Dave Nevison's tips: best bets for Friday after 28-1 and 16-1 winners!

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old stayer is an obvious choice here, but might well be the day’s handicap 'good thing'. 

His pedigree is all stamina and signalled that would be his strong point when he was stepped up to 1m6f for his maiden at Goodwood, which he won easily. 

He was expected to follow up last time out over this track but got beat by an undoubtedly well-handicapped four-year-old trained by Ian Williams, but lost nothing in defeat. 

The selections has been raised just 3lb for that effort and has been stepped up another two furlongs in this long-established handicap, which will be hugely in his favour. 

Even though he is against familiar, and useful, staying handicappers, I fully expect Tactician to have plenty in hand here.

I have sat in the Racing TV studio and watched Jonathan Portman win handicaps at the likes of Sandown many times, and he looks to have another contender with a live chance here.

Mrembo is a very consistent mare and has already been placed a few times this season but, despite her consistency, she has worked her way back down to a rating just a pound above her most recent victory, so it seems likely she will soon be winning again. 

Olivia Tubb, who claims a decent 5lb against fellow apprentices here, always rides her and has already won on the mare three times. 

That familiarity will be a strong advantage here, and Mrembo has run good races on both occasions she has raced at Sandown, so the signs are we will get a decent run for our money.

I wonder if Oisin Murphy has recommended that Whispering Royal should have headgear applied after he finished third aboard this horse over course and distance last time out. 

Obviously, trainer Alan King could see his charge hanging left in what was a rough finish in that race, so the cheekpieces do look a good move, and hopefully might improve things for Whispering Royal. 

The handicapper is not being quick to drop this four-year-old in the handicap but there is definitely a look about his form that there is untapped potential, and I believe the likely strong pace here will suit him very well, so I am expecting a decent run.

Lyndon B doesn’t win too often but he does seem to specialise in hitting form in late July every year, and he looks the most interesting runner here. 

He won this corresponding race two years ago (off a 4lb higher mark) and last year hit winning form on the 26th of this month at Goodwood. 

Trainer John Flint has hit form after a quiet spell with a couple of handicap winners in the past few days, and Lyndon B signalled he too was coming back to form when a very good fourth at Windsor last time out.

He needs a strongly run race to excel, but looks certain to get one in this, and Sean Dylan Bowen is a good apprentice booking.