Dave Nevison's Thursday tips: "It's difficult to see a negative"

Spartan Times is in a rich vein of form having won three of his past four starts on the Flat and looks capable of defying a 5lb penalty following his win in a similar contest at Ripon by over five lengths last time out. 

He races over a trip almost two furlongs further now but the four-year-old settles well and I really don’t anticipate the extra distance to be an issue here. 

Jamie Neild is a very accomplished amateur over jumps and is on a hat-trick on his flat rides this summer, including a win at this track, plus is aboard Spartan Times again here.

It is difficult to see a negative regarding his chances.

Ed Walker’s three-year-old was sent off at 150-1 on the third of his three starts in maidens in April, yet five weeks later he was backed into 2-1 favourite on his handicap debut. He won nicely and beat a recent winner who was also on the improve there.

He has since followed up in good style when backed into odds-on favouritism at Salisbury and definitely looks to have further improvement to come, especially now that this staying-bred type is upped further in trip. 

He has already won at Haydock, and under Paul Mulrennan, so there are plenty of positives.