It’s a top class day’s racing across the UK and the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes is the feature race on Saturday 17th May. Andrew Mount is here with all his best bets for what should be a really exciting day.
Back his selections with Sky Bet’s new customer offer of Bet 5p Get £30 In Free Bets.
Posted: 4.10pm, Friday, May 11th
1.40 Newmarket – ART MARKET (1pt win – 7/2 bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair)
The William Haggas-trained ART MARKET returned from a gelding operation to win well over course and distance last month, recording a career-best RPR (Racing Post Rating) in the process. The son of Calyx now has form figures in handicap company on straight tracks of 1171 (3-4), with the defeat excusable as he failed to handle heavy going at Newbury last backend. His stall eight of eight draw could prove advantageous on Friday’s evidence.
2.15 Newmarket – GOOD MORNING ALEX (1pt win – 7/1 generally)
GOOD MORNING ALEX has a fantastic record over 1m or further in handicaps of Class 4 or lower, recording form figures of 1114111641 (7-10) for a profit of £42.10 to a £1 level stake at SP. David and Nicola Barron’s four-year-old improved for last month’s comeback sixth in Class 3 company at Redcar to dead-heat at Ripon three weeks ago and is three from six when bidding to follow up a win. Throw in his prominent running style, usually ideal for Newmarket, and he looks worth a bet.
2.35 Newbury – FALLEN ANGEL (1pt e/w – 18/1 William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfair)
FALLEN ANGEL looks the value call in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes in the hope that short-priced favourite ROSALLION won’t be at his best after a 333-day absence. Karl Burke’s filly is very consistent over trips up to a including one mile, recording form figures of 1211812 (3-7), with the defeat – an eighth place when 100-30 favourite for last season’s 1000 Guineas – easily excused as she raced prominently on the far side from her poor low draw in a race dominated by high-drawn hold-up horses. She looks the sole pace on a track that favours front-runners and can make all. I also like the claims of TAMFANA, though she’s a best-priced 5-1 and the David Menusier yard is very quiet.
3.00 Wexford – JOUEUSE ROYALE (1pt win – 4/1 Paddy Power)
Rachael Blackmore received many well-deserved plaudits on her recent retirement, but she had mostly struggled since returning from injury in December, scoring on just 13 of her 163 rides (8%) for a loss of £85.86 to a £1 level stake at SP (expected winners = 21.54, A/E = 0.60). Since October 1st last year, horses beaten under Blackmore on their previous start but now ridden by a different jockey are 23 from 107 (21.5%) for a profit of £31.84 to a £1. Those who ran in a chase last time were 13 from 43 (30.2%) for a profit of £53.87 (expected winners = 5.27, A/E = 2.47). JOUEUSE ROYALE, third in a 2m6f beginners’ contest at Tramore on last months chase debut under Blackmore, can go two places better with Darragh O’Keeffe in the saddle.
4.35 Newmarket – NORTHCLIFF (1pt win – 5/2 bet365)
I was annoyed with myself for not backing NORTHCLIFF, a 9-1 winner at Ascot last week, as I’d written the following piece about him in Racing & Football Outlook after his Brighton win on April 30th…
“NORTHCLIFF usually goes well at this time of year and Michael Keady’s five-year-old, an easy winner in a first-time visor at Wetherby 72 hours earlier, followed up when making all to score by a wide margin from THE THAMES BOATMAN in the 6f starsports.co.uk Handicap. His handicap record in April/May now reads 6033119511 (4-10) for a profit of £27.33 to a £1 level stake at SP. He could prove hard to beat when bidding for his hat-trick.”
The reason I didn’t back him was the change of yard to Thomas Faulkner, who had yet to train a turf winner since the licence was in his name. However, now that monkey has been removed from his back I’m going to side with him in this 6f contest. Luek Catton, on board at Ascot, again takes the ride and his forcing style will be an asset. I’ve saved on Steph Hollinshead’s ROYAL MUSKETEER who has a solid combined record at the two Newmarket venues, recording form figures of 532123 (1-6).
7.01 Uttoxeter – SECRET TRIX (1pt win – 7/2 bet365)
Olly Murphy is in fantastic form and his SECRET TRIX looks worth a bet in this 2m7f handicap hurdle. The eight-year-old has a great record when rested for at least five weeks and running on ground rated as good to soft or faster by Proform, recording form figures of 5131121219 (5-10) for a profit of £13.88 to a £1 level stake at SP. Last year, he returned from a break of 153 days to land his first spring/summer start when 11-1 at Haydock and in 2023 he returned from a break of 99 days to score at Southwell (9-4jf). He lines up after a 203-day absence and Sean Bowen, on board for four of his five fresh/fast-ground wins, takes the ride again.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
1.40 Newmarket – ART MARKET (1pt win – 7/2 bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair)
2.15 Newmarket – GOOD MORNING ALEX (1pt win – 7/1 generally)
2.35 Newbury – FALLEN ANGEL (1pt e/w – 18/1 William Hill, Paddy Power, Betfair)
3.00 Wexford – JOUEUSE ROYALE (1pt win – 4/1 Paddy Power)
4.35 Newmarket – NORTHCLIFF (1pt win – 5/2 bet365)
7.01 Uttoxeter – SECRET TRIX (1pt win – 7/2 bet365)
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Saturday, 17th May
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