Catterick Placepot: Wednesday July 3

Wednesday's Placepot comes from Catterick

Catterick gets the narrow verdict over the jumps cards at Perth and Worcester for today's Placepot...

14:30 - The newcomers needn't be any great shakes to overcome those with experience, and everything points to Birkacre being the best prospect in the field: she has the connections and pedigree to make a good two-year-old, with speed unlikely to be an issue over even this flying five furlongs. Though tempted to bank, we're going to include Reet Thicknstrong, who is similarly bred for speed and has almost certainly has more to offer over a sharp track with experience gained.

15:00 - We can bank in this second maiden, with Oriental Relation looking well ahead of his rivals. Ninth in the Norfolk despite being rushed off his feet early on, Oriental Relation will be suited by this step up to six furlongs and should find any improvement enough to see him home in front, with the insurance of a second-place finish built in should something else take a leap forward.

15:30 - Hopefully all eight remain in this staying handicap, but even so two stand out as being of most interest for Placepot purposes. Strong traveller Zaplamation has scarcely run a bad race this year and, although perhaps high enough in the weights, ought to be thereabouts again. Jan Smuts was a C&D winner two months (and 12 lb) ago, but he's been solid in the meantime and is worth siding with again, especially considering hot claimer Connor Beasley is now in the saddle.

16:00 - Although a risky play with 15 runners in this seven-furlong heat, we're going to try and get through with just two. Our Boy Jack has run well on each occasion he's been kept to this trip in 2013 and has the speed to cope with this track. Llewellyn is consistent and proven around here, while a short break since his last run assuages concerns after that run appeared to come too soon.

16:30 - We could take several of the contenders in this 15-runner classified stakes, or we can be bold and bank on standout candidate Duke of Destiny. Lightly raced, Duke of Destiny has consistently shaped as though having a bit more to offer this year. He looked none too hearty in a battle last time, but even if he throws today's race away in similar fashion there's no reason to think he won't be in the first three.

17:00 - With the closing handicap being a low-grade affair, we can concentrate on those away from the real basement marks lower down on the racecard. Towards the top, we have a couple who have run more good races than bad ones of late and should give us a good chance of wrapping up a successful perm. Royal Sea and Petrol arrive in good form, the latter potentially progressive to boot, so we'd be hopeful of at least one making the places.

Selections:

14:30 - 1, 8
15:00 - 1
15:30 - 4, 5
16:00 - 2, 4
16:30 - 2
17:00 - 2, 4
= 16 lines