Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Thursday, 17 September - Ayr & Pontefract
Charlie heads to Ayr 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.
There is rain forecast overnight at Ayr, and conditions for the opening day of the Western Meeting are likely to be a mix of soft and good to soft.
2:30pm Ayr - Valley Of Flowers
The three-year-old Darzah finished a one-paced second over a mile at Pontefract last time off this mark and looks worth a try at this 10f trip for William Haggas. Both her career wins have come on fast ground over eight furlongs, and she must prove both her stamina and ability to handle plenty of cut in the ground. The classic generation has won three of the last four renewals, but preference goes to the eight-year-old VALLEY OF FLOWERS.
The selection stays much further but is a strong traveller who won at Beverley over 12f last time from a 4lbs lower mark under Joanna Mason on heavy ground. Krissy invariably makes the running – often at a breakneck pace – and the hope is that she makes sure it is a true test, which should suit Valley Of Flowers, who won over 1m5f at this meeting in 2022 and 2023 and finished third in the same race last year.
She must overcome a career-high mark this afternoon and is not an obvious candidate to follow up back at 10f, but I can pick holes in the current form and/or suitability of underfoot conditions with all six of her rivals.
Recommendation: Valley Of Flowers - 4/1 with bet365
3:00pm Ayr - Galyx (Nap)
The Ladbrokes sponsored Killkerran Cup – again over a trip of 10f – is an absolute cracker and the three-year-old Wild Thoughts finished third in a similar – perhaps stronger - contest at Doncaster last week. He will be ridden by talk-of-the-town Saffie Osborne for inform trainer Richard Spencer and would be carrying an additional pound in the handicap from Saturday. He must have every chance if over those exertions.
GALYX (Nap) did us a huge favour when making all at Beverley last time from a 5lbs lower mark when he did well to get to the lead from his wide draw and ground his rivals into submission. He had a hard race at Beverley, and there must be a chance that an eighteen-day break is not sufficient, but Jack Channon must believe he is over his exertions and he can confirm placings with the second Impartiality, who has finished runner-up in his last three starts, having again finished second at Chester at the weekend.
The third – Per Contra – did us a favour when scoring at Redcar last week, and the Beverley form is strong although the draw – stall eight of eleven – has again been unkind to the selection. That said, there is no other confirmed front-runner in the field, although Dain Ma Nut In has made all in the past.
Recommendation: Galyx (Nap) - 5/2 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
3:08pm Pontefract - Traveling Man
The form of Morbeh's Windsor win over 11.5f back in May reads well given the subsequent exploits of the ill-fated second and third. He was a fluent scorer at Chester on his penultimate start before disappointing at Ascot last time out when third of four over ten furlongs. The step back up in trip should suit, but he is 13lbs higher than when scoring at Chester back in the spring and is overlooked.
Alma Latina has looked a non-stayer over 14f in her last two starts and will appreciate this drop back down in trip, and the handicapper has dropped the filly 3lbs since she found disappointingly little on the July course last time.
TRAVELING MAN was a fluent winner at Newmarket last time for Charlie Fellowes and can defy a 5lbs rise for that win in an apprentice event. Mason Paetel was in the saddle on the July course but could not claim, but he takes off a valuable 3lbs today, and I liked the way the gelding hit the line at both Salisbury – penultimate start – and Newmarket, and this stiff track should suit.
The ground was described as good on Wednesday morning after 2mm of rain, but the forecast is set fair, which is important as I would NOT want the word soft to appear in the going description, as he enjoys fast ground. He was taken out of a race at Kempton – reported to be off his feed – six days after his July course success, but the hope is that he is back on colour for what is a fascinating and, hopefully, informative handicap.
Recommendation: Traveling Man - 11/8 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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