I AM at Ripon for some decent rides on Saturday – and I think Mass Rally is a massive price at 16-1 – but I am a little frustrated to not be at Doncaster.

That’s where Michael Dods’ best three-year-old Lord Of The Rock runs and is a horse we really do like. His eight-length win last time went some way to justifying our faith in the horse, but we think there’s a lot more to come. He’s been working very well.

He was originally set to carry 8st 6lb in the seven-furlong handicap on Saturday, which was too light for me, so I diverted to Ripon. Annoyingly, the weights have gone up 4lb, which is a weight I could easily do.

Everything looks in his favour. Any ease in the ground will help and it’s a nice spare for Barry McHugh to pick up. He rides a fair bit for Geoff Oldroyd and Tony Coyle and is a good rider. I’ve already spoken to him about the horse and he should be confident of riding a winner.

That’s not to say my rides at Ripon don’t have chances and I am involved in one of the feature races of the day, the William Hill Great St Wilfrid, so I am definitely not complaining.

Mass Rally is too big a price at 16-1. I know he was only seventh last time but he ran well in a race which wasn’t run to suit him. He needs loads of pace and some fast front-runners to aim at. Cut in the ground will help and he’s rated 8lb below his last winning mark. We went for a spin the other morning and he seemed in great nick.

Nameitwhatyoulike runs in the consolation race and likes the track, having been placed three out of four times there, including a win over this six-furlong distance in May. He’s a front-runner and Ripon suits that type of horse.

Eqleem runs in the Horn Blower Conditions Stakes and while I don’t know anything about the horse, I’ve been told he is pretty useful and the expectations are that he should win.

Green Howard has been waiting for cut in the ground. He has the perfect draw in 10 and Rebecca Bastiman’s horses are running well. He could go well in the one-mile handicap.

All eyes next week are of course on the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival. I’ve always said it’s the Royal Ascot of the north, but it’s perhaps unfair to attach that label as it’s a world-class event in its own right. After all, official ratings say the best race in the world is staged there.

The new facilities and developments at the course are fantastic and William Derby and his team do a tremendous job.

Hopefully I can mark it with a big-race winner. Hernandoshideaway runs in the Melrose Handicap. The handicapper isn’t taking any chances with him as he’s gone up 7lb for his last win, but he’s a horse we’ve always thought a lot of and the track will suit.

The form of Easton Angel’s fourth in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes couldn’t have worked out better with the second and third both going on to Group wins. She was a little unlucky at Newmarket that day and we’re hoping for a big run in the Pinsent Masons Lowther Stakes.

Mecca’s Angel is my big hope for the week, if not the season. She ran well to finish a close second to Stepper Point last time on ground which was a bit quick for her. I am praying for rain, as if she gets some good ground then she will have a big chance in the Coolmore Nunthorpe. I heard it rained quite heavily at York on Thursday night, so hopefully we’ll get the ground we want.

Paul is sponsored by leading racing broadcaster Racing UK, which recently launched its Day Pass. The new service enables racing fans to watch a day’s action for a one-off fee of £10. Visit racinguk.com/daypass for more.