Dave Nevison: my Saturday horse racing tips

Although he bombed out badly when I backed him at York last time I am prepared to give him one more chance.

It was pretty much over as soon as it began for Cooperation on the Knavesmire after an awkward start and Paul Hanagan was not hard on him once it was clear they were not going to be involved.

The five-year-old has been an improved sprinter for Mike Murphy, winning three times, but still has another victory in him judged on his previous run when fourth at Haydock when beaten less than a length off this mark of 80.

Prior to that, he won at Thirsk on heavy ground so he will not be inconvenienced at all by the testing ground here and he is worth another chance at a price.

Julie Camacho runs three in this year’s extremely difficult-looking Stewards' Cup and, while Tactical might be the outsider of the trio, my eye keeps getting drawn to him.

The five-year-old ran well enough last time out - and on just his second start for the yard - to suggest that there are races to be won with him, and he's since had wind surgery and been freshened up after finishing midfield in that decent Haydock handicap back in April.

Tactical has never been below a mark of 100 before (last won off 107) and is now being dropped back to sprinting - by a specialist trainer who has revitalised similar types over the year - with the cheekpieces also put on for the first time, presumably to liven him up given the drop back down in distance.

Rossa Ryan, who is having a brilliant season, might just be an inspired booking. Perhaps I should have left this race alone, but I can't resist a dart and hopefully I have presented a reasonable case.

[4.00 Thirsk: Encourageable](https://www.racingtv.com/racecards/thirsk/457386-william-hill-summer-cup-handicap-3?sort=price&form_display=false)

James Horton’s horses are largely running well at the moment but he could do with a few more winners - especially after the much-talked-about shutdown of his yard earlier in the year - and Encourageable is definitely handicapped well-enough to win as he returns to the scene of his course and distance win just five starts ago and off exactly the same mark.

That success came in a 0-95 handicap and he has been running in some very hot handicaps since. He didn’t stay last time on his first start since being gelded and, back at a mile with the tongue-strap re-applied, has every chance of returning to his best.

He won twice on the all-weather back in January and looked pretty useful, but Hugo Palmer’s Lope De Vega three-year-old then disappointed in two runs when switched to turf to go handicapping.

After performingly modestly at Haydock in May he was put away and gelded, but he reappeared at Ascot in mid-July and ran easily his best race on turf and he looks to be back on the right track now.

This nine-furlong trip should be within his stamina range and, with Tom Marquand in the saddle for the first time, he looks to have plenty going for him here.