Alan Thomson's Tips: Hollywood's walk of fame

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LEADING Irish jockey Derek O’Connor has been booked by Don Cantillon to ride top weight HOLLYWOOD ROAD (3.50) in the Gentlemen Riders’ Derby at Epsom Downs.

The gelding split Save The Bees and Alexander M over 10 furlongs at Beverley and steps up in trip (has won over hurdles). Jockeyship could well play a significant part here and having O’Connor on your side is a big bonus.

Hollywood Road is a three-time winner on good to firm ground so conditions should be right up his street. Expect him to be ridden patiently.

Having tipped up Tobouggaloo (5-1) at Chepstow last time out, I was counting my winnings when she cruised to the front inside the final furlong. But the cheers choked in my throat when the breastplate snapped, throwing her rider to the turf within sight of the line. She is a winner without a penalty and should go well in what looks a stronger race.

C’est No Mour finished third to two decent sorts in Amazing Red and Stamford Raffles on soft ground at Newmarket but is pretty versatile ground-wise, having previously scored on a fast surface at Lingfield.

Whinging Willie runs the track well but finished only fourth in this race last year, beaten almost nine lengths, and is 4lb higher today.

A bigger danger could be Thames Knight, second to an improving sort in Silver Ghost at Goodwood. The five-year-old chased home Guns Of Leros in last year’s Apprentices’ Derby over course and distance and also scored at Epsom over 10 furlongs last July. His rider is quite inexperienced, although he twice finished placed on his father’s Clovelly Bay back in 2015.

INNOCENT TOUCH (4.55) looks a cracking each-way bet as he bids to follow up last year’s victory in this 1m 2f handicap.

Richard Fahey’s six-year-old races off exactly the same mark, the handicapper rather conveniently dropping him 2lb on the back of two very respectable efforts at York. Innocent Touch loves Epsom and ran Not So Sleepy to a neck at the Derby meeting in early June.

Godolphin’s High End is unbeaten in two starts, making all to score with a bit in hand at Wolverhampton last time. This is another step up and he meets some seasoned handicappers on a tricky track. High End could be anything but not for me at short odds.

At Ripon, ALFRED RICHARDSON (2.45) returns from a 69-day break and ran well on his previous visit to the Yorkshire circuit when third to Heatongrad. The gelding went on to score over a mile at Beverley and should stay this longer trip.

STRICTLY ART (5.35) goes particularly well for his lady rider and I’ll be disappointed if he is not on the premises having been just denied on a previous start at Ripon in June.

Senior trainer Alan Bailey doesn’t have a big string these days but he saddled a winner and second at Ffos Las on Friday, so his team are in good nick

Mudlark Hibou found the drying ground against him at the Curragh yesterday but still ran a respectable race in the Irish Cambridgeshire. Iain Jardine saddled a brace of winners at Cartmel on Saturday and PADS (5.45) is worth a look in the 2m 6f handicap.

He is back in the yard following a spell with Phil Kirby and shaped nicely behind Gordon Elliott’s well-backed Swingbridge at Perth earlier this month.