Best Bets: Thursday 12 August

BUTTONS BABE (Trap 6) - 12:28 Sheffield

BUTTONS BABE looks highly unlikely to follow in the illustrious footsteps of her 3-Steps To Victory winning dam Bull Run Button but she has certainly inherited some of her stamina, twice going close in A7 company in July. Recent efforts have been less inspiring but today’s contest is a notably weak affair and Barrie Draper’s charge may well be up to turning handy behind likely pace-setter Crinkill Sheila (Trap 5) and strike for glory off the final bend with the balance of her form reading well in the context of this.

BALLYMAC SPIRIT (Trap 2) - 12:46 Central Park

BALLYMAC SPIRIT is every inch a youngster operating as a March 20’ whelp and, making his competitive debut four days ago there was plenty of promise to glean from his effort. Understandably not the sharpest at the boxes, he drove the bends well to grab the runners-up spot. A son of Ballymac Best he’s open to any amount of improvement as he gains experience and if emerging around the first bend unscathed, is fancied to chip some time off the clock and come out on top.

SPEED ZONIC (Trap 3) - 13:59 Sheffield

SPEED ZONIC only recently returned from a spell of seasonal rest and whilst understandably not at her very best, her strong-finishing third in the grade of A6 was still an encouraging enough effort. Down a peg on the graded ladder that effort stands up to close scrutiny on the clock in today’s field, certainly not the strongest of A7 affairs and we’re hopeful she can be handy at the very least come the first bend and reel in the pace-setters by the three-quarter point.