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A break-even week ending Sunday 30th August with a small profit of +£1.72 to a £1 level stake, although we did have three out of five winning naps (11/4, 11/4 (10p R4) and 4/7) plus a non-runner.
P/L for the week ending Sunday, 30 August: +£1.72
P/L for the year to date: +£157.90
P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
P/L since 1st September 2022: +£658.56
Alan Kelly's Tips - Thursday, 3 September
Soft conditions are expected for Thursday’s two turf meetings at Haydock Park and Salisbury.
4:14pm Salisbury - Nuit d’Eclair
The result of last month’s Group 3 Princess Margaret Japan Cup at Ascot is probably the key to the outcome of Salisbury’s feature race, the Group 3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes, the 6f juvenile contest attracting an excellent field of 11 runners.
With just two and a half lengths separating the first six horses home at the Berkshire racecourse, it is easy to make a case out for Kevin Philippart De Foy’s NUIT D'ECLAIR (4th), Clive Cox’s Miss Kodi (5th) and the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Harlequin Sky (6th), while the 8th horse home, Richard Hannon’s Dark Issue, is better judged on her excellent fourth in Royal Ascot’s Albany Stakes.
The Philippard De Foy stable, successful with Silent Beauty in Monday’s Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy, have another potentially top class juvenile filly in Nuit d’Eclair, and with the stable in excellent form at the moment, the Amo Racing-owned daughter of Night Of Thunder is fancied to come out on top.
After making smooth headway, David Egan’s mount looked all over the winner of Newmarket’s Sweet Solera Stakes last month when hitting the front a furlong out only to be caught close home by Eve Johnson Houghton’s Sugar Yes Please. This furlong shorter trip on easier ground should prove ideal for this progressive filly, who may have most to fear from Dark Issue.
Recommendation: Nuit d’Eclair - 9/4 with bet365
4:25pm Haydock - Hoseki (Nap)
Gemma Tutty’s Star Cast will relish today’s soft ground, the four-year-old fillies’ last three runs under similar conditions resulting in two wins and a short-head defeat. On her 26th start however, the mount of 5lb claimer Jake Dickson is always going to be vulnerable to a horse with more scope, in this case the William Haggas-trained HOSEKI (Nap).
This will be just the 7th career start for the daughter of Saxon Warrior, who rattled off a hat-trick of wins at Redcar, Chester and Ascot before returning to the Berkshire racecourse for the Shergar Cup Classic last month. While only 4th of the 10 runners, Hoseki could never get into a challenging position after being held up towards the rear.
I don’t envisage this two furlong shorter trip being a problem for Tom Marquand’s mount, who looks the type to be suited by plenty of give in the ground. Tristan Davidson’s Polygram may prove best of the rest, but I expect Hoseki to get back to winning ways with a victory in this fillies’ handicap.
Recommendation: Hoseki (Nap) - 2/1 with bet365
5:24pm Salisbury - Shipbourne
Richard Hannon’s five-year-old son of Twilight Son, Boyfriend, has been running consistently well all season, the price of which is today’s career-high mark of 92, the mount of Pat Dobbs now 5lb higher than when finishing 8th of 24 in the Newbury Spring Cup back in April.
The joint top weight is sure to be thereabouts once again, but will do well to win this one mile handicap shouldering 10st 2lb. The Crisford’s Colourband has been raised 6lb for his comfortable victory at Windsor last month and should go well, while each-way claims can be made for Andrew Balding’s Point Of Contact, who may have his ideal conditions today.
However, I think it is worth giving the previously progressive Ralph Beckett-trained SHIPBOURNE another chance after the son of Frankel failed to beat a single rival on his handicap debut at Newmarket’s July meeting.
Colin Keane’s mount had previously shown plenty of promise in winning races at Newbury (soft ground) and Doncaster (good to firm) prior to that disappointing effort of two months ago. After acting up at the start of that race at headquarters, it is no surprise that Shipbourne has since been gelded. The Juddmonte-owned three-year-old clearly has plenty of ability and has the scope to prove better than his current mark of 88.
Recommendation: Shipbourne - 7/1 with bet365
* 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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