CONSISTENCY has never been Namid's strong-point, nonetheless Derek Shaw's sprinter still looks a fair bet to claim Beverley's feature race, the Corporate Sport Handicap.
With one course and distance success already so far this season, punters at least know that the demanding uphill track holds no fears for Namid (3.10).
It's also easy to forgive his latest one-paced Goodwood effort, a sprint played out on a fast downhill venue which was never going to suit his run-style.
Some hefty wads of cash went west when the heavily-backed Hampstead Heath (2.10) ignominiously failed to land a major gamble on his Sandown debut.
The dogs had been barking beforehand, signifying that the Sheikh Mohammed-owned colt was one of Mark Johnston's most promising two-year-olds, and he was well supported.
Hindsight is of course a wonderful thing, that is to say the Johnston juveniles simply weren't firing, no-one would have touched the colt with a barge pole. Time is a great healer and whatever was bothering Johnston's horses has finally gone away, affording the likes of Hampstead Heath the opportunity to show what he's made of.
The form of Thorny Mandate's (5.10) Wolverhampton win looks solid enough to justify the five-year-old getting the nod in the lucky last. Kevin Darley partnered Thorny Mandate to a previous victory when in the hands of Fulke Johnson-Houghton, therefore it's no surprise to see his new trainer, Mark Brisbourne, reunite the pair.
Having scored at the track in 2006, Choreography (5.50) returns to Hamilton this evening with an excellent chance of scooping the opener.
Victoria Behan was in the saddle last year, but her place has been taken by the equally adept Adele Rothbury, who has a decent record when aboard Dandy Nicholls' trained inmates.
The North Yorkshire-based raider comes into the contest on the back of an encouraging second place at Catterick, a reproduction of which will surely help Choreography go one better.
Dandy's son Adrian is scheduled to ride Funfair Wane (8.00), fancied to complete a double for the yard by lifting the only other sprint on the card, the Nessco Telecoms Handicap.
A former winner of the Ayr Gold Cup, Funfair Wane is sadly a shadow of his former self, however when in the mood he retains a reasonable level of ability.
Provided the ground doesn't get too soft, a 6lbs penalty shouldn't prevent Patrick Haslam's Riquez Dancer (8.30) following up his recent emphatic Ripon success.
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