O'MEARA: PEPPER'S A PLAYER

David O'Meara feels improving filly Pepper Lane has to be considered a major player in Saturday's William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

The four-year-old has risen over 20lb in the weights this season, winning twice at Ripon and three times in total.

She fairly bolted up at the track on her latest start, and O'Meara admits the ease of that success caught him by surprise.

"She runs off 95 on Saturday, and that should get her in with a nice racing weight," the North Yorkshire handler told At The Races.

"I thought she was up against it at Ripon last time and she missed the break badly, but she still won quite impressively.

"She doesn't take a lot of work in between races. She's maybe only cantered three or four times since her last run.

"I suppose with the manner she won the last day she'd have to be fancied, but she's up in grade and she is up 7lb in the weights.

"That's probably fair, though, considering how she won.

"She'd have to have a chance."

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