UK Horse Racing Tips

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In the jauntily-titled Simon Scrope Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap (4.40) at Pontefract on Thursday, Indian Chief did his handicap mark no favours when cruising clear to win by 7 lengths on his penultimate start at Hamilton. However, Rebecca Bastiman’s 7-year-old was far from disgraced, under a 6lb penalty, when third of 12, beaten 2½ lengths behind Carnageo at York five days later and, on 2lb better terms, can be fancied to reverse the form. A Ballydoyle castoff earlier in his career, the Montjeu gelding has done all his winning on good to soft or soft going and, with winning form over further, should be in his element over the testing 1 mile 2 furlongs and 5 yards at Pontefract. His trainer doesn’t have a great record at the track, but David Probert won on his only other ride for the yard, so the statistics do provide some cause for optimism.

Selection: Pontefract 4.40 Indian Chief to win

The Sparkling Anja Potze Fine Jewellery Handicap Chase (3.35) at Worcester on Monday is a decent enough contest for this time of year and may present an opportunity for Jamie Snowden’s progressive young chaser Adrrastos to make it 3-3 over the larger obstacles.

A consistent, if unspectacular, hurdler, the son of high-class German sprinter Areion won unchallenged on his chasing debut, over course and distance, in July. He subsequently took advantage of the early departure of favourite Going for Broke when making all to win by 10 lengths in a better novices’ handicap chase at Stratford last month and, although that form is slightly questionable, he is clearly going the right way.

Adrrastos is another 7lb higher in a better race again here, but he’s still only a 5-year-old and, having shown his best form on good, or faster, ground on sharp, flat tracks, he should be in his element around the easy, left-handed turns of Worcester. Winning jockey Aidan Coleman is replaced by Gavin Sheehan, but the Cork jockey has a 2-5 (40%) strike rate on chasers for the yard this season, so the statistics augur well for the chances of Adrrastos in his bid for a hat-trick.

Selection: Worcester 3.35 Adrrastos to win – 5/2

The Terry Mills & John Akehurst Handicap (3.10) at Epsom on Tuesday is a competitive little heat for the grade, befitting the local trainers it commemorates. However, it may present an opportunity for Scofflaw, trained 250 miles away in Musley Bank, North Yorkshire by Richard Fahey, to regain the winning thread.

The Foxwedge gelding has yet to win in this grade, but his most recent fourth, beaten a length and two necks, in a similar contest at Leicester earlier this month makes decent enough reading in the context of this race. In fact, he’s been dropped 1lb in the weights since that effort so, while still 5lb higher than when winning at Thirsk in May, he’s just 1lb higher than when narrowly beaten in a 0-80 contest at Haydock in July. In receipt of weight all ‘round – including a 3lb weight-for-age allowance from all bar fellow three-year-old Poet’s Society – with Adam McNamara able to claim all of his 3lb allowance, he appears to have been found a decent opportunity by his shrewd trainer.

Scofflaw has previously won at Chester and Thirsk, so his form on sharp tracks augurs well for his first attempt on the fastest sprint course in the world.

Selection: Epsom 3.10 Scofflaw to win

Our Kid was a first-time-out winner in a small novice auction race over 5 furlongs at Wolverhampton in May and, although disappointing on both turf starts over 6 furlongs since being gelded, the son of Elnadim has the potential to do better now that he’s switched to nursery company. Trainer Richard Fahey has a healthy 14-58 (24%) strike rate with his juveniles at Nottingham over the last five seasons and Our Kid is reunited with winning jockey Tony Hamilton, so an improved performance wouldn’t be a complete surprise.

It’s fair to say that Our Kid hardly leaps off the page as a readymade winner-in-waiting, but that should be reflected in his price and he’s in good hands to make the most of his ability. Looking on the bright side, Richard Fahey is showing a profit of 39.58 points in nursery handicaps over the last five seasons, so perhaps Our Kid can add to his winning tally.

Selection: Nottingham 5.25 Our Kid to win 14/1