Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Saturday, 23 May - Goodwood, Haydock & Bangor
Charlie heads to Haydock 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.
A classic weekend in Ireland, and it is hard to see Gstaad meeting with defeat in the Irish 2000 Guineas, given he had the third – Distant Storm – eight lengths behind when second to the unbeaten Bow Echo in the Newmarket equivalent.
He is unlikely to meet anything of that calibre this afternoon and can give Aidan O'Brien yet another winner in the race.
Note the Racing Post website is so appalling that I cannot find how many home Guineas he has won. It really is a desperate "upgrade."
1:25pm Goodwood - Startled & Catullus
Rather than back one each way in the valuable 7f handicap, I have had a bit on a couple win only.
STARTLED did us a huge favour at York earlier in the month, and he did extremely well to come from last to first, having been badly hampered on the home turn. He has been raised 7lbs for that narrow but comprehensive success, goes on all ground and Saffie Osborne, who was in the plate at the Knavesmire, keeps the ride from stall five.
Note that only one horse in the last decade has won the race from a double-figure draw, and that was Rhoscolyn on soft ground back in 2021. As I write, the 11/2 has gone, but there are plenty of 5s available.
Wechaad has a modest draw in stall fifteen, although it is possible that the field will migrate to the centre to stands' side. If that is the case at Friday's meeting at the Sussex track, then I will save on Roger Varian's colt, who was last seen finishing third in the Horris Hill at Newbury. Connections have been waiting for a bit of cut in the ground, but conditions look to have gone against them with the ground described as a mix of good to soft and good on Saturday morning, with a dry and warm forecast.
The other vote goes to Charlie Appleby's CATALLUS (2), who is well drawn and has bits of juvenile and form from Meydan earlier in the year, which give him every chance.
He has been gelded and had a wind operation since disappointing, dropped back to 6f at Meydan in February. I backed him on his previous start over 7f when he was just edged out of it by Northern Champion (now rated 104) with the 106-rated Title Role back in third. The selection can race from a mark of nighty-six today, and with the Appleby yard back in top form, after going missing for a fortnight, he can go close.
Recommendations: Startled - 5/1 with bet365 & Catullus - 13/2 with William Hill
2:20pm Haydock - Langstone (Each-Way) (Nap)
The final day of Haydock's three-day meeting, which started on soft ground, times on Thursday backed that up, but conditions will be drying all the time. It would be no surprise if conditions were tacky or holding when they go to post for the first, and I suggest bets are kept to a minimum.
My two against the field in the William Hill sponsored Silver Bowl are Princling and LANGSTONE (Each-Way) (Nap), with preference for the latter, who will be ridden by Clifford Lee for the first time with the excellent Rob Hornby, who has ridden the gelding in all three starts, having a full book of rides at Goodwood.
Princling made it third time lucky when scoring at Wetherby in a fast ground novice. This Kingman colt is unproven on ground with any cut, but his second at Newmarket to the 104-rated Yazin on his penultimate start suggested he was one worth following.
Langston is by Mayson and should appreciate the ground, but the grey has yet to prove his stamina for a mile, having won his two starts this term over seven furlongs. He was doing all his best work late on when getting up close home at Doncaster (good to soft) back in March before defying a penalty in a Kempton Novice when he was again doing his best work late on.
He was intimidated and carried across the track to the stand side last time, and I thought he was value for more than the length-and-a-half he had in hand at the line. He is out of a mile winner, but his breeding does suggest seven furlongs will be his optimum; 9/1 looked too big on Friday morning.
Recommendation: Langstone (Each-Way) (Nap) - 9/1 with Paddy Power (5 places)
2:25pm Bangor - Le Gentleman
The Irish challenger Herja will have her supporters, given she looked a non-stayer over 3m over timber last time, but she has shown little in her two chase starts, although the handicapper has given her every chance.
The French import LE GENTLEMAN looked ready for a step up in trip when a staying on third at Chepstow over the minimum trip on what was just his second start since joining his current yard.
He was weak in the market and held up out the back in South Wales, but the hope is that he is ridden more prominently this afternoon. He finished runner-up in a 2m2f+ in the French provinces back in September, and the stable of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have had five winners from their last nineteen runners.
Charlie Todd was in the plate last month, but Toby Wynne takes over this afternoon. The selection has been dropped a pound since Chepstow, but the additional half-mile looks the key.
Big Boy Barney was disappointing at Huntingdon last time on a track he had scored at back in March. He is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time by Fergal O'Brien.
Recommendation: Le Gentleman - 11/2 with bet365
4:05pm Haydock - Hermetic (Each-Way)
Four-year-olds have won the 2m handicap six times in the last ten renewals, including Caballo De Mer, who won a second Group 1 in Paris on Thursday evening. We may not have a Group 1 winner in the field this afternoon, but I do think Pole Star is open to further improvement, representing Charlie Johnston, whose father saddled the winner twice since 2017.
I wasn't convinced he stayed this 2m trip at Newbury on his reappearance, however, as mirrored by the post-race comments of jockey William Buick, although I appreciate all he did was stay at Newmarket last time dropped back to 1m6f when Jason Hart went down the centre of the track while the action was unfolding down the far rail. He looks the one to beat.
The vote, however, goes to another four-year-old, the French import HERMETIC (Each-Way), who cost his present connections 105,000 euros last autumn, having won two of four starts for Christophe Ferland, including over this trip on soft ground.
That form is hard to equate, but he did run well on his British debut at York when fourth over 12f on ground, arguably, quicker than ideal. He is entitled to improve for the run, and he gets the each-way vote for Ian Williams, who does so well with his stayers.
Recommendation: Hermetic (Each-Way) - 15/2 with bet365 (4 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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