Martin Dixon's Saturday tips: Mirsky can gain reward

After an encouraging start to his three-year-old season with Charlie Hills, including finishing third in a big field at Newmarket in the spring, Kodiac Thriller did not kick on as might have been expected  last season but he was picked up by Mark Walford at the autumn sales and showed bags of pace and enthusiasm on his stable debut at Pontefract last month.

Drawn wide that day, he had to push too hard too soon and understandably finished tired but it was a run that suggested to me this drop to the minimum trip could really work for him and he's slipped to a lenient mark of 74 on his best form. 

Although Mirsky did not get his head in front during a busy 2024 campaign after joining David O'Meara, he ran some exceptional races in defeat in tough handicaps, including a half-length second in the Clipper Stakes at York's Ebor meeting.

After some quieter runs he's now slipped down to a mark 6lb lower than he was that day but there was encouragement in a mid-field finish at Newmarket on his seasonal return two weeks ago and I expect that will have brought him forward. This is a significant class drop and hopefully a great opportunity to gain a first win in Britain. 

Northcliff seeks a four-timer in this sprint handicap and warrants respect but I think his presence in the field as a free-rolling front runner will play into the hands of

Imperial Guard

who is a keen-going sort that ideally needs some cover and a good pace to aim at.

He's drawn next door to Northcliff, so should get a perfect tow into the race and we already know he acts on this Rowley Mile course having been beaten just a neck over course and distance off the same mark last September.