The Group 1 Fillies’ Mile headlines the opening day of Newmarket’s Future Champions Festival on Friday, while the Persian War Novices’ Hurdle is the feature at Chepstow.
Andrew Mount has horses to watch at both Newmarket and Chepstow, taking a pair of runners in the Old Rowley Cup Handicap, with two more to follow too.
1.50 Newmarket – Topaz
Topaz is a big price for the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes, but Jack Channon’s filly looks worth chancing, especially as her stall 15 of 16 draw and prominent running style could give her an advantage if there’s a stands’ side rail bias. The daughter of Persian Force, like many of her first-season sire’s progeny, has improved with plenty of racing, and she was a big eyecatcher over 6f on the July Course on her penultimate start, doing bets of the far side bunch when third to Night In Vegas and Zigazig Ah (one-two again since) in the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes. She followed that with a comfortable success in a 6f Listed race in Italy and the step up to 7f could suit.
3.30 Newmarket – Lord D’Or & Spyce
This 1m4f heritage handicap usually goes to a runner who prepped in another Class 2 handicap and who was ridden patiently last time out. Andrew Balding’s Lord D’Or is still searching for his first win but he fits the bill after his close-up 44-1 fourth in another heritage handicap at Ascot last time. That form received a boost when fifth-placed stablemate Cape Fear went close at Kempton next time (albeit at Class 4 level) and he’s worth chancing at double-figure odds.
I also want a small each-way interest on Alan King’s Spyce, who is having his second run back after wind surgery. The Too Darn Hot colt caught the eye when fourth to Lost Boys in the London Gold Cup at Newbury in mid-May, doing second best of the closers in a race that usually produces plenty of future winners. Lost Boys followed up at Royal Ascot wile fifth-placed Al Azd ran second to Enceladus at the same meeting before bolting up next time out. Spyce disappointed when re-opposing the Newbury winner at Ascot but the subsequent wind operation suggests excuses, he shaped well after a break when sixth to Bourbon Blues (winner again since) at Doncaster and the step up from 1m2f could suit.
4.17 Chepstow – Raffles Nobu
Raffles Nobu recorded a very fast Proform speed figure for Class 5 level when chasing home Farhh Echo at Newton Abbot three weeks ago and is taken to reward way support again. Sent off at 10-1 in that 11-runner contest, Nick Scholfield’s six-year-old had no answer to the winner’s turn of foot, going down by two and three-quarter lengths, but was well clear of the remainder and the 36-length seventh, Saucats, was an easy winner next time. This strong traveller is ideally served by a big field such as today’s and he has race fitness on his side, unlike a large number of his rivals who are returning from breaks. That said, I will save on the Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls handicap debutant Lully Du Houx, not seen since February, if there’s money around for that rival.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets Today
1.50 Newmarket – Topaz (0.5pt e/w – 18/1 Hills, 16/1 generally)
3.30 Newmarket – Lord D’Or (0.5pt e/w – 12/1 bet365, Shy Bet, both four places) & Spyce (0.5pt e/w – 11/1 bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, all four places)
4.17 Chepstow – Raffles Nobu (0.5pt e/w – 10/1 bet365)
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
Which racecourses run on Friday 9 October? Newmarket, York, Chepstow & Kempton.
Who is Andrew Mount? Andrew Mount is a professional tipster with over a decade of experience following UK and Irish racing. He combines form study, market moves and trainer intelligence to identify value bets each day, and shares his tips daily on X as @TrendHorses.
When was today’s article published? Today’s article was published at 4.25pm on Thursday 8 October.