Horse racing tips: three picks for Bank Holiday Monday
Tom Thurgood of racingtv.com goes around the grounds with three picks for Monday's action from Redcar, Cartmel and Leicester. Enjoy more live racing on the channel from Huntingdon plus the valuable Mayo National card from Ballinrobe.
4.00 Redcar: Oviedo
He could be an exciting handicapper and, bred to improve as a three-year-old, is fancied to start his season in style with success in the valuable Racing TV Zetland Gold Cup.
He stands out on his juvenile form, notably his strong and staying-on third behind Chaldean in a quality renewal of the Acomb last summer, and that run exhibited his stamina when staying on strongly after running keen off hot early fractions. He steps up to 1m2f for the first time now.
He made a decent return to action in the Listed Burradon Stakes and made an eye-catching move on the outside of the field, but the suspicion is that he may have been on the wrong part of the track at a key stage given the main protagonists mostly challenged towards the stands' side.
His breeding suggests he should handle softer ground but he disappointed in two soft-ground Group races at the end of last season and this better surface should suit, while he has two slow-starters inside him from stall 7 so should be able to adopt a decent early position. He was keen in his juvenile days, but the recent spin should help and he did look a more mature model at Newcastle.
Ed Bethell continues in strong form this turf season and the trainer has an excellent record at Redcar. The yard perform better still in just course handicaps, albeit from only 14 runners so far (28.6%, +£26, 1.84 A/E).
4.40 Cartmel: Marshalled
This race mostly lacks compelling and in-form rivals and this race-fit, in-form and progressive chaser can strike under favourable conditions for a yard that does really well here.
Marshalled has plenty of previous experience in Ireland yet getting decent ground over intermediate trips – not conditions he often got for Padraig Roche – seems to have improved him as has the switch to Ben Haslam, who continues in really good form.
Marshalled arrives here in winning form and was the only runner to figure from the back of the field at Newcastle last time, with those in behind him challenging from prominent positions. He also did best of those towards the back of field on his penaultimate start at Sedgefield, too.
His sometimes iffy jumping is a concern here but this track could be a good bit of placing given the lack of jumping in the final half mile on the chase circuit. Haslam has an excellent record at Cartmel too (20%, +£102.21, 1.48 A/E) which reads even better with his handicap chasers at the course (26%, +28.33, 1.7 A/E).
De Barley Basket might be the one to beat for Ben Pauling, the trainer's first runner at the track and this first run for over 200 days is not a concern given the yard's record with runners after such a lay-off (15.6%, +£25.88, 1.11 A/E). However, there are several others that like to go forward here and there is a chance that the patiently-ridden Marshalled might get an ideal tow into this.
5:55 Leicester: Gallimimus
He didn't show much in three quick starts late last year and there’s scope for egg on face here, but his general profile in a low-quality affair just makes a bit of appeal for a yard with an excellent record with handicap debutants.
Gallimimus was the fastest of the dinosaurs and perhaps capable of speeds of nearly 50mph, though it's fair to say the equine namesake has decidedly failed to show similar dash so far and has actually looked pretty outpaced on all starts to date. However, he has travelled fairly well in more recent efforts after looking very green on debut and he’s been well eased before the final furlong on all runs so far. He could probably do with going over further, but stepping up to 1m2f should bring about improvement while he’s also been gelded since his last racecourse appearance.
Boughey has a 20.4% strike-rate with handicap debutants (+£50.54, 1.13 A.E) which is better still in Class 6 events (23%, +£35.25, 1.43 A/E). The trainer is four from nine with runners on handicap bow on their first start after being gelded (4 from 9, £+7.67, 1.59 A/E) and the yard’s runners have fared well so far in Leicester handicaps (31.3%, +£4.83, 1.39 A/E).
