Al Shaham to be ripon champion

Al Shaham is difficult to oppose as he looks to maintain his unbeaten record and complete a course hat-trick in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy on Monday.

A £200,000 breeze-up purchase, plenty was expected ahead of his debut at the Garden Racecourse late last month and he duly delivered, landing cramped odds in the style of a horse destined for bigger and better things.

Simon and Ed Crisford's juvenile returned to Ripon little over a week ago for what looked a tougher assignment, but passed the test with flying colours, winning with just over two lengths in hand from hot favourite Gold Queen Kindly, who himself had delivered at odds-on on his introduction.

It is a quick turnaround for Al Shaham, but he fully merits this step up to Listed class and the undulating track clearly holds no fears.

Silent Age is the pick in the Ripon Rowels Handicap.

The Ian Williams-trained four-year-old has victories at Sandown and Wolverhampton to his credit this season and ran well in defeat when third in a competitive Racing League event at Windsor last time.

Silent Age made much of the running over 2000m that day and if similarly positive tactics are employed back over 1600m in North Yorkshire, he may prove tough to peg back in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

Ghost Mode will surely make it third time lucky in the British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes at Epsom.

Andrew Balding's youngster was third as a relatively unfancied 14-1 shot on his Kempton debut and that is decent form, with the winner Cape Orator now rated 97 having subsequently bolted up in a valuable sales race in France.

Ghost Mode headed to Goodwood for his second start and again picked up the bronze medal, this time bumping into a smart Aidan O'Brien-trained juvenile in Isaac Newton.

There is nothing of his calibre in this field and it will be a little disappointing if he cannot open his account.

Fast Steps has an obvious chance in the Betfred Nifty 50 Amateurs' Derby Handicap.

Rod Millman's charge won and was second here in 2021 and has finished third and fourth in two previous editions of this race in 2022 and 2024.

The 2400m trip does push his stamina to the limit, but with fast ground he might get away with it and he has presumably had another crack at this prize as a major objective for a while, so expect him to be cherry ripe.

Millman could also be among the winners at Chepstow, with Ajrad on a course and distance hat-trick in the Dragonbet Supporting British Racing Chepstow Mile Series Final Handicap.

The seven-year-old has gone up a full 6,5kg in the weights for those two emphatic wins, giving him a revised rating of 60, but he was rated 77 at one time and he is clearly in rude health at the moment.

Jimmy Moffatt rarely leaves Cartmel without a winner and the best of several chances on the card for the local trainer could be Sea The Clouds in the Wicks Group Cavendish Cup Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old was a decisive winner on his belated chasing debut here last month and a 6lb rise looks more than fair, with former champion jockey Brian Hughes keeping the ride. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 5 UK meetings on Monday. Here are the tips.

RIPON: Race 1: 14.30 India Gold, Race 2: 15.05 Bearin Up, Race 3: 15.40 Memphis Rose, Race 4: 16.15 AL SHAHAM (NAP), Race 5: 16.50 Silent Age, Race 6: 17.23 Another Baar, Race 7: 17.58 Sassy Glory, Race 8: 18.33 Spartan Times.

EPSOM: Race 1: 14.35 Em Four, Race 2: 15.10 Ghost Mode, Race 3: 15.45 Crimson Spirit, Race 4: 16.20 Fast Steps, Race 5: 16.55 Robbo, Race 6: 17.28 Play Me, Race 7: 18.03 The Bitter Moose.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 14.45 Ophelia Grace, Race 2: 15.15 New York Minute, Race 3: 15.50 Tiempo Alegre, Race 4: 16.25 Breakdancer, Race 5: 17.00 Sheikh Raj, Race 6: 17.33 Arboreous, Race 7: 18.08 Royal Musketeer, Race 8: 18.38 The Voominator.

CHEPSTOW: Race 1: 14.53 Ten Sixty Six, Race 2: 15.28 Looks Likely, Race 3: 16.03 Ajrad, Race 4: 16.38 Star Of Mali, Race 5: 17.13 Some Nightmare, Race 6: 17.48 Gilt Edge, Race 7: 18.23 Pure Artistry

CARTMEL: Race 1: 15.20 Dignam, Race 2: 15.55 City Derby, Race 3: 16.30 Imperial Data, Race 4: 17.05 Sea The Clouds, Race 5: 17.43 Ile De Jersey, Race 6: 18.18 Dexter.

ALL TO COME: Ghost Mode (Epsom, Race 2) and Al Shaham (Ripon, Race 4).