York - Tues 18th Aug

[Spooner]

Selections in here. :ok :hope

[fintron]

York - Tues 18th Aug 1.45 York Twenty runners line up for the Symphony Group Heritage Handicap and the market is headed by Hamish McGonagall for this five furlong sprint. Tim Easterby's gelding has been in very good form this season, although he hasn't yet won. He is a course and distance winner and has ran in plenty of competitive sprint handicaps, going down by only three parts of a length to Pavershooz at Newcastle and then half a length to Judge 'n Jury at Ascot last time out. Running off a mark of 99 he is looks competitively weighted, he is suited by this trip, and he looks solid placepot material. With regards to the rest of the field, Dandy Nicholls adopts his usual scattergun approach and the two of his six that appeal most to me are Northern Dare and Strike Up The Band. The former acts at this track and has recent winning form at Pontefract. For some reason I have a niggly doubt he may be staying on all too late, as he won over a stiff five at Pontefract and his solid second at Goodwood last time out also came over six furlongs. Strike Up The Band hasn't won for a year so isn't the form pick of Nicholls' runners by any means. However, he is running off the same mark as when second to Sohraab at Chester earlier in the season whilst he has also placed at this track plenty of times in his career. However, my main fancy in this race is Wi Dud from the Kevin Ryan yard. This is a horse that was one of the first names I had down for my Tote Ten To Follow in 2007 but he endured a nightmare season and failed to win a race at three. He failed to win a race at four either, however, now in his fourth season, he has hinted at signs of a revival and under 7 lb claimer John Fahy I think he could perhaps run into a place. He showed in his juvenile days that he acts at this track on differing ground, winning his maiden over course and distance and also landing a Group 2 that same season. Another solid course effort came in the 2007 Group 1 Nunthorpe when fifth behind Kingsgate Native. This season he has shown signs of a revival and has shown himself to be closely matched with Biniou, who is a decent enough type, whilst he was also third to Look Busy and Borderlescott at Haydock in the Group 2 Temple Stakes. Off the back of that effort he was sent off favourite at Epsom next time out in a handicap but flopped. However, this is a different type of track and given both of his career wins have come here, I think he is worth another chance, even off this higher official mark. Wi Dud 20/1 Totesport, 7.5 pts EW Hamish McGonagall 7/1 Bet 365, 5 pts win