Wednesday tips: Dave Nevison's best bets on day two of the Craven Meeting

It is highly likely that most punters will be drawn towards the William Haggas runner Realign and the Andrew Balding stable debutant Double Rush and there are very good reasons for keeping a close eye on the pair of them. It is tough to decide which one will be most improved and/or ready for today, however, and at the odds I am happy to look amongst the double figure odds runners in a race where most bookies are offering four places. 

Diligently doesn’t have a dissimilar profile to that pair in that he had a small lull in his form midsummer but looked a very promising horse in the spring and autumn. He won at Windsor in August and ran really well on his final start at Thirsk, finishing second behind Eternal Sunshine and is 7lb better off for ¾ of a length. Both the winner and the third home in that event won on their next start so the form is strong and Diligently is just a pound higher in the weights. 

Clive Cox has his string in very good form this spring and has gelded this horse over the winter so there is a possibility Diligently might well be a significantly improved performer this spring. 

Ed Bethell has made an excellent start with this ex-Charlie Appleby Godolphin inmate and can carry on where he left off last autumn. Corolla Point has won both his starts for Bethell, first at Haydock and then following up at Hamilton on easier ground. The headgear was ditched and he was dropped down to this minimum trip by Bethell and it certainly seemed to suit him well. 

The handicapper has raised him 6lb for that latest win which is enough but a look at the race shows Corolla Point won comfortably and this classy £800k yearling purchase might just be coming good. He looks as though he could be heading for a higher grade. 

Holly Mist is becoming a little frustrating, still being a maiden after four runs, but has placed on each occasion. Roger Varian’s filly made her debut on turf at Redcar and that was the closest she has got to winning, being beaten just a neck. She has since run three times on the all-weather and her two latest starts can be upgraded as she certainly didn’t have the best of runs in either. 

She is certainly the least exposed in this field of older handicappers and should be good enough to break her duck in this grade.