Charlie McCann’s Horse Racing Tips For Thursday, 14 May - York & Perth
Charlie heads to York on Thursday 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.
2:55pm York - Sea Force
SEA FORCE has been raised 1lb for finishing third in the Thirsk Hunt Cup last time, when he hit the line hard and would surely have won had he not met significant trouble in running as he tried to make his challenge down the far rail.
He ran poorly when burdened with my cash at Musselburgh on his reappearance, having been hugely impressed with his Yarmouth win on soft ground over nine furlongs back in September. Conditions were still on the fast side of good at York first thing Wednesday morning, but there were further showers forecast throughout yesterday and overnight.
I expect the ground to be good to soft on the Knavesmire and would be disappointed if the William Haggas-trained four-year-old did not reverse Thirsk form with winner Mirsky on 2lb better terms. The last four winners of the corresponding race have been drawn 1-6-5-5, and a low draw is perceived as a plus over a mile at York, and the selection has a plum draw in stall three. There was 6/1 available on the four-year-old when betting opened, but the selection is a best price at 7/2 at the time of writing.
I was with Shout in the Lincoln, but he finished in midfield, having been keen. He was well supported in the Spring Cup at Newbury last time out, but was again well held, beaten 5l. His last career success came on soft ground, but from an 8lbs lower mark, and a bigger threat may come from Cerulean Bay, who ran well over an inadequate seven furlongs at Haydock on his return.
Old Cock won the corresponding race twelve months ago and is only 1lb higher in the handicap today. He left Ed Bethell for Anthony Brittain over the winter and was well held at Newbury on his reappearance.
Recommendation: Sea Force - 7/2 with bet365
I'm looking forward to the Dante - the feature race of the whole meeting – but I do think we saw the Derby winner at Chester last week and, with doubts about the well-being of the Charlie Appleby stable, this will likely be another one for Ballydoyle with Ballysax winner Christmas Day just favoured over Action.
5:15pm York - Arc Ole Ole (Nap)
The concluding 12f handicap for the classic generation is ultra-competitive, but I also want to be with the market leader, courtesy of ARC OLE OLE (Nap), a winner of two of his three starts for Dylan Cunha. The colt will relish any significant rain, given he won a Bath Novice over a mile – beating Heroics, who reopposes today – on soft ground, and he made a winning reappearance when scoring at Doncaster's Lincoln meeting stepped up to ten furlongs.
Both successes have been gained with cut in the ground, and he looks sure to relish the step up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time. He has been raised 4lbs since Doncaster, but that was just his third career start, and he is entitled to improve again for that experience and today's extra yardage.
Luke Morris was in the plate in South Yorkshire, but he has the day off, and James Doyle takes over on the colt. The selection is the half-brother to a 2m winner, and he, like Sea Force earlier in the card, opened up at 6/1 but has been nibbled into 4/1 at the time of writing.
Hard To Believe has a similar profile to the selection, having won two of his three starts. His Wolverhampton Novice success over 9.5f has been franked by the second and third, and he, too, gives the impression he will improve again for the step up in distance.
Sudbury Hill and Baltic Fleet are others to consider in a tremendous finale, but I have been waiting for the selection since Doncaster and am convinced he is better than his current mark. He will have to be though!!
Recommendation: Arc Ole Ole (Nap) - 4/1 with Ladbrokes
2:33pm Perth - Busty Boy
Largy Force will likely be all the rage in the 3m handicap chase at Perth, and Sean Bowen will not look back too fondly on the ride he gave the mare last time. He looked to be cantering all over the winner going to two out, but he made a mistake at the last and failed to quite get to Inflexible off a 3lbs lower mark.
The winner has since followed up over further at Chepstow and is now rated 10lbs higher in the weights, which makes Olly Murphy's charge look extremely well weighted. Murphy has assembled a very strong raiding party for the two-day meeting, and this will be a banker for many, but my cliff horse is BUSTY BOY, and the hope is that the oddsmakers put the mare in too short and overlook the selection at a track he runs so well.
I am still kicking myself for recommending Busty Boy and not winner El Granjero in the Highlands National over 3m6f last time, given the nine-year-old does not stay that trip. As in 2025, he looked the winner going to three out, but his stamina gave way, and he was beaten eleven lengths.
He has not been raised for that effort, although he travelled like the best horse in the race for over three miles. Trainer Daragh Bourke has not had a winner for over three months, and he booked Sean Bowen for the Highlands National last time. Not even the great Bowen could stretch his stamina to 3m6f, and Bowen is back on Largy Force today, allowing Danny McMenamin to return to the plate today.
Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore saddle two in the race, and the hope is that Cosmic Blizzard or Inis Oirr go forward as the more pace in the race, the better for Busty Boy, who is closely matched with Red Letter on Carlisle form from last March. The latter blotted his copybook when refusing to race at Kelso last time, returning from a lengthy absence, and is best watched at present.
Recommendation: Busty Boy - 9/2 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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