UK Horse Racing Tips

In the Follow Sun Racing on Twitter Handicap (2.50) at Southwell on Tuesday, Showboating is into the veteran stage of his career, but can celebrate his official eleventh birthday by recording his fifth win at the Nottinghamshire track. The Shamardal gelding hadn’t won for nearly eighteen months prior to victory over course and distance three weeks ago but, even with a 6lb rise with the weights for that success, remains 6lb lower in the weights than last winning. At his ripe old age, he’s unlikely to suddenly find a jolt of improvement, but he ran with promise on his return to Fibresand in November and confirmed that promise when keeping on strongly to beat a fair yardstick, Zodiakos, by 2¾ lengths, on his latest outing.

He faces no fewer than five other course and distance winners, but none of them really make much appeal, from a form or handicapping perspective, so the main danger could well be topweight Thechildren’strust, who ran promisingly on his Fibresand debut, over 7 furlongs, here 11 days ago. Even so, despite his rising years, Showboating has plenty going for him and, off an attractive weight, it’s not hard to envisage him going, at least, very close in a race that shouldn’t take that nuch winning.

Selection: Southwell 2.50 Showboating to win

There’s no shortage of betting options today and here is our racing tips UK primary selection for the day. In the Follow Top Tipster Templegate at Sun Racing Handicap (3.30) at Southwell on Tuesday, One MoreChance won her maiden, for David Brown, over course and distance in January and ran her best race since joining new trainer Michael Appleby in October over course and distance 18 days ago. On that occasion, having just her second start since July, the Epaulette filly kept on at one pace to finish fourth of 11, beaten 5¼ lengths, behind Zodiakos; the first three home that day have all been beaten since, but One More Chance pulled nicely clear of the fourth horse and the form looks respectable enough in the context of another unexceptional race, especially as she’s been dropped 2lb in theweights in the interim.

Fitness-wise, she should be spot on after two runs last month and, having made her own running more than once – including when winning her maiden – she should have no problem tactically. From a handicapping perspective, One More Chance is now 7lb lower in the weights than when fourth of six, beaten 3¾ lengths, in a small 0-70 fillies’ handicap at Leicester on her final start for David Brown in July so, although that performance came over 6 furlongs, rather than a mile, she looks well treated in this 0-65 affair. Course and distance clearly suit her admirably so, granted luck in running, she should give us a decent run for our money.

Selection: Southwell 3.30 OneMore Chance to win 7/1

British businessman Trevor Hemmings, 83, who owns Blackpool Tower and Preston North End Football Club, became a billionaire for the second time in 2018, according to the Sunday Times’ Rich List. Aside from his business interests, which are many and varied, Hemmings also owns dozens of racehorses. By his own admission, he treats horse racing as an “expensive hobby”, but he is the most prolific winning owner this century and, jointly, the most prolific winner of all time, in the history of the Grand National.

Hemmings developed an interest in racing through his association with holiday camp tycoon, Sir Fred Pontin – whose company, Pontins, he later bought, and sold – and after meeting Noel Le Mare, owner of Red Rum, and his trainer, Donald “Ginger” McCain, was inspired to win the Grand National for himself.

So far, Hemmings has owned three Grand National winners, Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and, most recently, the ill-fated Many Clouds (2015), who collapsed and died after suffering a severe pulmonary haemorrhage at Cheltenham Racecourse less than two years later. Only the grandly-titled Captain James Octavius Machell, who owned Disturbance (1873), Reugny (1874) and Regal (1876), and, of course, Noel Le Mare, who owned Red Rum (1973, 1974, 1977), have owned as many Grand National winners.

Prior to the 2018 Grand National, Hemmings told the Northern Media Lunch at Aintree Racecourse, “The Grand National is extra special. No-one can describe the feeling when your horses cross the line and win. It’s been very special to win the Grand National three times and each race is special.”

The Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap (Div. II) (2.40) may well be aptly named, because the only recent winning form on offer is that of the 3-year-old Liberisque – Latin for ‘Children’, if you’re interested – who made all to win a lowly 0-50 handicap, over 1 mile 2 furlongs, at Chelmsford on his penultimate start. However, he was soundly beaten in a similar race to this one, off today’s revised mark, over the same course and distance last month and, trying a mile-and-a-half for the first time, is not difficult to oppose.

In terms of a likely winner, Luna Magic has been beaten on all six starts since winning at Yarmouth in April, but was only beaten a head in a 0-75 handicap, over a mile-and-a-quarter, at the seaside track in August and ran her best race since on his return to Polytrack, over course and distance, 18 days ago. On just her second attempt over a mile-and-a-half, Lydia Pearce’s 4-year-old filly was denied a clear run in the closing stages but, once in the clear, kept on inside the final furlong to finish seventh, beaten just 2½ lengths, behind Your Band. Much like when you’re hoping for a big roulette win, you’ve got to be in at to win it, perhaps at the Online Casino Deutschland.

Luna Magic has been dropped 2lb in the weights, to 2lb below her last winning mark so, with winning form, albeit over a mile, on this course, she appeals as well-handicapped, with the distinct possibility of a little further improvement to come. She’s by no means prolific, but is more than capable of winning this on the pick of her form and should, at the very least, give us a decent run for our money.

Selection: Lingfield 2.40 Luna Magic to win – 14-1