Newmarket Racing Tips: English Oak holds solid claims

• A Newmarket Nap and Next Best from Timeform

Newmarket Nap - 15:00 - Back English Oak

English Oak comes from a talented family - he's closely related to the smart performers Forest of Dean and State Occasion - and he showed plenty of ability during his first season of racing last term.

He proved a versatile sort as he found plenty for pressure when getting off the mark in a Thirsk novice over a mile but his best effort came when runner-up in a six-furlong handicap at Ascot on his final start of the campaign.

English Oak was only beaten a neck by course specialist Rohaan, who was taking advantage of a drop in the weights, and he can have his effort upgraded slightly as his position more towards the centre of the track may have been a slight disadvantage. He has edged up only 1 lb for that effort and remains with untapped potential after only a couple of starts in handicaps.

Newmarket Next Best - 16:45 - Back Volterra

Volterra, a 400,000 guineas purchase, made a promising start to his career when a close-up fourth in the most valuable maiden in the calendar at York's Ebor Festival, despite understandably showing inexperience.

He failed to progress as expected when only third as a short-price favourite on his next outing at Ayr, but he still produced an encouraging effort behind a couple of rivals who were in the first two throughout in a race run at just a steady gallop.

He still looked green on his third start at Redcar, lugging left inside the final couple of furlongs, but that didn't stop him from getting off the mark with a neck success. He really impressed with how he travelled through much of that race and, likely to be a stronger and more mature model with a winter on his back, he strikes as a likely improver on his handicap debut.