April 27 / 18.50 Ripon

18.50

Soft

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  • Prize money: £7731
  • 2m 0f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £4.20
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 8975-1 D

Last run: 25 days

W: 9st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Thorough stayer; won over hurdles at Catterick in January (1m7f, heavy) and returned to form when scoring over 2m2f off a 2lb lower mark at Pontefract (heavy) on return to the Flat last time; a possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

4th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 168y

Class 5

17:03 Uttoxeter

Justus

11st 2lb

J: Joshua Thompson

T: Micky Hammond

Out of form last season but seemed to have turned a corner when second off much-reduced mark at Hexham (2m, good) 16 days ago; player if in similar mood again here.

9/2

2nd

3

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 48y

Class 5

20:50 Hexham

Justus

11st 12lb

J: Joshua Thompson

T: Micky Hammond

Took big step back in right direction and arguably ran better than bare form suggests when fifth at Wetherby (2m, good to soft) in March, but was generally very disappointing last season; others have more appealing profiles.

16/1

20/1

  • Place: £7.60

Form: 41/8-3

Last run: 9 days

W: 8st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
Fit from hurdling when beaten over 12l by Clansman on his return to the Flat over 1m6f here nine days ago; meets the winner on 11lb better terms so not out of it.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

(6)

22nd May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 27y

Class 4

19:52 Pontefract

Diamand De Vindecy

8st 7lb

J: Ethan Tindall

T: Robert Bevis

Ran away with a 2m2f handicap here last April; not quite so good since, including when well held back on the Flat at Ripon last month.

14/1

5th

3

(1)

25th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

15:00 Ripon

Diamand De Vindecy

9st 11lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Robert Bevis

Arrives fit from hurdling and some of his best Flat form last year came in April, winning at Pontefract before second over C&D (both good).

7/1

5th

4

21st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 32y

Class 5

14:45 Bangor-on-Dee

Diamand De Vindecy

11st 5lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Robert Bevis

Nine-race maiden over hurdles but has placed form and he won six on the Flat; made a bright start over fences in January but didn't fancy it at Huntingdon and refused early; the cheekpieces are off but wouldn't be a surprise to see him run well.

8/1

3/1

Form: 9-2112 C BF

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 13lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Confirmed mudlark; has scored wide-margin wins in heavy-ground handicaps at Thirsk (1m4f) and over 1m6f here already this month; went up 11lb for those runs, but sound effort off new mark in his second race in three days when runner-up off 1lb lower at Nottingham (2m, heavy) last Saturday; has had a busy spell but could go well again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(7)

1st Oct 2026

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 5

17:00 Newcastle (AW)

Clansman

10st 2lb

J: Billy Garritty

T: Liam Bailey

Front-runner who won over C&D and at Southwell (2m) in the spring but he's been beaten 12l or more in last two starts; now only 1lb higher than for his last success but he needs a major revival back on AW.

14/1

7th

2

(1)

29th Aug 2026

Good

1m 4f 23y

Class 5

14:20 Beverley

Clansman

9st 12lb

J: Billy Garritty

T: Liam Bailey

Soft and heavy-ground turf winner who won twice in the spring (1m4f/2m, AW); easy to excuse latest effort when down the field in a competitive consolation race; mark okay and he's not dismissed back on turf.

16/1

OUR TIP

4/1

Form: 34133- D

Last run: 217 days

W: 9st 11lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Consistent sort whose only win last season was over 2m on heavy ground at Haydock in August; runner-up on reappearance last two seasons; should go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

10

(5)

14th Oct 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

15:39 Nottingham

Zimmerman

9st 1lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Hat-trick of wins over 1m6f/2m on good to soft, soft and heavy in September; hasn't done quite as well on last two outings, but conditions suit and he could get a place.

12/1

3rd

4

(4)

26th Sep 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

17:45 Ripon

Zimmerman

9st 7lb

J: David Allan

T: Tim Easterby

Back to winning ways over C&D this month and he completed a quick hat-trick in 1m5f Catterick handicap; posted another good effort off a 6lb higher mark when fourth of ten in 1m6f handicap at Chester one week ago; a player off the same mark.

7/4

4th

5

(4)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

1m 6f 87y

Class 5

17:25 Chester

Zimmerman

9st 12lb

J: Jake Dickson

T: Tim Easterby

Back from a three-month layoff in fine form and he readily completed a quick hat-trick in 1m6f handicap at Catterick 11 days ago; up another 6lb but he's not taken lightly.

11/4

5/2

Form: 6521-1

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Has won his last two races, at Redcar in September (1m6f, good) and at Chelmsford on reappearance last month (1m6f) when beating Clansman (10lb worse off) by 0.5l; has his first run on the Flat at 2m (was placed in three bumpers over 2m); could go well if handling the softer ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(1)

17th Sep 2026

Good

2m 1f 27y

Class 5

16:38 Pontefract

Merrijig

9st 5lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: John Berry

A five-time winner who was placed over C&D in June but he was beaten 7l that day and hasn't been overly threatening in the meantime.

10/1

6th

4

(8)

27th Aug 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 6

16:07 Ffos Las

Merrijig

10st 0lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: John Berry

Second to Golden Flame over C&D (good) before doing some hanging on fast ground at Nottingham; any rain would aid his chance.

9/2

3rd

2

(4)

17th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 1f 208y

Class 5

15:27 Nottingham

Merrijig

9st 7lb

J: Jason Watson

T: John Berry

Adaptable regarding ground and tactics; this looks less competitive than the Ffos Las 0-65 in which he finished second last time (hampered; two of these behind) and his claims are obvious.

7/4

Form: 0321-2

Last run: 25 days

W: 9st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Well suited by give in the ground (last win was over 1m6f on soft at Haydock in September); stays 2m; fair reappearance run (second of three but odds-on favourite ran badly); a possible.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

14

(11)

25th Sep 2026

Soft

1m 6f 0y

Class 5

17:23 Haydock

Billy No Mates

8st 8lb

J: Rhys Elliott

T: Michael Dods

Triple C&D winner who is suited by slow ground, but his last success was three years ago and he's not made an impact in his last seven runs; continues to drop down the weights but this veteran needs to raise his game back at this track.

16/1

6th

7

(2)

2nd Sep 2026

Soft

1m 5f 16y

Class 5

17:50 Hamilton

Billy No Mates

9st 2lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Michael Dods

Trip, track and ground should all be suitable but this veteran has a point to prove after a disappointing run at Ayr when last seen 11 weeks ago; close fourth in this race last year when rated 8lb higher.

12/1

7th

5

(1)

19th Jun 2026

Good

1m 7f 0y

Class 6

20:25 Ayr

Billy No Mates

9st 9lb

J: Rhys Elliott

T: Michael Dods

Began this season with two perfectly respectable 1m6f runs last month (good/soft) and continues to edge down the weights but his last win was in 2023 and he's not the percentage call in this field.

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £59.50
Straight Forecast £52.53
Trifecta £167.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Zimmerman

Telegraph:

Clansman

NEWMARKET:

Merrijig

TOPSPEED:

Justus

D Express:

Billy No Mates

The Guardian:

Merrijig

RP RATINGS:

Zimmerman

The Times:

Zimmerman

Daily Mirror:

Zimmerman

The Sun:

Zimmerman

Daily Mail:

Clansman

The Star:

Clansman

Daily Record:

Clansman

POSTDATA:

Justus