Sunday 21st May 2023

 17:25 Ripon

 A race run in memory of a truly inspirational man who displayed amazing courage and resilience in his fight against his terminal illness and thoughts are with all Graeme's family and friends today.

The one I like in the race at a huge price is Paul Midgely's LUKLA who I put up on twitter this morning @_StudentPunter at 28/1, now at the time of writing is available as big as 50/1. He is 0-6 and his form figures wouldn't fill you with confidence but he's very much unexposed and the return to 6f on better ground could see him raise his game.

He didn't show much initially as a two year old but did step up a bit following a gelding operation, with a particularly eye-catching run here at Ripon over a 5f trip. As a son of Aclaim it's no surprise that he got badly outpaced there and at one point looked like falling out the back of the TV, but he stayed on strongly in the closing stages ultimately only beaten just over a length. As mentioned, breeding suggests this step up in trip should bring out more and his full brother Suwappy won on his debut as a three year old over 7f, so he could want even further in time. He was well beaten on his return but that came on unsuitably soft ground and I'm hoping he can be running on well late in this on a quicker surface.


LUKLA 28/1 - 1 Point Each-Way

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