Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Saturday, 17 October - Ascot & Market Rasen
Charlie heads to Ascot 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.
As in 2025, good ground for Champions Day with a dry forecast. It is a meeting that has a history of throwing up some shock winners irrespective of the ground.
In the two-year-old Conditions race, I was considering supporting Arapaho Gold (12:55pm), but trainer Michael Dods has gone sixty runners - almost a month - without a winner, although several have run well in defeat in the last week.
1:30pm Ascot - Gregory & Amiloc
No Scandinavia in the Long Distance Cup, but it is a magnificent race with dual Prix Du Cadran winner Caballo De Mar heading the market. George Scott's stayer disappointed in his sole start after Longchamp twelve months ago – Prix Royal-Oak at Saint Cloud – and he must have had a hard race in Paris. This will be his seventh start since March, and he has been a credit to Scott and his staff. But this may be a bridge too far.
Dylan Browne McMonagle is fit again and replaces Saffie Osborne in the saddle on St Leger winner Highwayman, whose meteoric rise in the second half of the season has been extraordinary.
I have backed two GREGORY and AMILOC, although the former has been very well supported and the last remaining 4/1 available did not last on Friday morning.
Gregory has won both starts in a light campaign this year and was visually very impressive when scoring at Newmarket over 2m last time. I thought he was going to be a Gold Cup horse when taking the Queen's Vase back in 2023, but he doesn't stay two-and-a-half miles and has flattered to deceive on more than one occasion in the past.
He looked a reformed character at Newmarket when he could have been called the winner for the last mile, and good ground is ideal.
Hector Crouch fell off Amiloc after a few strides at Goodwood – he was actually first past the post – and dislikes York, but he showed his true colours at Salisbury last time when winning a modest Salisbury contest under Rossa Ryan on soft ground. He would have been the sole recommendation on soft ground, but I backed him at Goodwood and feel he owes me one.
Recommendations: Gregory - 7/2 with bet365 & Amiloc - 14/1 with William Hill
3:20pm Ascot - Gstaad (Nap)
GSTAAD (Nap) beat Talk Of New York when the pair filled the places behind the now-retired Bow Echo in the St James's Palace Stakes over the round course here back in June. He is taken to confirm the form despite finishing out of the first two for the first time in his career when third in the Moulin at Longchamp last month.
That was on lightning-fast ground and Friday morning's rain should have taken any sting out of the ground, and Gstaad can confirm Royal Ascot form on the straight course with stablemate Hawk Mountain likely to ensure an end-to-end gallop. He is drawn out on the wing in stall eleven with the stalls placed on the far side. Why are they not in the centre?
French Guineas winner Rayif beat Zeus Olympios a head in the Jacques le Marois at Deauville when last seen in August and looks to have been laid out for the race. I can see him running well but not quite being good enough.
Recommendation: Gstaad (Nap) - 3/1 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
4:35pm Ascot - Scoville & Gavriel
Colori Forever has been on my radar for the Balmoral for a couple of months, but he compromised his chance when falling out of the stalls at Newmarket last time. Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle, and he will be a threat to all if he breaks on terms, but he will also need luck in running given he likes to come off the pace.
I make no apologies for recommending and backing market leaders SCOVOLLE (23) and GAVRIEL (18), as I do think they will be tough to beat. Yes, we have had 80/1 winners of this competitive mile handicap in the past decade, but we have also had five winners with SP's of 8/1 or less.
Scoville did us a favour when running away with a Doncaster handicap at the Leger meeting, and a 4lbs rise is fair as he looked to be running all over his field from just past halfway. The second – Moonfall – has since been beaten a head in a valuable 7f handicap here from a 2lbs higher mark and Scoville had more than once hinted he was a group race performer in waiting.
You can put a line through his Hunt Cup form as he did too much too soon on the wrong side of the track. The William Haggas yard have won the corresponding race twice in the last five years, including with Crown Of Oaks – who reopposes today from a 5lbs lower mark.
The three-year-old Gavriel won his race – 1st of seventeen – on the stands' side in the Cambridgeshire when a beaten favourite last time, and the three-year-old drops back down a furlong, which is a slight concern given his previous impressive win here came over ten furlongs.
The noises coming out of the yard before Newmarket suggested connections thought he was well treated off his current mark, and the hope is that a high draw is not a disadvantage given both recommendations are drawn towards the stands' side.
Recommendations: Scoville at 5/1 with Coral & Gavriel - 5/1 with Ladbrokes
1:50pm Market Rasen - Glenmuick (Each-Way)
Galway Reel was a revelation on his first start for Olly Murphy, winning by 12l and a 9lbs rise is fair, such was the ease of the success. He was backed into odds on here last time and looks sure to be a short price again despite the handicapper having had his say.
I am going to take a chance, however, on the Charlie Longsdon-trained GLENMUICK (Each-Way) who is every inch a chaser and ran well at Ffos Las on his penultimate start when runner-up over hurdles stepped up to 3m for the first time.
David Bass takes over in the plate for the first time since finishing down the field in a 2m novice hurdle on soft ground at the minimum trip back in December. Bass was excellent on I Love You Sivola at Hereford midweek for Max Comley and his booking today suggests, at least to my eyes, that he is ready to do himself justice on chase debut.
He is bred to jump a fence and receives 15lbs from the likely short-priced favourite.
Recommendation: Glenmuick (Each-Way) - 8/1 with bet365 (3 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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