Saturday 17th August

 Hopefully Caravan Can Deliver The Goods For Palmer And Doyle

NAP – Caravan Of Hope 1:15 Newbury 11/2

My NAP for this weekend’s racing is Caravan Of Hope in the Energy Check Handicap (Div 1). Hugo Palmers colt by Nathaniel cost 150.000 gns as a yearling and has shown a fair amount of ability in his 3 starts to date and looks reasonably well treated on his handicap debut. Hugo has tried this horse over a variety of trips so far and has looked a non stayer on his two most reason starts when not making the expected progress he thought might have come. He ran his best race to date on debut at Carlisle when finishing second on testing ground when just losing out by a neck. This horse gets similar conditions today and with doubts about others in these circumstances, he looks value at 5/1 to strike on handicap debut. He’ll stay every inch of this 1m2f and hopefully he can land the money for the Palmer team.

With no doubts about trip and ground and James Doyle booked, this horse looks a solid bet to me.

NB (Next Best) – Great Prospector 3:15 Ripon 14/1

My NB for this weekend’s racing is Great Prospector in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon. Richard Fahey’s gelded son of Elzaam was a group performer at two and has struggled to match that form so far at three and into his four year old season. However he has been given a chance by the handicapper and has ran some very solid races over slightly further so far this year. I find staying a bit further can be an advantage in these strongly run big field handicaps, and you can be sure this horse will be staying on at the death. He is handily drawn in stall 7 and with Megan Nicholls is taking off a further valuable 3lbs, this horse could be ready to strike for a trainer that has had an outstanding record in this race in recent years.

14/1 provides a fair amount of value each way, and hopefully he can give Richard Fahey and Megan Nicholls with a big race win.