Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips
Charlie heads to the Curragh on Saturday for his best bet
Enjoy daily tips and his Nap of the Day from our resident expert, Charlie McCann.
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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
A small loss of -£2.80 to a £1 level stake on the week ending Sunday, July 13th, despite landing a few gambles although others went wildly astray. I have never particularly enjoyed betting on the July course and Saturday’s Bunbury Cup explained why in a nutshell.
The first two races at the track on Saturday were won by the horse in stall one and Tom Marquand decided to lose ground on More Thunder by taking a pull out of the stalls and coming right across to the stands’ rail. At the time it seemed an inspired move as he got up in the shadow of the post, but subsequent races – especially the July Cup – suggested there was no track bias and Marquand’s cunning manoeuvre could have easily backfired.
Scandinavia’s win in the very first race of the meeting the Bahrain Trophy was the highlight of the week, and I will follow him wherever he goes between now and the end of the season.
Latest Profit & Loss for the week ending Sunday, July 13th.
- Cumulative profit since we began on 1/8/22: +£1210.21
- Week Ending Sunday, July 13th: -£2.80
- July 2025 to date: +£0.18
- Year 2025 to date: +£132.73
- Year 2024 ended: +£364.90
- Year 2023 ended: +£469.27
- Period 1/8/22 to 31/12/22 ended: +£243.31
(All figures to a £1 level stake)
Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips for Saturday, July 19th
Hardly a “Super Saturday” but something for everyone with classic action from the Curragh and competitive cards at Newbury and Market Rasen. Newbury could miss the rain but there is also a possibility that they will get a soaking midmorning.
I shall be tuning into the Opening Show on ITV4 and missing the British Lions more for the weather at both the televised tracks than for the Pundits Picks.
4:15pm Curragh - Al Riffa (Nap)
AL RIFFA (Nap) was fitted with blinkers for the first time when runner up to Rebel’s Romance in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but Joseph O’Brien reverts to cheekpieces for the Curragh Cup as he steps his five-year-old entire up in distance to 1m6f for the first time.
A Group 1 winner over 12f last year, he must give 11lbs to the three-year-old Shackleton who finished a close fourth in the Queen’s Vase last month - before finishing down the field in the Irish Derby although he was only beaten just over seven lengths.
If Al Riffa stays, he will surely beat this field and he is out of an unraced half-sister to the Gold Cup second Mizzou. There is plenty of stamina on the distaff side of the pedigree and he certainly was not stopping behind the superstar that is Rebel’s Romance at Ascot.
Hills were the only firm offering early prices on the race and their 7/4 was quickly snaffled up. Their 11/8 at the time of writing still looked more than fair. Another five-year-old Harbour Wind is considered the chief threat.
Recommendation: Al Riffa (Nap) - 11/8 with William Hill
2:25pm Newbury - Contacto
The hope is that Oli Bell and chums get soaked on the Opening Show as I think CONTACTO has an excellent chance IF the rain arrives at the Berkshire track. I have not, and will not back, the four-year-old unless there is rain and good to soft ground would be ideal for Andrew Balding’s lightly weighted gelding.
This is a big day for jockey Nicola Currie who takes the ride given the selection carries just 8st4lbs. Currie has gone forty-four rides without a winner, and she has struggled – as many do - since losing her claim, but she can get the job done if given the tools and Contacto was backed into 7/2 favourite for the Northumberland Plate last time. Having raced prominently, he finished tamely although not beaten far.
The return to turf with, hopefully, a bit of cut in the ground will help the selection who gets the vote ahead of stablemate Wild Waves who I backed at Royal Ascot and palpably failed to stay the 2m6f trip in the Queen Alexandra. The drop back to 2m will suit, but he would not want significant rain.
Wonder Legend is a personal favourite and trainer James Ferguson has warned that he needs rain to face the starter. He may struggle, however, to give 22lbs to Contacto.
