CONSIDERING Ripon is such a superb venue for horse racing it's sad to see their season end before summer is even officially over.

But at least the final fixture of the year at the stunning North Yorkshire course has attracted some decent sized fields, including the 14 who go to post for the mainstay of the card, the £14,000 one-mile-and-one-furlong Tote Exacta Handicap.

As per usual a good few of the southern stables are sniffing around the pot, although my money is on the loot staying much nearer to home via the Tim Easterby-trained Style Dancer (3.50).

Style Dancer has a pretty nifty fifth gear when required, although unfortunately he didn't have chance to use it last time out at Gloriuos Goodwood where he was so badly boxed in that the long journey from Easterby's Great Habton base turned out to be a complete waste of time.

The eight-year-old will hopefully keep clear of trouble today, and with a bevy of front-runners in the line-up, the almost certain strong early pace should suit his normal hold-up tactics to a tee.

The curtain comes down at 4.55 in the appropriately named Finale Nursery, a race in which it is hard to get away from John Dunlop's fast-improving Wavertree Boy.

Dunlop's juvenile was stone cold last with only two furlongs to travel at Salisbury recently, only to produce a supercharged burst to overtake all eight of his rivals and win with a shade in hand.

That contest was over seven furlongs and since he's bred to be even better over one mile, Wavertree Boy is confidently expected to collect his second race in succession.

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