Three cracks of the whip served us pretty well the last time we tried one of these, so here goes again.
In the 7.20 at Newmarket on Friday, Monsieur Joe has continued in excellent form since winning a similar race at Hamilton three starts ago and can return to the winners’ enclosure. His second of 12, beaten a head, behind Brando in the Coral Charge at Sandown on his penultimate start was a particularly valiant effort and a reproduction on that form should be good enough.
In the 7.30 at Pontefract, Final Venture has been raised 2lb for his 1-length defeat in the King Richard III over 6 furlongs on the West Yorkshire course 10 days ago, but was clear with two furlongs to run and only succumbed close home, so dropping back to the minimum trip appears in his favour. So, too, does the return to good to firm going and he can regain the winning thread.
In the 9.05 at Pontefract, Laila Honiwillow has improved steadily this season and can complete a hat-trick. The form of her most recent win, at Doncaster three weeks ago, has been franked by the runner-up, Portland Street, and she’s fully effective on the prevailing good to firm going, so she must have a decent chance of defying a 6lb penalty.
Selections: Newmarket 7.20 Monsieur Joe, Pontefract 7.30 Final Venture, Pontefract 9.05 Laila Honiwillow (1-point Win Patent)

In the 2.30 at Haydock on Thursday, Miss Infinity can initiate a double for Mark Johnston and Joe Fanning. The Middleham Moor trainer has already had 38 juvenile winners this season, at a strike rate of 26%, and Miss Infinity made all to win convincingly at Ayr 12 days ago. She carries a 6lb penalty for that success and, as a daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar, slower underfoot conditions are a slight worry, but she was only beaten 2 lengths by a subsequent Listed winner over course and distance on her racecourse debut earlier this month and looks a smart prospect.