Dave Nevison: four bets for the Saturday handicaps

There’s Classic action in Ireland to enjoy on Saturday but I’m sticking with the action in Britain and have four selections in the big-field handicaps.

Here’s hoping that the each-way multiple is one to remember!  

I always found the champagne reasonably priced at York (you can get a bottle for £43 at the course this summer) and am hopeful Champagne Sarah can help those on the Knavesmire pay for a glass or two. 

She is drawn low, which is usually the best place to be at York and certainly was in the early races run on the straight course at the Dante Meeting. 

Champagne Sarah has been a consistent sprint handicapper and is quite lightly raced for a four-year-old filly, so it looks possible she can carry on improving this season judged on her two runs this term. 

She has run very well on good to soft ground and, while unproven on much worse, I expect a very good run in this big-field sprint. 

I may be foolhardy, but I am sticking with Lethal Nymph for one more go in a sprint handicap because I felt there was enough excuses last time and he will go off at an even bigger price this time. 

The ground and the draw turned against him last time out and he raced too freely from his high draw. Luke Morris virtually walked him across the line after the five-year-old was spent. 

Lethal Nymph’s best run since joining Paul Midgley came over this trip on a slow surface at Newcastle so he clearly has the speed for the minimum trip. He has been dropped to a very low mark - 7lb lower than his last win - and he has the services of a 5lb claimer. With a decent draw, I am going to risk a few quid at big odds.  

Zimmerman might have found his ideal trip and ground when stepped up to 2m over this course last August. He only won by a neck but had a troubled passage through and probably could have won by further. 

That was his second win at the track, so Haydock clearly suits him well. He ran two good races off a higher mark subsequently last term and even though he was out of the frame on his reappearance he ran well enough to suggest he can be competitive again this term. His light weight in this grade could be crucial at the business end of this race.  

Oso Rapido ran well in a big field 0-80 handicap over this course and distance at the October meeting last season, finishing second at 40/1. 

He will again be a big price  but ran well at Chester last time and seems to be running himself into form. He is now 5lb lower than when last successful. Brandon Wilkie takes off a useful 5lb, too. 

Oso Rapido drops down to a 0-80 grade for the first time since he won at Catterick and this seasoned handicapper looks to be running at a level he can win at.