Events / Wayne Bailey / 12 August 2009 /

Wayne Bailey takes a look ahead to Saturday's big handicap at Ripon...

The race named after the patron saint of Ripon is the most valuable event at the course each season but I must admit that I find it tricky to pick the winner. Indeed, the last favourite to win was Antonio Canova back in 2001 so it seems I'm not the only one. There have been plenty of double figure winners in the past decade so don't be afraid to take a chance on an outsider. The betting market is starting to take shape so here's a few that have caught my eye...

Markab (gelding)
Age: 6
Pedigree: Green Desert (sire), Hawafiz (dam)
Trainer: H Candy
Career to date: four wins from 22 races
Last five races: 22644
The gelding deserves to be favourite and would be my choice on form; but I think [6.5] might be a little short for a very open race. He's a front running sort which should be an advantage as all winners since the turn of the century were given a prominent ride in this contest. He ran very well in both the Wokingham and the Stewards' Cup and my own ratings have him 2lbs clear (as things stand). His price is slim but he has definite claims.

Bouvardia (filly)
Age: 3
Pedigree: Oasis Dream (sire), Arabesque (dam)
Trainer: HRA Cecil
Career to date: three wins from seven races
Last five races: 17211
Timeform have put the letter p beside her name indicating that she's likely to improve and I'd agree with that assertion. However, I think she can still run a little green sometimes and may find it hard to take on the experienced horses in the field. The last three-year-old to win the St Wilfrid was Pipalong back in 1999 and they generally don't have a good record in relation to their number of entries. I've stuck her in my notebook as one to watch but a single figure price of [9.4] doesn't appeal.

Harrison George (colt)
Age: 4
Pedigree: Danetime (sire), Dry Lightning (dam)
Trainer: RA Fahey
Career to date: three wins from 20 races
Last five races: 20925
A reliable sort and a price of [10.0] would be about right. He's versatile colt and can act on most ground so that's another worry out of the way for ante-post backers. He ran reasonably well in the Stewards' Sprint Cup and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's placed at the least.

Northern Dare (gelding)
Age: 5
Pedigree: Sire: Fath (sire), Farmers Swing (dam)
Trainer: D Nicholls
Career to date: five wins from 26 races
Last five races: 04412
He was second in the Stewards' Sprint Stakes and is another horse with claims. I've a feeling that this could be a stepping stone to the Ayr Gold Cup in September as the 6f trip is ideal. However my own ratings have him a few pounds inferior under Saturday's conditions and his price of [15.0] is probably about right.

Tamagin (gelding)
Age: 6
Pedigree: Stravinsky (sire), Luia (dam)
Trainer: J Pearce
Career to date: ten wins form 52 races
Last five races: 20120
Of the outsiders, Tamagin makes some appeal at [26.0]. At these weights, he has it all to do but he still can go well if running to form. I'm going to forgive his disappointing performance in the Stewards' Cup and I don't think the ground was to his liking. I'll wait until the final decs are out before having a bet, but Tamagin is on the shortlist.

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