Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s fine fancies for ITV Racing on Saturday

You don't have to ask Frank twice for a Saturday tip.

Frank Hickey Racecourse background

By / Horse Racing Tips / 2 years ago

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

13:15 Newbury – W/O Bravemansgame – Pats Fancy

Fern Hill, Gallyhill and I K Brunel are all out of the handicap. Grump Charly is a very useful horse but I do think he needs soft ground to be at his best, I would like him if that was the case.

Bravemansgame is going to be all the rage but he has to concede 16lbs and more to his rivals and the Nicholls stable form has to be a concern. They have a 3 per cent strike rate and a 19 per cent racing trainer form in the last two weeks. He runs off 159 which is a tough mark.

Pats Fancy has won two handicap chases at Chepstow, both over just shy of 3m. The first was off a mark of 125 but that form has worked out well with the likes of Gericault Roque and Broken Halo, who filled the places, running really well since. He then followed up off 135 on Welsh National day, winning impressively and that form has been franked by the second Imperial Alcazar winning really nicely at Cheltenham on his next start.

He is a strong stayer and if there is any underperformance from Bravemansgame, he will be the one to take advantage. If you don’t think he’ll beat Bravemansgame backing him in the WITHOUT Bravemansgame market could be the way to go. You’ll collect then if he wins or if he finishes second to Bravemansgame.

Pats Fancy to win:

Bravemansgame to win :

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13:35 Warwick – Indefatigable

Indefatigable has a 6lb penalty and that brings Marie’s Rock to within a pound of her on ratings but she can repeat her win in this race two years ago. She was impressive when winning the West Yorkshire Hurdle on her reappearance and while she did disappoint in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury where she was quite reluctant, she bounced back at the December meeting at Cheltenham when just touched off by Martello Sky, to who she was conceding 5lbs, in a mares handicap. Martello Sky followed up in a listed race at Sandown on her next start.

13:50 Newbury – Sussex Ranger (each way)

Gary Moore is having a cracking season, with a strike rate of 21%, while his average for the past five years is 14%. Sussex Ranger only had the one start last season and was off the track for over a year before he ran at Kempton over Christmas when well beaten off 128. He then wasn’t disgraced when 4th at Ascot off 125, albeit he was beaten 27l and he didn’t jump brilliantly.

He bolted up on this card two years ago over fences off a mark of 126 and now after two runs after the absence, he should be near peak fitness now. He runs off a mark of 121 and his win two years ago was off 126. He is a double figure price and looks an each-way play.

14:05 Warwick – Edwardstone

For Pleasure and Brave Seasca should ensure that this is a strongly run race. Edwardstone and Third Time Lucki have 5lb penalties. Third Time Lucki was much better last time at Doncaster and I’d assume he will be held up here again but can’t get away from how impressive Edwardstone was in the Henry VIII and the Wayward Lad. He has won at Warwick previously and he could well be the clear favourite for the Arkle come Saturday afternoon.

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14:25 Newbury – Imperial Aura

If it wasn’t for the poor stable form of the Nicholls horses, I would say that Clan Des Obeaux would be very difficult to beat but after seeing how Frodon and Greanateen ran at Leopardstown, I would be slow to take a short price on any Nicholls horse. Royal Pagaille was impressive enough when winning the Peter Marsh off a mark of 163. The worry for him will be the ground, as his best form is definitely on testing ground.

Imperial Aura has plenty to prove himself, with his last three starts being a pulled up in the Ryanair, falling in the Betfair Chase (was still going okay though) and pulled up in the Many Clouds. He was showing a bit more in Haydock and he might be worth chancing at the prices.

15:00 Newbury – Sceau Royal

Sceau Royal carries a 6lb penalty and Sky Pirate has a 4lb penalty. Sceau Royal did win this race last year where he beat Champ, Greanateen, Fanion Destruval, Magic Saint and Dolos. The decent ground suits him and Alan King was a little quiet, but he had three winners between Wednesday and Thursday.

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15:15 Warwick – Lieutenant Rocco (each way)

Lieutenant Rocco is very lightly raced with only eight career starts. He won a novice hurdle at Warwick two years ago when trained by Colin Tizzard. Last year he showed some promise over fences, finishing second to Fusil Raffles at Cheltenham when he only gave way in the final half a furlong, with Chantry House back in third. He was third of three in the re-scheduled Dipper at Wincanton but was beaten less than 7l by Messire Des Obeaux and was 2l behind Protektorat.

He hammered Nestor Park (now rated 130), Welsh Saint (127) and Eva’s Oskar (132) at Ffos Las last February and missed Cheltenham when among the market leaders for the Ultima. He was pitched into a strong race at Lingfield last month where he had plenty to do on the ratings and he weakened out of things like he needed the race, as well as being a little out of his depth. The handicapper has dropped him 3lbs to a mark of 140.

15:35 Newbury – First Street (each way)

Nigel Twiston Davies has won this three times in the last eight years with the likes of Al Dancer, Ballyandy and Splash Of Ginge. He has I Like to Move It, who doesn’t appear to be on a bad mark (138). He was 5th at Ascot behind Jonbon when last seen and the 4th Elle Est Belle won the Sidney Banks on Thursday to give that form a boost. Knappers Hill was third in that race and runs off 135 but you have the Nicholls stable form.

Gary Moore is another who targets the race and he has last year’s second Fifty Ball here off the same mark of 131 as last year. JPR One looks well treated off a mark of 130 and probably is unlucky not to be 3-3. Broomfield Burg is the Henderson first string here but he was beaten at Cheltenham off a mark of 130 and runs off 134 here. Perhaps the flatter track at Newbury will help him. First Street only made his debut in a bumper at Huntingdon last May and was second in two bumpers before winning his first two over hurdles at Bangor and Warwick over 2m3f and 2m5f.

He beat The Brimming Water very easily in Warwick and that horse is rated 127. He then disappointed in the Persian War at Chepstow and was given a wind op and retuned last month at Kempton where he bolted up off 132. I was really taken with the manner of the win as it was his first start at 2m over hurdles and he looked really well suited to that trip. He was bred to be a flat horse being by Golden Horn out of Ladies First (Group 3 winner on the flat). His time at Kempton was 4m1.96s which was over 11 seconds faster than the juvenile hurdle carrying 17lbs more.

Frank Hickey best bets:

13:15 Newbury – W/O Bravemansgame – Pats Fancy
13:35 Warwick – Indefatigable
13:50 Newbury – Sussex Ranger (each way)
14:05 Warwick – Edwardstone
14:25 Newbury – Imperial Aura
15:00 Newbury – Sceau Royal
15:15 Warwick – Lieutenant Rocco (each way)
15:35 Newbury – First Street (each way)

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

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