Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Thursday, 23 July - Sandown
Charlie heads to Sandown 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.
It was reported overnight into Wednesday that David Egan had resigned his position as first jockey to the ghastly Amo Racing.
Kia Joorabchian, the sole director of Sports Invest Holdings, recently borrowed a further £15m from a US private equity firm, and it is surely only a matter of time before the whole thing goes pop.
Egan is a good jockey – not a great one – and they called on Rossa Ryan, who they had previously sacked, to ride their two winners in Ireland on Sunday.
The Racing Post suggested on Wednesday morning that Amo Racing will "adopt a best available policy for their big-race runners." Hardly a vote of confidence in Egan.
Their Global Brand Ambassador Frankie Dettori couldn't make yet another comeback, could he? Please no!
2:55pm Sandown - Aperoll (Nap)
I may well back Tall Trees in the market without APEROLL (Nap), and for much of the week, I was considering backing the former each way in the listed Star Stakes. Looking back on the Chesham Stakes at the Royal meeting, however, I have decided the Richard Hannon-trained filly is a worthy market leader, although stall seven is a slight concern.
Tall Trees remains a maiden after three starts, but she jinked right from the outside stall and was as green as grass when beaten less than four lengths by the well-backed Aperoll at Newbury on debut.
She dropped back in trip and was doing her best work late on when eighth - beaten 7l - in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing an excellent second – beaten a length - in a valuable 7f maiden at the July meeting earlier in the month.
The winner – Scomessa Sicura – was a length behind Aperoll at Newbury, so Tall Trees doesn't have a great deal to make up on Aperoll and has a ground-saving draw on the inside in stall one. Jamie Spencer takes over in the saddle for the first time for Brian Meehan, and he may need luck in running with his hold-up style, but I thought that was an excellent run at Newmarket, and the 8/1 available is a fair ew price.
Aperoll is drawn out in stall seven of eight, but she was quickly out of the gates at Ascot and looks the type to keep progressing as she has plenty of size and scope.
There are no markets without Aperoll advertised at present. If I can get 4/1 for Tall Trees, I will back the Meehan filly w/out the favourite in the race.
Recommendation: Aperoll (Nap) - 11/8 with Sky Bet
3:30pm Sandown - Tawajjah
Kamaway has won two of her last three starts and looked ready for a step up to ten furlongs when scoring by a head at Salisbury from a 5lbs lower mark over a mile last time. The filly is out of a half-sister to a Group 3 winner at 12f and looks the type to continue to progress as she stretches out her stamina.
She looks the one to beat given TAWAJJAH is a prime candidate to bounce given he ran such a big race a fortnight ago when second in a mile handicap at the July meeting from a 5lbs lower mark for his new stable of Oli Rix.
The four-year-old beat the 100-rated Plage De Havre over 9.4f at Wolverhampton on his last start for Roger Varian, but that was back in November 2024. He was off the track for 612 days prior to his Newmarket effort when he stayed on best of all, although he was still a length-and-a-half down at the line.
Johnny Peate keeps the ride for Rix, who has saddled five winners from thirty-nine runners this season. The step up to 10f is a plus for this ex-Shadwell-owned five-year-old, and Rix must feel he is over his recent run. If so, I believe he will take the world of beating.
Recommendation: Tawajjah - 5/2 with bet365
5:17pm Sandown - Strong Voice (Each-Way)
The concluding 8f handicap is a terrific race with Oisin Murphy a significant booking for Lodge stepping up in distance to a mile for the first time. A check of the market is advised.
The market is likely to be headed by the last time out winners Gone Rogue and Sail On Sailor, who both scored over an additional quarter of a mile last time. The latter looks the one to beat chasing a four-timer, and he has, surprisingly, only been raised 11lbs for his hat-trick, which culminated in a 10f win at Epsom earlier in the month from a 3lbs lower mark.
The second went one better at Nottingham on Tuesday, and the return to a mile is of no concern for the three-year-old, although he does have a modest draw to overcome in stall ten. The classic generation receive 8lbs weight-for-age from their elders, and I'm going to take a chance on another three-year-old, STRONG VOICE (Each-Way), who would have gone close at Ffos Las over slightly shorter last time and can run a big race from a 1lb higher mark.
The grey has only had four starts and had a wind operation prior to his last start, which was his handicap debut. He showed nothing on his sole previous start on turf but enjoyed the good ground in south Wales and is entitled to progress.
George Wood takes over in the saddle for James Horton, and he gets the each-way vote from a good draw in stall six.
Recommendation: Strong Voice (Each-Way) - 4/1 with bet365 (4 places)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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