Saturday, York, 14:05, 1m2f Handicap Tip: Back Shadow Road EW five places @ 17/29.50
York's final fixture of the season and some devilishly difficult handicaps to problem solve this weekend.
However, tackling the big fields we can go with a pair of each-way selections starting with Shadow Road.
Quite how this horse was sent off 25/126.00 at Kempton on his second start I will never know as he won by over 5L and turned over a Saeed bin Suroor odds-on favourite.
It was a stylish performance with the way he travelled on the inside and at the cutaway when he made his serene progress, his final furlong time was 12.49 seconds, the next best in the field was recorded at 13.00 seconds.
He was beaten on his next start with a penalty against the fellow penalised Fortitudine, who has since won a Listed race at Newmarket.
A price of 15/28.50 initially, he drifted on Friday afternoon and flirted between 9/110.00 and 17/29.50. With a short price favourite and some of the big dogs at the top of the betting with two John Gosden runners, I think we can get a price here with the five places.
A handicap debut mark of 94 with a decent weight outweighs the potential negative of the draw out in 17.
Back Shadow Dancer EW five places in the 14:05 at York on Saturday
Saturday, York, 15:17, 6f Handicap Tip: Back U Sure Do EW five places @ 12/113.00
Tim Easterby's U Sure Do pulled off a remarkable double in the space of two days winning at both Ripon and Haydock recently. And talk about a kick in the teeth as I'd previously backed him in the Ayr Bronze Cup when he missed out on the extra place by one in seventh.
His Ripon victory was a good quality race and is worth upgrading with not only winning from a poor draw, but wide, off the pace and coming from rear.
Indeed, at one stage he looked to be running all over the field before he finally prised himself out of trouble.
He was more workmanlike at Haydock having been shoved in the straight, but he stayed on strongly in soft to record a win.
A well-run 6f suits and there's a lot of speed here, and stall 7 keeps him over the far side hopefully.
Back U Sure Do EW five places in the 15:17 at York on Saturday
Back Alan's two Saturday York tips in a Sportsbook double EW