Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey's best bets at Newton Abbot & Killarney

Newton Abbot 14.10 – Orsino

This doesn’t look to be the strongest handicap hurdle ever run and Orsino is very interesting now going handicapping for the first time. A useful staying handicapper on the flat for Andrew Balding in 2017, he won a handicap over 1m 6f at Salisbury off a mark of 71 and had a peak rating of 80 that season.

The following season Seb Spencer trained Orsino and while his form was patchy, he did run well at Epsom and Thirk off marks of 75 & 69 respectively. Were he to discover anywhere near that Flat form, it would make his opening mark of 90 over hurdles look particularly lenient. Another positive is that he has run predominantly on soft ground over hurdles to date, but the return to good ground will enhance his claims.

Killarney 18.00 – Peregrine Run

A competitive graded chase where a few of these may have their eye on the Galway Plate in a few weeks time. Peregrine Run has the benefit of having a recent run, when finishing third in a decent looking maiden at Limerick behind Great House.

He won this race last year and has an excellent record at Killarney, winning four of his six starts and he is unbeaten in three starts over fences there. Paloma Blue would be a big danger if on a going day, but Peregrine Run is the most solid option in a race that may provide some big clues to this year’s Galway Plate.

*The latest odds are bang up to date on out bet widget