Ribbon Is A Dancer makes a quick turnaround this afternoon as he steps up in trip in the Class 6 Confined Handicap over 1m2f at Nottingham.

Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track across our social channels on X (@CRCofficial) and Instagram (@coralofficial).

Raceday LIVE Preview

Ribbon Is A Dancer makes the journey from Cheshire to the Midlands this afternoon, as he tackles a new trip for the first time, after four runs between six and seven furlongs. 

Following his last run, where he finished 12th of 14 runners at Ayr, trainer Hugo Palmer made the decision to step him up in distance for his next run. The general feeling is that he will benefit from going up in trip, as he often gets caught on his heels when the pace in the race quickens. He also has a tendency to be quite slow out of the gates, meaning that he has to spend a fair amount of energy in the early stages of a short race in order to get back onto terms with the field. 


Ribbon Is A Dancer in the parade ring at Ayr

Ribbon Is A Dancer will carry the lowest weight in the race, although he isn't the lowest rated horse in the field. The race is confined to horses that are yet to win a race in 2025 and due to him being a three-year-old, he'll get an weight allowance for that also. Interestingly, Darlo Lady is rated the same as Ribbon Is A Dancer, but carries nine pounds more and is the only horse aged four or above to not have won a race in their career. 

Of the rest of the runners, San Francisco Bay is in the best form right now, posting a third place and a second place finish in his last two runs for trainer Henry Candy, meanwhile top-weight Roman Secret has been well fancied, and sent off favourite, in four of his last six runs, during which time he also managed two third place finishes and one second place.

The ground is set to be Good to Soft which will hopefully be more to Ribbon Is A Dancer's liking having raced on Soft ground at Ayr a couple of weeks ago on his first turf start. He's also been drawn in stall six, which should help him settle into the race quickly, providing he can break from the stalls with the rest of the field.

Raceday Update from Hugo Palmer

"Ribbon Is A Dancer steps up in trip today at Nottingham and I hope that a combination of easy ground and the step up in trip will spark some improvement from him.

He seems to be reluctant to get involved in his races but maybe over a longer distance he can find a bit more and get himself into the contest.

He has a light-weight and a decent draw tomorrow so it would be nice to think that he could make some effort and a few things might go right for him. Fingers crossed.

Chris Dixon, Racing TV analyst, previews today's 16:31 at Nottingham

A switch to handicap company following a break along with the application of blinkers didn’t bring about any improvement in Ribbon Is A Dancer at Ayr last time, and though a marked step up in trip offers a different avenue for potential improvement here, it doesn’t look certain to suit. As a son of Soldier’s Call out of a mare who’s produced winners up to a mile so far, the longer trip looks like move made out of hope rather than expectation and in truth it’s hard to make much of a case for Ribbon Is A dancer getting competitive.

San Francisco Bay has hit the frame on his last couple of starts, including over his course and distance 13 days ago, and could get the run of the race out in front at a track that favours front runners and prominent racers while Roman Secret could also be well-positioned and is well handicapped on old form. He arrives on the back of a slightly disappointing run at Pontefract but his previous run, which was his first for this stable, had been an encouraging one at this track in a higher grade race and under his favoured ground conditions he should have a solid chance. Of the others Toby Two Scoops is unexposed and ran well at Wetherby in a race that’s working out last time so looks another for the shortlist while Lilac Wine could be added to it if attracting market support on his handicap debut following a short break with the step up in trip looking like a positive move.

Trainer and Jockey Statistics

Hugo Palmer has been in solid enough form recently, with three winners from his 12 runners in the last week, which included a double at Chester last Friday night and a winner in a valuable novice race at Ascot the following day. He's operating with a 12% strike-rate at Nottingham, with 13 winners coming from his 108 career runners there, although he's still looking for his first of the year at the Midlands course, having only had four runners there so far in 2025.

Gina Mangan last rode a winner 13 days ago, but has only taken the reins on 14 runners since then. The jockey has found relative success at Nottingham over the course of her career, riding at the course 19 times and returning with three winners, of which one has come from four rides this season. Today will mark two firsts for Gina Mangan too, as it will be her debut riding a Coral Racing Club horse, as well as the first time she'll ride for Hugo Palmer, could it be the start of a dream partnership this afternoon?

Ribbon Is A Dancer's Owners for the Day

As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Ribbon Is A Dancer's run at Nottingham this afternoon.

What's included in an Owner for the Day prize?

• Free racecourse entry
• Access to the Owners & Trainers enclosure
• Access to the Parade Ring before the race
• Meet Ribbon Is A Dancer and the Hugo Palmer team
• Take home a 10% share of any prize money he wins
  
  

Prize Money

Today's Class 5 contest is worth £6,500 in total, with the winner set to scoop a £3,402 for their lucky owners.

2nd: £1,596 | 3rd: £797 | 4th: £399 | 5th: £198

Pipped At The Post – Exclusive for Members

Get paid as a WINNER in CASH up to a stake of £/€10 if your horse finishes 2nd by a neck or less behind the winner in today's 16:31 at Nottingham – click here to find out more.



     16:31 NOTTINGHAM – LATEST ODDS     

We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 16:31 to watch Ribbon Is A Dancer's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.