Horse Racing Preview – Monday 18th May

There is horse racing action on turf at Redcar, Leicester and Windsor on Monday and we have tips at all three meetings.

The 3.50 at Redcar sees a very quick reappearance for Desert Law who finished third at York last week. We made him a speculative each-way selection in a big field and he stuck on well enough after looking to hold every chance at the furlong pole. It is interesting that he turns out again so quickly with Graham Lee taking over in the saddle. He may have seen too much daylight that day as he is not the easiest horse to win with. The big danger looks to be Noble Asset who was a good second at Doncaster last time.

The 7.05 race at Windsor has only attracted three runners but Silver Wings looks good value at around even money. He bounced out smartly and made all here on his debut but missed a beat at the start at Chester. He soon made up the ground and looked set to win at the furlong pole only to be out-battled by Rah Rah. That could turn out to be very decent form and he is preferred to Soapy Aitken.

In the 7.35 race, Roger Varian runs Tazffin, a well-bred maiden who was second at Newmarket to Irish Rookie on her debut last season. That filly was second in the French 1000 Guineas this spring while Tazffin’s dam was the useful Tarfshi, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland. Varian has decided to run her in a hood on Monday so she may have her quirks but most of her rivals have never seen a racecourse before.

At Leicester, there is a fascinating handicap at 7.45. Richard Fahey was overshadowed at York by Mark Johnston last week but did finally get on the score-sheet on Friday and has had two more winners since. He saddles impressive Musselburgh winner, Third Time Lucky.

He made all to slam Go Dan Go on the Scottish track and looks very leniently treated here on a mark of 79. The runner-up has since won twice, last time by five lengths off a mark of 74. There are dangers, particularly Godolphin’s Muqarred and the John Gosden-trained Occult, but 9-2 looks a good price for the Fahey runner.

Desert Law 3.50 Redcar @3-1 Ladbrokes

Silver Wings 7.05 Windsor @11-10 Betfair

Tazffin 7.35 Windsor @2-1 Bet365

Third Time Lucky 7.45 Leicester @9-2 Ladbrokes

Punchestown Festival – Thursday Preview

Willie Mullins has dominated the Grade 1 races at the Punchestown Festival this week and he will be hoping to continue the trend on Thursday.

He has three runners in the World Series Hurdle at 5.30 led by former Champion hurdler Hurricane Fly. The gelding has been a phenomenon over two miles and has won 26 of his 40 races. At the age of eleven, he battled on to finish third to his stable companion Faugheen at Cheltenham and his appetite for racing seems as strong as ever.

It is a bold move by Mullins to try the eleven-year-old at this three-mile trip for the first time. He has won over two and a half miles but that was way back in 2010 so this really is a step into the unknown.

Last year’s Champion hurdler Jezki relinquished his crown this season but bounced back to win at Aintree. That was over two and a half miles, although he may well have finished second but for the last flight tumble of Arctic Fire. Mark Walsh takes over in the saddle to replace the retired Tony McCoy and the gelding has not always been the easiest horse to settle.

With the market leaders not guaranteed to stay, the value bet could be Tony Martin’s Dedigout. He has won his last three races at Gowran Park, Navan and Fairyhouse and will not be found wanting for stamina. He would certainly appreciate a shower of rain but is worth supporting at the early 7-1 on offer with Paddy Power.

The star of the show on Thursday is undoubtedly Un De Sceaux who was a most impressive winner of the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham. He would still be unbeaten but for a fall at Thurles and he has hardly put a foot wrong since. He had six lengths to spare over God’s Own at Prestbury Park and is already a hot favourite for next season’s Champion Chase.

Official ratings give him upwards of 18lbs in hand of his rivals on Thursday and, given a clear round, he should chalk up another Grade 1 success. The best bet on the card at Redcar has to be Godolphin’s Bow And Arrow who won by a staggering 13 lengths at Thirsk last week. He turns out quickly under a 6lbs penalty and is certain to go up considerably more once he has been re-assessed.

Dedigout 5.30 Punchestown @7-1 Paddy Power

Bow And Arrow 3.25 Redcar @4-5 Betfair

Racing Preview Saturday 5th October

Ballinderry Boy (tipped at 4-1) gave us something to shout about at Ascot on Friday and young Oisin Murphy certainly looks like a star of the future. It presumably won’t be too long before he is snapped up to ride for one of the leading owners. As anticipated, the rest of the card proved difficult although Blessington (2nd) ran a promising race and can win before the season is out.

I’m previewing the Arc separately but there is plenty of racing going on in the UK to keep punters happy this weekend. If you thought Ascot’s card was difficult on Friday, the bad news is that it looks even harder on Saturday! There is competitive racing throughout with the bookies going 8-1 the field in the Challenge Cup.

Ascription has not exactly been let in lightly with top weight but this trip and ground should suit him better than the nine furlongs of the Cambridgeshire, his intended target before the ground firmed up. There will probably be something lurking lower down the handicap to beat him but I’m hoping that he will give us a run for our money.

Nargys has been called a few names this season after turning in below par efforts. She is very smart on her day and things finally fell right for her at Doncaster last month when she won the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes. I’m hoping that the soft ground is the key to her and that she can repeat that performance on Saturday.

The Cornwallis Stakes looks wide open but I believe that Royal Mezyan is over priced at 11-1. He won very easily last time and had previously finished close up behind No Nay Never at Royal Ascot.

Over at Redcar, I’m surprised to see Emirates Flyer priced up as high as 7-1. If he bolts up tomorrow a few people will be kicking themselves for not believing his 2-length second to Kingman at Sandown. It is true that the 2000 Guineas favourite had a lot more up his sleeve but Emirates Flyer might just have more class than most of these.

Johnny Murtagh has been winning everything in sight since he obtained his training licence and he has a good chance of adding the Tattersalls Millions tomorrow. He rides Toofi for Roger Varian who landed a gamble when beating Jallota here 2 weeks ago. Oklahoma City is the obvious threat but 9-2 looks decent value.

Hopefully Luca Cumani’s Ajman Bridge can round off the day’s proceedings with victory in the closing handicap. He was having only his second start when winning nicely at Pontefract in a race that looked fairly decent. He shaped like a horse with a future and can take this on the way to better things.

Ascot 2.05 Royal Mezyan 11-1 Coral, William Hill

Ascot 3.50 Ascription 8-1 William Hill

Ascot 4.25 Nargys 4-1 William Hill

Redcar 3.30 Emirates Flyer 7-1 Bet365, BetVictor

Newmarket 2.20 Toofi 9-2 William Hill

Newmarket 5.15 Ajman Bridge 15-8 William Hill