Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Thursday, 6 August - Newmarket, Sandown & Chepstow
Charlie heads to Newmarket 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.
4:33pm Newmarket - High Fibre (Nap)
The seven-year-old HIGH FIBRE (Nap) won the valuable Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen last time out in a first-time visor on just his second start for James Owen. The selection had previously run an eye-catching race on debut for the yard back on the level when staying on in third at York over twelve furlongs.
He steps up to 2m for the first time this afternoon, but stayed two-and-a-half miles well on his sole start at that trip over timber, and Owen has a happy knack of improving horses from other yards. The booking of the excellent Cieren Fallon is considered a plus.
High Fibre was going away at the end of the Summer Hurdle and gave every impression he needed a stiffer test when third on the Knavesmire although he was beaten six lengths behind two well handicapped rivals. He could easily improve for the step up in distance on the flat.
Owen saddles two of the five runners in the field with another seven-year-old Percy Shelley - a guaranteed stayer despite not having won at the trip – the mount of George Wood. Note Owen should also saddle the winner of the Sandown finale courtesy of recent recruit Great Blasket although the latter is likely to go off a very warm order with Oisin Murphy taking over in the plate for the first time.
High Fibre was previously trained by Ralph Beckett on the flat, and the latter saddles the unexposed three-year-old filly Koala Rose, owned in partnership by Brighton FC owner Tony Bloom. She, too, steps up to 2m for the first time, and a market move would be noteworthy.
Recommendation: High Fibre (Nap) - 3/1 with bet365
5:00pm Sandown - What’s The Plan
Warning Sign is a dual course winner who landed the 10f opener for amateur jockeys twelve months ago from a 9lbs lower mark. This will have been the plan since he dotted up at Goodwood over a mile under his owner/jockey David Dunsdon from a 6lbs lower mark on soft ground back in June.
He looks the one to beat, but he may struggle to give a stone to the three-year-old WHAT'S THE PLAN, who has not had the rub of the green in his last couple of starts and has the assistance of the excellent Eireann Cagney for the first time this afternoon.
The three-year-old is a half-brother to the talented pair Pina Sonata and Sky Safari, and it will be disappointing if a rating of seventy-five is the ceiling of his ability. Drumstick is likely to make the running, and the hope is for a decent gallop, as I'm not convinced a tactical race would suit the James Fanshawe-trained selection.
Recommendation: What's The Plan - 9/2 with bet365
7:05pm Chepstow - Serenity Blue
This is a day when I could have put up at least a handful of selections, but one of the races I am most looking forward to is the mile handicap at Chepstow, which is a fascinating contest.
There are two last time out course winners in the field – both mares – Auburn Avenue and Spirit Of The Bay but I would be disappointed if either doubled up in what looks a much stronger race than the contests they landed here thirteen days ago.
Talis Evolvere is dropping down the weights and will have his supporters, but my two against the field are both dropping down in trip, Windbreaker – the sole 3-y-old in the field and SERENITY BLUE with preference for the latter.
Windbreaker was too keen and failed to get home at Newbury over 10f last time in first-time cheekpieces. He remains a maiden after six starts for William Haggas, but cost 375,000 gns as a yearling and is bred to be smart.
As a son of Sea The Stars, connections must have hoped he inherited his father's stamina, but he is out of a Group 3 6f/1m winner, and it is possible that he has just been running over too far. The headgear he wore at Newbury are retained this evening and Harry Davies keeps the ride with Tom Marquand (Leopardstown) and Cieren Fallon (Newmarket) required elsewhere.
I hope that this straight mile will bring about a change in fortunes in Serenity Blue who dropped back from 12 to 10f at Doncaster last time and was cantering all over his rivals two out before falling in a hole. He, too, wore cheekpieces for the first time on his last start, and the headgear is retained tonight.
The James Horton-trained four-year-old has not run over a mile with all nine of his career starts – including two Novice successes – coming over a minimum of ten furlongs, but this strong traveller is worth a try at this new trip, and he has dropped 5lbs for his three starts so far this term.
It is possible that the selection will find this trip an insufficient test, but I am convinced that he is worth a shot at a mile, and the hope is that he gets a good gallop to chase.
Recommendation: Serenity Blue - 7/2 with Paddy Power
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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