Friday’s tips
- Merveilleux Lapin (Ascot, 16.05) – 1pt each-way @ 7/1 Sky Bet
- Mr Writer (Ascot, 16.40) – 1pt win @ 7/2- Bet365
- Vaguely Royal (York, 18.05) – 1pt each-way @ SP
- Dicko The Legend (York, 19.15) – 1pts each-way @ SP
There’s plenty of interest across several racecards on Friday and horse racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge has come up with some selections at both Ascot and York using the best odds from betting sites.
Sodexo Live! Handicap (16.05, Ascot)
A few of those involved have been a selection at one time or another in the past couple of seasons but now I’m siding with one for the first time in MERVEILLEUX LAPIN.
There’s no doubt it’s a competitive contest and therefore I’d expect the market to hold up well. The selection is an Irish-bred filly who won five times when trained overseas and has more recently joined the Owen Burrows yard.
Owen has his string in very good nick at present and this daughter of Mohaather has run two very good races since switching nations. First up she went to Windsor where she went close in handicap company (1m2f, good to firm), before performing with credit in Listed company at Pontefract (1m4f, good) last time.
She’s back in a handicap and with an unchanged mark this time, while she also stays over 1m4f, a trip that she’s proved she has the stamina for. While Ascot is stiff enough it wouldn’t be in the same league as Pontefract and the four-year-old may appreciate a marginally less exacting test.
I think there could be more to come from her and she gets the vote with a decent price available on horse racing betting sites.
** Friday racing tip 1: Merveilleux Lapin (Ascot, 16.05) – 1pt each-way @ 7/1 Sky Bet**
Chapel Down Handicap (16.40, Ascot)
Most of these are exposed performers but one who may still not be is the in-form MR WRITER, who is on a career high mark of 82 after winning two of his last three starts, including a handicap for the first time at Leicester (7f, good to firm) latest.
The front pair had 4l to spare over their field that day, suggesting that neither have done improving just yet. A 4lb rise looks perfectly fair and with the James Fanshawe string in good nick, he may be capable of adding another success to his CV before the handicapper takes his measure.
Friday racing tip 2: Mr Writer (Ascot, 16.40) – 1pt win @ 7/2 Bet365
Elevator Company Handicap (18.05, York)
He may not be the force he once was but VAGUELY ROYAL is back in good form after a comfortable Chester success (1m6½f, good) and he should be very much in the argument again on this more galloping track at York.
A gradual slide in the weights had preceded that success but he’d been third on three occasions during that spell, so it’s not like he’s been in the doldrums.
I liked how he stuck on well at the business end and, although he’s not yet won over quite as far as this, his staying on third over 2m at Ripon suggests he does get the trip.
A 4lb rise looks fair and we should get a working man’s price about him given that Tarbat Ness, who has run in many similar contests, chose his most recent to run a career best and will have his supporters, as will the improving Rogue Empire, who has completed a AW hat-trick but now has it to prove up another 4lb and back on turf.
We can back the selection each way on betting apps but a win would not surprise.
Friday racing tip 3: Vaguely Royal (York, 18.05) – 1pt each-way @ SP
Tomahawk Handicap (19.15, York)
These big field sprints at York are always tricky but they’re great to get involved with. There are numerous chances, as ever but I am going to side with DICKO THE LEGEND, who would probably be living up to his name if he proves good enough to win the race for a third year in succession.
He may be up to the task but I do think it’s harder than for the last two years. Both those wins saw him emerge from stall three and I do prefer that side of the track in sprints, particularly on a fast surface.
It’s not that he doesn’t act on good to firm, as one of those wins came on it but every other winner in the last decade that has had a double-figure stall has won on good or slower ground.
Despite that, he’s only 1lb higher than last year’s success, he represents a stable going well and he has cheekpieces on for the first time, which may well help his cause, so I’m happy to side with him on an each-way basis and hope that things drop right for win purposes.
Friday racing tip 4: Dicko The Legend (York, 19.15) – 1pts each-way @ SP
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