Dave Nevison's Wednesday Racing Tips: Central City to strike again

This filly is likely to be a short-priced favourite but looks mightily progressive and pretty much the only horse in the field who seems to be going forward.

A typically appealing Bjorn Neilsen-bred daughter of Speightstown, she definitely enjoyed the step up to seven furlongs when winning comfortably on her handicap debut at Wolverhampton last time out. Her dam won over a mile and she should be even better suited to another move up in distance here. Raised 8lb for that success, that rise looks manageable at least and I do not expect her to have any trouble landing this.

Ian Williams has been among the winners both on the Flat and over jumps recently and this horse ended a long barren spell in good style last week having dropped down to a very favourable mark.

I am taking a positive view of that race as the horse he beat, Lord Halifax, is another that had become very well weighted and was backed to win that race for the second year running. The first two clocked good time-figures in the race and given that Central City’s previous win had come off a mark 76 and he has run well off marks in the 80s in the past, he could well still be well-weighted off 74 now back in form. The return of cheekpieces is probably no negative either.

Unbeaten in two runs at this track and even more impressive than the winning margin suggested on his latest victory over this course and distance. The step up in trip clearly suited and he surely be better suited by a stronger pace, which is clearly possible with Alfredo and Cosmeli both usually ridden forward.

The presence of another Frankel colt, in the shape of the John Gosden-trained Amtiyaz, should ensure that he goes off a reasonable price and I am hopeful he will make up into a decent stayer - I am certainly confident that a mark of 88 will not be the ceiling of his ability.