Epsom Placepot: Wednesday April 24

We're hoping Mark Johnston has a good day at Epsom

Epsom have laid on a good-quality afternoon card on Wednesday, so it's only fair that we should grace them with our Placepot bid.

14:20 - Although it wouldn't normally be best practice to put a reappearing horse in a Placepot perm, we can make an exception in the case of Sacrosanctus, who appears to have everything else in his favour. A speedy type whose course record comprises two wins and a second from three starts, his high draw also makes him best placed of the numerous potential pace-setters in this race. The fact there looks to be such strong competition for the lead could also play into the hands of Diamond Charlie, who is drawn next door to Sacrosanctus and is a free-going sort who normally goes best when getting a good lead into a race.

14:50 - We can afford to stick to the 'no reappearing horses' line in leg two, chiefly because there are a couple of interesting horses with a run behind them already in 2013. Admittedly, Mawaakef has been off for a couple of months, but his level of form is useful and consistent, while he was second off a 1 lb lower mark at this course last year, so he shouldn't have a problem handling the undulations. Beyond Conceit arguably has stronger claims, at least where winning the race is concerned, as he's unexposed and shaped like he's going to improve for the Balding yard (formerly with Tom Tate) on his recent reappearance at Doncaster.

15:20 - The offer of a 'wild-card' place in the Derby field for the winner of this race is no more than a noble gesture, few in the field having claims to being much better than useful, but there is at least a competitive element to the contest this year. There is a case for using it to save lines, with three places on offer in a nine-strong field and Mister Impatience having plenty in his favour. Progressive in three starts as a juvenile, Mister Impatience was heavily backed when making a winning reappearance in a handicap at Doncaster last month. Although it would probably be unwise to take the nine-length winning margin at face value, Mister Impatience looked straightforward and that could prove important against a bunch of largely-inexperienced sorts.

15:55 - It's probably slightly more difficult to lose a Timeform 'squiggle' than earn one, which is why Spifer's achievement in having it removed before his most recent start needs attention. He has indeed been most consistent in recent starts and, in the form of his life to boot, needs to be included in our perm. Second place in our perm goes to Validus, who was deemed good enough to take his chance in a listed race on his most recent start and has been upped to what could be an even more suitable trip now. Although he's making his reappearance, and therefore breaching a certain guideline, Validus is more than worth the risk.

16:30 - An eight-runner maiden is normally a good time for a banker. Legal Waves perhaps wouldn't be a natural choice, coming here off the back of a single run last year, but early market vibes are sufficiently encouraging to suggest he'll be ready to do himself justice, with his debut form superior to anything else on offer in this field.

17:00 - A three-year-old handicap is hardly an ideal way to finish, but we can again go with the combination of consistent sort couple with one that's potentially well-handicapped. Our 'rock' is Sennockian Star, second on both starts this year and still probably improving gradually for all his modest win record. Lionheart is our potential handicap blot. Second on his own reappearance, Luca Cumani's colt looks sure to be better suited by this extended mile than seven furlongs and is taken to improve.

Selections:
14:20 - 2, 5
14:50 - 6, 7
15:20 - 7
15:55 - 3, 7
16:30 - 4
17:00 - 6, 8
= 16 lines