North Yorkshire handler Paul Midgley has started the campaign in decent form, operating at a healthy 26% in the last fourteen days, sending out 4 winners in the process. The trainer sent out a pair of well-backed runners at Beverley’s opening meeting last week and returns to the East Yorkshire venue on Thursday with three chances. Our expert editor previews each runner’s chance, which comes alongside Sky Bet‘s new customer offer of Bet £5 Get £20 In Free Bets.
JAMES WATT – 1:55 (Watch On Racing TV Handicap, 5f)
The trainer runs two in the second 5f contest on Beverley’s Thursday card and perhaps his best chance of success lies with JAMES WATT, who should come on plenty for his return to action at Newcastle earlier this year and is certainly capable of picking up another race off his current mark of 74.
Although his form tailed off somewhat towards the end of the season, Paul Midgley’s six-year-old still posted some notable performances. Victory at Ripon last summer was soon followed by an impressive success at York from a mark of 76, comfortably holding the runner-up on the run to the line and defying odds of 40/1 in the process.
James Watt has been dropped 2lb by the handicapper after returning to action at Newcastle back in February, and with the yard in significantly better form this month, it would be no surprise to see James Watt go close on Thursday afternoon from a favourable draw in stall 2.
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VAN GERWEN – 1:55 (Watch On Racing TV Handicap, 5f)
Nine-year-old VAN GERWEN will have to bounce back to form following some disappointing efforts in his recent outings. Despite winning three times last season at Ripon, Pontefract and Redcar, Paul Midgley’s charge has failed to trouble the judge in his last four starts, including when returning at Pontefract earlier this month. Sent off at 40/1, Van Gerwen made no impression after being slowly away on that particular occasion and perhaps needs some further help from the handicapper before he is set to resume winning ways.
Connections will be hoping a return to Beverley will spark some form of improvement from this previous course and distance winner, but the nine-year-old is certainly hard to warm to given his recent form figures despite racing from a handy draw.
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DR RIO – 3:40 (Rapid Lad Handicap, 1m 1f 207y)
It will be interesting to see what the market makes of DR RIO, as the six-year-old returns this campaign off a career-low mark. Winless since 2019, Dr Rio has changed hands on four different occasions. Transferred to Paul Midgley from Clive Cox’s Lambourn yard late last season, the six-year-old ran an encouraging race on debut for new connections when finishing fifth behind former stablemate Regular Income at Nottingham in November after travelling strongly throughout the 1m2f contest.
Stepped up to twelve furlongs at Newcastle on the penultimate start, Paul Midgley’s charge failed to settle in the hands of Tony Hamilton and could never land a telling blow on those ahead of him. Surprisingly, connections reverted back to a mile with the six-year-old when last seen in December, however, the drop in trip and application of cheekpieces failed to work the oracle despite attracting notable market support.
Although an infrequent winner, Dr Rio has still displayed some promise in his three outings for Paul Midgley and with the step back up in trip an obvious plus on Thursday, the six-year-old is certainly not one to overlook in the market given the reputation his trainer has for improving new recruits.
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