It’s more treat than trick for punters on Friday, as six horse racing fixtures take place on Friday 31st October. Halloween maybe the attraction for many heading into the weekend, but there’s some quality racing at Wetherby, Newmarket and Down Royal, and our GG Lucky 15 tips provide selections from each of those three tracks…
2.02 Down Royal – KORINTHIA (1pt win – 11/2 William Hill)
A Grade 3 bumper winner, Carrigmoornaspruce was hugely impressive on her first start over hurdles and she’s looking to kick on and claim glory in the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal at 2.02pm. However, she’s likely to be awfully short for this contest and Willie Mullins will saddle the eye-catching KORINTHIA, who could be a smart recruit to the jumping sphere this season. Fifth in a listed event at Cheltenham back in November, the five-year-old returned to the track and claimed a taking maiden hurdle success at Ballinrobe last month. She will need to improve on that effort to beat Declan Queally’s hotpot here, but the Closutton inmate could continue on a rapid incline this season and she can make it two out of two over timber.
2.12 Newmarket – TREASURED ROYAL (1pt win – 16/1 generally)
Spicy Marg has to be the one to beat, if she can recapture the form she showed when winning the Alice Keppel earlier in the season. However, she’s struggled in top class company of late and six furlongs could be a stretch for her in the 2.12pm at Newmarket. One that could run a big race at double-figured odds is Gavin Cromwell’s TREASURED ROYAL, who is a one time winner from three starts. Last seen finishing a creditable sixth in a listed race at Dundalk, the Nando Parrado filly could enjoy the step up to six furlongs here, and with very few miles on the clock she could be one to improve again and is certainly a leading contender, in what is a wide open betting heat.
2.55 Wetherby – MAGISTRATO (1pt win – 11/4 William Hill)
Dan Skelton’s Thistle Ask will bid for a hat-trick of wins on Friday and is the one to beat in the 2.55pm at Wetherby, but with a 6lbs penalty to carry he could be vulnerable to the in-form MAGISTRATO, who will have the brilliance of Sean Bowen on his back for this contest. Deborah Cole’s charge is on his sparkling winning run – having been victorious in his last three races – and while he has another 5lbs rise to contend with here, he is more than capable defying a mark of 128. A 31-length winner of a two-horse Bobby Renton at this track last time out, this will be a much tougher test, but he’s more than capable of continuing his winning run and can land the money.
3.12 Down Royal – SESKIN FLASH (1pt win – 7/2 Paddy Power/Betfair)
SESKIN FLASH kicked off his season with a fine three-and-a-half length victory at Down Royal a few weeks ago in a beginners chase, and the six-year-old will look to make it two from two at the Northern Irish track on Friday and land victory in the 3.12pm contest. Now stepping into the handicap sphere, he’s been handed a mark of 119 for that contest, which certainly looks workable, if he can kick on from that win. He drops back in trip for this event, which shouldn’t pose too much of a problem, and if he can hold off the pace through the early part of the race then he can kick clear turning for home and emulate his win from mid-October.
GG Racing Lucky 15 Tips For Friday 31st October
2.02 Down Royal – KORINTHIA (1pt win – 11/2 William Hill)
2.12 Newmarket – TREASURED ROYAL (1pt win – 16/1 generally)