Friday tips: Dave Nevison has a top trio for Catterick

Dorcas Road is modest and hasn’t yet reached the frame in bumpers or over hurdles but she can strike here off bottom weight in this extremely weak handicap. 

She has only had two runs for Harriet Dickin, but she looked as though she was being brought along steadily for handicaps such as this by her previous trainer. 

Dickin’s small yard has been in good form in January with three winners and she definitely looks to be doing the right thing upping Dorcas Road up in trip here as her winning relatives have scored at distances in excess of 3m. 

Her mark of 76 is reduced even further by Bradley Harris’s valuable 3lb claim and such is the quality of this even she is not running from out of the weights. She has never had a better chance. 

Christian Williams is a master at bringing staying handicap chasers along steadily and starting them off favourable handicap marks. 

He was a well backed favourite upped to 3m-plus last time and showed improved form to win. The margin was only ¾ of a length so a 7lb raise may appear harsh, but the third-placed horse, who was ten lengths further back, has already scored since, so in the context of 0-100 company the form looks strong. 

I expect Cave Article to improve past the very exposed Ribeye, who looks the main danger but concedes weight. 

Ballygeary has been a tough horse for punters to get right, with the cash being left behind after being well backed in competitive handicap hurdles. 

However, he ran well to be second in a 0-145 handicap at Musselburgh last time out for which he has surprisingly been dropped 1lb. 

He is just 2lb higher than when winning last summer and Ballygeary has a strong chance in a lower grade than he has contested for a while.