Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Sunday, 31 May - Chantilly, Nottingham & Thirsk
Charlie heads to Chantilly 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.com.
1:40pm Chantilly - Cualificar (Nap)
Traditionalists will blow a basket, but the 10f Prix Du Jockey Club is becoming/has become the premier middle-distance classic of the three-year-old season. Brilliant Chester winner Constitution River faces a difficult but not impossible task from stall fifteen in today's tremendous renewal, although some good judges seem to think the once-raced Daryzan is a monster.
Throw in the unbeaten German colt Gostam – connections have booked Billy Loughnane to ride – and the placed horses in the French Guineas - Komorebi and Hankelow – and you have an ultra-competitive and high-class contest.
I hope to see CUALIFICAR (Nap) beat favourite Goliath in the Group 2 12f Grand Prix de Chantilly in the main hors d’oeuvres before the main event.
Andre Fabre's four-year-old was taken out of the Ganay last month – can't see any reason given by connections – at Longchamp but has had a run already this term when a close third over an inadequate trip (10f) in the Prix d'Harcourt. Second in the French Guineas last year, the selection improved for the step up to 12f when landing the Group 2 Prix Niel before disappointing in the Arc.
The six-year-old Goliath won the 2024 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and made most when second in the Amir Trophy when last seen at Doha at the end of February. It would be no surprise if he tried to adopt similar tactics this afternoon, given that he made all in the Group 1 Preis von Baden back in September.
William Buick returns to the saddle on Cualificar, and the hope is that he has too much pace for the older horse in a fascinating group two with the admiral seven-year-old Eydon the sole British representative.
Recommendation: Cualificar (Nap) - 2/1 with bet365
4:25pm Nottingham - Diamond Bay (Each-Way)
Last time out winners Tupero – up 4lbs – and Two Plus Two (+3lbs) have been treated leniently by the handicapper, and they are likely to head the market with the former still unexposed as a stayer, given that he has only had four career starts on turf.
The nine-year-old Tazaman will have his supporters, but I am going to take a chance on the year younger DIAMOND BAY (Each-Way) of Tom Ward, who saddled a winner with his last runner last weekend. His veteran has dropped 8lbs since the start of the season, and he showed a bit more in his first time in blinkers at Goodwood last time, although he was beaten 8 lengths in a race he had won twelve months ago.
Rob Hornby takes over in the plate for the first time and, while I appreciate that he has to take another step forward, this is a drop in class for the gelding, who has dropped to a mark more than a stone lower than his highest winning mark.
Two Plus Two is likely to go forward, and the more pace the better for the selection. Ward perseveres with blinkers, although I'm not convinced they made a great deal of difference on the Sussex Downs last time.
Recommendation: Diamond Bay (Each-Way) - 9/1 with bet365 (3 places)
5:15pm Thirsk - Cabrera (Each-Way)
The Skybet Sunday Series makes its way to Thirsk, and I hope to see CABRERA (Each-Way) build on her Newcastle reappearance, which was her first start in 329 days for Ed Bethell.
The mare has only raced twice since October 2024, but I remember backing her at Newmarket on the July course a couple of years ago when she was outstayed by the Irish mare Sixandahalf over 1m6f from a 1lb higher mark, having travelled like a dream until stamina became an issue.
It is possible that the grey will need a couple more runs to reach peak fitness, and she was a big drifter at Gosforth Park, but she is one I want to have on side this summer. She has been dropped 2lbs for the run and may need to come down another few pounds from her mark of eighty-four, but she is a personal favourite, and Ed Bethell has his string in good form with three winners from his last nine runners. The mare has been given eleven weeks to get over her Newcastle run, and the hope is that she strips a lot fitter for the run.
Letsbefrank's defeat of Krissy over 1m3f reads well in light of the second's subsequent exploits, and Jim Goldie's hat-trick seeker is the one to beat and is a worthy market leader. I wonder if Krissy's best form is over slightly shorter, however, and the favourite will need an end-to-end gallop to land his hat-trick.
Recommendation: Cabrera (Each-Way) - 8/1 with Ladbrokes (4 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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