PADDOCKS PATENT (THURSDAY)

16.00 Hamilton

David O’Meara has sent his horses north with great success in the past and he looks to have found the perfect chance for All You at Hamilton Park this afternoon. The four-year-old gelding won a handicap at Beverley earlier in the season over a mile then went straight into the notebook when desperately unlucky second back there last time out. The winner got first run while All You had to thread its way through a troublesome pack over today’s distance. He comes here today looking to resume winning ways and gets to run off the exact same mark so in a field of pretty exposed horses he gets the confident selection and probably looks the bet of the day.

Ruth Carr’s Ellaal has been in fine fettle recently winning twice over the mile at Musselburgh and clearly does well at this level so he could be one to trouble the selection if on a going day. The seven-year-old does get his ground as well and has won over the distance before, but the winning run came to an emphatic end last time out where he landed no sort of blow off this mark so may struggle again.

The main danger will likely come from local trainer Keith Dalgleish who is always worthy of respect at Hamilton. He lines up Archie’s Advice who capitalised on his reduced mark over the mile here last time out and he remains well treated on some of his older form. He bids for a third course win today, but things have to drop just right for him and he will have to be at his very best to stop the selection.

ALL YOU (WIN)

16.40 Lingfield

A tricky looking handicap on paper, but one horse who had a hard luck story in running last time out may just provide the answer here. That horse is Bridge of Sighs, who could not have got a more troubled passage under Frankie Dettori at Sandown last time out, as he had to settle for the runner up berth. The winner that day was the progressive Inniscastle Lad and the bird had flown by the time the Martin Smith’s charge had gotten a clear passage so his first turf victory looks imminent. That looks rock solid form in this company and he should take all the beating. The four-year-old gelding is a four time winner on the all weather so the assistance of the in-form Oisin Murphy should help guide him to a well deserved victory this afternoon and he is the confident selection.

Micky Quinn’s World Record is interesting off the bottom weight in this one. He notched up back to back wins at the tail end of last season, but hasn’t quite reached those heights in three runs this term. He is, however, tumbled back down the weights with each poor run so he would be dangerous to completely rule out here, but is probably best watched until he shows some signs of revival.

The main danger will likely come from Jim Boyle’s Inke. The four-year-old filly has made the frame in each of his last four starts and looks like a progressive sort, but she has been off the track for 266 days and may just need this reappearance run before troubling the judge and so the selection looks the rock solid pick here.

BRIDGE OF SIGHS (WIN)

17.00 Hamilton

There is no trainer more successful at Hamilton Park than leading Scottish trainer Jim Goldie and he looks to have an excellent chance of extending that course record here this afternoon. He lines up Hero’s Story and the six-year-old has the guidance of Joe Fanning to aid his cause here today. The six-year-old gelding ran well on return at Ayr last time despite finding the 1m2f trip too sharp last time and will absolutely relish the return to this sort of trip today over three furlongs more. The horse has previous winning course form over 1m4f last September and so looks to hold a big chance here on its preferred conditions. He is an attractive price in a competitive market so looks a rock solid each way bet and gets the nod on that basis.

David O’Meara’s Ingeby Hollow added to his miserable record of second places on his return from 8 months off at Redcar on Monday and is immediately turned back out here today. He is entitled to come on for that reappearance provided this doesn’t come too soon after such an absence. He won at Pontefract last summer, but that is the only win on the 4-year-old gelding’s CV and he may have to settle for yet another minor placing here today.

San Quentin took advantage of a huge drop in the weights to win here at Hamilton last week over a furlong more on his debut for the David Loughnane team, and the step up in trip should be in his favour. He had the re-opposing Jammy Moment in behind him that day so is expected to confirm the form with that rival. He comes here in under penalty for that win and the manner of that win suggests he will give the selection the most to do, but the better value still lies with the Jim Goldie horse.

HERO’S STORY (E/W)