Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Saturday, 13 June - York, Sandown & Uttoxeter
Charlie heads to Uttoxeter on Saturday 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.
1:50pm York - Secret Force
Arctic Fox (2019) was the last three-year-old to land the Queen Mother's Cup, and I thought Dunkeld Dreamer was not guaranteed to appreciate this 12f test, having looked a non-stayer at Nottingham over ten furlongs last time.
My two against the field are Humble Spark and SECRET FORCE, with preference for the latter. This Irish import finished fourth, beaten by less than 2l at Hamilton on his first start for Adrian Keatley, having been trained by Gavin Cromwell.
His sole success on the level came on heavy ground, but his hurdle victory came on good ground. He would not want the ground rattling fast, and I am concerned that conditions, described as good on Friday morning, might get too quick, although there was a band of light rain due to hit the course from 11am Friday. Georgie Benson cannot claim, despite the fact that she has only had six career winners, and that is a slight concern.
Humble Spark has only won one of his fifteen starts on turf, but he ran well when second at Hamilton last time over 11f and has won over today's trip twice in the past on tapeta.
Arqoob was not beaten far in a better race last time and will be ridden by Brodie Hampson, one of the most experienced jockeys riding this afternoon. He must give 15lbs to the selection, however, and Secret Force remains open to further improvement, although I would not want firm in the official going description.
Recommendation: Secret Force - 4/1 with William Hill
3:00pm York - Epic Poet & Tabletalk
I am keen on taking on market leaders, last year's winner Al Qareem and Mount Atlas, in the listed 1m6f contest and have supported EPIC POET and TABLETALK.
Al Qareem made all to beat Absurde by over 4l last year and won a similar race at Musselburgh on his reappearance when he had Mount Atlas behind. He couldn't get to the front when running below par at Chester last time, and Gregory – another confirmed frontrunner - is unlikely to give him an easy time on the lead this afternoon.
Epic Poet ran well when third in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup before getting no run at all when third in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown last time. He has not won since last January, but he has run some excellent races in defeat and deserves a change of luck. Ryan Moore takes over for the first time with regular pilot Danny Tudhope at Sandown.
Tabletalk finished third to Al Qareem in the corresponding race 12months ago and is 5lbs better off with the market leader. He was gelded over the winter and ran an excellent race when second to Joseph O'Brien's Sons And Lovers in Riyadh on Valentine's Day.
He won the Melrose Handicap over course and distance a couple of years ago and needs a decent test. The hope is that Al Qareem and Gregory will ensure a good test, and I thought 17/2 on Friday morning was just too big.
Recommendations: Epic Poet - 4/1 with bet365 & Tabletalk - 17/2 with bet365
4:50pm York - Grizedale & Point Of Contact
Zac Lloyd did us a favour when riding last Saturday's nap – Any Which Way – for Michael Bell, and he rode a winner for the Kublers' on the same evening card at Doncaster.
GRIZEDALE is well drawn in stall three in the 1m1f handicap, making his belated seasonal reappearance having been gelded over the winter. The four-year-old has only had five career starts but looked promising – and in need of further – when scoring at Kempton over a mile in maiden company back in August, and it was a surprise to see him drop back to 7f when third – beaten half a length – later in the month.
He finished a good third at Ascot over a mile on soft ground on handicap debut – staying on strongly – before a below-par effort at Newmarket when last seen at the beginning of November. He holds an entry in the 10f John Smith's Cup – unlikely to get a run – here next month, which suggests connections feel his future is over further and he gets the each way vote.
There are no prices at the time of writing, but the sole tissue I have seen suggests that I can also support POINT OF CONTACT stepping up in trip to 9f for the first time for Andrew Balding.
Another who was gelded over the winter, the five-year-old was posted wide when running a terrific race over a mile here in the Hambleton handicap at the Dante meeting last month, when beaten three lengths from a 2lbs higher mark.
He has a slightly better draw in stall ten this afternoon and, with Oisin Murphy at Sandown, connections have booked Ryan Moore. He is by champion sprinter Blue Point, but his dam won over 10f, and she has already produced a winner over twelve furlongs.
Recommendations: Grizedale - 12/1 with bet365 & Point Of Contact - 3/1 with bet365
3:17pm Sandown - Beagle Bay
The betting suggested there would be other days for Raammee when he lost his unbeaten record over course and distance in the Whitsun Cup last month.
