Weekend tips for Ripon and Newbury

Ripon has a unique sprint course with its undulations, which means that strong course and distance form is always a huge plus when backing a horse there. This is particularly true in a big field such as tomorrow’s William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap (3.25 p.m.).

However, of tomorrow’s 15 runners, no less than five have recorded course and distance wins over tomorrow’s trip of six furlongs. Of these, my preference is for the Nigel Tinkler-trained LORD ROXBY, who won at Ripon as recently as 3 August, beating another of today’s rivals, Dark Cloud Rising, in the process.

Dark Cloud Rising has a 5 lb pull at the weights for a one-and-three-quarter length beating and so he will be fancied by many punters to gain revenge, especially given his high draw. However, I will stick with the consistent Lord Roxby, given the four-year-old gelding won quite cosily and he again has in-form apprentice Alex Jary in the saddle. Back this fast-ground sprinter 1 point each way at 7-1 with either bet365 or William Hill, both paying four places.

I am hoping jockey and horse get a soft lead tomorrow

Jockey Saffie Osborne is riding with a huge amount of confidence after a fine season and she has now landed the mount of WITNESS STAND for the big race at Newbury tomorrow, the Grade 2 Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes (3.10 p.m.).

The five-year-old gelding, who was second in this race a year ago, ran well enough when third in the Group 2 World Pool Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last month and trainer Richard Newland says the horse has been in good form at home since. The handler told the Racing Post:

He did a nice piece of work on Wednesday morning. We were thrilled with Goodwood; he’s obviously got a great record of running well there and just got collared by two very good horses. This was always the plan. I don’t see why he shouldn’t run a big race.

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I am hoping jockey and horse get a soft lead tomorrow, in which case they could be hard to catch. Back Witness Stand 1 point each way at 13-2 with William Hill, paying three places.

Trainer Hugo Palmer has his horses in good form and I am going to add ADAAY OF SCARLETT to my ante-post portfolio for next week’s Ebor meeting at York. The horse is due to run in the Grade 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes a week today (Friday April 21, 3 p.m.).

Adaay Of Scarlett was the stable’s first two-year-old runner of the season back in April, winning at Newmarket, and since then he has run well five more times – another win and four seconds, including three in Group 2s at Royal Ascot, Newmarket and Glorious Goodwood.

Palmer says he has ‘unfinished business’ with this admirably consistent horse and so back Adaay Of Scarlett 1 point each way at 8-1 with William Hill or bet365, both paying three places.

I will be back next Friday to look at the final two days of this superb York meeting and I have a major fancy for the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap on Saturday, all the more so if that strange and rare thing called ‘rain’ finally arrives, as this talented horse is better with some cut.

Pending:

1 point each way Witness Stand at 13-2 for the Hungerford Stakes, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Lord Roxby at 7-1 for the Great St Wilfred, paying 1/5^th odds, 4 places.

1 point each way Tattycoram at 10-1 for the Yorkshire Oaks, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Coedana at 66-1 for the Yorkshire Oaks, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Adaay of Scarlett at 8-1 for the Gimcrack Stakes, paying 1/5^th odds, 3 places.

1 point each way Daiquiri Bay at 16-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.

1 point each way Paddy The Squire at 33-1 for the Ebor Handicap, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.

Last weekend: no runners.

2026 flat season running total: + 18.625 points.

2025-26 jumps season: – 57.785 points on all tips.

2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.