Ripon, Friday 8 May 2026 — Tips & Selections
Good ground at Ripon for a Friday evening card, and the going suits a few horses we've been eyeing up. Six races, three handicaps worth getting stuck into, and one maiden where the market looks about right but there's a value angle worth flagging. Ruth Carr's yard arrives in form, Gemma Tutty's string is firing at a remarkable clip, and there's a veteran sprinter who refuses to read his age profile. Let's get into it.
7:15 — Sam Alexander Memorial Handicap (6f, Handicap, Good, 11 runners)
Selection: Musical Touch at 4/1 (Bet365)
Richard and Peter Fahey have hit a solid recent spell, and Musical Touch looks the standout in a wide-open six-furlong handicap. The key piece of form here is his Thirsk win over this exact trip on good ground last spring. He's since added an all-weather win at Southwell on reappearance and arrives carrying only a 4lb penalty for that. Ethan Tindall (5lb claim) riding means the weight is manageable, and the Spotlight is direct: "key player." With 11 runners, this absolutely qualifies as an each-way race.
Each-Way Musical Touch suits the going, already has a seasonal run under his belt, and a positive yard stat backs the angle. Three places at 1/5 odds gives you a comfortable safety net at 4/1.
The main threat is Modern Times (9/2 William Hill), another Easterby runner with a C&D win already on his CV. His Pontefract run last time was solid, and he's on a workable mark. Worth including in any each-way doubles or small forecasts.
5:45 — British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (6f, Good, 7 runners)
Selection: Red Spells Danger at 4/7 (Virgin Bet / LiveScore Bet)
Odds-on shots aren't usually the interesting call, but Red Spells Danger is odds-on for a reason. He's been a model of consistency without winning, posting RPRs in the 70s across six starts and finishing second at both Catterick and Southwell this spring. Back on turf and dropping to 6f, which the Spotlight specifically says looks likely to suit. Tim Easterby's yard has six winners from 83 runners over the past fortnight, a respectable clip at this level.
The interesting watch at a price is Tip Foster (4/1 Bet365), who made a promising debut at Pontefract and showed enough staying power for this trip to suit. David and Nicola Barron have had one from ten recently, nothing spectacular, but the horse's profile appeals. Soda (8/1 Bet365) is bred for a longer trip and looks too short at those odds given she needs to drop in distance.
No each-way badge here: seven-runner field with only two places at 1/4 odds, and the favourite is a short-priced jolly. Take Red Spells Danger to finally get his head in front.
6:45 — Dr Keith Howard OBE Memorial Handicap (5f, Handicap, Good, 9 runners)
Selection: Betweenthesticks at 11/4 (Bet365 / William Hill)
Ruth Carr won this race in 2023 and again in 2025. She turns up in 2026 with Betweenthesticks carrying a winning double under his belt. He took Wolverhampton off a cold return from six months off, then followed up at Pontefract over this exact trip just 17 days ago. That kind of back-to-back form from a horse returning from a lay-off screams a yard in serious nick. He's 3lb higher today, but the Spotlight calls him "feasibly treated" and notes he's "tactically versatile," which at a track as sharp and front-runner-friendly as Ripon matters enormously over five furlongs.
The only thing that gives you pause is the good ground. His recent wins have come on good and good to soft, so today's conditions aren't an issue. James Sullivan takes the ride and knows what he's doing around here.
The danger is Mark's Choice (5/1 Bet365), a ten-time course winner who ended last season with back-to-back wins right here at Ripon. He flopped at Thirsk on reappearance, but Gemma Tutty's yard is two from nine recently and the Spotlight notes he "doesn't have a great record when fresh." Second run of the season often brings out the best in him. Each-Way Mark's Choice at 5/1 (three places, 1/5 odds) is a legitimate saver in a nine-runner handicap.
Glory Fighter (9/2 William Hill) also rates a mention. Eleven career wins, made all at Nottingham on good ground last month, and only 2lb higher. A front-runner on a sharp five-furlong track carries obvious appeal, and Phillip Makin's yard has been in decent nick.
But Betweenthesticks is the horse the race revolves around. Double winner, in-form yard, proven over C&D conditions, and at 11/4 on a nine-runner handicap that's fair value for what looks the banker of the card.
Today's NAP
Odds: 11/4 — Bet365 (others: 11/4 William Hill, 3/1 Betfair Exchange)
Ruth Carr has won this specific race twice in three years and arrives with a horse who has won back-to-back since returning from six months off. Betweenthesticks took Wolverhampton cold, followed up at Pontefract over this identical trip, and is only 3lb higher for a second win. The good ground at Ripon is no concern, and on a sharp five-furlong track this front-runner type has every chance of making it three from three. Carr's stable stats and the course record make this the standout bet of the card.