Alan Kelly’s Horse Racing Tips
Horse racing tips for Haydock & Newbury on Thursday
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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Despite a winning day on Saturday, we ended the week with a loss of -£5.60. Newcastle’s Northumberland Plate meeting did us no favours with our 7/1 tip for the Gosforth Park Cup, Vintage Clarets, grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. Saturday’s card started in the same vein with the short head defeat of Pocklington (tipped at 7/1) in the opener.
Our 50/1 each-way tip for the Northumberland Plate consolation race, Letsbefrank, despite losing at least 20 lengths at the start, when doing a good impression of the Hamlet cigar advert (for those of a certain age), still managed to be beaten only 5 lengths in 10th place.
- P/L for the w/e Sunday, June 29th: -£5.60
- P/L for the year 2025 to date: -£23.94
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£467.65
Alan Kelly’s Horse Racing Tips
We head to the flat cards at Haydock Park in the afternoon and Newbury in the evening for Thursday’s horse racing tips, the ground at both courses on the firm side of good.
Nap - La Cadalora (4:10pm Haydock)
James Fanshawe’s lightly-raced daughter of Nathaniel can open her account for the first time with jockey William Buick taking over in the saddle for the first time in this fillies’ handicap.
4:10pm Haydock - La Cadalora (Nap)
The nine-year-old mare Arctic Fox recorded her first victory on the flat for three years when taking a Grassroots Stayers Series Qualifier at Carlisle just over two weeks ago, the daughter of Mastercraftsman previously successful in two races on this course around the same time in 2022. The mount of Mark Winn faces several less-exposed rivals in this extended 1m 3f fillies handicap, in particular the James Fanshawe-trained LA CADALORA (Nap).
This will be just the sixth career start for the Nathaniel filly, who made her handicap debut with a promising third at Newbury in May, her first outing for 295 days, when staying-on to be beaten two lengths after losing her place four furlongs out. Stepping-up to an extended 1m 6f at Doncaster last month, La Cadalora lost little in defeat when going down by less than a length in a tight finish, despite a field of only five runners.
The first and second in that race, Curran and Tailorman, have gone on to record subsequent victories and this looks a good opportunity for William Buick’s mount to open her account over this 3f shorter trip. Lucinda Russell’s Jujubella has won three of her eight starts on the all-weather but has shown enough on turf to believe she is capable of giving La Cadalora most to do.
Recommendation: La Cadalora (Nap) - 9/4 with bet365
6:05pm Newbury - Sarafina Mshairi
Tony Caroll’s eight-year-old Laquinto and apprentice jockey Matthew Slater are on something of a roll at the moment, the combination now attempting to land a four-timer following a hat-trick of wins at Windsor over a period of just 10 days.
While the Requinto gelding has a 12lb penalty to carry, taking his mark to 70, Laquinto’s five previous victories all came off ratings in the 80’s. This apprentice handicap provides an excellent opportunity for this in-form sprinter to continue his winning run; however, in receipt of 13lb from the top weight, preference is for the Edward Smyth-Osbourne-trained SARAFINA MSHAIRI.
Making her turf debut over 6f on this course just over a week ago following five all-weather starts, including a victory at Wolverhampton on the final of those efforts, the lightly-raced Cable Bay filly, after leading 2 out, only gave best in the closing stages when beaten two lengths in fourth place.
This return to the minimum trip should prove ideal for the selection, who has the added advantage of the services of top claimer Warren Fentiman for the first time.
Recommendation: Sarafina Mshairi - 11/2 with bet365
7:50pm Newbury - Woodstock (Each-Way)
The Warren Greatrx-trained Ruff Justice will be having just her fifth start to date, the daughter of Without Parole having recorded victories at Yarmouth and Windsor as a juvenile before ending her two-year-old campaign with a close third in a Newmarket nursery despite finishing the race lame. If fit enough on her first outing for 11 months, the mount of Edward Greatrex would be of interest in this 7f handicap, especially if the market was to speak in her favour.
Colin Keane is an interesting booking for Charles Hills’ Vocal Legend, last seen finishing second in a Doncaster handicap last month and now running off a mark only 1lb higher. The Caribbean, Kiniro and Cairdeas are others with claims, but the vote goes to top weight WOODSTOCK (Each-Way).
Trainer Ruth Carr makes the long journey from York with the Sixties Icon gelding, who will be visiting the Berkshire racecourse for a third time, on the first two occasions recording victories over today’s trip of 7f off marks of 80 and 82 last summer. The mount of Joanna Mason returns to turf after failing to get competitive on Newcastle’s all-weather surface back in May.
Prior to that disappointing effort, Woodstock had performed with credit in finishing third at Redcar, the runner-up Circe going on to win three of her next four starts. From what could prove to be a favourable draw in stall 11, the northern challenger can prove to be the each-way value of the race.
Recommendation: Woodstock (Each-Way) - 17/2 with SpreadEx (4 places)
* 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 Freebets.com in 2008.
You can follow Alan Kelly on Twitter for more racing insight.
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