DON'T TOUCH, yet to taste defeat in three outings, can cope with a rise in class at Ripon this afternoon and clinch the historic £70,000 William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap.

Trained by Richard Fahey for former York racecourse chairman Nicholas Wrigley and Kevin Hart, the three-year-old will be partnered by Tony Hamilton in this showpiece race, which has attracted a maximum field of 20 runners.

The chances are that the runners will divide into two groups and if so, Don't Touch – drawn eight – is likely to race towards the inside rail, which is often the place to be on rain-soaked ground.

Successful at Newcastle on his debut before following up at Haydock, Don't Touch has since completed a hat-trick around Wolverhampton's Tapeta track.

He is up against some hard-knocking older handicappers here – including two of his stablemates, Tatlisu and Lexi's Hero, who are certainly not without winning chances in a wide-open race. But Don't Touch remains unexposed, is a horse on the up and is napped to extend his winning sequence to four.

It is not beyond possibility that the same connections could also win the Great St Wilfrid consolation race, the £20,000 William Hill Silver Trophy, with RIGHT TOUCH.

The gelding was a decisive winner two starts back at Pontefract and has since finished a close-up fourth on this course in the race won by Flyman, when he failed to get a clear run. He is fancied to gain his revenge.

The five-runner Ripon Horn Blower Stakes sees Ann Duffield, succesful last year with Dark Reckoning, doubly represented by Encantar and Silhuette.

The stable companions, both previous winners, look sure to make a bold bid but preference is for EQLEEM, trained by Mark Johnston.

A winner on his debut at Haydock, the youngster has since finished a close-up third at Newmarket to Raucous, who is highly regarded by William Haggas. That looks solid form.

AMOOD is the selection in the attheraces.com Handicap. Simon West's gelding ran a blinder to finish second in Thirsk's Summer Cup two outings ago and has since run creditably in a hot handicap at Haydock, where he was ultimately found out by the extended ten furlongs. He will be well suited by returning to a mile here.

The promising FABULOUS DARLING (1.50) and recent winner SECRET LIGHTNING (4.40) are two others to note.

At Doncaster, Great Habton trainer Lawrence Mullaney aims for a hat-trick of wins with FIRST SARGEANT in the Chase Medical Apprentice Handicap.

Rachel Richardson, who won on the gelding last time out at Redcar, takes the mount. Previously successful at Wetherby, First Sargeant is in the form of his life and is fancied to oblige again.

The £18,000 Betfred 'Be Part Of The Action' Handicap looks an ultra-competitive affair. FARLOW, the mount of Sammy Jo Bell – who enjoyed such a memorable afternoon at Ascot last Saturday when sensationally riding a double at the Shergar Cup meeting – should go well after his recent good effort at Newmarket.

TOP BOY may prove the answer to the Betfred Membership 'Play Your Way' Handicap. Derek Shaw's able sprinter has been a model of consistency in his recent races and is overdue a winning turn. Dale Swift has the mount.

Also worth noting on Town Moor are MAMBO FEVER (2.40), who could well recover losses after being a beaten favourite last time, and the promising FIBRE OPTIC (5.25), trained by Luca Cumani, who won the corresponding race last year with Pleasant Valley.