relatively small field, the presence of Dragstone Rock , Midnightly and Jack The Truth should ensure this contest is run at a strong gallop which looks set to suit Roundabout Magic . Simon Dow's charge missed the break on the turf here at Lingfield but still ran a cracker...

16:10 Redcar This decent prize has attracted a top quality field in what looks a cracker of a race, also making it a tricky puzzle to solve. I do think I've found one who looks worth a bet though in Titus . He has an interesting profile, he has only seen the racecourse seven times at the age of four, having beaten the classy Venice Beach on debut back in October 2016. He was severely disappointing on his subsequent starts for Dermot Weld but the problems that yard had last year were well documented. He made the switch to Declan Carroll at the start of this year and looked in need of the run when returning to action in the Spring Mile in March. He then won very well at Wetherby despite racing keenly, with a couple of nice types in behind, Saroog and Alwaysandforver, with the latter easily landing a higher grade contest on her next start by nine lengths (albeit a small field). There was a further eleven lengths back to the fourth on that occasion and he took the step up in class i...

14:35 Goodwood The old boy in the line-up, Pastoral Player , is favourite as I write this and rightly so. He ran a blinder over course and distance in a higher grade than this earlier this month, despite not having the clearest of runs in that contest. Hughie Morrison's runner gets to race off a 1lb lower mark and with the possibility he will improve for that run, he has strong credentials. Mr Tyrrell is another who has been running well recently but is still yet to get his head in front in 16 starts. One has caught my eye at a much bigger price though in the shape of Sir Titan . His recent form figures are nothing to shout about but he has had his excuses. On his penultimate start of last season he ran in a competitive handicap at Doncaster where he tried to set too strong a pace, next he went to Lingfield where he gave himself no chance of staying the trip after pulling hard and being forced wide round the bend. However, looking further back last season he was only beaten a ...

Apologies for the lack of write-ups for todays selections. I've been flat out and not had a chance to sit down and get my reasoning on here, but I can assure you the same work has gone into them as every other selection I post. 17:05 Ayr Thorntoun Care 8/1   - 1 Point Each-Way 19:55 Kempton Himself 11/1 (4 Places at SkyBet) - 0.5 Points Each-Way

17:05 Nottingham Cent Flying has impressed since returning from a wind operation, winning at Bath in convincing style and then finishing second at the same track more recently (beaten just a nose). Excellent apprentice David Egan has been booked for the ride and his claims look strong. However, the Bath race he romped home looked a pretty weak contest and he is now 8b higher, so although he may prove to still be ahead of the handicapper, 3/1 is not enough to get me interested. The one that takes my eye is Bustam  for the in form John Quinn yard. The yard clearly thought a lot of him as he ran in Chesham at Ascot behind September as a two year old, finishing sixth of the fifteen runners (was sent off at 100/1). After that he was given a mark of 89 and here he is five races later in a class 5 handicap at Nottingham off a mark of 75. He caught the eye last time at Bath when he pulled hard early on before he found himself stuck behind a wall of horses and ran around in the last cou...

15:20 Thirsk There looks to be plenty of early pace in this five furlong handicap with the likes of Acclaim The Nation , Henley , Harome and Aleef all likely to battle for the lead, which could set it up for a closer. Tanasoq  is a fairly strong fancy to come there late and pick up the pieces. Paul Midgely's gelding had no luck at all in a messy race last time out at Musselburgh, but he looks a major player on his penultimate run at Beverley. He looked like the winner in the closing stages of that contest before Rapid Applause swooped late on and ultimately won pretty cosily. The pair finished a couple of lengths clear of the remainder and the winner has subsequently won off an 8lb higher mark and is now rated 15lb higher than the day Tanasoq met him. The fourth from that Beverley contest has also won since and it looks as though Paul Midgely's charge was just unfortunate to bump into a very well handicapped rival. Only 2lb higher today, with the predicted strong pace righ...

