Horse Racing Tips: Haggas handicapper can prove a Force on the Knavesmire

Best Bet - Salisbury, 14:08 - Back Safari Dream @ 7/24.50

Safari Dream reserves all of his best efforts for the track when returned to action within a month so Rod Millman's six-year-old ought to post a bold bid to repeat his victory in this apprentice handicap from 12 months ago.

Some recent leniency from the assessor should be appreciated by connections who will no doubt be aware that their gelding enjoys a commendable strike rate when he slips into the 60-69 handicap band.

His record under those circumstances reads three wins from six starts over his preferred trip of six furlongs and his latest start at Bath over a trip short of his best indicated he was reaching a peak.

The sixth home that day, Mumayaz, has bolted up since and Safari Dream should relish returning to today's venue where his form figures read 3114.

York, 14:55 - Back Sea Force @ 7/24.50

Nineteen go to post for the Hambleton Handicap and plumping for the 7/2 market leader wouldn't normally be my methodology.

However, Sea Force looks capable of gaining compensation from an unfortunate outing at Thirsk last time when pretty much everything that could have gone wrong during the Thirsk Hunt Cup did.

Drawn low, the selection travelled strongly into the teeth of the contest, but found his passage halted when rider Oisin Orr wanted to launch a challenge.

When the combination eventually did find daylight with a furlong to run, they found their route on the rail blocked by winner Mirsky and were forced to settle for third.

We saw on day one of the meeting that the William Haggas string have been tuned to the max for the meeting and Sea Force could supplement the stable's brilliant start to the week.

Now read Katie Midwinter's York bets