Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Wednesday, 21 October - Newmarket & Fontwell
Charlie heads to Fontwell on Wednesday 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.
4:10pm Newmarket - Proposal
A market move for Previous on her belated seasonal reappearance would be worth noting given the form of the Kevin Philippart De Foy stable. She finished third when last seen in the listed Montrose Stakes over today’s C&D when last seen at the beginning of November on good to soft ground. Conditions are likely to be similar this afternoon although it is worth noting that she was taken out of the 10f listed Pride Stakes here with a bad scope earlier in the month.
Callianassa was a facile winner at York last time back on soft ground, but the handicapper took a dime view and has been reassessed 9lbs higher. The vote goes to the William Haggas trained 3-y-old PROPOSAL who looked ready for a return to a mile when second in a decent Thirsk race last time.
The filly finished as well as anything when fifth at the Glorious Goodwood meeting over a mile on her penultimate start and that form has some substance to it. James Doyle cannot do 8st 10lbs so Tom Marquand returns to the plate on the selection.
Recommendation: Proposal at 5/2
Good ground at Hexham and a disappointing field of just three runners for the valuable Beginners Chase over 2m4f. The likes of Nicky Henderson will be moaning there are no opportunities for his novice chasers soon, yet there is nearly £16,000 on offer on good ground at a track where they have had 34mm of rainfall so far this month.
Just how expensive is diesel? Both Royal Infantry and Jeriko Du Reponet – beaten favourite in the Kim Muir back in March when trained by Henderson - have disappointed over the larger obstacles although this trip will suit the Skelton horse more.
1:40pm Worcester - Scorpio Rising
Worcester are still describing their ground as good (good to soft in places), but the times suggested it was nearer soft than good to soft at the last meeting and they had 5mm of rain overnight into Monday and further significant rain due Tuesday afternoon and during raceday. However they describe conditions, I expect times equating to soft ground.
The valuable Beginners Chase is worth the admission fee alone with two potential top class staying chasers in opposition and it will likely come down to which of SCORPIO RISING and Klimt Madrik jumps the best with preference for the former.
Klimt Madrik is a fine-looking horse who finished second at Newbury in the G1 Challow Hurdle before belying his 80/1 odds when beaten 8l in the Neptune Novice Hurdle (2m5f) at the Cheltenham Festival. Trained by the very much inform Toby Lawes the gelding would have finished even closer at the Festival had he not made a significant mistake two out.
The 6-y-old has only won one of his four career starts – and failed to either point-to-points he contested – but he has always given the impression he would improve for the switch to fences and he was rated 6lbs higher over hurdles (143) than the selection.
Scorpio Rising looked a horse to follow this season over fences when landing the EBF Final at Sandown back in March albeit that was only off a mark of 128. He subsequently disappointed at Aintree in his own Grade 1, but he has an excellent record fresh, and this 2m4f trip might be his optimum whilst I wonder if Klimt Madrik will appreciate another half mile as the season progresses.
Recommendation: Scorpio Rising at7/4
4:50pm Fontwell -County Champs (Nap)
I’m looking forward to seeing Fouroneohfever in the 2m3f+ handicap hurdle but there is further rain forecast at Fontwell, and the combination of trip and ground may place too much emphasis on stamina.
I Love You Sivola will be all the rage under a 7lbs penalty for his 7l Hereford success last week in the 2m5f handicap hurdle but that was a desperately poor race on good to firm ground and it was only his stamina that won him the day.
It is possible that today’s slower ground will offset the drop back down in trip, but the second Carrhill ran over the winner until his own stamina gave way with three furlongs to go. Freddie Mitchell offsets 3lbs over the 7lb rise but I am going to take a chance on top-weight COUNTY CHAMPS for Chris Gordon who saddled two winners at Plumpton on Monday.
The selection remains a maiden after seventeen starts but finished second three times in Ireland before again having to settle for the silver medal over slightly shorter here earlier in the month. He stays this trip and further and was in the process of running a big race when coming down under Fern O’Brien last month.
I thought he was going clear when coming down on his penultimate start and his jockey was unable to claim on that occasion while she takes off 5lbs this afternoon although the gelding has been raised 4lbs.
Recommendation: County Champs (Nap) at 5/2
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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