Dave Nevison's Wednesday tips: "he has been genuinely unlucky"

Ideal Guest has often looked as though he would be suited by 7f, but he was too free when tried over the trip recently. He was up with the pace on that occasion and didn’t have anything left in the final furlong.

He has since run well back at Pontefract’s stiff 6f, but it is no surprise to see him trying the longer trip again here. This race looks set to be run at a strong pace, so hopefully the five-year-old should be able to sit comfortably just off the pace this time.

With the Harriet Bethell yard in very good form, I am happy to take a chance that the trainer has found the right race over 7f this time, and the excellent Oisin McSweeney in the saddle looks another plus.

With six 2s in his form figures, there is obviously a little bit of a concern putting up Beach Point, but a look through the form book does suggest he has been genuinely unlucky on occasions, and more than one of his runner-up spots have came up against horses who have been genuinely on the up.

William Knight’s four-year-old gelding had one of his unlucky days last time having missed the break and conceding first run to an all the way winner, but if things go well for him under the very promising Maeson Patel, he might finally change his luck in this.

This race is a little unusual for a staying handicap on the all-weather in that it is competitive and looks pretty certain to be run at a strong gallop from the start.

If so, then that could play very well for Comte De Loir, who habitually starts slowly and is doing his best work late on in his races. That was certainly the case when he won his maiden over course and distance in January, and he has looked a little flat-footed in two handicaps since while still running well.

He has twice been beaten off a mark of 75 recently, but I feel that the scenario this race presents could enable him to land his first handicap.