Thursday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets at Sandown and Carlisle

Gemma Tutty dropped this four-year-old down to six furlongs (for the first time since his racecourse debut) when he made his yard debut at Doncaster this month, and it definitely looked a decent move by a trainer who is one to note. 

Arantes Nascimento also had the hood he had been wearing dispensed with there, but he finished an excellent third having set out to make all, as normal. 

Amy Collier, who is aboard here, doesn’t have that many rides, but has won on five of her past 20 mounts in amateur events, and has a straightforward task here.

If moving to the Tutty yard has brought about improvement, as seems possible, then Arantes Nascimento could go very close here. 

Sir Garfield is definitely the contender in form in the second division of the Amateur Jockeys' Handicaps at Carlisle on Thursday, and with veteran, but still very significant rider, Simon Walker booked, he looks a solid favourite here.

The selection usually runs over seven furlongs, but at this stiffest of tracks, his prominent style of racing should get most of his rivals in trouble. 

The John & Sean Quinn-trained four-year-old is only 2lb higher than when he won on his penultimate start, and he ran into a well-backed Irish raider at Ayr on his latest outing in a more competitive event than this one. 

This looks a good piece of placing by his connections, in my opinion.

It is slightly concerning that Surrey Shadow hasn’t been seen since the Spring Mile in March, but his yard is in excellent form, and hopefully the lightly-raced four-year-old arrives here in good form. 

Tom Clover’s gelding ran a cracker at Doncaster and definitely didn’t get the best of runs from just after half way, and while he probably isn't the easiest to train, with this contest just his sixth racecourse appearance, he more often than not has looked to have plenty going for him.

With a favourable draw to help him, this race could prove a stepping stone to a big summer handicap (he is in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot).