Gamble on Doctor Spin

It's hard to argue his case with any conviction, but he'd be no shock winner on massively advantageous terms with Deep Space.

Fourth in that same 1999 Wokingham was a precocious three-year-old called Doctor Spin.

He showed it was no fluke first time out next season when beating Sheer Viking in a hot little sprint at Newmarket's Guineas meeting and also ran well behind Lend A Hand in a Group Three at York.

His no-show in this event last year was caused by chipping a bone in his knee. But he returned to run smart Vision Of Night - fourth in the Group Two King's Stand Stakes just two days ago - to half a length on unfavourable terms at Yarmouth two months later.

Doctor Spin has admittedly not struck form so far this season, but he showed glimmers of his old self at Windsor last time. Trainer Fulke Johnson Houghton has since noted keener, smoother efforts on the gallops and suggests his yard's quiet start to 2001 may account for this five-year-old's average form.

But, after stablemate Blue Mountain's encouraging fifth at a big price in yesterday's ultra-competitive Royal Hunt Cup, confidence mounts behind Doctor Spin. He races from a mark 4lb higher than two years ago, but 4lb lower than the handicapper deemed his form merited at the start of 2001. He's fine value at 25-1.

Cubism is similarly priced and capable of a bold show. John Hills' yard is in good form and this gelding, though still high in the weights, is 2lb lower than his excellent third when poorly drawn in last year's Stewards' Cup. He bounces off fast ground. Take him and Doctor Spin against the field.

Nice One Clare was fifth in 2000 and will be thereabouts again, given her promising third to Munjiz last month. She has a bit to find with Deep Space, however. A row of duck eggs against last year's eighth, Indian Spark, doesn't do him justice and his yard is going well.

Stablemate Orientor has contributed greatly to its recent success, but this is a tough ask for a three-year-old.

Ellens Academy is in the form of his life and looks sure to run a cracker, albeit at skinny odds. Hat-trick seeker, Seven No Trumps, had a bit in hand over Marsad at Goodwood and can go well again. But long-time ante-post favourite, Capricho, is better over seven furlongs.

Irish raider Lethal Agenda has stand-out form against Black Minnaloushe and Mozart, but has never raced on ground as fast as this.

An interesting contender is the ex-Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rudik.

Now gelded and with David Nicholls, who specialises in revamping others' cast-offs, he has the potential to become a very smart sprint-handicapper.

Selections for tomorrow's Wokingham Handicap: 1, Doctor Spin; 2, Cubism; 3, Deep Space; 4 Rudik.