Gibbons is out to redress balance

11:14am Tuesday 1st July 2008

GRAHAM GIBBONS needs to trouser a good few quid before the costly 21-day ban he received at Doncaster last Friday kicks in.

The talented jockey failed to ride out his mount to the line and lost third placing, his second such offence during the course of the past 12 months.

It was a pretty crummy day at the office for Graham, who will be keen to partially redress the damage to his pocket by booting home Elite Land in Thirsk's opener this evening.

The race in question is the White Swan Ampleforth Handicap, a Class 6 event in which Elite Land (6.20) tries a trip of two-miles for the first time.

Assess the pros and cons of the five-year-old's modest form over shorter distances and it's not hard to see where trainer Neville Bycroft is coming from.

Winner of a rank-bad 12-furlong Ripon seller in June, Neville noticed that his horse did not lack for stamina in what was very testing ground.

Fortunately a faster surface is equally to Elite Land's liking, so if conditions stay as they are and it remains dry, that won't bother the selection one jot.

The best prize on the card belongs to the Rectangle Group Handicap, a one-miler in which Montiboli (7.50) appeals.

Just take a look at the consistent form figures boasted by Kevin Ryan's filly, sure to have stacks of each-way backers given her predisposition for finding the frame.

Of particular interest is Montiboli's latest Catterick run where the daughter of Bahamian Bounty finished third, just in front of Flying Valentino.

The latter has since shown the high tariff of that race by winning at Carlisle and yesterday Pontefract, where Flying Valentino pulled clear by a country-mile.

Having drawn a blank for the best part of 18 months, Bessemer (8.20) has finally shaped as if she might be making a return to the winners' enclosure.

It has been an uncharacteristic losing streak by the mare, a former nine-time scorer on the level, tackling turf and polytrack with similar enthusiasm.

The maths also plot up in Bessemer's favour, having previously collected between ratings of 65 and a far headier 81.

Those stats are made to look all the better when one considers the selection has nose-dived to 55, which makes her miles well-in at the weights if anywhere near her peak.

The closing five-furlong dash is not a punter-friendly affair with 16 battle-hardened sprinters due to face the starter.

My pin landed on Wibbadune (8.50), centre of one of the more extraordinary incidents so far this season when anticipating Sandown's start and bursting out of the stalls.

Despite stealing a minor march on her rivals Wibbadune didn't actually win, but to be fair ran well enough to suggest she's not done with yet.