August 01 / 15.25 Ripon

15.25

Good

Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap

  • Prize money: £10308
  • 0m 6f 0y
  • Class 2
  • 6 runners
SKY
View Course
Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 1-5376 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 8st 12lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Three sprint wins on slow ground as a juvenile and he went close at York (7f, good to soft) on his second start this season but he's finished down the field in his last two runs; edging down the weights but he needs to find more back in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(9)

27th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:25 Ripon

Aleezdancer

9st 6lb

J: Shane Gray

T: Kevin Ryan

C&D winner; responded well to a change of tactics when making all at Pontefract in July (6f, good); not so good in either start since but not handicapped out of things if bouncing back.

12/1

11

(12)

14th Sep 2025

Good

0m 6f 111y

Class 2

15:00 Doncaster

Aleezdancer

8st 12lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Kevin Ryan

Inconsistent 6yo who hasn't gone beyond a bare 6f for a long time and finished down the field at York in July when last seen; however, he won at Pontefract (6f, good) earlier that month and has shown some strong form here in the past (including a soft-ground win); could go well.

20/1

12

(2)

26th Jul 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

14:00 York

Aleezdancer

9st 0lb

J: Kevin Stott

T: Kevin Ryan

C&D winner; exploited his drop down the weights when making all at Pontefract 18 days ago (6f, good); still has handicapping scope despite a 4lb rise; one to consider.

12/1

OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 9-0102 CD

Last run: 38 days

W: 10st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Admirable 8yo with 14 wins on his CV; has mixed record in his four runs this season but he cashed in on a reduced mark in big field at York (6f, good) in May and bounced back with a good second on Tapeta (5f) last time; remains well handicapped on his old form and he's respected back up in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

20th

11

(2)

23rd May 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

13:30 York

Dakota Gold

9st 8lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Michael Dods

Tremendous stable servant over the years with 17 wins; understandably not the force of old but won on 2025 reappearance (off 6lb higher) and has a strong York record (6-18).

25/1

9th

6

(3)

4th Oct 2025

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

17:37 Redcar

Dakota Gold

9st 6lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Michael Dods

Tremendous stable servant over the years with 17 wins; not the force of old but he showed there's still some fire in his belly with a fifth of 13 at Doncaster (5f, soft) three weeks ago off 2lb higher; has a win and a second from just two outings here; makes the shortlist.

8/1

11

(17)

14th Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 3

16:40 Doncaster

Dakota Gold

9st 5lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Michael Dods

Won a Class 4 handicap at Ripon on his return in April (6f, good; 2lb higher); heavy defeats have followed and he could do with the ground softening up back at 5f.

25/1

Form: 4-0306 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Only 1lb higher than for his win at Haydock (6f, soft) last October but has mixed record in five runs since and was never involved at Pontefract last time; comes with risks attached.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

(4)

2nd May 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 3

15:45 Goodwood

Chairmanoftheboard

9st 5lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Jack Channon

Finally exploited his drop in the weights when winning a C&D handicap last October (heavy ground); should come on for March's return to action at Doncaster and while slower ground would be ideal, he did run well in a fast-ground Stewards' Cup in 2020.

13/2

4

(4)

2nd May 2025

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 3

15:45 Goodwood

Chairmanoftheboard

9st 5lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Jack Channon

Finally exploited his drop in the weights when winning a C&D handicap last October (heavy ground); should come on for March's return to action at Doncaster and while slower ground would be ideal, he did run well in a fast-ground Stewards' Cup in 2020.

13/2

15th

18

(14)

30th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

0m 6f 2y

Class 3

15:40 Doncaster

Chairmanoftheboard

8st 13lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Jack Channon

Absent since prevailing narrowly on heavy ground at Goodwood in October, ending a three-year losing spell; not an obvious type to follow up, especially as his record in this race (three attempts) is modest.

20/1

5/2

Form: 283214 CD

Last run: 9 days

W: 9st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
C&D winner who has a very solid record this season, including a win at Haydock (6f, good to soft) on his penultimate run and a close four of 15 at York (6f, good to firm) last time; only 1lb higher than for that last run and he has leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

9

(3)

20th Sep 2025

Soft

0m 5f 110y

Class 4

15:40 Chester

Hyperfocus

9st 1lb

J: Harry Russell

T: Tim Easterby

Won over C&D (good to soft) last July but he's lost his way and has been out of sorts this season; now 17lb lower than for that last win but the veteran has a lot to prove.

20/1

115

19th Sep 2025

0m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:40 Ayr

Hyperfocus

8st 8lb

T: Tim Easterby

11

(1)

5th Sep 2025

Good

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

14:42 Haydock

Hyperfocus

9st 2lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

Four-time course winner who has tumbled down the weights and runs here for the first time this season; however, this 11yo has been struggling this year and a major turnaround is required.

25/1

20/1

Form: 337-68 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Successful during his spells in France and Scandinavia but he's not made an impact in four runs in Britain and was last of eight at Pontefract (6f, good to firm) last month; mark is falling but has something to prove and others are preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

9

(11)

31st Oct 2024

Standard

0m 7f 0y

Class 5

17:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Abolish

9st 6lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Tony Carroll

Four-time turf winner from 5.5f-7f; 0-19 on AW but he's been placed on Polytrack and Tapeta; has had a short break since going very close at Windsor (6f, good) in September and he's a player if he can reproduce that form.

6/1

9th

9

(11)

31st Oct 2024

Standard

0m 7f 0y

Class 5

17:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Abolish

9st 6lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Tony Carroll

Four-time turf winner from 5.5f-7f; 0-19 on AW but he's been placed on Polytrack and Tapeta; has had a short break since going very close at Windsor (6f, good) in September and he's a player if he can reproduce that form.

6/1

Form: 1-6309

Last run: 12 days

W: 8st 12lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Completed a hat-trick in 7f nurseries on good ground last September when trained by George Boughey; started this season with two decent efforts but things didn't go well in his next two starts including when back at 6f on his stable debut at Southwell last month; poor run at Chester on Sunday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

9

(4)

8th Nov 2023

Standard

0m 7f 0y

15:45 Dundalk (AW)

My Little Tip

9st 4lb

J: J M Sheridan

T: James McAuley

All three wins came on turf in Britain in quick succession during September 2021; no sign of that standard lately; twice down the field at this venue in recent months.

20/1

10th

16

(6)

27th Oct 2023

Standard

0m 6f 0y

18:00 Dundalk (AW)

My Little Tip

9st 7lb

T: James McAuley

slowly away

11th

10

(6)

18th Oct 2023

Yielding

0m 5f 164y

13:45 Navan

My Little Tip

9st 2lb

J: Colin Keane

T: James McAuley

Rider booking interesting; hard otherwise to give gelding much chance and flopped when he last ran on soft; some nice AW efforts earlier this year.

25/1

Non-runners

My Little Tip

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.30
Straight Forecast £10.08
Trifecta £28.00

Selections

RP Ratings:

Dakota Gold

SPOTLIGHT:

Hyperfocus

The Times:

Dakota Gold

Telegraph:

Dakota Gold

Daily Mail:

Dakota Gold

Daily Express:

Dakota Gold

The Sun:

Dakota Gold

The Star:

Dakota Gold

Daily Record:

Dakota Gold

TOPSPEED:

Hyperfocus

POSTDATA:

Hyperfocus

THE NORTH:

Hyperfocus

The Guardian:

Hyperfocus

Daily Mirror:

Hyperfocus