15:30 Thirsk
Thirsk has a nice looking card today, and this is one of the better races. A 0-95 six furlong handicap, with some good experienced horses, and an open looking feel to it.
Wentworth Falls had a couple of decent wins earlier on in the year in a very similar standard of a race to today. He then went up in class and disappointed, although he didn't look happy on the soft ground at York. He ran nicely before fading late on into fourth, last time out at Doncaster, and I think a return to good ground (where he is 3/5), will again bring out the best in him. He is the top weight here today but looks to have a good chance, and trainer Geoffrey Harker does very well with his sprinters. Recently with runners over the sprint distances he's had six winners (15.79%) and 11 places (28.95%) from 38 runners, for level stakes profits of 44.50 and 43.74 respectively.
The John Quinn trained Zanetto was a very nice winner over course and distance two runs ago and was never in the race at Doncaster when missing the break last time out. A return to ideal conditions is a big plus, and if he can find the gaps at the right time, he could be a player in this.
Jaywalker has been running consistently this year and was a good second last time out at Doncaster. He is a full 14 pounds higher than his last winning turf mark, however (although he has won from only six pounds lower on the all weather), and will need to be right at the top of his game to get involved in this. He is at a career high mark of 90 after being hit with a three pounds rise in the weights due to his second place at Donny, so it remains to be seen whether it is a mark he can be competitive from.
Englishman is a very consistent sort who was staying on really well into second place in a better race than this at Windsor last time out. If he is able to stay a little closer to the pace this time around it will surely benefit him, and he looks certain to be staying on as strongly as any of them in the final furlong. His jockey, Paul Mulrennan has also been in outstanding form recently. Over the past few weeks, he's had 11 winners (26.19%) and 19 places (45.24%) from 42 runners, for level stakes profits of 35.41 and 42.35 respectively. He is clearly full of confidence at the moment and I think he has a very good chance in this.
Today's Selection
Thirsk 15:30 - Englishman - 1 point win @ 8/1 (Bet365, Betvictor)