Ian Ogg has the Saturday selections with his Nap selection in action at Chester.
PADDY THE SQUIRE went into a few notebooks when third at 80/1 at last year's May meeting and duly went on to make his mark in handicaps, winning once and finishing second twice, including in the Lanark Silver Bell. He returned to Hamilton after almost a year off and again finished second, over nine furlongs, the shortest trip he's tackled since debut. With that run under his belt and over a more suitable trip at a track he's run well, Paddy The Squire can take the necessary step forward to lift this prize.
A half-brother to a couple of middle distance winners and a winner around this trip at three, it was therefore a little surprising to see MR KING kept to a mile this season (bar on reappearance) by Ger Lyons. He performed creditably, winning his final start in late June before joining Iain Jardine for whom he made a decent start at the end of August in a competitive handicap at York over a mile, staying on once the race was over having been sent off at 50/1. Three of the five horses to have raced since have won (and two contested the same race) so the form looks strong and Mr King is fancied to improve for that stable debut back up in distance.
CAPRELO has gone up by 3lbs for two second placed finishes which is never ideal but he looks sufficiently progressive to cope with the rise in the weights. Backed into favouritism on his first attempt over this trip at Kempton last time, he was sent for home early but was reeled in close home, going down by a neck. The three horses to follow him home have all run well since - two won - to give the form a solid look and another big run is on the cards.
ROGUE BULLET has shown ability, notably when fifth in a Nottingham maiden on his second start in a race won by Mr Lightside and that featured a number of subsequent winners; he backed that run up, to an extent, at Yarmouth and Newmarket. He performed creditably in a sales race at the latter venue last time but will be much more at home in a nursery and this stiff five furlongs could be just the ticket.
His stamina for the extra quarter of a mile has to be taken on trust but KNIGHTS AFFAIR is a progressive stayer who won his sole start over two miles at this track in July. Dropped half a mile in trip at Catterick, he could only finish fourth but he picked up the winning thread back up in distance at Redcar last time and is fancied to make light of his rise in the weights now that connections have found the key.
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