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A decent Ebor week with a profit of +£9.53 to a £1 level stake, although things could have been so much better, as luck was certainly not on our side with a total of 8 seconds over the six days.
After trading at 1.01 in running, Almaqam was caught on the post in the International, 14/1 chance French Duke failed by the minimum margin to get up in Friday’s feature handicap, and Hopewell Rock (tipped at 12/1) just lost out in the Ebor after jockey Callum Rodriguez dropped his whip inside the final furlong. A fabulous four days of action on the Knavesmire, but frustrating all the same.
P/L for the week ending Sunday, 23 August: +£9.53
P/L for the year to date: +£156.18
P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
P/L since 1st September 2022: +£656.84
Alan Kelly's Tips - Wednesday, 26 August
All four meetings in Britain on Wednesday take place on the Flat, the turf cards at Catterick (afternoon) and Newbury (evening), together with the all-weather fixtures at Wolverhampton (afternoon) and Kempton Park (evening). Light rain is forecast at both turf meetings.
3:45pm Catterick - Niffler (Nap)
The three-year-old Isfahan gelding NIFFLER (Nap) looks a typical Sir Mark Prescott horse, the mount of Luke Morris well beaten a big odds in all-weather races at Southwell (twice) and Wolverhampton before making his handicap debut at Newcastle last week when stepping-up markedly in trip.
Sent off the well-backed 13/8 favourite, Niffler had little trouble in seeing off his 11 rivals at Gosforth Park off an opening mark of just 47. Running on turf for the first time at this North Yorkshire racecourse, and under a 6lb penalty, connections will be disappointed if the gelding fails to follow up in what looks to be a very winnable 1m 6f handicap.
To say that all 7 of Niffler’s rivals are quite exposed would be an understatement, best of the bunch possibly being Mr Withington, one of two runners for trainer Ewan Whillans, and while Niffler is sure to be a short price, the selection looks banker material on the six-race card.
Recommendation: Niffler (Nap) - 4/7 with bet365
7:00pm Newbury - Bold Shout
A field of only seven three-year-olds for this 7f handicap, but an interesting race all the same. Jonathan Portman’s top weight Brisk Symphony put up some excellent efforts as juvenile, including when winning on this course last July, but has struggled to recapture that form this season.
James Fanshawe’s Lion Of Mali and Tom Dascombe’s bottom weight Show Me Gold look sure to run their race, the former already successful on four occasions this year. The pair are vulnerable to a couple of unexposed rivals however, in the shape of Artanis, one of two runners for trainer Ollie Sangster, and the Clive Cox-trained BOLD SHOUT, preference being for the latter.
Artanis, previously with George Boughey, has changed hands since finishing a well-beaten 5th of 7 on her handicap debut at Southwell in March, when sent off the even money favourite. The daughter of Showcasing clearly has ability, and on her first start for over five months, is worth noting for any market confidence.
Bold Shout, on the other hand, was last seen just two weeks ago when landing odds of even money with the minimum of fuss at Salisbury after being gelded. The son of Starman had shown promise in his two previous starts, at Newbury and Salisbury in June, and Hector Crouch’s mount looks to have been let in lightly with a rating of 70 on his handicap debut.
Recommendation: Bold Shout - 2/1 with Paddy Power
7:30pm Newbury - Edwin Hubble
I fancy champion jockey Oisin Murphy to pull one back on current title leader Billy Loughnane, courtesy of the Brian Meehan-trained EDWIN HUBBLE in Newbury’s finale. I think the son of Space Blues is more than capable of winning a race of this nature off today’s mark of 80, and over what is probably his ideal trip of 1m 2f and with the inside draw in stall 1, the gelding is taken to follow up his victory of earlier in the month at Sandown in a three-horse affair.
While the stable has not had a winner since the selection’s success at the Esher racecourse, the horses have been running well in defeat, most recently Bourbon Blues’ excellent third in the final race at last week’s Ebor meeting at York. Murphy rode Edwin Hubble for the first time at Sandown last time and the partnership can do so again at the main expense of Ed Walker’s hat-trick seeking Empirical.
Kieran Shoemark’s mount may be in the grip of the handicapper now however, racing off a career-high mark of 80, while the unexposed Livemore, winner of a Newmarket maiden last month, may have been flattered by that victory, as the runner-up La Mariposa has failed to beat a single horse on her two subsequent starts when beaten a total of 99 lengths.
Recommendation: Edwin Hubble - 4/1 with Paddy Power
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Free Bets in 2008.
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