Ed Walker’s Swindler is not guaranteed a run in the SkyBet Dash at York on Saturday given he is number 28 in the weights and there is a maximum field of 22 for the valuable sprint handicap.

The three-year-old was gelded before his reappearance at Ascot when he looked well ahead of the handicapper – an 8lbs rise may not prevent him following up. He is 6/1 with BetVictor, will enjoy the forecast fast ground and must go close if getting a run. It should be noted that he is also entered in a 6f 3-y-old Handicap at Newmarket on the same day but that looks just a contingency in case he doesn’t get a run in Yorkshire.

At Sandown this evening in the apprentice race which opens the card, the lightly-raced maiden Grange Walk (6.00) can go one better than when runner up at Windsor last time from a 1lb lower mark. The selection had to wait for a run on that occasion and this stiff 10f trip should suit. Paddy Bradley was in the plate last time and keeps the ride.

Poets Dance (6.30) belied her odds of 50/1 when a good third at Nottingham on debut. The filly was slowly away and made a beeline for the stands’ rail from a moderate draw on that occasion before following the winner through. The selection is a half-sister to Group 2 winning juvenile Beckford and will get further in time, but Rae Guest does well with his fillies and Poets Dance gets the vote in what promises to be a most informative contest.

Motawaj (8.10) did us a favour when scoring at Kempton last time from an 8lbs lower mark and he will be tough to beat if the ground is no quicker than good on his return to turf. Note conditions were described as good – good to soft in places – at noon on Tuesday. The selection has only had five career starts and remains open to significant improvement.

I’m not convinced Esprit De Corps was given the best of rides at Ayr last time when a fast-finishing second from a 2lbs lower mark and David Egan takes over in the saddle at Leicester this evening.

David Baron’s 5-y-old has now finished runner up in 50% of his last ten starts, however, and preference is for Richard Hannon’s 3-y-old colt Real Smooth (6.10) although he, too, is not a serial winner given he has finished second twice in his last couple of starts. The recommendation finished runner up at Lingfield last time over 6f when he looked ready for a step back up in trip. The excellent Tom Marquand takes over in the saddle this afternoon.

Volcanic Sky (7.15) had the worst of the draw – stall 17 of 17 – when third in the Cumberland Plate last time and he has been drawn out on the wing again this evening in the 12f handicap. Saeed bin Suroor’s 4-y-old holds an entry in the Ebor next month – 66/1 at BetVictor – but will certainly have to win a couple of races for him to stand any chance of getting a run at York next month. Note he is also entered at Ascot on Friday over 2m.

John Gosden’s Ambling makes her polytrack debut at Lingfield this afternoon and a market move would be worth noting, but Zuba (3.20) was bogged down on soft ground last time and is best judged on his seasonal reappearance when third at Sandown in a race that is working out very well.

At Bath Storm Melody is on a hat-trick for Ali Stronge and Cieren Fallon takes off a valuable 5lbs on the 6-y-old – he must go close. Preference, however, is for the filly Heritage (4.00) who is also chasing a hat-trick and bounced off the prevailing fast ground to win over C&D in a fast time last week. A 6lbs penalty may not stop her following up.

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