DOUBLE HANDFUL

THE Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon is a very easy race to win money on, said nobody ever. Twenty runners have been declared for the handicap over six furlongs and finding the winner looks as straight forward as sorting out Brexit.

There’s a few horses I’m not keen on, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t win.

Everything has a chance in this sprint if you factor in the draw, probable race pace and the fact that the last two scorers were priced 25-1 and 16-1 respectively.

Richard Fahey has won this race twice, most recently with Don’t Touch in 2015.

He has four of today’s field running for him — including the favourite Growl, who could only finish ninth when jolly last year.

The six-year-old would prefer softer ground and, with the weather set fair, I can’t see him faring any better this time.

Piper’s Note is another horse at the top of the betting I wouldn’t be queuing up to back, but it’s only the price that’s putting me off.

The eight-year-old has an incredible eight wins from 18 starts at Ripon, including back to back wins over course and distance.

I can see him attracting money throughout the day, something that is rarely said of me.

Tim Easterby won this race in 1999 with Pipalong and again last year with Mattmu.

He looks to have a terrific chance of adding to that score today with two impressive beasts under his command. Stable companions FLYING PURSUIT and Golden Apollo dominated the finish of the Dash at York last month.

The pair pulled a long way clear of the rest on the Knavesmire, with Flying Pursuit prevailing by a neck.

He is only 1lb worse off today and I’m surprised to see him a couple of points bigger in the betting than Golden Apollo. He looks a great each-way chance.

GAMBLING WISDOM the “The difference between playing is that stock market and the horses one of the horses must win” Henry Adams