Ripon Nap May 25: Jilly Cooper can lead rivals home

I've always loved Ripon racecourse and have had some very profitable days there over the years, so let's hope that's maintained with my Wednesday selection.

I think there's an opportunity in the fourth race on the card, which is a fillies' handicap over a mile. That is Ripon's round course. There isn't a huge run from the stalls to the bend and the round course traditionally favours those up with or setting the pace.

With that in mind, I am going to side with the Charlie and Mark Johnston-trained Jilly Cooper to win it. It's 11-months since she won a Hamilton 5f sprint as a novice, on her second start.

She certainly had sufficient pace there and in a couple of other subsequent runs over further, to suggest that she can again be up there in the van and hopefully overcome a draw from stall six of seven in this event.

If Jason Hart can get her out and handy, then I think this step up to a mile (and she's the sister of 1m winner Bardo Contiguo and by high class mile/10f winner Lope De Vega), I think she could represent a bit of value against a couple of other better-drawn opponents.

She's had the beneft of a run this season, being well held here over 6f but I think she can do better now upped again in trip, so it's Jilly Cooper to win the 18:55 at Ripon on Wednesday.