Recommendation: Contacto - 6/1 with BoyleSports
2:40pm Market Rasen - Cavern Club (Each-Way)
The 1-2 from last year’s Summer Hurdle Castel Gandolfo and Kihavah are back for more this year but they look high enough in the weights twelve months on and the vote goes to CAVERN CLUB (Each Way) who will appreciate the forecast rain having scored on soft ground at Chester on the flat last month – Brave Knight well behind – and was last seen over hurdles scoring at Doncaster back in March although that win was devalued given they only jumped four of the eight hurdles due to the low sun.
He goes on all ground, but rain would inconvenience many in the field but not the James Owen trained five-year-old. The 10/1 on Friday morning would be more than fair especially if the rain materialises.
Recommendation: Cavern Club (Each-Way) - 10/1 with Coral (4 places)
5:10pm Cartmel - Couldbeaweapon
COULDBEAWEAPON remains a maiden after ten starts over fences but, arguably, ran his best race yet over the larger obstacles when splashing his way into second at Market Rasen over this trip last time from a 1lb lower mark.
The first four home were covered by just 2l at the Lincolnshire track, but the winner is unexposed and a 1lb rise looks fair. The selection won a 2m handicap hurdle for Ben Pauling from a mark of ninety-eight and can race from a rating of just eighty-two this afternoon. Any further rain would be considered a positive.
Recommendation: Couldbeaweapon - 2/1 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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Charlie McCann’s Horses to Follow
Last updated, Monday 30 June
Blue Bolt (Three-year-old filly trained by Andrew Balding)
Blue Bolt was beaten more than 5L on her racecourse debut over 7f at Southwell on debut but she has looked a different proposition on turf, with that experience under her belt, winning both starts over a mile at Windsor and Newbury.
Her latest success in a valuable Novice under Colin Keane suggested she was ready for a step up in grade and she holds an entry in the listed Coral Distaff on Eclipse Day at Sandown.
Her Group 1 entry Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in September suggests connections are taking it slowly slowly with this daughter of Blue Point - no entry in next week’s Falmouth Stakes - but I am convinced she is at least up to listed level.
Keane was jockey up on the filly as soon as the entries were announced and both turf wins have been gained on good or faster ground. There is a possibility of a shower on Wednesday morning, but the forecast is set fair for the rest of the week.
Gunship (Three-year-old trained by James Ferguson)
Gunship was not guaranteed on breeding to appreciate the step up to a mile-and-a-half at Royal Ascot and so it proved with the dual tapeta winner fading from two out in the King George V Stakes.
It is possible that the Sea The Stars colt will always be a better horse on the all-weather, but he travelled as well as anything save winner Merchant at the Royal meeting. We will know more about his long-term prospects after his next start which is likely to be at Newmarket on the Friday of their July Cup meeting.
That bet365 sponsored contest is one of the hottest three-year-old 10f handicaps of the season and he needs ten to come out to be guaranteed a run, but he remains a colt with plenty more to come, and his next start should tell us whether his best days lie solely on an artificial surface.
The form of his previous three quarters of a length defeat of War Hawk at Newmarket has been franked by the runner up who has since won at Chester and Epsom. He would meet Gunship on 6lbs worse terms if they both faced the starter on the July course.
Midnight Tango (Two-year-old trained by Ed Walker)
Midnight Tango really ought to have won the listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket (July) at the end of June when Kieran Shoemark tried to come from last to first on the wrong side of the track. She passed six of her seven rivals in the last couple of furlongs, and I wonder if the jockey will consider it one that got away.
She has only got a modest Hamilton success to her name, but she is held in some regard by Ed Walker, and she is up to at least listed class. It would be no surprise if she landed a Group race between now and the end of the season with something like the Lowther at York’s Ebor meeting under consideration.
Charles Darwin (Two-year-old trained by Aidan O’Brien)
The “lads” at Ballydoyle nominated Albert Einstein as their Coventry horse over 6f at Royal Ascot after making it two out of two in the Marble Stakes at the Curragh. That left Charles Darwin as their Norfolk representative after his fluent Naas win at the minimum trip.
When Albert Einstein was a late defector ahead of the Coventry, connections gave Gstaad the green light to run on the opening day and left Charles Darwin in the Norfolk rather than “upgrade” him to the Coventry which is widely considered the premier juvenile race of the meeting.
