Rory Delargy’s ITV Racing Tips
13:15 Newmarket – Spirit Dancer
13:30 York – Bolo Neighs
13:50 Newmarket – Shackleton
14:05 York – Paddy The Squire
14:25 Newmarket – Wolf Of Badenoch
14:40 York – Northern Spirit
15:00 Newmarket – The Lion In Winter
15:20 Chepstow – Tune In A Box / Jipcot
15:40 Newmarket – Samui (each-way) (NAP)
16:35 Chepstow – Ballygriffincottage
*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 Newmarket – Spirit Dancer
I thought Spirit Dancer would be a much bigger price and if the ground is genuinely good he could have a chance. He loves it here and has been better than ever since a good effort last year. He’s been all over the world and this sort of trip suits him. He’s been off the track a while but tends to go pretty fresh. I’d prefer closer to 20/1 and he might go off at that.
13:30 York – Bolo Neighs
I’m with Bolo Neighs. The sales race he won wasn’t the strongest but he won by 7l and you don’t tend to win races like that by 7l unless you’re pretty handy. I thought he’d win at the Curragh last time but I didn’t expect him to win as well as he did. They key to him may be soft ground but I think he might be a bit overpriced here.
13:50 Newmarket – Shackleton
Shackleton would be the pick but it’s not an attractive punt at the prices. Aiden O’Brien’s colts to tend to be slow burners but he has got his head in front. He’s liable to go to the front but can go in behind the pace as well. There’s one or two who might make the running. He looks the likeliest winner to me but it’s not a race I’ll be spending lots of money on!
14:05 York – Paddy The Squire
I think Paddy The Squire might go off at a bigger price than he deserves to. He wasn’t particularly suited in the Cambridgeshire but was quite well backed. He’s back under much better conditions and it should be genuinely soft ground which will suit. He was third to Stressfree at Chester but David O’Meara’s charge has gone up 4lbs for that and ran on Tuesday. If Paddy The Squire’s the bigger price I’ll be backing him.
14:25 Newmarket – Wolf Of Badenoch
Delacroix ran well enough last time but he made very hard work of it. That’s the concern with him. I’m inclined to give Wolf Of Badenoch another chance. I was with him at Doncaster and Goodwood and he was really disappointing at the former considering he won there on his debut and won quite impressively. I’m putting that down to a delay in the stalls. If he can rediscover his form he can win and he will stay a mile so I’ll give him one more chance.
14:40 York – Northern Spirit
I think the winner will come from higher than stall 11 and I’m going to take a chance on Northern Spirit. He might just be above his paygrade here but he’s done me a couple of favours in the past. Trainer Brian Ellison’s been in pretty good form for most of the season and his horses are running well enough at the moment.
Northern Spirit has a good record on the few occasions he’s run on soft ground. His form on good ground is pretty ordinary and the worry here is that big step up in class. However, conditions are perfect for him so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt as an improving four year old.
15:00 Newmarket – The Lion In Winter
I’m surprised to see Shadow of Light in here, I don’t think he’ll stay. If you put a line through him then The Lion In Winter looks a really solid bet. Was impressive on debut at the Curragh and was impressive in a race that has turned out to be exceptionally-good form at York last time out. That’s probably the hottest non-Group 1 two-year-old race of the season. It’s skinny odds but he looks very exciting.
15:20 Chepstow – Tune In A Box, Jipcot
There’s two who are interesting in this. The first is Tune In A Box for Tom Lacey who always targets this meeting. Tune In A Box is a typical Tom Lacey improver who was well beaten in three runs over hurdles before winning four of his next five, starting off on a really-low mark. He stays 3m well and won at Punchestown doing cartwheels, frankly, off a mark of 108. He’s up to 123 and that could easily still be too lenient for him.
Jipcot has gone to Jonjo & A.J. O’Neill and this is a horse who promised an awful lot from France and switched to fences last season. He caught the eye in all three of his runs but didn’t look in love with it. He then switched to hurdles after a break and won easily at Huntington in March. He’s going to be ready for this and is sure to run a big race.
15:40 Newmarket – Samui (each-way) (NAP)
I quite liked Samui. I know he’s got plenty of weight on his back but Keithen Kennedy claims 5lbs and that makes him interesting to me. He was disappointing last time out which gives us price today but I don’t think he wants soft ground, he likes it good and he’s shown that this season.
He bolted up at Killarney and followed up with a solid second in the Stayers’ Handicap at York. He ran pretty well in a Listed race at Chester last time but the nature of that race didn’t really suit him. Back on quick ground and the rider claiming 5 that give him every chance.
16:35 Chepstow – Ballygriffincottage
I don’t think is a particularly strong contest this time around. I’d be inclined to side with Ballygrifincottage who has been a long time between wins but if he’s going to win it might be here as Dan Skelton has said he wants to crack on as early as he can to get a lead in the Trainers’ Championship so Willie Mullins can’t come along and beat him on the last day.
Ballygrifincottage ran well at Uttoxeter but didn’t get home, he’s not the best finisher. He does travel strongly and I think Harry Skelton just wants to let him sail along in the straight and let him go late. Not many of these appeal as being ahead of the handicapper. If Ballygrifincottage is ever going to get his head in front again it will be in this race.
Rory Delargy’s ITV Racing Tips
13:15 Newmarket – Spirit Dancer
13:30 York – Bolo Neighs
13:50 Newmarket – Shackleton
14:05 York – Paddy The Squire
14:25 Newmarket – Wolf Of Badenoch
14:40 York – Northern Spirit
15:00 Newmarket – The Lion In Winter
15:20 Chepstow – Tune In A Box / Jipcot
15:40 Newmarket – Samui (each-way) (NAP)
16:35 Chepstow – Ballygriffincottage
*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.
READ MORE
- Get all the latest Horse Racing News and Racing Tips at Paddy Power News
- When is the Breeders’ Cup? Del Mar dates, races and post times for 2024
- When is the Melbourne Cup 2024? Flemington date, start time, runners and betting
- Ruby Walsh delivers his verdict on the Cheltenham Festival changes for 2025
- Horse Racing calendar: Key Flat fixtures and races for 2024
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
