Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets on Wednesday including 33/1 outsider at Worcester

• Katie Midwinter has three selections on Wednesday

• Course-and-distance winner can return to form under champion jockey at Worcester

• Likeable filly is on a handy mark in Tipperary handicap

Worcester, 14:15 - Back She Has Notions E/W @ 15/28.50

10

She Has Notions (Ire)

• J: Sean Bowen
• T: Martin Keighley
• F:

Course-and-distance winner She Has Notions won this race twelve months ago from a 1lb lower mark and bids to land the prize once again. He needs to bounce back following a couple of runs in which he was pulled up, but has been able to return to form after a disappointing previous outing in the past and has champion jockey Sean Bowen back in the saddle.

The drop back in trip should allow the Martin Keighley-trained gelding to be more effective as his best performances have come over an intermediate trip, including when third to Iris Des Issards over hurdles at Newton Abbot in April. He proved on that occasion that he still retains ability, after being unable to land a serious blow in his previous runs following his sole success here, but did finish a creditable third to Nickelforce at Ludlow last autumn, too. 

With proven form in the race, the eight-year-old gelding is one to note in this field, back on a mark from which he can be competitive, and he makes the most appeal.

Worcester, 16:50 - Back City Of Ruins E/W @ 33/134.00

4

City Of Ruins

• J: Mr Huw Edwards
• T: Simon Edwards
• F:

Five-year-old gelding City Of Ruins makes only his seventh start to date, capable of posing a threat from a rating of 95 if he is fit and ready on his return to action following a layoff.

The son of Nathaniel has run well when fresh in the past, finishing third on debut before achieving a second-placed finish behind Gifted Angel in a Stratford maiden in his following start 61 days later. Last summer, the gelding defied a 292-day absence to finish a respectable third to the sadly ill-fated Shinji, who achieved a career-high mark of 105, when sent off at odds of 33/134.00 under 7lb claiming amateur jockey Huw Edwards, who retains the ride.

Although he wasn't as effective in his subsequent run, he was perhaps unsuited by the softer going conditions and a return to a sounder surface seemed likely to suit when heading to Bangor-on-Dee in September. Despite this, City Of Ruins was unable to feature, pulled up having raced too enthusiastically when failing to settle.

With excuses to be made for his latest effort, it could prove worth keeping the faith in City Of Ruins, who remains largely unexposed with the scope for further improvement. Conditions should suit, and he is one to note in this two mile contest.

Tipperary, 19:10 - Back Just Before @ 6/17.00

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Just Before (Usa)

• J: Seamie Heffernan
• T: W. P. Browne, Ireland
• F:

Top-weight Just Before makes plenty of appeal from a mark of 74, 10lb lower than her all-weather rating, as she has the scope for further improvement beyond her current rating considering some of the form she has shown to date.

The Justify filly has form with the likes of now 97-rated Jaliyah and now 84-rated Tswalu from her debut campaign, and finished third in a Cork maiden to the subsequent winner and fourth-placed filly in the Oaks in Minnie Hauk, who finished second, and Wemightakedlongway. She then went on to shed her maiden tag at Leopardstown, beating a number of subsequent winners including now 95-rated Bella Isabella and Queens Fury. 

This season, she has been tried over varying distances from 6f up to an extended mile-and-a-quarter, but is yet to add to her tally. She finished a creditable third in a Curragh handicap in May, outrunning odds of 25/126.00 to place, staying on well late on over the 6f trip, and is 3lb lower than on that occasion here.

The extra furlong-and-a-half should see her to even better effect based on that effort and being out of a Group Three winning miler in Gagnoa. A half-sister to a dual Group Three winner over a mile who has also placed over 7f and a mile in Group One company in Ancient Rome, who also finished fourth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains to Modern Games, there's class in Just Before's family and there should be more to come from her.

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