JOCKEY Neil Callan seeks to make amends on Up Tempo (3.20) at York this afternoon having failed to shine on Kevin Ryan's raider last time out.

The normally ultra-reliable Callan was in the saddle at Redcar ten days ago when Up Tempo met serious interference well over one furlong from home. Neil opted to bury his partner behind a wall of horses on that occasion, but unfortunately for the combination the gaps simply didn't come when required.

The net effect of such tactics meant Up Tempo found himself hemmed in and he nearly hit the deck as a direct result of the bunching and general overcrowding which took place at a crucial stage of the contest

At least from an energy conservation point of view the selection didn't end up having a hard race and even though Up Tempo has already won four races and shot up the weights by virtue of his success, to my mind the six-year-old remains a well-handicapped individual.

By fielding no less than eight of the 20 runners, David Nicholls is going all out to win the Sarah Lunn Memorial Stakes, the race run in memory of his former stable secretary, tragically killed in a car accident last year.

Faced with a nigh on impossible task to spilt the octet, my each-way vote goes to Lord Of The East (4.20), seemingly coming nicely to the boil having been placed on both of his most recent outings.

Some of the jockeys, including Kieren Fallon, are doing the double-header by dashing down the A1 from the Knavesmire to ride at Pontefract's evening meeting. One of Kieren's more interesting mounts is Dance Party (7.05) for Andrew Balding in the MSK Fillies' Handicap.

Dance Party hasn't been seen out seven weeks when Balding's inmates were out of sorts, thankfully things have picked up for Andrew over the past couple of weeks and Fallon's booking represents the icing on the cake as far as supporters of the filly are concerned.

Money-wise the big race on the card is the £15,000 Sky Bet Handicap over one mile.

It is a hot affair, but I remain confident of a massive run from Granston (8.05), who has already served up 9-2 tasty treat for fans of the nap at Ripon in April. The James Bethell-trained grey subsequently finished a creditable sixth at Newmarket in a better class event, proving beyond all doubt that the three-year-old gelding is still on the upgrade.

In the following St John Ambulance Handicap, Isa'af (8.35) bids to defy a 9lb hike in the ratings having slammed 17 hapless rivals at Nottingham recently.

As expected the Official Handicapper didn't take kindly to Isa'af' drubbing the opposition in such emphatic fashion, nonetheless he's a progressive stayer well worth keeping in kind whilst in his current mood.

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