Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Saturday, 15 August - Newbury, Ripon, Doncaster & Perth
Charlie heads to Newbury 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.
2:35pm Newbury - Scoville
SCOVILLLE has been dropped a couple of pounds since finishing down the field in the Coral Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood, but on both starts this term – also the Hunt Cup - he has given the impression that a drop back to seven furlongs will suit.
He led inside the final furlong – drawn on the wrong side – but faded when finishing seventh at Royal Ascot and did too much too soon from his wide draw (18) when down the field at Goodwood.
Addison Grey and Stellar Sunrise – fitted with cheekpieces for the first time – can go forward and I would like Tom Marquand to get a lead on the selection, but he will likely try and make all, and it should be noted that he has disappointed in both previous starts at seven furlongs.
He is short enough in the betting at 5/2 given he has not won for over twelve months and five starts, but he looked better than a handicapper in his first couple of runs, and I do think that this drop back in distance will suit.
Stellar Sunrise bolted up over course and distance from a 5lbs lower mark on his reappearance but has been below that form of late. Andrew Balding has applied headgear for the first time, and he is considered the chief threat. He is the sole three-year-old in the field, and two representatives of the classic generation have won the race in the last decade.
Recommendation: Scoville - 5/2 with bet365
4:55pm Newbury - Golden Knight (Nap)
There are a couple of potential improvers stepping up to 10f for the first time in the three-year-old handicap, but I hope to see Hector Crouch – regular pilot Kieran Shoemark is riding Fort George in a Grade 1 in Saratoga this evening – make plenty of use of GOLDEN KNIGHT.
Ed Walker's Camelot colt rallied when headed at Ascot over this trip last time but was going away at the line when winning a neck from a 3lbs lower mark. Walker suggested back in the spring in a Racing Post interview that he had been slow to come to hand but that:
"We really like him, and he showed he's a smart colt when winning at Newmarket last October. We just need to be patient."
That patience was rewarded at Ascot, and I hope Crouch can get the fractions right on this lightly raced colt who will surely return to further in time.
Recommendation: Golden Knight (Nap) - 3/1 with Ladbrokes
4:30pm Ripon - Clocker
A market move for Musical Accord – cost 350,000gns as a yearling – would be significant on her handicap debut but she is not guaranteed to appreciate this stamina test on breeding, and she has shown next to nothing in her three starts to date. She runs in the colours of Doreen Tabor – wife of Michael – and races from an opening mark of just seventy.
The vote goes to Ed Bethell's CLOCKER, who has improved for stepping up in distance to eleven and twelve furlongs of late, winning at Hamilton on his penultimate start (11f) before running very well in defeat when going down by a neck from today's mark at Leicester last time.
Oisin Orr takes over in the plate for the first time for a yard who have saddled eight winners in the last two weeks from just twenty-five runners. They could hardly be in better form.
Recommendation: Clocker - 2/1 with bet365
5:20pm Doncaster - Sound Gloria
SOUND GLORIA is bred to appreciate a test of stamina and duly improved when given a mark and stepping up in distance when staying on into third at Nottingham on her penultimate start – beaten two lengths - over ten furlongs.
She improved again when scoring at Catterick over an additional quarter of a mile last time, giving the impression she would relish today's stiffer test and long straight. She will need to from a 5lbs higher mark, but it will be disappointing if a rating of fifty-seven is the ceiling of her ability.
The classic generation still receive 11lbs weight-for-age from their elders at this stage of the season, and half of the eight-runner field are three-year-olds.
The chief threat, however, is likely to come from Is She Now, who will be ridden by talented 7lbs claimer Toby Moore, and the mare has form figures of 1-1-4-2-2 since joining her current yard. She is edging up the weights – 14lbs higher than when scoring at Ayr in June –, but Moore's claim halves the rise and this 1m6f+ trip looks perfect.
She looks the one to beat, but she is vulnerable to a potential improver, and Sound Gloria is preferred.
Recommendation: Sound Gloria - 10/11 with Paddy Power
2:15pm Perth - Follow Your Luck
Great to have the jumps back after their three-week sabbatical and the 2m4f handicap chase is an absolute cracker.
Tamarind Bay is unbeaten in his two chase starts but has been raised 13lbs for those facile successes, and this is a better race than the ones he has run away with in recent weeks for Mikey Bowen, who won the corresponding race twelve months ago.
Ras Kassar may have bumped into one at Uttoxeter last time, and this French import looks sure to go close with Dylan Johnston taking over in the plate for the first time. The vote, however, goes to the chasing debutant FOLLOW YOUR LUCK, a winner between the flags before winning both hurdle starts at Sedgefield in February.
He looks every inch a chaser, and this looks a good starting point for his chase career. Interestingly, Brian Hughes has ridden the winner of this corresponding race five times in the last ten renewals, and he keeps the ride on the five-year-old.
Recommendation: Follow Your Luck - 5/2 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
For more daily previews across every sport, check out our full betting tips hub, and head to our guide on the best betting sites for the latest sign-up offers to back today's selections.
More Horse Racing Tips
Check out more from the Freebets horse racing hub, including tips, stats, market movers and today’s racecards!
