Horse Racing Tips: Frank Hickey’s best bets across the tracks on Saturday

Paddy's top racing trader super Frank Hickey has his say on a busy Saturday.

By / Horse Racing Tips / 12 months ago

Saturday’s racing tips

11:50 Navan – Stellar Story
13:30 Navan – Dee Capo
14:05 Navan – Zanahiyr
14:20 Cheltenham – Harper’s Brook (each way)
14:29 Wetherby – Finn Lough
14:36 Lingfield – Blue Trail
14:40 Navan – Dysart Dynamo
14:55 Cheltenham – Placenet
15:11 Lingfield – Kinta
15:30 Cheltenham – Gyenyame

*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.

11:50 Navan – Stellar Story

Stellar Story is a point-to-point winner who was beaten on bumper debut but improved for that when winning second time out at Fairyhouse, beating the useful Any Road. He then beat Ile Atlantique at Naas in February and that is strong form given how he won last weekend. He now steps up in trip for his hurdles debut and could well make up into an Albert Bartlett type at the Festival next March.

13:30 Navan – Dee Capo

Dee Capo started at 3/1 in the market for the valuable sales bumper at Fairyhouse in April, but it was his third start before he won his bumper at Galway in fine style on softer ground.  He made an impressive hurdles debut at Cork over 2m on soft and can improve again in a better race. Trainer Gordon Elliott has had 20 winners from 67 starts in the last fortnight, operating at a 30 per cent strike rate.

14:05 Navan – Zanahiyr

Home By The Lee won this contest last year from Bob Olinger and they meet again, but the former and Sire Du Bearlais have a 9lb penalty to carry. Zanahiyr didn’t have the best season last year but he was only beaten less than four lengths in the Aintree Hurdle behind Constitution Hill. He then gave weight and a beating to a race-fit Run For Oscar at Punchestown last month. With the Gordon Elliott yard flying, he is the one to beat.

14:20 Cheltenham – Harper’s Brook (each-way)

I can see Harper’s Brook running a huge race and he is a fair each-way price. He won’t mind testing ground and won at Bangor this time last year on heavy off a mark of 130. His only runs in handicaps were a fine second on reappearance last season on chase debut off a 127 rating. Iron Bridge who beat him that day is rated 17lb higher now. I can see Harper’s Brook running a huge race.

14:29 Wetherby – Finn Lough

Favour And Fortune is a horse I like. He was impressive on hurdles debut after winning two of his three bumpers, but found the Champion Bumper at the Festival, too much, too soon. Finn Lough is making his Rules debut for Greenall and Guirriero after winning well on his only start in a point-to-point last March.

In their stable tour they said that they think he is as nice, if not nicer than, Making Headway who was backed off the boards at Carlisle when winning on hurdles debut in impressive fashion.

14:36 Lingfield – Blue Trail

Regal Reality has a 5lb penalty, while Foxes Tales has a 3lb penalty. My selection Blue Trail hasn’t been seen since disappointing in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket in April but has been a 11-length winner at Meydan previous to that off a mark of 98.

He is bred to like the all weather surface as the Dam is a half sister to Monterosso who won the Dubai World Cup on Tapeta. He is also two wins from four runs on the all weather from earlier in his career, so gets the nod.

14:40 Navan – Dysart Dynamo

Captain Guinness won this last year but has to carry a 6lb penalty while Saint Roi shoulders a 7lb penalty. Rivere D’etel was very disappointing in this contest last year. Dysart Dynamo might be best fresh and, while he has proved he isn’t quite up to winning a Group 1, he is getting weight from all bar Riviere Detel and could get a bit of a freebie in front here.

14:55 Cheltenham – Placenet

Placenet has a career record of eight wins in 18 starts in France despite only being six years old. Was a Listed Chase winner over 2m6f on testing ground, was 4th beaten by two lengths in a Listed Chase over 2m3f at Compiegne. He’s potentially very well handicapped here off a mark of 124.

15:11 Lingfield – Kinta

Kinta is a Sioux Nation filly out of a Hard Spun mare so the all weather was always going to suit. She did underperform at Newcastle but was off the track for nearly a year after it, so could easily have a valid excuse for that run. She did win on debut here last year, so we know the track holds no fears and, while her rating of 100 leaves her needing to find a little, I’m pretty sure she can rate a bit higher than that.

15:30 Cheltenham – Gyenyame

Gyenyame was moderate on the Flat when trained by Andrew Balding but didn’t win his last two starts in that sphere off 56 and 63 and finished up on a mark of 70 before joining the Tizzards. Was unseated on hurdles debut but did run well when third on his first completed start over hurdles at Wincanton over just shy of 2m. Gyenyame has gone up 3lbs since the last day but is really unexposed. I’d be pretty sure he is a 130+ horse in the making.

Saturday’s racing tips

11:50 Navan – Stellar Story
13:30 Navan – Dee Capo
14:05 Navan – Zanahiyr
14:20 Cheltenham – Harper’s Brook (each way)
14:29 Wetherby – Finn Lough
14:36 Lingfield – Blue Trail
14:40 Navan – Dysart Dynamo
14:55 Cheltenham – Placenet
15:11 Lingfield – Kinta
15:30 Cheltenham – Gyenyame

*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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