Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s 5 to thrive at Newmarket on Wednesday

Frank has got you covered for Wednesday's action

FrankHickeyheader

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at the time of publication but subject to change

New to Paddy Power?

Frank Hickey has selected his best bets for Day 2 of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket.

Speaking on Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast, our expert trader has tipped up his top fancies as the flat season continues to gather pace.

13.50 – Dazzling Dan

DAZZLING DAN is one I would be willing to take a chance on at a bit of a price. Pam Sly is a trainer I have quite a bit of time for and this horse started last season rated 103, only to drop down to 90. He obviously had a poor season, but did show glimpses of ability. He was beaten 4l by Nahaarr at Newbury off a mark of 99, then beaten 4½l by Chil Chil at Ascot off 98. He’s running here off 90, and he’s won at the course before back in May 2019 as a three-year-old off a mark of 95. He actually beat Oxted on the July Course in a handicap off a mark of 99 so he does have that raw ability.

He’s had a wind op since we last saw him, and he’s drawn in stall 9. The rails are set to be stand-side so I assume that would favour him. He can maybe lead out or sit second, so he should go well at a little bit of a price.

14.25 – Percy’s Lad

Naval Crown has a 4lb penalty for winning in Meydan, although he will have had the benefit of a bit of winter sun out there while Ontario had some decent form last year and was placed in a Group 2 in the Royal Lodge Stakes here at Newmarket.

However, I just think PERCY’S LAD for Eve Johnson Houghton might be worth taking a chance on down at the bottom of the weights. He won very easily first time out at Salisbury and I was very impressed, while he followed up in a conditions race at Nottingham over an extended mile before dropping back to 7f on heavy ground when last seen at the tail end of October, beaten a length by Mujbar.

The ground wouldn’t have been ideal for him that day so getting back on decent ground will suit. Off a mark of 100, he will get 8lbs off Naval Crown and 9lbs off Ontario so he might be able to put it up to them. I like the way he travels through his races and I think he might be a little underestimated.

Charles Bishop Percy's Lad Pat Dobbs Nottingham September 27, 2020

DON’T MISS

  • DON’T MISS OUR BRAND NEW SNAZZY RACECARDS FOR EVERY SINGLE RACE TODAY
  • … THEN CHECK OUT ALL THE WINNERS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WITH OUR FAST RESULTS PAGES

15.00 – Marie’s Diamond

I would be willing to take Global Giant on, as that was an appalling race at Kempton last time out – to put it mildly. Stormy Antarctic is a horse that wants plenty of cut in the turf and that was his first start on the all-weather while you had Faylaq in there who is just the epitome of a bridle horse – he finds absolutely nothing. Global Giant didn’t need to do anything out of the ordinary to win that race the way he did, by 6l.

The way this race could potentially set up, I’m going to take a chance on MARIE’S DIAMOND. He won first time out at Newmarket last year, getting loose at the front over a 1m listed race, then ran really well in the Queen Anne when third. His form tailed off as the season went on but I can’t find pace in this race and he might get away at the front here again. Silvestre De Sousa is on board and there are very few jockeys as good as him when riding from the front, and the Global Giant is priced as if he just has to turn up to win so I would be taking him on. Marie’s Diamond could turn him over.

15.35 – Saffron Beach

I’m pretty sure Love Is You will end up the best horse out of this race, but I have a small concern about the ground. It’s Good and Good-to-Firm in places, but when she won at Ascot it was Good/Good-to-Soft while it was Heavy when she was impressive at Newbury. She won a maiden on Good-to-Firm but her better form is on testing ground.

I am therefore just siding with SAFFRON BEACH. She’s won twice on her two starts at Newmarket over 7f – the first in a maiden on debut at the tail end of September, and I was really taken with her that day. When you dig into the form, the third, fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, 10th and even 13th have won since.

She wasn’t at the same level when she won the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes the next day, as Thank You Next had been running in very strong nurseries and the bare form wouldn’t be great but soft ground has blunted her speed. She showed a good attitude to win when things didn’t play perfectly for her, and she might just be a small bit more peaked for this than Love Is You.

Saffron Beach Adam Kirby Newmarket October 9, 2020

Ruby Walsh and Frank Hickey can’t see Appreciate It beaten at Punchestown

16.10 – Snow Lantern

SNOW LANTERN popped up on the monitor around Cheltenham time, and it was very strange that we were laying it that time, so she must have been doing some good work at home or something. She hasn’t been seen since making her debut at Ascot over 7f last July, when she was second to Zabeel Queen – who was third in the May Hill Stakes and fifth in the Fillies’ Mile. That was a little disappointing considering the impression she made when she won her debut.

Snow Lantern is by Frankel, out of 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern. Richard Hannon has had a couple of two-year-old’s win in the last week, suggesting the yard is a bit forward, and she would have to be winning this to justify taking a place in the 1000 Guineas. If she is impressive here, maybe she might be a Guineas horse.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while in-copy odds are accurate at the time of publication but subject to change

Frank Hickey’s Newmarket bet summary – Wednesday, April 14

13.50 – Dazzling Dan
14.25 – Percy.s Lad
15.00 – Marie’s Diamond
15.35 – Saffron Beach
16.10 – Snow Lantern

Wednesday tips

Read More

The latest racing odds are on PaddyPower.com now

The Paddy Power Guide To Responsible Gambling – Everything You Need To Know