York, Saturday 14:39, John Smith's Racing Handicap Tip: Back The Lost King @ 8/19.00
Racing is in anything but a state of torpor this weekend with a breathless run of races, and for the Saturday multiple two handicappers get the nod.
Mr Swivell has been on my radar for a while as he's been going off like the clappers of late, and while nicely treated, I fear the going might be a little too lively.
The Lost King has gone through some tough assignments of late and considering he scored in the Lincoln Trial quite impressively in March from 92, since he has been a big disappointment.
Third at Newcastle subsequently, he switched to the turf at Newmarket at the Craven meeting in a complete mess of a race as the field split into three. The Lost King was in one of the groups and ended up trying to snaffle a place over to the far side.
Those Rowley Mile handicaps are interlarded with trouble.
Forget his run last time at Royal Ascot as he was over the far side and far side runners at the Royal Meeting might as well have had an anvil attached to them as they had no chance.
He's up in trip and back to a more suitable mile and at 8/19.00 he is quite lightly-raced on the turf this season.
Back The Lost King in the 14:39 at York
York, Saturday, 15:45, John Smith's Cup Tip: Back Raammee @ 5/16.00
Roger Varian supplied us a winner with Indalo in last week's first leg and this time Varian gets the honour of the second leg with Raammee.
Raammee, you might recall, appeared on these multiple pages when finishing runner-up at Sandown in mid-June - a race I thought he should have won.
On the clock there was nothing to dislike as the pace was sound with a finishing speed for Raammee at 100% and he ran the final furlong in a much quicker time than the winner Beagle Bay - whom he tracked early on.
Beagle Bay made the first move and Raammee just seemed to get a little outpaced behind. I came away thinking perhaps Ray Dawson should have made his move sooner, as he had to switch from off the inside rail in the final furlong.
However, running over 1m, stepping up to 1m2f looks the perfect trip and he is also unchanged from a mark of 95, which is quite generous from the handicapper for a runner-up spot in a race at Sandown.
UP to 1m2f and more positive tactics are plusses for me - and remember this horse obliterated a field by 12L when making the running at Newcastle on just his second start.
A good mark and a good trip.
Back Raammee in the 15:45 at York
Back Alan's two York selections in a double in one click