Purple Ribbon can defy top-weight to take home a nice prize in the talkSPORT Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap at Lingfield.
The five-year-old hails from an excellent Anthony Oppenheimer family, with Listed scorers as half-siblings and Group Two winners Bronze Cannon and Across The Stars a bit further back in the pedigree.
Purple Ribbon has seen only limited action for Charlie Fellowes so far, winning on a belated racecourse bow in August 2021 before adding another victory and a second places before the end of that year.
However, she made the track just twice in 2022, finishing fourth in August before pushing Belloccio all the way to be beaten just a neck in a Listed heat at Kempton in November.
That effort has seen her mark climb to 102, which means she must concede plenty of weight, but she still seems to have improvement to come and dropping back to 10 furlongs from a mile and a half should not inconvenience her either.
George Boughey teams up with Ryan Moore for a handful of runners on the card and both Ehteyat andParis Lights could do the business for them.
Ehteyat turns out under a penalty in the BetUK's Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap, for what will be his fourth start in 2023.
Victorious over 16 furlongs on January 8, he failed to follow up five days later when only fifth over a shorter trip, but upped in trip again on Sunday, Ehteyat once again came home in front.
Boughey sticks to the staying distances here and Ehteyat could still be value for his extra 5lb.
Paris Lights is on the shortlist for the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap after making a successful start for Boughey before Christmas.
A full-brother to St Mark's Basilica, Paris Lights cost 650,000 guineas as a yearling but after five moderate runs for Jessica Harrington, he was snapped up by Opulence Thoroughbreds for 60,000 guineas in July.
Gelded before making his yard debut in December, Boughey also applied a tongue tie and both factors combined saw Paris Lights record a handy victory as an odds-on favourite in a novice heat.
An opening mark of 80 gives Boughey plenty to work with.
Mark Loughnane has been in rip-roaring form of late and El Hombre can keep up the good run in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Successful under the trainer's son Billy at Chelmsford at the start of the month, the pair went down by just a head at Lingfield last week, when the track did not appear to play to his strengths.
Back at Dunstall Park El Hombre should find things more in his favour.
Justcallmepete goes for a fourth successive victory in the BetUK's Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap at Southwell.
A winner off a mark of 70 at Lingfield in mid-December, James Evans' runner has subsequently added two more wins over the same six furlongs he faces here, most recently on Sunday as blinkers have seemingly worked the oracle.
He has a 5lb penalty to carry but given the manner of his last win, that should not be a problem.
Frodon should be far too good for his rivals in the Stables Business Park Ltd Portman Cup Chase at Taunton.
The 2020 King George hero takes a step down in company after failing to make impact in his last two starts at the highest level, most recently trailing home a distant third in the Kempton showpiece on Boxing Day.
Frodon had earlier returned with a fantastic weight-carrying success in the Badger Beer at Wincanton and it may just be the 11-year-old is no longer quite at the top of his game now.
Paul Nicholls' charge is rated at least 12lb superior to each of his rivals and while he must shoulder a 4lb penalty, he is still in front on the numbers and the only question mark is the step up to three and a half miles.
At Ascot, reigning two-mile champion Energumene can get the better of Edwardstone in what promises to be an exciting renewal of the Grade One LK Bennett Clarence House Chase.
Another familiar name, Epatante, should take a starring role at Haydock in The New One Unibet Hurdle.
She has twice found stablemate Constitution Hill far too good this season, firstly in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and then in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
With that rival not lining up here and the conditions of the race favouring her, it will be disappointing if Nicky Henderson's 2020 Champion Hurdle winner cannot prevail.
SELECTIONS:
ASCOT: 12.40 Highland Frolic, 1.15 Guy, 1.50 Le Patron, 2.25 Molly Ollys Wishes, 3.00 Ga Law, 3.35 Energumene, 4.10 Churchills Boy.
HAYDOCK: 12.20 Stage Star, 12.55 Sholokjack, 1.30 Doyen Star, 2.05 Epatante, 2.40 Fontaine Collonges, 3.10 Silver Flyer. 3.40 Gardener.
LINGFIELD: 11.55 Ehteyat, 12.27 Huberts Dream, 1.02 Recuerdame, 1.37 Paris Lights, 2.12 High Velocity, 2.47 PURPLE RIBBON (NAP), 3.22 Lord Riddiford, 3.57 Starshiba.
NAVAN: 12.00 Intranet, 12.32 Found A Fifty, 1.07 The Little Yank, 1.42 Indie Bell, 2.17 Criminal Mischief, 2.52 Mahler Mission, 3.27 Sanibel Island.
SOUTHWELL: 12.50 Jubilee Girl, 1.25 Perfect Swiss, 2.00 King's Gem, 2.35 Justcallmepete, 3.15 Just A Spark, 3.45 Paddy K.
TAUNTON: 12.45 Farnoge, 1.20 Rewired, 1.55 Lilith, 2.30 Lock's Corner, 3.17 Frodon, 3.50 Drash On Ruby, 4.20 Larchmont Lass.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.00 Desert Dream, 5.30 Prospering, 6.00 Probable, 6.30 El Hombre, 7.00 Iesha, 7.30 Jumira Bridge, 8.00 Smart Boyo, 8.30 Hooves Like Jagger.
DOUBLE: Purple Ribbon and Ehteyat.
