Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Wednesday, 11 November - Bangor-on-Dee & Ayr
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.
Charlie McCann's Tips - Wednesday, 11 November
12:30pm Bangor-on-Dee - Chuggy (Nap)
Only give go to post for the valuable two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase, but it is a cracker. Nicky Henderson suggested in a recent Stable Tour that he expected Laguna Beach to improve for the switch to fences and that a market move would be significant.
Bowenspark finished fourth in the Grade 2 Aintree Bumper back in 2023 and ran a career best over fences when running out an impressive winner over course and distance on soft ground from a 3lbs lower mark back in February. He remains a chaser of untapped potential, has gone well fresh in the past, but preference is for Dan Skelton’s CHUGGY (Nap).
The six-year-old won his first three chases last term and, while his form went downhill in the second half of the season, he is open to further improvement this term. He must give 6lbs to Bowenspark, but Skelton suggested of the selection in a stable tour:
“ I think he will be a massive improver this term and feel there is a lot more to come from him.”
If he is to be running top-end handicaps in the spring – which Skelton implies - then he needs to be going close from a mark of 125, but this is a hot race, and all five runners should have successful campaigns.
Recommendation: Chuggy (Nap) - 15/8 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
1:00pm Bangor-on-Dee - Sunset Marquesa
Jubilee Alpha was the best of these over hurdles, but she has left Paul Nicholls since being pulled up in the County Hurdle back in March and makes her chase debut for Faye Bramley this afternoon. One would imagine Bramley would have wanted Harry Cobden to ride, but he is needed at Ayr to ride Jeriko Du Reponet for J P McManus.
She finished over a length in front of SUNSET MARQUESA in a listed contest over 2m4f at Sandown back in January and is 2lbs better off today, but I hope to see the latter improve past the favourite on the switch to fences over this shorter trip.
The selection has the size and scope to make a much better chaser than hurdler, and Joe Tizzard has booked Dylan Johnston for the ride in the absence of Brendan Powell, who is hoping to be back before the busy Festive programme.
She would be receiving 8lbs from Jubilee Alpha if this were a handicap, but chasing should bring them together and a bigger threat might come from Onefournine who, similar to the selection, always struck me as the type to improve for the switch to fences.
Hills are the only firm betting on the race at the time of writing. I was hoping for something a bit bigger than their opening quote of 4/1.
Recommendation: Sunset Marquesa - 4/1 with William Hill
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3:13pm Ayr - Bridge Court
The 2m Novices’ Hurdle is a hot race with Jet Of Stars on a retrieval mission, having reported to have had an irregular heartbeat post-race when finishing last at Perth on his hurdles debut. He won his sole point and a Bumper here in March and is obviously better than he showed at Scone Palace, but Attin won his sole Bumper in a fast time on good ground here in April, and he is one I am looking forward to on hurdle debut. I said the same thing about Poets Whisper at Carlisle on Monday, and he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
A market move for the Irish raider Green Angel would be worth noting on handicap/chase debut. Fourth in his sole point-to-point, he was last seen finishing third in a soft ground 2m maiden hurdle here in the spring, but he represents powerful connections and his breeding suggests he should improve for the switch to fences.
The Russell/Scudamore yard have had eight winners in the last fortnight, and they saddle a couple. The veteran If Not For Dylan has had a run, but Whistle Stop Tour has run well fresh in the past and has dropped to a mark 9lbs lower than when last successful over today’s course and distance last January.
The vote, however, goes to BRIDGE COURT, who will be ridden by Brian Hughes for the first time for Sandy Thompson. The seven-year-old won at Musselburgh on his first start at the trip and is only 5lbs higher this afternoon. That win was gained on soft ground, but he does go on a sound surface.
His seasonal reappearance was disappointing, and he didn’t exactly scream next-time-out winner when beaten 26l, but that was over 2m4f, and he does now need further, and it was at a time when the yard’s newcomers were needing – badly in his instance - the run. Thompson has saddled three winners in the last two weeks, and the selection has been dropped 3lbs since Perth.
Recommendation: Bridge Court - 4/1 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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