Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Wednesday, 4 November - Chepstow & Nottingham
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, 4 November
The horse I am most looking forward to running this afternoon is The Big Westerner in the listed 3m chase at Wexford for Henry De Bromhead. She is a shade of odds-on despite carrying a 10lbs penalty for her Grade 2 Limerick win over Christmas. She did not get her ground – slow – in the spring and missed all three major Festivals.
The world and his wife knew that Gingerbred was thrown in at Ffos Las (3m4f) on soft ground on his first start for the Joe Tizzard stable last month. Conditions are much quicker (good on the chase course) at Chepstow this afternoon, and he drops back in distance by half a mile.
That said, the handicapper only raised him 7lbs for his recent victory, and that is largely negated by the 6lbs claimed by conditional Will Featherstone. He has run well on good ground in the past but is at his best on slower ground, and Robbie Llewellyn saddled the runner-up at Ffos Las.
It is worth noting that Llewellyn runs Annie Express this afternoon and I thought that mare ran well in defeat without a visor at Worcester on her reappearance. The aid is back on this afternoon.
12:51pm Chepstow - Red Acres Max
The hurdle course (good to soft) is slower than the chase course, and the extended 2m3f Maiden Hurdle is a cracker.
Paul Nicholls said on Sky Sports Racing that it was a frustrating time for him at present, with some of his seasonal debutants in need of the run while others were not. He has had three winners in the last fortnight, but some have looked in need of the run – Le Cold Grey at Plumpton on Monday – and his New Rules was bought privately after landing his sole point by 6l in Ireland last November.
The second has subsequently won between the flags while the fourth – beaten eleven lengths – is still a maiden after seven starts under rules and is rated just ninety-nine.
The vote goes to RED ACRES MAX, who also won his sole race between the flags and was sent off the odds-on favourite for his rules debut when second in a Fontwell Bumper. The winner – Minella Premier – has since followed up at Wetherby and is unbeaten in three starts, having also landed his sole point-to-point.
Red Acres Max subsequently scored at Carlisle – beating last month’s impressive Worcester winner Dundee Law – and the Jamie Snowden team are well forward. Make no mistake, the winner of this contest will likely be a Challow contender at the end of the year.
Recommendation: Red Acres Max - 11/8 with bet365
The Skeltons could win both divisions of the 2m Maiden Hurdle courtesy of St James’s Finest and A Sight To Sea, although Nicholls saddles his Bumper winner Order On Time who created such a favourable impression when scoring here back in the spring.
3:05pm Chepstow - Mr McWhinny
The extended 2m handicap chase sees just five go to post, but it is a cracker with all five holding realistic claims, including the Tom Ellis trained top-weight Desertmore News. I mention the latter particularly as his stablemate MR MCWHINNY looks sure to run a big race in the near 2m4f handicap chase which follows.
The selection won his sole point in his native Ireland and has done us a couple of favours this summer, winning four times although the handicapper has obviously had his say and he is a whopping 24lbs higher than when scoring at Market Rasen back in July.
He was beaten from a 4lbs lower mark at Fontwell last month, but that was over timber and the winner was in the process of franking the form when coming down two out at Bangor-on-Dee from a 3lbs lower mark last week.
This two-and-a-half miles on good ground will suit this fluent jumping, strong travelling eight-year-old. Yes, he has been on the go since the spring but, after Passengerontheship’s Carlisle win on Sunday, I hope there is one last hurrah before he is put away to avoid the winter ground.
Two To Tango ran well at Stratford last time and goes well for regular pilot Charlie Todd. He has only won one of his twenty-two career starts, however, and is more likely to run well again in defeat.
Recommendation: Mr McWhinny - 5/2 with bet365
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3:23pm Nottingham - Venetian Lion (Nap)
The 2m handicap at Nottingham is a belter, and I am looking forward to seeing Hello Friend step up to the trip for the first time. The filly was flattered to get within a length-and-a-half of Nowshesdancing over 1m6f here last time but was doing all her best work late on.
David Menuisier’s four-year-old filly Shaffron looked one to follow at Haydock last time, however. If prices allow, I will back both runners but, in my current form, I don’t want to have five recommendations midweek.
VENETIAN LION showed soft ground holds no terrors when a close fourth at Haydock last time when not getting the gaps at the vital moments. He has won half of his six starts for William Haggas this term but, had things panned out differently, it is possible that he could be unbeaten.
He can race from the same mark as at Haydock, goes in the ground and was a facile winner over course and distance – albeit on much faster ground – back in July.
Mertoun comes here on a hat-trick and has only been raised 6lbs for his two recent wins, and he has had a fabulous year winning four times in the famous Harris colours.
I recommended Thunder Roar when he ran like an old goat at Ayr on their Gold Cup Day back in September. He is 8lbs lower this afternoon and ran his best race for a long time when second beaten a length on heavy ground at Redcar last time.
He is very well handicapped at present, but preference is for the younger Haggas-trained gelding who I thought a couple of months ago that he might be contesting races such as the Lincoln next season. That is unlikely to be the case, but he remains ahead of his mark.
Recommendation: Venetian Lion (Nap) - 10/3 with bet365
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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