Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Thursday, 16 July - Hamilton, Worcester & Epsom
Charlie heads to Worcester 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.
4:00pm Hamilton - Jannas Journey
The feature Class 2-mile handicap is a cracker with preference for English Oak, runner-up to Saleel in the corresponding race last year, although he is not a recommendation.
The other mile handicap – class four - sees recent 1m Carlisle winner JANNAS JOURNEY lock horns again with runner up Inspired, and the winner can confirm the form on 1lb better terms – including jockey's allowances.
That Carlisle run was a welcome return to form for Jim Goldie's mare, who had a magnificent 2025, winning five handicaps, including here off a basement mark of forty-seven over six furlongs on this card twelve months ago.
The mare has never won from a mark this high in the past and never won beyond a mile, but she wasn't stopping at the Cumbria track last time and is only 2lbs above from highest previous winning mark. She has won on fast ground in the past, although ideally, she would want some cut.
Kaleido went down by half a length over course and distance last week, and he and last week's Ayr 10f second Break The Bank are both 1lb well-in with their new ratings not kicking in until the weekend.
It will need a career best from Jannas Journey, and she has the worst of the draw in stall five, but she has a potent turn of foot, and, when she hit form last year, she was irresistible. It will be much harder to run up a sequence twelve months on, but she gets the vote.
Recommendation: Jannas Journey - 9/4 with bet365
5:10pm Hamilton - Time Turner
Alnayef is likely to be all the rage following his 7l romp over course and distance in an amateur riders' event, but he was a seventeen-race maiden going into the race and was ridden by the most talented jockey – Eireann Cagney – in the race. That said, the third has run well in defeat twice subsequently, and a 6lbs rise looks fair.
TIME TURNER is not bred to get 1m5f, but his sole career success came over Newcastle's extended 1m4f, and he wasn't beaten far when fourth at Musselburgh over 12f on his first start in over 140 days last month.
I was surprised to see him drop back down to 10f at Nottingham earlier in the month when he travelled well but was left behind from two furlongs out. He was only beaten 4l and gave the impression he would appreciate a step back up in trip.
He remains 4lbs higher than when scoring at Gosforth Park at the beginning of the year, and his stamina is not guaranteed, but the Ed Bethell yard remains in good form. Connor Beasley returns to the saddle with Callum Rodriguez having a couple of days off.
Recommendation: Time Turner - 3/1 with bet365
6:27pm Worcester - Huckleberry Sting (Nap)
Knightsbridge has won two of his three starts over fences over 3m & 2m4f here despite the fact that he goes right at his fences, although it wasn't as marked when scoring cosily over the shorter trip last time.
He has been raised 12lbs for those victories, but he remains ahead of the handicapper and is, arguably, the one to beat, given he is open to further improvement over the larger obstacles.
That said, I was hugely impressed with HUCKLEBERRY STING (Nap) at Market Rasen last time when he could be called the winner from some way out and, if in the same mood, a 7lbs penalty is unlikely to prevent him following up.
The selection has won 50% of his four chase starts but finished tamely, having travelled best, in those two defeats. I swerved him at Market Rasen, thinking him a doubtful stayer over a trip which was officially 312 yards further than the advertised distance, although the winning time suggested that was complete nonsense, and it was no further than its official 2m7f191y.
He carries a 7lbs penalty for that recent success – due to go up another pound from Saturday – and will travel best. If he puts his best foot forward – as he did in Lincolnshire – I think he will have too much for Knightsbridge, who is considered the chief threat.
Recommendation: Huckleberry Sting (Nap) - 11/4 with bet365
6:55pm Epsom - Tiger
Booziebrunch made all to win a modest three-runner race at Newmarket last time but has only been raised 5lbs for what was an eight-and-a-half length victory. He is the sole representative of the classic generation who receive a healthy 9lbs weight-for-age from their elders over 10f at this stage of the season.
Trainer Ian Williams – fresh from another Bunbury Cup success at the weekend – saddled the runner up to Booziebrunch – Jodhpur Blue – on the July course and should know where he stands with TIGER who is taken to go one better than when second at Doncaster over an additional couple of furlongs last time.
His sceptics will tell you that his best form is on ground with plenty of cut, but it was good ground at worst at Doncaster last time – winning time just one second above standard – although the winner Optician disappointed at York last weekend.
Tiger is 2lbs higher this afternoon than York – five if you include his jockey's claim in South Yorkshire – and his sole win came on the all-weather, but if he copes with the prevailing fast ground, I believe he will be tough to beat.
Recommendation: Tiger - 5/2 with Sky Bet
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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