Bets Of The Day: Secret Agent has a licence to thrill at Nottingham

Quinn's Benjamin to go mighty close

19:20 Thirsk - Back Benjamin Thomas @ 7.06/1

It's been a difficult week watching the weather and expecting changing forecasts - Salt Whistle Bay was a prime example as the rain never materialised for him on Sunday, but softer conditions are likely for the evening's action and that sort of surface suits top weight Benjamin Thomas.

He's clearly a very well-treated horse too from a mark of 62 and ran in a much stronger C&D race back in April - so this is considerably weaker.

Cheekpieces are on for the first time and he's drawn on the stands' side in 14. Over Thirsk's 6f, I like a runner who races prominently, and this horse made the running at Epsom last term to finish second from 75 - and he's 13lb lower this evening.

Soft ground and headgear with a positive ride should see him in a better light than his poor run at Ayr last time.

Muir to continue good form at Nottingham

20:05 Nottingham - Back Secret Agent @ 3.505/2

Backing a horse who was beaten at 1.01 In-Play last time out and a career tally of five seconds comes with a bit of a warning, but Secret Agent hails from a bang in-form yard and ought to go well.

William Muir's 4yo is well-handicapped to boot - given he was a 70-plus juvenile, and now runs from a mark of 60.

In fact he's gone up 2lb for that runner-up effort last time at Lingfield. He made the running on that occasion and got chinned very late, but the grade was the same as today's and he gives the impression he stays 6f well enough to get a little further. That was a pretty decent effort despite the in-running low blow.

If the ground drys out that will boost his chances.

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