Get fresh daily selections and a standout Nap of the Day from our in-house racing expert, Alan Kelly.
Looking to boost your bets? Discover the latest betting offers from the UK's best betting sites.
For live TV action, head to our ITV Racing Tips hub for expert picks on the biggest races, and explore Ryan Moore booked rides for detailed insights on one of flat racing's most successful jockeys.
Alan Kelly's Tips - Thursday, 23 July
Thursday's Flat action on turf in Britain comes from the meetings at Sandown Park and Doncaster in the afternoon and Newbury and Yarmouth in the evening.
Of the 27 races, only two have managed to attract double figure fields.
1:55pm Sandown - Nogo’s Dream
In a career spanning 82 runs, this will be the first visit to the Esher racecourse for the Tony Carroll-trained Neptune Legend, the in-form seven-year-old successful on three of his last four starts. Those wins came at Bath (twice) and Brighton however and I’m far from convinced that Ray Dawson’s mount will be at home on this track.
Carroll’s other runner, Correspondence, may have better claims with jockey Rossa Ryan taking over in the saddle from 7lb claimer Myla Coppins, the pair last of 6 at Brighton last month. Gary & Josh Moore’s Havana Smile recorded his one victory to date over today’s course and distance in May and is respected along with Brave Nation, who will be having his first start for trainer Michael Attwater since leaving the Michael Bell stable.
I think the one to beat, however, is Richard Hughes’ NOGO'S DREAM, the mount of champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who partnered the Oasis Dream gelding in both of his victories to date on turf, the most recent off a 4lb higher mark at Windsor 12 months ago.
The six-year-old didn't enjoy the best of runs on his last outing on turf when sixth in a Windsor Sprint Series Qualifier last month. Prior to that run, Nogo’s Dream finished a staying-on second to Marching Mac over today’s course and distance 10 days earlier. A reproduction of that effort should be good enough for the selection to open his account for the year.
Recommendation: Nogo’s Dream - 3/1 with bet365
2:55pm Sandown - Bayside View
Richard Hannon’s Chesham Stakes third Aperoll sets the standard for this 7f Listed Star Stakes, the daughter of Ghaiyyath beaten less than a length by a couple of decent Irish colts in Nola Soul and On Just Terms, with Ballydoyle’s South Dakota three quarters of a length further back in fourth place.
The form of that Royal Ascot Listed race received a boost when the fifth horse home, Charlie Johnston’s Pikachu, went on to finish a close third in Newmarket’s Group 2 Superlative Stakes at the July meeting. While claims can be made for Harry Charlton’s Celestia, Brian Meehan’s Tall Trees and War Banner from the Ralph Beckett stable, I have been impressed with Michael Bell’s filly BAYSIDE VIEW, who gets a narrow vote over Aperoll in this informative juvenile contest won by subsequent Group 1 winner Inspiral back in 2021.
Caught close home by a highly-regarded filly of Karl Burke’s on her debut at Doncaster last month, Oisin Murphy’s mount went one better at Newbury 17 days later when winning unchallenged from another Karl Burke inmate in Anad, who had previously won on her debut at Wolverhampton.
While the form of those two races falls someway short of that achieved by the market leader, I expect the daughter of Bayside Boy to make the running from her draw in stall 2 and it will take an above average two-year-old to get past the selection up the Sandown hill.
Recommendation: Bayside View - 10/3 with bet365
3:10pm Doncaster - Ten Clarets (Nap)
A field of 5 for this extended 6f nursery, headed by the Richard Hannon-trained Shadow King. Sean Levey’s mount, after justifying favouritism on Kempton’s all-weather surface in May, seemed to have his limitations exposed when finishing last of 3 in a Conditions Stakes at Goodwood later that month.
The other previous winner in the race, William Knight’s Jumeirah Storm, opened his account on this course earlier in the month, the third horse home Launch Sequence running an eyecatching race on his debut for trainer Karl Burke. Burke is represented by TEN CLARETS (Nap) in this informative nursery and I think Clifford Lee’s mount is the one to beat.
A promising fourth on his debut at York behind Godolphin’s Inner City Blues, who would go on to win Newmarket’s Group 2 July Stakes next time, the son of Ten Sovereigns failed to land the odds when beaten a neck by Charlie Johnston’s Redline on his most recent start. With the third horse home some four lengths away, the form of that Ayr contest looked pretty strong and an opening mark of 79 could have seriously underestimated the ability of the selection.
The main danger to Ten Clarets may come in the shape of Ralph Beckett’s Rhodes Runner, who finished a respectable second on her nursery debut at Kempton earlier in the month off top weight.
Recommendation: Ten Clarets (Nap)
5:17pm Sandown - Sail On Sailor
The Gary & Josh Moore stable are in excellent form at the moment and their Brighton winner of earlier this month, Gone Rogue, will be fancied by many to keep the good run going by following up in this 1m handicap off a mark only 2lb higher. While Tom Queally’s mount is respected from his draw in stall 3, I expect Simon Dow’s SAIL ON SAILOR to land the four-timer following the three-year-old’s recent wins at Bath, Lingfield and Epsom.
The Eqtidaar gelding only does just enough when hitting the front and is good value for more than the 11lb rise since winning the first of those three races. With bang-in-form jockey Rossa Ryan taking over in the saddle for the first time, Sail On Sailor is fancied to stay one step ahead of the handicapper in a race where decent recent form is thin on the ground.
Recommendation: Sail On Sailor
Ante-Post: Coral Golden Mile (Goodwood, 31 July) - Tribal Chief (Each-Way)
Having selected the David Menuisier-trained Tribal Chief for Saturday's valuable Coral Challenge at Sandown, the race was pretty much over for Saffie Osborne's mount as the stalls opened, the five-year-old losing in the region of 8 lengths to his rivals in a race where it was almost impossible to win from such a position.
A fast finishing sixth, beaten three lengths, the son of Sioux Nation nevertheless ran a cracking trial for Goodwood's Coral Golden Mile later this month. Currently standing at number 46 for the £175k handicap on the Friday of the five-day festival, and with a maximum field of 20, the five-year-old will need a few to come out in order to make the cut.
Sixth in last year's race off a 2lb lower mark when beaten three lengths after being slowly away once again as a strongly-fancied 11/2 chance, TRIBAL CHIEF (Each-Way) will need to get his act together as the stalls open on the Sussex Downs, but following excellent efforts in both the Lincoln and Victoria Cup this season, the ante-post selection has a big handicap within him at some point.
Recommendation: Tribal Chief (Each-Way) - 16/1 with Betfred & Paddy Power (¼ odds, 1-2-3-4)
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
Latest Horse Racing Tips, Stats & Trends
Check out more from the Freebets horse racing hub, including tips, stats, market movers and today’s racecards!
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.
You can follow Alan Kelly on X for more racing insight.
Latest Horse Racing News
