EBOR winning trainer James Given has come a long way since setting up on his own just over three years ago.

Given, who started out with just five horses housed beside Wolverhampton's all-weather track, has now moved to a much bigger base in Lincolnshire and quickly built up his string to around 80 strong.

It didn't take James long to grasp the importance of assembling a decent bunch of two-year-olds, one of whom, Aimee's Delight, heads to Ripon this afternoon seeking a second course success in the Steve Nesbitt Challenge Trophy.

James has always had a fairly high opinion of the filly and in his own words was totally "shell shocked" when she got turned over at very short odds at Catterick in late May.

Instead of rushing back to the well, he then gave Aimee's Delight (3.10) a six week break before bringing her back to justify his optimism in July, where she proved herself with a narrow victory over David's Barron's gambled-on La Corujera.

Today's assignment is a good deal tougher, but there's no getting away from her ability to handle the curiously undulating course, which has the effect of unbalancing so many horses, especially those with relatively little racing experience.

Henry Cecil's Unafraid will most likely go off favourite for the £12,000 mile-and-a-quarter Showcase Handicap.

He's basically an unexposed colt having only ever seen the racecourse twice in his life, winning last time out at Newcastle. On the downside, I'm not sure of the value of that Tyneside success in what appeared to be a real egg-and-spoon maiden.

I'll probably end up with egg on my face, however in the circumstances it may pay to stick with known track and trip form, hence the tip is Vicious Warrior (3.40), who showed a liking for the place when picking up a valuable mid-season prize a couple of months ago.

High Jinks (4.40) will not be at the top of many punters' lists for the two mile Weatherbys Bank Handicap, but I still expect him to go well at potentially double-digit odds.

The selection has dropped a monumental 20lb in the weights since winning his one and only race at Warwick way back in 1998. He's clearly had injury problems, none the less there was more than a hint that he was about to strike gold when finishing a highly creditable fourth at Thirsk 15 days ago.

Tony McCoy travels to Uttoxeter closing in fast on Richard Dunwoody's all-time record of 1699 winners over jumps.

McCoy has several fancied mounts, none more so than Dream With Me (2.20) for his guv'ner Martin Pipe in the Countryside Alliance Novices' Hurdle. He'll not go off at a great starting price, none the less has the form in the book to do the business.

Of much more interest from a moneymaking point of view is Sunday Rain (4.50) in the closing Northern Racing Handicap Hurdle.

Sunday Rain has a reputation for being a quirky customer, a trait I fancy the talented Tony Dobbin will iron out as the pair navigate their way round the Midlands' venue.

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