Steve Ryder is back with three selections for today's action.
12:30 Southwell
There is no doubt that the favourite Ehteyat will appreciate the step up in trip on handicap debut but he looks a short price for a horse with form figures of 660 and preference instead goes to the Sir Mark Prescott trained YAGAN (best priced at 9/4). The five-year-old won over this course and distance in August off a mark of 64 by 3 ¼ lengths before finishing a close 6th at Chelmsford on his next start off a mark of 69.
Yagan finished 2nd over this course and distance again last time off a mark of 68 and the form of that run has been boosted by the winner following up at Chelmsford and is now rated 10lbs higher. Yagan runs here off the same mark of 68 and looks the solid option in this race given his solid course and distance form.
13:00 Southwell
Despite stepping up in class in this race, the Derek Shaw trained DAAFY (best priced at 8/1) looks sure to run well over this course and distance once again. The six-year-old finished a ½ length 2nd over 7f here on his penultimate start off a mark of 60 before finishing a neck second over this course and distance last time off the same mark.
Daafy bumped into the in-form Zealot that day who was completing a hat-trick of wins in cheekpieces and he should hold strong claims off only a 2lb higher mark. He steps up in class from a Class 6 0-65 handicap into a Class 5 0-75 handicap but with up to five places available he looks sure to run well once again.
14:30 Southwell
The Andrew Balding trained BERKSHIRE PHANTOM (best priced at 11/8) returns from 135 days off the track but should prove hard to beat if running up to his official mark of 82. The three-year-old has been gelded since his last run and no doubt sets the standard on form. He showed smart form on turf last year finishing 2nd at both Ascot and Leicester before finishing 4th at Newmarket on soft ground on his final start last season.
The stable are in fantastic form currently with five winner from their last nine runners (56% strike rate) and I expect Berkshire Phantom to get off the mark at the fifth attempt.
