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Timeform Daily View | Saturday preview and tips
Tony McFadden of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Christian Williams seeking further success at Perth
Christian Williams had sent only six runners from his South Wales base to Perth prior to this year, but the trainer has been targeting the Scottish track with great success in 2024.
Williams has had five winners from 11 runners at Perth this year and he enjoyed doubles at the track's two meetings in July. He sends three runners on the long journey north for Saturday's meeting and looks to have a couple of good chances with Ballyrashane (18:05) and Unspeakable (19:05) who contested the same handicap chase at Ffos Las when last seen in May.
Unspeakable had been disappointing during the 2023/24 campaign but shaped with encouragement when runner-up at Ffos Las on just his second start over fences. He returns to hurdling here and is 5 lb lower than the mark he defied at Taunton in March 2023.
Ballyrashane flopped at Ffos Las but had previously made a positive start over fences, winning a handicap at Fakenham before finishing runner-up a couple of times, and his latest effort is best ignored. Joining Ballyrashane in Perth's staying handicap chase is Jony Max. He has the assistance of Jonathan Burke in the saddle but has shown no sign that he's about to capitalise on his falling mark.
Skelton a significant trainer change
Dan Skelton has had 97 winners at Market Rasen - he's only had more at Uttoxeter and Warwick - and he could bring up the century on Saturday as all three of his runners are likely to be prominent in the betting.
Skelton has established himself as one of Britain's best, and most prolific, jumps trainers, so any horse joining his yard merits closer scrutiny.
That's the case with Beat Box (17:20) who starts out for the stable in the 17-furlong handicap chase. He was badly out of form on his final couple of starts over hurdles for James Ewart last season but is on a lower mark over fences and it would be little surprise if the switch to the Skelton stable sparked a revival in fortunes (the switch has generated Timeform's Trainer Uplift Flag).
Beckett bidding to enhance Ripon record
Since the start of 2019 Ralph Beckett has had seven winners from only 21 runners at Ripon, showing that it pays to take notice when he sends one on the long journey to North Yorkshire from his Hampshire base.
Beckett's only runner at the track this year, Clan Chieftain, was last of eight on his seasonal reappearance in April, but the trainer fared really well at the course in 2023 when sending out four winners and two seconds from only six runners.
Fun Loving, who contests the concluding mile-and-a-half fillies' handicap (16:59), is Beckett's only runner at Ripon on Saturday. The 350,000 guineas purchase had been disappointing on her handicap debut at Leicester but, with blinkers replacing cheekpieces, she took a step forward at Nottingham to got off the mark. She steps up in trip here and could still do better.
Tip of the Day
Greek Flower - 14:15 Curragh
Flags: Horse In Focus, Horses For Courses, Top-Rated
Greek Flower has finished runner-up on all three starts this season but has shown run-by-run improvement on Timeform's scale and her last two efforts, in particular, make her of interest in this less-competitive sprint.
Greek Flower was 6 lb out of the weights in the Rockingham Handicap on her penultimate start, but she did some excellent late work from an unpromising position to get to within a length and a half of the winner who ploughed a lone furrow on the far rail.
Upped from five furlongs to an extended six in the David Power Memorial last month, Greek Flower again caught the eye with how well she finished from off the pace and she can perhaps have her effort marked up given she made her challenge towards the centre of the track and slightly away from the main action.
Those two efforts underline her effectiveness at this course (she also won over course and distance last season) and she remains well treated after edging up 2 lb.
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