Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Wednesday, 29 July - Goodwood, Sandown & Galway
Charlie heads to Sandown 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.
The Sussex Stakes is the feature race of Glorious Goodwood, and again Ryan Moore (Gstaad in stall 1) is drawn on the inside of Billy Loughnane on Bow Echo (4). Preference would be for the older Opera Bello (3), but it is a race best watched.
I hope Moore rides to his draw in the first furlong and doesn't turn sharply left out of the gates as he did at the Royal meeting last time.
1:50pm Goodwood - Cannes & Bay Royale
The opening 12f handicap is a cracker, and CANNES went off market leader for the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last month – form already franked by the runner-up – but he was never competitive following a slow start from a wide draw and was beaten eleven lengths by his stablemate Enceladus.
Joseph O'Brien has had an extraordinary season already and had two winners on the opening night of the Galway Festival on Monday. Cannes had previously won a Leopardstown maiden, and I would expect the outstanding Dylan Browne McMonagle to be ridden forward, although he again is posted wide – seven of nine.
He has been left on the same mark as Royal Ascot and still holds entries in the Betfred St Leger and Irish equivalent. Connections obviously feel he is better than his current mark of ninety-five.
The British challenge is headed by Andrew Balding's Hatteen, who heads the market at circa 5/2 – after his Doncaster success in a "win and you're in" trial for the St Leger itself.
Infraad (7/2) may have been slightly unfortunate on his handicap debut at Chester, but I am also going to back BAY ROYALE, who, let's not forget, easily beat both Hatteen and Infraad off level weights at Nottingham over 10f back in the spring.
Bar Royale has only raced once since, second to Roger Varian's Knight's Charge, who has not raced since and was sold to a Newmarket Stud recently. I thought Bay Royale looked smart at Colwick Park, and his ten-week absence following his last run suggests something was found to be amiss after his second start this term.
After just three career runs, the colt is open to further improvement, and connections have decided to run today over 12f, rather than the 10f handicap on Thursday.
Recommendations: Cannes - 10/3 with William Hill & Bay Royale - 11/1 Paddy Power
3:00pm Goodwood - Sayidah Dariyan
Flora Of Bermuda carries a 3lbs penalty for her win in the 6f Summer Stakes at York earlier in the month and promises to be well served by today's additional furlong, although she has yet to race at seven furlongs. She ran well over six-and-a-half furlongs in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on soft ground a couple of seasons ago, and this easy seven furlongs around a bend should suit.
She did finish behind the four-year-old SAYIDAH DARYIAN at Royal Ascot last month in the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes, and Richard Hughes was positive in an interview earlier in the week that this additional furlong would see his filly in an even better light. She finished fourth in last year's Commonwealth Cup and obviously goes well at Ascot, but she is open to further improvement at the trip, although she has yet to race around a right-hand bend.
The classic generation have won the last three renewals of the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes, and Zanthos would hold outstanding claims on her two-year-old form, but she has disappointed in both starts this term, albeit both in Group 1 company. A market move for George Scott's three-year-old would be worth noting.
Recommendation: Sayidah Dariyan - 7/2 with Coral
8:30pm Sandown - Boilermaker (Nap)
A terrific card at Sandown this evening, and I hope to see the step up to 1m6f see BOILERMAKER (Nap) improve past his three rivals in the concluding three-year-old handicap for Harry Charlton.
The selection has been a beaten market leader in his last couple of handicaps and looked one-paced when second at Doncaster, beaten a couple of lengths last time in first-time cheekpieces. That was a fast run race, and the selection would not want this evening's fascinating four-runner event to get tactical.
Kakirra is chasing a five-timer but has been raised 21lbs for his four successes, with his last couple of wins coming by a head and a neck, including over 1m5f+ last time.
Top-weight Last Verse has left Andrew Balding since scoring at Chester from a 6lbs lower mark last time, and a bigger threat may come from Wathnan's Outflank, who steps up in distance to 14f for the first time.
Connections suggested he wanted a slower surface when last of six at Newmarket last month for John & Thady Gosden. Andrew Cooper often floods Sandown, and the times at the Esher track last weekend suggested conditions were no faster than good, but I am keen to see Boilermaker over marathon trips and hope Lewis Edmunds ensures a proper test if no one else wants to go forward.
Recommendation: Boilermaker (Nap)
6:40pm Galway - Will The Wise & Nowwhatdoyouthink
My two against the field in the Galway Plate are WILL THE WISE and NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK, and have backed the pair.
I felt the rain and draw prevented Eagle Fang (12s into 13/2) from landing the gamble on Monday, but there should be no such worries in the Plate. Will The Wise did us a huge favour in the Topham at Aintree back in the spring when reversing Cheltenham form with the handicap snip Madara at the Festival.
The selection does not get three miles and does not want extremes of ground, but he has his optimum conditions this afternoon. I am his biggest fan, and he owes me nothing, but I do think his style of running – on or near the pace – and sound jumping makes him an ideal candidate for the race.
Yes, he will need another career best to defy a 5lbs rise since Aintree, but he has been well supported in recent days (12s into a best price 10s at the time of writing), and I will be disappointed if he doesn't run a big race.
Nowwhatdoyouthink has joined Gordon Elliot since finishing third in the Punchestown Grade 1 Novice Chase back in May. I appreciate that it was not a vintage Grade 1 with Brown Advisory winner Kitzbuhel running no race, but if you think Elliot might improve the seven-year-old, then a mark of 142 may not prevent him from running a big race.
Recommendations: Will The Wise - 10/1 with Betfred & Nowwhatdoyouthink - 17/2 with William Hill
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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