He was a bit keen on what was his seasonal reappearance, and is fitted with a hood for the first time by Roger Varian. His trainer had suggested in a Racing Post stable tour that he hoped he might be more than a handicapper in time, but his sole long-term entry is in the John Smith's Cup over an extended ten furlongs.
I think his supporters will know their fate early. If Ray Dawson can get the four-year-old settled and out from his good draw in stall one, then I think he will be tough to beat. If he refuses to drop his head or gets behind a wall of horses on the far rail, then he faces an uphill task.
Either way, he is entitled to come on for his first start since September, when he was impressive when winning a Newcastle Novice by 12l, although he only beat a 66-rated rival who was receiving 7lbs. He is reluctantly overlooked.
High Degree drops back to a mile, having pulled hard, but stayed on well, when second at Newbury over an additional quarter mile last time. He holds an entry in Wednesday's Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and needs to get a penalty to have any chance of getting a run. His form figures over a mile are 2-1-2, and he must run a big race, but the vote goes to BEAGLE BAY.
The selection also holds an entry in the Hunt Cup and looked one to keep onside when scoring at Yarmouth over seven furlongs on soft ground last month from a 9lbs lower mark.
The three unexposed four-year-olds are drawn 1-2-4, and Beagle Bay will appreciate the step back up to a mile having gone down by a head to Point Of Contact (see above) on racecourse debut. Beagle Bay looked green as grass when beaten by the Balding gelding at Newbury, and he was hugely impressive at Yarmouth. Softer ground would have suited, but he is one to have onside in the short term.
Recommendation: Beagle Bay - 11/4 with Ladbrokes
7:12pm Uttoxeter - Mr McWhinney (Each-Way) (Nap)
I'm a big fan of Tom Ellis, who may have inherited a well handicapped sort in MR McWHINNEY (Each-Way) (Nap), who was last seen winning a modest Irish point-to-point on good ground last month by thirty-eight lengths!
He did have bits of hurdles form for his previous yard, which suggests he could be well treated from a rating of seventy-eight, which is 5lbs lower than his hurdles mark. He was well supported (16s into 8s) when beaten almost 90l at Cartmel back in July over 3m2f, but he ran well for a long way, and his stamina gave way on ground that was softer than ideal.
He finished second at Fairyhouse in a 3m handicap hurdle from a 10lbs higher mark for his previous yard, and the hope is that the Ellis yard can build on his visually impressive win between the flags.
Recommendation: Mr McWhinney (Each-Way) (Nap) - 15/2 with bet365 (3 places)
5:02pm Bath - Thapa VC
Freebets.com are sponsoring the last two races on the Bath card, and in the 1m handicap, Dappled Light is 4lbs higher than when scoring over course and distance on fast ground last month.
The six-year-old has never won from a mark this high (59), but he is a dual course and distance winner, and he ran well from a mark of sixty-two last year on similar ground (good) to what he is likely to encounter today. He looks sure to run well, but top-weight THAPA VC gets the vote with Jack Callan taking off a valuable 3lbs.
The eight-year-old is another dual course and distance winner who will appreciate the drying ground and is 3lbs lower (6lbs if you take Callan's allowance) than when scoring here back in September. Well drawn in stall four, Mark Rimell had a winner on the level earlier in the week, and the veteran gets the nod.
Recommendation: Thapa VC - 9/4 with bet365
5:37pm Bath - Danehill Star
In the second division of the Best Football betting offers at freebets.com handicap the mare Namooz has course form figures of 1-2 and can race from the same mark as when beaten three-quarters-of-a-length here last month on firm ground.
The mare was rated in the seventies in the past and needs good or faster ground to be seen at her best, and the forecast suggests conditions should be at least good by the end of racing.
The vote, however, goes to Tony Carroll's DANEHILL STAR despite the fact that this six-time all-weather winner has yet to win on turf. The five-year-old was beaten less than 2 lengths behind Dappled Light on fast ground here last month and could easily get an uncontested lead. This slightly better ground will suit, and I hope it's a good day for the talented apprentice Jack Callan, who takes the ride.
Recommendation: Danehill Star - 10/3 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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