UK Horse Racing Tips

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Richard Hannon is typically a keen supporter of Monday evening meetings at Windsor, as was his father, Richard Snr., and has a 20% strike rate at the Berkshire course so far this season. On Monday evening, he runs just one, Anchises, who was surprising turned over at odds of 1/2 in a run-of-the-mill maiden at Ffos Las last month, but looks to have been found a decent opportunity to make amends in the closing Sky Bet Racing Cash Out Novice Stakes (8.00).

The Choisir colt steps up to a mile and a quarter for the first time, but has plenty of stamina in the bottom half of his pedigree – being out of a mare by the top middle distance sire Montjeu – and looks a decent bet to fulfil the promise of his debut run at Newmarket in June. On that occasion, Achises belied odds of 50/1 to finish third of 14, beaten 4 lengths, behind Red Starlight in a better novice stakes race than this one. That form looks fair enough in the context of this race, with the second, Auxerre, winning a small race at Haydock by 5 lengths.

Petrastar was beaten by the minimum margin in a maiden over course and distance on his racecourse debut four weeks ago, but the pick of the opposition could be the beautifully bred Midi, who never recovered from missing the break when down the field

in a competitive Newmarket maiden last autumn and has had a wind operation in the interim. Nevertheless, Achises has plenty of scope for improvement and can put his experience to good use.

Selection: Windsor 8.00 Anchises to win 11/4

In the Weatherbys General Stud Book Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract on Tuesday, Promising Run hasn’t won in Britain since taking the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket as a two-year-old, but has three further Group Two successes at Meydan, including two earlier this year, to her name. Saeed bin Suroor’s 5-year-old has yet to win on ground faster than good, which is a slight worry granted the current heat wave, but takes a significant drop in class and may be able to defy her Group Two penalty in this lesser race.

The Hard Spun mare could only keep on at one pace in the closing stages when sixth of 11, beaten 7¼ lengths, behind Aljazzi in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month on her return from a break; a line through the third, Wilamina, suggests she has work to do to beat Shenanigans, but she can be expected to improve a little for the Royal Ascot run, which was her first for 11 weeks, and her previous Group One form in Meydan makes good reading in the context of this race.

Saeed bin Suroor has a healthy 8-27 (30%) strike rate overall at Pontefract during the last five seasons and, perhaps tellingly, has a 2-3 (67%) strike rate with his older horses at the West Yorkshire course in the same period. Shenanigans, who was solid placed form at Listed and Pattern level this season, looks sure to be a tough nut to crack once again, but Promising Run has plenty going for her and can resume winning ways. Join here for the best betting odds, for horse racing, football and more sports.

Selection: Pontefract 3.00 Promising Run to win 9/4

In the World Cup Betting at 188Bet Handicap (3.40) at Haydock on Wednesday, Mont Kinabalu is just 1lb higher in the weights than when winning a similar race over course and distance last month and must have every chance of completing a hat-trick. The Society Rock gelding only just prevailed in a bunch finish here last time, but demonstrated excellent battling qualities and the form has already been franked by the runner-up, Global Conqueror.

The fact that Mont Kinabalu has won by a neck and a short head on his last two starts hasn’t left the handicapper with much room for manoeuvre but, even so, he looks to have taken a chance on Kevin Ryan’s progressive three-year-old, who remains unexposed over a mile. All three of his wins have come on good or good to firm going, so he has underfoot conditions to suit, not to mention the assistance of Tom Eaves, who’s 2-3 on him, and 6-24 overall on three-year-olds for the yard, this season.

His chance probably won’t have been missed by the bookmakers, but this looks a decent little race for the grade, with the likes of Dragons Tail, Ulshaw Bridge and Maverick Officer all having their sights lowered after running in better races last time. Mont Kinabalu appears firmly on the up, though, and should give us run for our money at a fair price.

Selection: Haydock 3.40 Mont Kinabalu to win 10/3

The K Club Handicap (3.35) at the Curragh on Sunday revolves, largely, around Allegio, who defied a 10lb rise in the weights when winning a Cork handicap by half the track in April and has a further 13lb rise to contend with this time. Considering he was beaten off handicap marks of 74, 79 and 82 last season, Denis Hogan’s 5-year-old has clearly struck a rich vein of form but, while he would almost certainly have won off today’s mark of 101 last time, whether he’s up to the task in this much more competitive race must be open to question.

Under the circumstances, I prefer to side with Claregate Street who, despite a 9lb rise for winning a fillies’ handicap the all-weather at Dundalk, carries a relative “featherweight” of just 8st 4lb. Marc Halford’s filly made up into a consistent handicapper last season and, although she races off a career-high mark here, won in convincing style last time and may still be open to further improvement on her return to turf. She appears indifferent to underfoot conditions and, although she’s actually 1lb out of the handicap proper, she shouldn’t be unduly inconvenienced, especially with jockey Conor Hoban able to ride at 8st 4lb, as he did at Dundalk.

Selection: Curragh 3.35 Claregate Street to win 5/1