Martin Dixon's Saturday tips: 28-1 chance among three fancies

Best odds: 4-1

It is over 12 months since Woodstock got his head in front, but I've seen some positive signs in his recent efforts to suggest that he's ready to cash in on a mark that is 5lb lower than that last success.

There was a near-miss at Ripon in August when beaten just a head by course specialist Mark's Choice (followed up next time), then he was lit up by a bump in a very competitive race at Doncaster and simply did too much too soon, and on his most recent start in a small field at Epsom, he was unsuited by a lack of tempo but kept on nicely from off the steady pace.

On his only previous visit to Catterick he finished a good third off a higher mark last summer and I like the way this race will set up for him from a handy draw in stall four. Joanna Mason back in the saddle who won twice on him in 2024. 

Best odds: 11-2

With no penalty to carry for his Mill Reef win, it's no surprise that Words Of Truth dominates the market for this newly-formed juvenile sprint, but I felt the way he ground out the win on soft ground at Newbury suggested he may be ready for a step up to 7f and I'm hoping he might be vulnerable to the raw speed of the highly progressive Division, who completed the hat-trick in good style at York last weekend and makes appeal to me at odds of 5-1 at the time of writing.

He's put up two excellent performances on the clock, both at York and earlier in the year at Haydock, and it's atypical of trainer William Haggas to turn one out so quickly suggesting that he's bounced out of last week's race in top form.

Best odds: 28-1

We've had some shock winners of the Balmoral in recent years, with the last three winners returning SPs of 80-1, 25-1 and 14-1 and it looks a typically wide open renewal to me.

Godwinson is available at as big as 28-1 at the time of writing and that looks way too big given his proven suitability to these big-field handicaps on straight tracks and also his excellent record off a break.

He won the Lincoln on his first start of the year, then, after an 89-day break, he beat a well-handicapped rival (Superposition) comfortably at Newcastle. His two subsequent defeats are excusable, with the run of the race not suiting in a smaller field at Goodwood, whilst at the Curragh last time he got no room to open up and barely had a race.

I like the seven-week break since and I think the ground not being as soft as it was when he lined up in this race 12 months ago is also ideal.