UK Horse Racing Tips

The Newcastle United Foundation Handicap (7.30) at Newcastle on Friday evening is the best race on the card in terms of quality and, while recent winning form is in short supply, may provide course and distance winner Von Blucher with an opportunity to regain the winning thread. Rebecca Menzies’ 5-year-old has to shoulder 10st 5lb, less Connor Murtagh’s 5lb claim, and is on a retrieval mission after failing to beat a rival on his last three starts, including when favourite at Lingfield three starts ago.

However, two of those starts were over an inadequate 6 furlongs and the other was in a conditions stakes race, in which he had little chance at the weights. His January course and distance win – which was franked by the second, Swift Approval – came in a 0-105 contest, off today’s mark of 96 so, from a handicapping perspective, he is entitled to be there or thereabouts, if able to recapture the same level of form.

Interestingly, he’s 2-3 on the all-weather and his one defeat came in a 0-105 contest over 6 furlongs at Lingfield, where he lost his place by running wide on the bend two furlongs from home. He’s no world beater, but is better than his recent form figures imply and potentially well handicapped, so he’ll do for me.

Selection: Newcastle 7.30 Von Blucher to win

The first Classic, the 2,000 Guineas, is less than two weeks away and, while 68 horses stood their ground at the latest declaration stage, against a maximum field size of 25, now could be the time for bold ante post punters to take the plunge. The Master of Ballydoyle, Aidan O’Brien, holds his usual strong hand, with Gustav Klimt and Saxon Warrior, to name but two, while impressive Craven Stakes winner Masar, trained by Charlie Appleby and Elaqarm, trained by Mark Johnston, are both well to the fore in the ante post betting market.

In fact, at the time of writing, it’s 16/1 bar four, which brings in Expert Eye and Roaring Lion, beaten favourites in the Greenham Stakes and the Craven Stakes, respectively, so there appears to be a little room for manoeuvre each-way punters prepared to speculate at potentially lucrative odds.

Notwithstanding the defeat of Roaring Lion in the Craven Stakes, John Gosden is operating at a strike rate of 10-31 (32%) in the last 14 days and it’s one of his three other 2,000 Guineas entries, Kings Shield, that takes the eye at 66/1. He’s by Scat Daddy, better known as a sire of sprinters, including Lady Aurelia and Caravaggio, but out of a mare by the superbly bred Miesque’s Son, so he has plenty of stamina in the bottom half of his pedigree. Indeed, he’s already proved himself over a mile with a decisive win in a small conditions race at Kempton in early April. Exactly what that form amounts to is anybody’s guess, but having won both starts with a minimum of fuss, Kings Shield falls into the proverbial “could be anything” category and looks worth a small interest.

Selection: Newmarket 3.20 Kings Shield each-way (66/1 with William Hill and elsewhere)

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston holds a very strong hand in the Landwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.35) at Newmarket on Wednesday and, although Threading is officially rated 3lb superior to stable companion Nyaleti, the latter was only beaten a head in the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes over course and distance when last tried over 7 furlongs. The daughter of Arch made a satisfactory, if unspectacular, reappearance when sixth of 10, beaten 4¼ lengths, behind Gronkowski, in the Listed 32Red Burradon Stakes, over a mile, at Newcastle last month but, back on rain-softened turf with a furlong less to travel, she may be capable of resuming winning ways.

She’s more exposed than most of her rivals, but can reasonably be expected to continue to improve throughout her three-year-old campaign and doesn’t have much to find with the best of these in any case. Her two heaviest defeats as a juvenile both came at the highest level, including once over a mile, so it would be folly to underestimate her in this company.

Selection: Newmarket 3.35 Nyaleti to win

The late Greville Starkey, who died from cancer at his home near Newmarket in 2010, rode 1,989 winners on the Flat in an illustrious career lasting 33 years. In fact, Starkey is considered, by many, the most talented horseman never to be crowned champion jockey. However, despite his successes, which included five British Classics and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, he is still best remembered for failing to win the Derby on Dancing Brave in 1986.

Having won the Craven Stakes and the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, Dancing Brave started hot favourite for the Epsom Classic but, despite making relentless progress from the rear of the field throughout the final half a mile, failed by an ever-diminishing half a length to overhaul Shahrastani, ridden by the late Walter Swinburn. Starkey was roundly criticised for setting Dancing Brave an impossible task, but Swinburn said, “It’s a fine line. Had he got up by a head or a neck then all those who came out and tried to hang him for his ride would have been shouting his name from the rooftops.” Starkey made amends for his Epsom display by steering Dancing Brave to a comfortable victory in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, but protracted criticism for his earlier failure was to over shadow the rest of his career.

Starkey rode his first winner, Russian Gold, at Pontefract in 1956 and became champion apprentice the following year. He was later retained by John Oxley and Henry Cecil, before becoming stable jockey to Guy Harwood at Pulborough, West Sussex. In 1978, he rode four Classic winners, Shirley Heights in the Derby and Irish Derby and Fair Salina in the Oaks and Irish Oaks.