Mark Milligan's Bet of the Day: Yarmouth, 18:40 - Back Dubai Charm @ 11/102.11
Top weights are often the way to go in nurseries and I'm more than hopeful that the highest-rated runner in this contest, Dubai Charm, can follow up her win in a similar contest to this four weeks ago.
Being by Blackbeard (with her dam a half-sister to Brussels), Richard Hughes' filly is bred to be useful and she looked like she was beginning to fulfil her potential with a win on her nursery bow last time. Prior to that, she'd run okay to be placed in novice/maiden company, but was then rather outfaced when pitched into the Albany on her third start, unsurprisingly cutting little ice there given her relative lack of experience.
The handicapper could've taken a dim view of connections choosing to run her there, but he gave her an opening mark of just 75 and she was well up to defying that over this C&D last time, with the speed figure validating her effort.
The Boughey/Loughnane partnership is always to be feared and they team up with Dowman, who I'm hoping will help make the market for our pick.
Back Dubai Charm to win 18:40 Yarmouth
Yarmouth, 19:40 - Back Le Rouge Chinois @ 7/24.50
This 1m 6f handicap won't take much winning and Le Rouge Chinois is a fascinating contender for Mick Appleby having rejoined his stable following a spell in France with former UK trainer Adam West. This six-year-old Danish-bred has had a rather interesting career so far, starting out life in Sweden with Nina Lindberg Lensvik, where he won once from five starts before shipping over to the UK and joining the Appleby yard.
He really came into his own as a stayer here a couple of years back, winning handicaps over this trip and 2m from marks of 69 and 70, making him look very well treated as he returns to these shores from a perch of just 55.
The selection also won once out in France in the spring, so clearly retains plenty of ability, and he's got the capacity to make mincemeat of this bunch if somewhere near his previous best, while the booking of Tom Marquand for the ride seems to suggest it's all systems go.
The further icing on the cake is the return of cheekpieces to replace the blinkers Le Rouge Chinois has worn on his last three starts, both his successes for Appleby having come with those on.
Back Le Rouge Chinois to win 19:40 Yarmouth
Yarmouth, 20:10 - Back Pure Passion @ 9/25.50
Another race that will take very little winning is the closing classified contest, and if Pure Passion has just a modicum of ability he should take plenty of stopping against a bunch who find it hard to gets their heads in front.
The older horses make limited appeal in this and it looks as though the three-year-olds are the ones to concentrate on.
There's every chance that Dylan Cunha's Mayflower Rock could win this well if she reproduces the form of her fourth-place finish in a novice at Windsor in May, but she's been beaten a total of over 31 lengths on her last two starts and is a bit of a tough read currently.
Pure Passion is another who's shown clear ability in novices, finishing in the first four on both her first two starts (over this 5f trip) before proving too free and ending up well beaten in a 7f maiden last time.
A return to 5f and a drop into this basement-grade contest looks to give her a strong chance of getting off the mark at the fourth attempt, while 7lb claimer Zoe Lyons is riding well for the Stuart Williams yard currently.
Back Pure Passion to win 20:10 Yarmouth