Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Friday, 15 May - Newmarket, York, Newbury & Aintree
Charlie heads to Newmarket on Friday for his best bet
It's a busy day of racing action in the UK and Ireland, and Charlie McCann is here with his exclusive free horse racing tips - only at FreeBets.com.
The forecast rain never materialised at York overnight into Thursday morning, but there were heavy showers forecast for the Knavesmire on Dante Day, although Friday is due to be dry. Conditions are likely to be nearer good than good to soft but there should be no excuses.
3:42pm Newmarket - Crazee Icon (Nap)
This is very much last chance saloon for CRAZEE ICON (Nap), but she really ought to have won at Windsor last week when going down by just a neck and she would be carrying an additional 2lbs from tomorrow.
Oisin Murphy returns to the saddle, and the hope is that the ground is as described – good – as she looked to find conditions a bit too quick at Windsor. That was her first start at a mile, and she got every yard of the trip. I don't like betting at Newmarket with its undulations, draw bias but I would be disappointed if Andrew Balding's filly did not run a big race.
The selection is fitted with a hood for the first time, and she was keen at Windsor but that is often the case at a mile at the Thameside track as they race to get a position then have to dab on the brakes to take the right-hand turn.
Recommendation: Crazee Icon (Nap) - 7/2 with bet365
4:05pm York - Rahiebb
Amiloc heads the market for the 1m6f Group 2 Yorkshire Cup but didn't look a strong stayer when second beaten 4l by Al Riffa in the Irish St Leger on his first start at the trip. He holds an entry in the Group 1 12f Coronation Cup which suggests connections aren't convinced he is a Cup horse, but he does have genuine Group 1 form, and his pedigree suggests he has every chance of staying at least this far.
RAHIEBB was a late defector from the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes - won impressively by Jan Brueghel – at Chester last week but the hope is that there is sufficient cut in the ground for last season's St Leger runner up who was beaten just a neck by Scandinavia on soft ground. If there is plenty of rain on Thursday the Roger Varian-trained four-year-old would be a more confident selection, and Friday is due to be dry.
Connections will have seen the course dodge the showers that hit most of the country on Wednesday night but skirted around the track. The more showers on Thursday the better as raceday is due to be dry and bright.
Recommendation: Rahiebb - 7/2 with bet365
5:35pm Newbury - Madjid
Kakirra carries 12lbs of penalties for his two recent wins but still gets in at the foot of the weights for this three-year-old 10f handicap. He has been done no favours by the draw out in stall fifteen, however, and I would be surprised if he were good enough to land this more competitive heat.
My two against the field are Kalokalo and MADJID with preference for the latter although a draw in stall nine is less than ideal.
Kalakolo is not certain to get this 10f trip, by Space Blues but stamina on the distaff side, but he won over the extended mile at Wolverhampton as a juvenile and gave every indication he was ready for a step up to ten furlongs when beaten half a length at Southwell on his reappearance last month. He has been left on the same mark and has a cracking draw in stall three. Trainer Charlie Hills had a quiet start to the season but his last two runners, at the time of writing, were winners.
Madjid had the third almost 4l behind when second at Doncaster over this trip last month beaten just three-quarters of a length. He was intimidated and carried right by the winner on that occasion and a 2lbs rise looks fair.
The winner – Cotton Bud – was due to run at York over 12f in the last on Thursday and a big run would be a boost to the Harry Charlton runner. The yard had a welcome winner at Ascot at the weekend, and they love having winners at their local track. Finley Marsh takes over in the saddle and that is considered a plus.
There are no prices at the time of writing, and I don't know if he will open 7/2 or 7/1. Anything north of 5s he would be an each way recommendation.
Recommendation: Madjid - 9/2 with bet365
6:55pm Aintree - Taxus Baccata (Each-Way)
I was talking with a friend (well texting) earlier in the week, and I said that one of the big things I miss about living in exile, is not being able to go to Aintree's two Friday night meetings over the summer. I love tonight's card although low sun is often an issue.
I could have recommended three or four on the card, but most are obvious (Guet Apens dropping back in trip) although I do think TAXUS BACCATA (Each-Way) may go under the radar somewhat after a moderate run last time when the betting suggested she was not going to give her running.
That Huntingdon run was her third run in less than a month and the hope is that she needed a break having won both previous starts at Leicester (2m4f) and Wincanton (3m1f) when she was visually very impressive.
Her trainer – Robbie Llewellyn nominated a mares' race at Cheltenham's two-day April meeting as her primary end of season target, but that was scuppered by both the drainage problems at Prestbury Park and her abject Huntingdon effort. She has been given six weeks to get over that poor run and the hope – and expectation – is that she will be overlooked in the market against the boys, going left-handed.
She has won left-handed in the past over fences, and her Wincanton win looks unworthy of a 7lbs rise irrespective of winning twenty-three lengths, but she flowed over the obstacles, bounced off the good ground and, if in the same mood, looks sure to run a big race.
Recommendation: Taxus Baccata (Each-Way) - 12/1 with bet365 (3 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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