Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Friday, 19 June - Royal Ascot & Redcar
Charlie heads to Redcar 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.
3:05pm Royal Ascot - Venetian Sun
Regular readers will be aware that I backed Albert Einstein for the Commonwealth Cup prior to his seasonal debut, as I was of the opinion he wouldn't get a mile in a horsebox. The noises coming out of Ballydoyle were that he was the quickest horse they had ever had through their ranks, but to date, he has been a bitter disappointment.
I did not recommend him as a bet for the Commonwealth Cup, but here he is half the price he was for the Group 1 three-year-old sprint despite having lost all three starts this term, including when dropped back to six furlongs last time.
If he were not trained by the genius that is Aidan O'Brien, he would be at least double the price (best 6/1), and do I feel smug with my 12/1 voucher? No! I thought he was beaten fair and square by Song Of The Clyde at Newbury, yet the latter is three times the price.
Brussels is a personal favourite, but even I am beginning to lose the faith, while I have seen some good and much respected judges suggest Division will reverse Haydock form with VENETIAN SUN, but I disagree.
The filly is unbeaten in four starts at six furlongs, including the Albany at the corresponding meeting twelve months ago. She beat classic winner Gstaad at Deauville over 6f on fast ground in the Group 1 Prix Morny.
The selection palpably failed to stay a mile on her reappearance in the 1000 Guineas, but she showed sprinting is her game at Haydock, and there should be plenty of pace in the race, which will suit.
Clifford Lee is drawn thirteen of twenty-two on Karl Burke's filly, and the hope is that he can track whoever he feels is going best before striking inside the final furlong. At the time of writing, Burke has had a disappointing start to the meeting, but I do feel Venetian Sun is a worthy favourite, although my pocket tells me I should be shouting home Albert.
Recommendation: Venetian Sun - 6/4 with bet365
3:40pm Royal Ascot - Opportunity & Hopewell Rock
Unlike the three-year-old 12f handicap on Thursday, the last three winners of the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes - the mile-and-a-half handicap for four-year-olds+ - have come out of stalls 9-4-7. That said, I have always thought you needed an improving four-year-old for the race, yet the last four-year-old to succeed was Candleford for William Haggas in 2022.
My two against the field are both drawn low, both lightly raced four-year-olds, and both owned by Wathan Racing, and I have backed both OPPORTUNITY (1) and HOPEWELL ROCK (8).
James Doyle has chosen Hopewell Rock over Opportunity and had to choose before the form of his Newmarket third on seasonal debut was franked when the 1-2 Daiquiri Bay and Gamrai finished in the same sports in the 1m6f Copper Horse Stakes on the opening day.
If the handicapper could have his say, he would raise the George Boughey-trained son of New Bay by a few pounds, and he is a horse I followed last year, including when beaten at Leicester when he had the King's Warrant Holder, who heads the market, five lengths behind. The latter has improved since but is 11lbs worse off in the weights with Hopewell Rock having scored at York on his reappearance over ten furlongs.
Opportunity dotted up in a moderate race at Carlisle on his reappearance and looks to have benefited from his gelding operation over the winter. He was a bit of a playboy last term and disappointed at this corresponding race twelve months ago, but he looked a different proposition in Cumbria, although he is 8lbs high in a much stronger race and may need luck in running from that draw.
Recommendations: Opportunity - 5/1 with Ladbrokes & Hopewell Rock - 5/1 with William Hill
4:40pm Redcar - Room Fourteen (Nap)
ROOM FOURTEEN (Nap) was taken out of a race at Chester last weekend on account of the soft ground, and she has improved for the application of a hood in recent starts, winning at Yarmouth from a 9lbs lower mark in April, before finishing second to Venetia at Ascot from a 3lbs lower mark.
Venetia has subsequently won a listed race at Goodwood on soft ground earlier in the month and races back at the Sussex track this evening from a mark 18lbs higher than when beating the selection a length-and-a-half.
Callum Rodriquez takes over in the saddle for the first time for James Fanshawe, and a draw in stall one is a slight concern. She will save ground around the turn but may need luck in running, although it is a long home straight.
Jason Hart is booked for Guesstimate on handicap debut, and the William Haggas-trained filly looks sure to be popular in the market. She finished third on her first start over today's trip in a Goodwood Novice last time, when she travelled well but finished tamely having met trouble in running.
It goes without saying that a market move would be worth noting, and she looks the type who will get further as the season progresses.
Recommendation: Room Fourteen (Nap)
5:00pm Royal Ascot - Glyfada (Each-Way)
I have had Rosa Inglesa on my mind for the Sandringham for some time now, but she appeared to appreciate a bit of cut in the ground when scoring at Nottingham (good to soft) last time and is 9lbs higher in the weights this afternoon.
Oisin Murphy was in the saddle at Colwick Park, but he rides my selection, the Irish challenger GLYFADA (Each-Way), who has won her last two starts over ten furlongs and back at a mile at Killarney last time out, when she showed a good turn of foot.
A strongly run mile should suit Donnacha O'Brien's daughter of Camelot, Oisin Murphy is booked, and her draw in stall thirty-one is a big advantage on the evidence of the opening two days.
Her brother and father have been amongst the winners this week, and connections still have the selection entered in the Irish Oaks over a mile-and-a-half later in the year. The hope is that she has enough pace for this stiff mile, and she did not look devoid of pace at Killarney last time.
Recommendation: Glyfada (Each-Way) - 9/1 with Sky Bet 7 (places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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