Gstaad duly bolted up by 3l in the Coventry while Charles Darwin landed Thursday’s Norfolk by more than 2l hitting the line hard and giving every impression he would relish another furlong. Aidan O’Brien, it would appear, already has the three best juvenile colts in Europe and it will be fascinating to see how connections keep them apart.
If there is a batting order at present, you feel the yard consider 1) Albert Einstein 2) Charles Darwin and 3) Gstaad. Charles Darwin has the physique of a four-year-old let alone a two-year-old and a crack at the Group 1 Nunthorpe over 5f at York in August was muted given the weight-for-age allowance juveniles receive against their elders.
I would prefer the son of No Nay Never to step back up to six furlongs next time, but you get the impression that Albert Einstein will dictate and be campaigned as the yard’s number one until results say otherwise.
As a half-brother to the yard’s dual Group1 winning juvenile Blackbeard, Charles Darwin is not guaranteed to train on next term, but I am convinced he will win at the top table between now and the end of the season.
Aeronautic (Four-year-old trained by Joseph O’Brien)
The lightly- raced Aeronautic finished fifth in the 1m6f Copper Horse Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot for Joseph O’Brien who endured such a frustrating week.
The stable had four winners in Ireland on Saturday, and most of their Ascot team ran terrific races in defeat with six finishing in the first four of their respective races.
Aeronautic was no match for French Master at Ascot but ran a cracking race on the quickest ground he has encountered to date. He was beaten less than 4l in the Copper Horse over that mile-and-three-quarter trip and I wonder if connections will consider dropping him back in distance at some time given how well he travelled on that occasion.
After just six career starts the son of Gleneagles has a big race in him between now and the end of the season. The Ebor and Melbourne Cup were races connections may have had in mind for the gelding had he won at Ascot, but I am still convinced there is a big pot to be had with the gelding this term and he won’t go up the weights for finishing fifth.
Classic Encounter (Three-year-old trained by George Boughey)
Classic Encounter was weak in the market, then backed near the off at Newcastle on his first start for George Boughey and belated seasonal reappearance.
He was squeezed out at the start of that hot Novice contest before making good late headway into a never nearer fifth over a mile.
That should have blown the cobwebs away, and I expect him to be more forcefully ridden next time. He will get further than a mile and looks the type to win a maiden/novice on turf in the short turn while he may be eased a couple of pounds from his mark of 82.
He is very much one to keep onside in the months ahead.
Charming Whisper (Three-year-old trained by Charlie McBride)
I appreciate you can go skint backing horses who have been unlucky, but I feel Charming Whisper should have won his last four races for Newmarket handler Charlie McBride.
A winner of two-mile handicaps from marks of 72 and 74 in June, the gelding has met trouble in-running from his last couple of starts over the Bunbury Mile and at Brighton - not convinced he was in love with the track - and I feel he is more than capable of defying his current rating of 80.
A stiff mile on good or faster ground are his optimum conditions, and he is one to keep on the right side of in the short term.
Ride The Thunder (Two-year-old trained by Roger Varian)
He cost 400,000 gns as a yearling and went into my tracker when recovering £1700 of his purchase price when finishing second in a Doncaster Novice to God Of War - had previous experience - on debut over seven furlongs.
I appreciate that the Varian yard lacks consistency, but I will be disappointed if this inmate does not go one better next time. The step up to a mile is likely to suit going forward, although 7f looks his trip in the short term.
Jagwar (Five-year-old trained by Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
Jagwar ran with the choke out at Uttoxeter in their competitive 2m 4f handicap hurdle last weekend and a blunder two out put paid to his chance. He was beaten 10L at the line, but he travelled like a well-handicapped horse for much of the race and the hope is that he will eventually cut out the jumping issues that have blunted his progression to this point. He was dropped 1lb to a mark of 118 by the handicapper after Uttoxeter.
Better ground should suit this spring and I wonder if he might be worth a try back at the minimum trip. The conditional jockeys’ event at Aintree might enter calculations at next month’s National meeting.
