Timeform UK SmartPlays: Wednesday August 6

There's projected to be a duel between the three-year-olds in Pontefract's big race at 15:40. Hidden Gold, of the sexy Godolphin profile, takes on Rocket Ship whose improvement has been more industrious. Our preference is for the second-named and the only disappointment is that he's been made favourite in spite of Hidden Gold's more obvious appeal. Rocket Ship has been campaigned in exactly the manner you'd expect of a Stoute-trained, middle-distance bred gelding. It follows that he's not even up to his peak after six starts. Catterick wouldn't be the best course for one who's evidently more of a galloper, so for him to run out such an impressive winner there last time tells us plenty about the way he's going. Pontefract's stiffer finish should see Rocket Ship do better again, while those ridden prominently here so often prove difficult to peg back.

To Brighton next, where the feature (15:50) looks to be another head-to-head between a couple of the younger contenders. This time our selection, Rapid Advance, is second in the betting behind main rival Skytrain, who shaped well in one of Glorious Goodwood's lesser races last week. Rapid Advance beat only one home at Sandown when last seen, though he too was better than that implies and is otherwise on a sharp upward curve. He won a Goodwood handicap at this trip in June on his first start for Sir Michael Stoute after promising more to come in maidens for Roger Varian. With the pedigree and connections of one that should do even better as he learns through his three-year-old season we can have faith in Rapid Advance taking another step forward here.

Our third SmartPlay, which comes in the 17:50 at Yarmouth, might also have been a case of picking sides in a race where two dominate, though with Ivy Port now out the way looks clear for Ermine Ruby, who would've been the selection in any case. She gave hints in maidens before being unleashed at Lingfield last month, recording a smooth win that was even more impressive than the bare margins given she overcame something of a pace bias. Still very much unexposed and in another moderate race, Ermine Ruby deserves to be flirting with even-money so anything significantly above that warrants a bet.

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Rocket Ship @ 3.185/40 in the 15:40 Pontefract
Back Rapid Advance @ 7.613/2 in the 15:50 Brighton
Back Ermine Ruby @ 2.68/5 in the 17:50 Yarmouth