THERE can only be a few jockeys in the county riding with more confidence than young Jamie Kyne at the moment and he can have another decent winner with Grazeon Gold Blend in the Nick Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap at Ripon.

Kyne is John Quinn’s apprentice and as a former jockey himself, the Malton handler knows how to spot talent when he sees it.

The fledgling pilot is also riding for a variety of stables which is a massive bonus at this stage of his career.

It means that other yards have spotted his potential at an early stage and they are all vying to use his valuable 7lb allowance too.

However, Ripon’s feature contest sees him teaming up with his boss and the six-yearold has dropped to a winnable mark.

A winner at Ripon off a perch as high as 84 in the past, he finds himself in here off 75, less Kyne’s claim.

He will be all the better for his first two runs of the season – he usually takes time to warm to the task – and this renewal does not look quite as competitive as last year’s in which he was a close-up fifth.

Throw into the mix that at the end of last year he got to within five lengths of Main Aim and we have a nice looking long-shot on our hands.

Tim Easterby’s Habton yard has sprung to life over the last few weeks and he will disappointed if Diamond Blade can not break his duck in the Levy Board Maiden Stakes.

Having finished last of 19 on his debut last year, he did not run again and has shown much more in three starts this term, finishing second at Southwell and third at Ripon and Catterick.

Now qualified for handicaps with a rating of 60, this looks a very weak maiden and Diamond Blade is certainly the form pick.

At Sedgefield, Woody Valentine is in great heart and can defy a penalty in the Mitie Property Services Novices’ Chase.

William Haggas’ yard are in fine form and he will be hoping Monaadema can keep up the run at Folkestone ahead of an important weekend of action.

Haggas is due to field South Easter in Saturday’s Investec Derby at Epsom and his horses have been doing him proud recently, as an acrossthe- card double last Saturday admirably illustrated.

And there will be some long faces at his Newmarket yard if Monaadema fails to land the freebets.co.uk New Online Betting Forum Handicap.

Second to Film Maker, now rated 92, on her debut, she made no mistake next time at Warwick winning by four and a half lengths.

She beat very little so the handicapper has no option but to give her a lenient rating of 72 and it will be a huge shock if she gets turned over.