There are some competitive handicaps up and down the country this afternoon and I am going to put my hat on Spectator being the best of them in the York 3.30.

Andrew Balding’s charge was very strong in the market place when backed down to 7/2 as the joint favourite at Haydock Park at the beginning of the month but after travelling like the wrath of Zeus, he simply paid for being too head strong and was eased down considerably in the closing stages to finish sixth of the nine runners.

That outing should have taken the buzz out of him and although the handicapper has left him on a mark of 86, the way he went through his race at the Lancashire track suggests that this kind of contest should be very much within his compass.

The rest of the Knavesmire card looks pretty tough with Bogart worth an each-way shout in the big five furlongs handicap at 2.55.

He ran very well behind Algar Lad here two weeks ago but this shorter trip is more up his alleyway and the six-year-old gets the nod over the likes of that formidable veteran Captain Dunne and outsider Chilworth Icon.

The last named could well be worth a saver off a cracking mark and with his stable in such good form at the moment.

The big listed event of the day is over a mile and six furlongs at 2.20 and I have been waiting for Red Galileo to step up in trip for a while.

He needed the run and was outclassed in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury but then stepped up on that seasonal debut with a strong running, finishing second to Agent Murphy at Ascot.

Clever Cookie will probably start favourite but he has a penalty to carry here so the biggest danger could well be the progressive Nabatean following his comeback victory at Chelmsford City last month.

At Haydock, Salt Island is taken to upset the likely hotpot, Limato, in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at 3.45.

I know that Charlie Hills thinks an awful lot of his charge and there is little doubt that granted a clear run he would have gone very close at Newbury last time out.

Earlier on, the feature John of Gaunt Stakes (2.35) could see Master Carpenter go well at an each-way price for Rod Millman.

He didn’t get the best of runs in the Lockinge Stakes last time out and this is a big drop in class.

My one reservation is that a mile is probably his optimum trip, but the make-up of this race suggests that they will go pretty quick here.

At Chester, Bertiewhittle (3.00) and Searching starts off a fair handicap mark in the 4.45, both make some appeal, while over at Newmarket have a second look at Penhill in the 3.20 (wouldn’t want the ground too quick) and the progressive Mythical Madness in the finale at 5.40.