Angus McNae’s top tips for Sunday: George Bowen can take command

Two winning selections in last week’s column ensured a profit on the day and hopefully more of the same will follow this week. I have four selections as always for you. Good luck!

There is a decent handicap in Jumaira Bay and this looks to be an ideal opportunity.

He is still a maiden but that should not be held against him as he has shaped well on his past two starts and he has only raced five times.

Two starts ago he finished a very good second to Nugget at Doncaster and that horse who won at Newmarket on Friday, giving the form a solid look.

Last time out he could be rated as unlucky not to have won when behind Tiger Crusade, again at Doncaster.

He was consistently denied a run from two furlongs out before finishing strongly when in the clear. Roger Varian invariably does well with his runners at York and I fancy him to strike here.

This horse is a tough and consistent handicapper. He won at Doncaster this season when beating Muntadab, who went on to win a competitive handicap at Epsom on his next start.

Since then, Presidential shaped well when sixth in the Silver Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot before finishing a rather unlucky third at Newmarket after encountering some trouble in running and having to switch late in the race.

He is clearly better than the bare result there and this race should be run at a fast pace, which will suit his hold-up style of racing.

Firmament will be popular here after an eye-catching effort last time but he is nowhere near as consistent and reliable as Presidential, who should be backed at 7-1.

This horse is tremendously well-handicapped. In June of last year he was rated 103 and now gets to race off a lowly 87.

In 2018, he bolted up in a competitive Class 2 Handicap at York, winning by six lengths off a mark of 89. Off 2lb lower he is chucked in here and he showed there is fire still in his belly with a decent second to Summerghand at Pontefract last time.

Encouragingly, he pulled three lengths clear of the third that day and is clearly working his way back to form. He has often run well at this track where the fact that most sprints are strongly run suits his strong travelling style. Given how well treated he is, he makes plenty of appeal at 8-1.

Formerly with Andrew Balding but now with Jedd O Keefe, this gelding impressed me when winning on his handicap debut at Haydock and looks just the type to run up a sequence.

Racing off a mark of 81 he came home strongly to prevail by a neck and in truth he did well to win after being held-up in a race that was steadily run.

This stiff mile, which suits hold-up performers, looks tailor made for him and Tom Marquand will be able to take his time and ride a race on him.

Even off a revised mark of 87 he makes plenty of appeal, particularly as he was a good deal better than the result last time plus is lightly raced and open to improvement. He rates as a strong bet here even if he is up in grade.