Saturday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets in the handicaps

Our betting expert reckons he's identified a "blot" in the Grey Horse Handicap at Newmarket and has three other fancies.  

The Grey Horse Handicap is often not the most competitive and provides an opportunity for a good bit of placing, provided you have a grey horse in the first instance! 

Who else but to take such an opportunity than William Haggas, who looks to have found a good slot for the well-handicapped Binhareer. 

This three-year-old son of Dark Angel looked very much a sprinter to be with when winning by 3½ lengths at Ayr last time and it is surprising the handicapper only raised him 8lb for that impressive success. 

He won easily despite missing the break and his rider losing his Pro Cush, and the race has produced a couple of next time out winners so the form looks strong. He could and should have been raised more and to my eye looks a handicap blot. 

Course experience is a strong factor at Ripon where the undulating nature of the track often catches horses out. 

There isn’t a runner more adept at this track in this field than Fortamour, who seeks a seventh course success. 

Things didn’t go well for the nine-year-old last time, when he stumbled at the start and then made up the lost ground too quickly before fading. 

He has a favourable high draw and with better fortune, he has a great chance. 

Rock Opera was a couple of pounds out of the weights when he finished third to Elmonjed in a similar level race at York last time out, being beaten less than half a length. 

He has been running consistently well all season and is only 1lb out of the weights here. 

His young rider has had a couple of winners for Richard Fahey, including at Beverley this week, and did well last time out. Rock Opera has fared well with an advantageous high draw and can gain a reward for his consistency in this prestigious Ripon sprint. 

Mark Walford’s mare is another who goes very well at Ripon and won this corresponding race last season off the same mark. 

She came back to form with a win last time at Doncaster and has only been raised 2lb. 

Mark Walford has his string in good form and given this mare backed up a win very sharply when landing this event 12 months ago, I expect her to again go very close. She gets on well with the excellent Jason Hart, who chalked up his 1,000th winner this week.