Merry Monty (Seven-year-old trained by Chris Down)
Merry Monty looked the type to improve for the switch to fences, and he shaped with considerable promise on his chase debut at Exeter over 2m 3f on New Year’s Day, giving every indication that he would improve again when stepped up in trip.
The gelding showed his first form when runner up - also at Exeter - on his penultimate start over timber when he jumped his hurdles as if he had been previously schooled over fences. He is likely to be nudged up the weights from his mark of eighty, but he would have won at Exeter granted another twenty yards, and I will be disappointed if he isn’t bordering on three figures by the end of the season.
Frederick Daly (7lb Claimer)
It is rare to be as impressed with a jockey, especially one who arguably won by too far, having his first ride under rules. Still, I was blown away by the quiet style of amateur Daly, who rode Golden Shot to win the amateur riders’ event at Ffos Las on Monday for Sir Mark Prescott. As Ian Bishop might have said: “Frederick Daly - remember the name”.
The 16-year-old was as polished in his postrace interview with Sky Sports Racing as he was in the saddle, and he suggested that he would spend little time as an amateur and would soon be turning professional.
His 7lb claim is likely to prove very popular when that happens. However, you get the impression that his father, who I remember as a former assistant trainer in Newmarket, and Sir Mark Prescott will manage his progression diligently as he works through his claim.
It might be daft to draw such conclusions after just the one ride, and he never had to get serious on the 29L winner, but there was just something about his style that suggested he was no ordinary amateur jockey. I, for one, will be monitoring his progress and will take note to see if other trainers book the jockey for similar contests in the short term.
Royal Rhyme (Three-year-old trained by Karl Burke)
Goodwood was largely a disappointment, with the rain putting a dampener on proceedings on and off the track. The week was summed up when the last three races were abandoned on the Saturday as the rain returned in spades.
On the track, the highlights were the continued brilliance of Paddington in the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday, but he must play second fiddle to Royal Rhyme, who showed himself to be a Group horse when running away with what is invariably a competitive three-year-old handicap.
The handicapper has seen fit to raise him 13lbs to a mark of 108 for his six-and-a-half length romp, while his winning time was three seconds quicker than that clocked by Al Husn in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes later in the card. His record on soft ground reads played three won three, with those successes coming by an aggregate of 12 lengths.
He remains one to keep on side granted soft ground this autumn. His stablemate Triple Time, likely to reappear at Deauville on Sunday, did us a huge favour when landing the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot at 33/1. Royal Rhyme is currently the same price for the Champion Stakes with Ladbrokes and Coral at Newmarket in October. Granted soft ground, he certainly won’t be that price if he faces the starter.
Diamond Ri (Four-year-old trained by Joe Tizzard)
Diamond Ri tanked through a Warwick Bumper on his racecourse debut to score by a long-looking thirteen lengths. The winning time was five-and-a-half seconds than the first division half an hour later.
The Tizzard yard does not have too many Bumper winners, but the yard can dare to dream over the summer that they have something to go to war with as a novice hurdler next term. His win came on soft ground, and his action and breeding suggest plenty of cut will suit going forward. Not one for the short term, but one for next season.
About Charlie McCann
Seven years as talkSPORT racing correspondent/tipster who recently spent over a decade as Director Of PR/Communications for a couple of leading igaming operators.
Failed cricketer - I regularly bore people, myself included, with the story about how I caught Imran Khan when 12th Man for Lancashire v Sussex as a youth - former National League Basketball player - once scored 72 points in a game - and lifelong and long-suffering Everton supporter.
Many of my old friends - and I mean old - would tell you I was a better footballer than a cricketer - but cricket was my first love. Horse racing has long been my passion - ironic as I’ll never pass the vet again as my sports injuries have come back to bite - with my specialism handicap chases over jumps and 1m+ handicaps on the level.
I have met many of the great and good in the game and consider myself to have been very fortunate. Please always bet within your means and never chase your losses.
Be Lucky.
You can follow Charlie McCann on Twitter for more racing insight.
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