14:35 Newbury Ultimate Avenue  was a frustrating sort last season, he is a horse who clearly has his quirks but he has been gelded, had a wind operation and gets a first time hood here which can hopefully unlock the untapped potential. Ed Walker's four year old has only run seven times and has run well enough on occasions to think that he could be better than his mark of 99, with the possibility of improvement to come. He caught the eye in a Newmarket handicap over six furlongs when outrunning huge odds, he was held up and given what some may call a 'Jamie Spencer Special', finding trouble in running and finishing well when it was all too late. Despite not having the clearest of runs he was still only beaten 3/4 of a length. He was too keen to do himself justice on his next start at Goodwood over seven furlongs when sent off favourite but ran another eye-catching race at Ascot on his final start of the season when doing well to finish as close as he did in a race that fa...

14:20 York Poyle Vinnie   proved he still retains plenty of ability after slipping down the weights when a close second behind Acclaim The Nation at Thirsk earlier this month. He is due to go up 3lb for that run in the future and today's mark puts him a whopping 16lb lower than when third in this contest last year. Ruth Carr reaches for first time blinkers and he looks primed to run a big race, although I'm happy to take a more cautious approach in backing him each-way given his long winless run. The favourite as I write this is Major Jumbo for Kevin Ryan who does well here at York. He made all here at York over six furlongs back in September and did the same on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket, he looks sure to go well but is now 10lb higher in the handicap as a result of those impressive performances. It's easy to see why Line Of Reason is being well supported in the market, he  he was beaten only a neck after meeting trouble in running when trying to give the ...

16:35 York This is a typically open three year old handicap but Commander Han  takes my fancy here. He went straight into the notebook when turning over an odds on shot in impressive fashion at Chelmsford on his first start of the year. He was stepped up to a mile at the same venue on his next start and was turned over as the odds on favourite. However, with the benefit of hindsight that looks a very decent performance. The winner, Mootasadir, seems to be highly regarded by Hugo Palmer and followed up on his next start winning much more cosily than the finishing distance of a neck suggests. Connections are talking of Royal Ascot for Mootasadir and Commander Han was only beaten three quarters of a length when they met, so with the strong possibility of more to come from Kevin Ryan's charge a mark of 92 could prove to be lenient. The drop back to seven furlongs should suit and given the current form of connections and their good record here at York, Commander Han looks worth a be...

16:30 - Wolverhampton The obvious starting point for this is Beatbybeatbybeat , who won despite meeting trouble in running over course and distance two starts back. He ran well back on turf on his most recent start and has to be one of the stronger contenders in the line up switched back to his 2lb lower all-weather mark. Frank's Legacy is still unexposed and has to be respected with Ivan Furtado's runners in good form at present, although the way he has shaped in his races doesn't suggest this step up in trip will be in his favour. However, one in the line up who does look like he'll enjoy the extra distance is Compass Hill , who has been noted staying on well late in seven furlong contests at this venue. However, with four places available at some firms, I'm willing to take a chance on one each-way against those who head the market. King Oswald  is the one I like. James Unett's charge won an apprentice handicap off top weight over the mile at Newcastle an...

18:45 Nottingham The obvious starting point for this contest is the in-form Lamloom , who defied a 212 day absence when winning back in April and followed that up with an improved effort at Pontefract, when finishing second at the start of this month. He looks to have progressed at the age of 4 and it would be no surprise to see him continue his upward curve. As always I'm not always looking for the likeliest winner, but instead value. I believe that value comes in the much more exposed shape of Wink Oliver . He was put up on this blog on his latest start at Lingfield and was given a strange ride, one of the last off the bridle it Charlie Bennett looked to hold onto his mount for slightly too long, giving the winner first run. He hasn't won off a mark this high before but he looks to have a good chance of hitting the frame dropped in class, with the likely strong pace expected to suit. Wink Oliver 25/1  - 0.5 Points Each-Way