Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Sunday, 25 October - Aintree & Market Rasen
Charlie heads to Market Rasen on Sunday 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.
After a long dry summer the rain has arrived and there is the possibility of up to 20mm of rain at Cheltenham on Thursday night into Friday morning.
The ground was described as a mix of good and good to soft on Thursday morning, but that will ease and good ground horses are likely to not get their conditions after all for the opening Showcase meeting.
2:25pm Aintree - Monbeg Genius
Conditions were described as good to soft on Saturday morning for Aintree's first meeting of the new season, but there is further significant rain forecast for later in the day. Strong winds rather than rain are the concern for race day.
Grozni won the Borders National at Kelso back in December and, with Sandy Thompson having a quiet start, the possibility is that he is being primed for a repeat bid. If fully tuned, his ability to stay further will be a big advantage if conditions turn attritional.
The vote, however, goes to MONBEG GENIUS, who ended last term with an excellent fifth in the Irish National over 3m5f+ when he led over two out before fading. This is his first Veterans' Chase and represents a drop in class from the races he was contesting last term.
Yes, it is possible that he is being primed for bigger targets in this series, and he doesn't have a great record first time out, but the O'Neill yard are in excellent form, and he is taken to give weight and a beating to his rivals.
Hold Your Fort is race fit, having finished second off the same mark at Ffos Las earlier in the month. He will make them all go from the front but, if Monbeg Genius is fit to do himself justice, I hope to see the selection pick him off on the long run between two out and the last.
Recommendation: Monbeg Genius - 7/2 with bet365
2:41pm Market Rasen - Rivers Corner (Nap)
Only four go to post for the stayers' handicap chase, but they bet 9/4 the field, and it's a cracking little contest.
The Tizzard yard have had a fabulous start to the season, and I hope to see RIVERS CORNER (Nap) make a winning reappearance if Market Rasen passes their 8:00am inspection.
A thorough stayer who did us a couple of favours last term - both right-handed - he can continue to pay his way in marathon contests, and this 3m3f+ contest looks an ideal starting point.
Paper Mill heads the market having scored at Southwell from a 5lbs lower mark last time. This is a much deeper race, but he does have race fitness on his side. I will be disappointed if the selection cannot give him weight and a beating with the stable in such red-hot form.
Recommendation: Rivers Corner (Nap) - 11/4 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
3:35pm Aintree - Glancing Jack
I thought GLANCING JACK was a handicap hurdler to follow this term for Tom Symonds, but he has been bought privately by Jimmy Fyffe in the close season and sent to Dan Skelton. The pair combined to send out a winner at the Festival in March, and I wonder if this is their Coral Cup horse for the Festival?
A fluent scorer at Hereford in February, I backed the horse at Newbury when second the following month and was disappointed at the time. The winner - Storming George - went on to win the 2m Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Aintree and is now rated 19lbs higher in the weights.
The selection is only 2lbs higher than Newbury and is the preferred ride of Harry Skelton from the three runners his brother saddles.
Norm Iron is a personal favourite and is rated 7lbs lower over hurdles than fences. This may be a sighter for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month, but he is well handicapped over timber. Harry Derham has had a slow start to the season, but that won't last long.
I appreciate the selection is very skinny and he would be 5/1 or bigger if still trained by Symonds, but he does hold outstanding claims.
Recommendation: Glancing Jack - 15/8 with Coral
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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