Alan Kelly We’ve got daily tips from our resident horse racing expert, Alan Kelly.
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Saturday’s ITV Racing tips from Newmarket, Goodwood and Thirsk failed to produce a winner from our six selections, although things could have been so different.
Two Tribes (9/1) was beaten two short heads in the opener, while the gamble on Arisaig (16/1 into 4/1) failed to materialise at Goodwood as the Charlie Johnston-trained filly found herself trapped on the rail inside the last two furlongs when full of running.
Hi Royal (17/2) completed a frustrating afternoon after failing by half a length to peg back all-the-way winner Flight Path in the Thirsk Hunt Cup.
However, we ended the week with a 15/2 winner in the last at Newmarket on Sunday, keeping our loss on the week down to -£8.55.
- P/L for the w/e Sunday, May 4th: -£8.55
- P/L for the year 2025 to date: -£13.06
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£472.93
Alan Kelly’s Horse Racing Tips
Along with the final day of Chester’s May meeting there are also flat cards at Ascot in the afternoon and Nottingham and Ripon in the evening.
Fans of jumps racing are catered for with meetings at Market Rasen (afternoon) and Hereford (evening).
Nap of the Day - East India Dock (3:05pm Chester)
Third in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his most recent start, James Owen’s charge can take this famous staying handicap on his return to the flat.
2:35pm Chester - Certain Lad (Each-Way)
Betfred are going three places on this Group 2 contest and the Jack Channon-trained CERTAIN LAD (EACH-WAY) makes plenty of appeal to make the frame at the very least. The stable is in excellent form at the moment (4 winners from their last 15 runners) and this nine-year-old Clodovil gelding has proved a model of consistency throughout a long career, George Bass’s mount failing to make the first two only once in 8 outings before finishing third on his reappearance at Longchamp last month.
Certain Lad looked as good as ever last year, winning a Group 3 contest at Longchamp in September, before returning to the home of the Arc for the Group 2 prix d’Harcourt last month, kicking clear of his rivals before weakening in the closing stages to finish third.The selection is sure to come on for that first run in 210 days and can prove the each-way value bet against 6/4 favourite The Foxes and the Karl Burke-trained pair of Bolster and Liberty lane.
Recommendation: Certain Lad (Each-Way) - 6/1 with Betfred (3 places)
3:05pm Chester - East India Dock (Nap)
I have had this race in mind for some time for the James Owen-trained EAST INDIA DOCK (Nap), the four-year-old last seen finishing an honourable third in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after recording easy victories on his first three starts over hurdles.
This will be the first run on the flat since the son of Golden Horn left the James Fanshawe stable last October after progressing from a mark of 66 to the four-year-old’s current rating of 89. Harry Davies’ mount showed much improved form when stepped-up to two miles, running out an impressive winner at Goodwood in September.
East India Dock could prove even better over today’s extended 2m 2f, and in receipt of weight from most of his rivals, makes plenty of appeal in this famous handicap. Best of those at a double-figure price may be Andrew Balding’s Spirit Mixer, the winner of two races on this course last autumn and only 2lb higher than when last successful.
Recommendation: East India Dock (Nap) - 4/1 with bet365
4:10pm Chester - Sportingsilvermine
Whatever the fate of East India Dock in the feature race, trainer James Owen can take this apprentice handicap with joint top weight SPORTINGSILVERMINE, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding trained in Ireland by Denis Hogan until joining Owen just over two months ago.
The four-year-old lost little time in opening his account for connections when winning a 1m 3f handicap on Southwell’s all-weather track at the beginning of March, beating favourite Gozo and David Simcock’s Aiming High, both of which have since performed with credit. Returning to turf at Musselburgh last month, Sportingsilvermine always looked to be in control when running out the comfortable winner of a handicap run over today’s extended 1m 4f trip.
The selection will need to defy a 6lb higher mark in an effort to land the treble. But Owen has booked the services of talented 7lb claimer Mason Paetel and is fancied to continue his progression at the main expense of last year’s winner Oman and Shahbaz from the Ian Williams stable.
Recommendation: Sportingsilvermine - 11/4 with William Hill
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
You can follow Alan Kelly on Twitter for more racing insight.
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