Signore can take spoils in Ripon test

Racing: Six-year-old has big claims for Memorial Handicap over six furlongs

Ripon racegoers could do a lot worse than pledging their support to SIGNORE PICCOLO in the big race of the day.

Underrated trainer David Loughnane has done a fine job with this six-year-old since his transfer from David O’Meara’s yard in May.

Signore Piccolo would now appear to hold major claims of victory in the Armstrong Memorial Handicap over six furlongs.

The gelded son of Piccolo won a nice sprint handicap at Haydock in June and has continued to go well – even in spite of an elevated handicap mark.

He should really have won at Beverley on July 8 but got going a little too late in the piece and missed out by a nose.

Signore Piccolo was then sent to Chester a week-and-a-half ago for a strong class three handicap over five furlongs.

Things went wrong on the Roodee, though, as he was slowly away and was then stopped in his tracks inside the final furlong.

But he stayed on earnestly once his chance had gone and did really well to get to within two and three-quarters of a lengths of Confessional.

WHITECREST would not be winning out of turn at Salisbury.

John Spearing’s nine-year-old is not getting any quicker but she should still have enough about her to go well in a six-furlong handicap at the Wiltshire circuit.

The daughter of Ishiguru rattled off a hat-trick earlier in the year and has since held her form reasonably well.

Whitecrest was a good runner-up over this course and distance in July when she got close to within a length and a quarter of Dandy Flame, who has since won at Windsor.

Spearing’s inmate then showed her versatility in soft ground at Lingfield 11 days later when she was only beaten two lengths by Monteamiata.

The handicapper has been quite gentle on Whitecrest since she won three on the spin in May and she returns to Salisbury on the same mark off which she completed a hat-trick. SELECTIONS: RIPON: 2.15 Clubbable, 2.45 Bourbonisto, 3.15 Save The Bees, 3.45 SIGNORE PICCOLO (NAP), 4.15 Royal Reserve, 4.45 American History, 5.15 Holmeswood.

SALISBURY: 2.00 Ode To Autumn, 2.30 Bullingdon, 3.00 Whitecrest, 3.30 Awfaa, 4.00 Mowhoob, 4.30 Nightswift, 5.00 Nathania, 5.35 Banff.

DOUBLE: Signore Piccolo and Whitecrest.

Picture: Getty Images. Frankie Dettori and Lancelot Du Lac, left in yellow and green, won the Qatar Stewards Cup Handicap Stakes on day five of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Saturday.