Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Friday, 30 October - Wetherby, Uttoxeter & Keeneland
Charlie heads to Wetherby 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.
3:00pm Wetherby - Minella Rockett (Nap)
It is rare for me to have an interest in juvenile hurdles pre-Christmas, but I am not convinced the layers have got the correct favourite in Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Wensleydale Hurdle.
The James Owen-trained Charles Darnay comes with a lofty reputation on hurdling debut, but he is short enough in the betting for this listed contest and the Irish raider MINELLA ROCKETT (Nap) gets the vote with underfoot conditions – good – his optimum.
Charles Darnay is rated eighty-three on the flat, having won two of his four all-weather starts at Lingfield and Kempton. He ran well on his only turf start when third at Newmarket over 12f last month when returning from a 115-day break. He had wind surgery during his lay-off, and he rallied well having looked cooked two furlongs out. He is a smart prospect for the winter game, but he is 5/4 in places, and that is too short given he has not jumped a hurdle in public.
Minella Rockett won a maiden hurdle at Limerick back in July – the first of the season – and the third horse home is a dual subsequent winner, so there is some substance to the form. The selection has since reverted back to the flat with form figures of 1-1-2-4, with the latest run coming on unsuitable (soft) ground.
Owned and trained by John Nallen in County Tipperary, the juvenile is now rated 90 on the flat and will be ridden by the latest Irish sensation Daniel King who, for those not familiar with the young jockey, rode the winners of the Galway Plate and Hurdle over the summer.
So, the selection is rated higher than Charles Darnay on the level and has invaluable hurdling experience. It is possible that – as rumour has it - the James Owen three-year-old is as good as his stablemate Burdett Road was at this stage of his development, but he may have to be. I thought the 11/4 was fair for Minella Rockett on Thursday morning.
Dan Skelton’s French import Sacre Chief was hampered early in the piece when third at Chepstow on his hurdling/British debut. He looks sure to improve, but he needs to if he is to trouble the Irish raider.
Recommendation: Minella Rockett (Nap) - 11/4 with William Hill
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
1:07pm Uttoxeter - St Gabriel
Hold The Serve is likely to be odds-on for the opening Beginners Chase at Uttoxeter, but I am not convinced 2m is his trip. On softer ground I would have recommended the chasing newcomer Count Of Vendome, but he would be receiving 7lbs from the Olly Murphy-trained market leader. Both are worth keeping on side this term.
Murphy will, hopefully, saddle the market leader Taranis Dubh in the 2m3f+ Novice Hurdle on the back of his Worcester Maiden Hurdle success earlier in the month. A winning pointer, he will relish the additional half mile but must give 9lbs to the hurdling newcomer ST GABRIEL and the Nicky Henderson-trained four-year-old gets the vote.
The selection won a Haydock Bumper – despite a quick flash of the tail – back in May and was given a positive mention by his handler in a recent Racing Post Stable Tour. He was receiving weight from the second – a previous winner - at Haydock, and the runner-up has since finished third to an Olly Murphy-trained hurdler at Market Rasen recently. Thus, one could argue Murphy should know where he stands with the selection, but I was impressed with St Gabriel at Haydock. Henderson ended a frustrating run with a winner at Huntingdon on Wednesday, but he has his string well forward.
Recommendation: St Gabriel - 15/8 with bet365
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2:10pm Uttoxeter - Loustic Du Chatel
The Greenall/Guerriero yard have had a slow start to the campaign, but they are beginning to hit their straps – despite losing a horse at Bangor midweek – and they saddle a couple in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle, Las Canals and Gentleman Bill, and both will have their supporters with stable jockey Jack Tudor favouring Las Canals.
The nod, however, goes to LOUSTIC DU CHATEL, who has raced on good ground twice previously, winning an Ascot Bumper before landing a Kempton Maiden Hurdle back in March. He steps up in trip by half a mile on handicap debut, but there is a bit of substance to that latest hurdle success with the second and third both subsequent winners.
His two victories have come right-handed, but he seems more ground than track dependent. Connections had the option of going chasing, but they have decided to stay over timber. He should stay this trip on breeding – although you can never be certain – but he does look well handicapped off 114, and the stable of Henrietta Knight remain in excellent form.
Recommendation: Loustic Du Chatel - 6/1 with bet365
6:55pm Keeneland - Moonrise (Each-Way)
Billy Loughnane is unable to do 8st 7lbs, so Flavien Prat takes over on Libertango in the 5.5f Grade 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint the first Breeders’ Cup race of the weekend this evening.
She has the best form, is well drawn in stall three but has been slowly away in four of her five starts this term, and she cannot afford to be slowly away from the gates in this company. This is the shortest trip she has encountered, and she is reluctantly overlooked.
Andrew Balding’s MOONRISE (Each-Way) was almost 2l behind the favourite at Newmarket in the Cheveley Park last month, but she has early speed, has the plum draw in stall one, and this slightly shorter trip will suit.
Oisin Murphy will look to bag the rail and then keep his position on the turn before making his way home from the top of the home straight. She could easily be a sitting duck for the closers, but I loved the way she dictated the fractions in the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton from a poor stall on her penultimate start.
At a double-figure price, she merits each-way support.
Recommendation: Moonrise (Each-Way) - 12/1 with bet365 (4 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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