8.25 Newmarket, Friday, August 7

In the Newmarketracecourses.co.uk Handicap (8.25) at Newmarket on Friday, Highland Acclaim is accumulating an unenviable string of duck eggs but, in his defence, has contested competitive handicaps such as the Victoria Cup, the Wokingham, the Bunbury Cup and the Sky Bet Dash this season. Consequently, David O’Meara’s 4-year-old is just 1lb higher in the weights than when winning the Shergar Sprint Cup at Ascot last August and drops back into 0-95 company for the first time since winning over course and distance the previous week.

The Acclamation gelding also finished second, beaten just three-quarters of a length, behind Spinatrix in the Coral Sprint Trophy at York last October off a 5lb higher mark, so he’s definitely well handicapped if able to recapture his best form. He took time to come to hand last season, so that’s by no means out of the question and 6 furlongs on the July Course at Newmarket should bring out the best in him. Taking an early, guaranteed price about him might be a shrewd move.

Selection: Newmarket 8.25 Highland Acclaim to win