4 top betting angles by Andy Holding for Friday's horse racing cards.
1.50 NEWMARKETSee All Odds
TIP 1: COEDANA – 1-point each-way (four places)
Best odds of 4/1 at bet365 while publishing.
COEDANA found the combination of a drop in trip in a Group 1 a bridge too far in Germany last time out but now back at a more realistic level among her own sex, Ed Bethell’s filly can prove a much more potent threat.
As events have panned out subsequently, there was certainly no shame in getting beaten just over three lengths by Hotazhell and Wimbledon Hawkeye, 1-2 in the Irish Champion Stakes next time, and with Munich being a tight track, she wouldn’t have been seen to best effect in any case.
Over a more galloping terrain at Pontefract previously, she was much more in her comfort zone and that speed figure she posted that day suggested she remained a filly on the up.
Based on her form figures of 2231121 over 1m4f, today’s trip seems to be her sweet spot and hailing from a yard who are going great guns at present, the daughter of King Of Change can add her name to the positive list of results for the Middleham outfit.
3.25 LISTOWELSee All Odds
TIP 2: RAGMANS CORNER – 1-point each-way (five places)
Best odds of 9/1 at Skybet while publishing.
The form for the Galway Plate proved the key component to the outcome to the Kerry National here earlier in the week and it might well be the Galway Hurdle follows suit when it comes to this similar 2m hurdle.
Of those in the shake-up at Ballybrit, Gameball is the shortest priced runner, but he will do well to uphold the form with RAGMANS CORNER and Gerard Keane’s gelding receives a confident vote to justify that claim.
In short, the seven-year-old has been as reliable as a Swiss clock in recent times, under both codes, and if you strip away his one poor effort when a burst blood vessel was to blame, his form figures in competitive handicaps over hurdles read 1214214.
Although he had Gameball two places ahead of him in his most recent encounter, a poor jump at the notorious second last at the bottom of the hill following by an equally messy exit away from the last checked his momentum, but despite these events happening at a crucial stage, he rallied gamely to the cause to finish a close-up fourth.
A winner on the flat subsequently, the son of Kalanisi clearly arrives here in excellent shape and he looks overpriced on all known evidence.
4.18 HAYDOCKSee All Odds
TIP 3: ATA RANGI – 1-point Each-Way
Best odds of 5/1 at bet365 while publishing.
ATA RANGI was prevented from upholding a perfect track record at today’s venue by a series of unfortunate episodes and he is afforded another chance to regain the status quo with a better rub of the green.
A wide draw was always going to make life difficult for Ed Walker’s inmate in the first place and once settling for being dropped out the back, he soon became a hostage to fortune down the straight.
To add to his woes, the five-year-old ran into a series of traffic issues inside the final two furlongs that prevented from him making any impact on the outcome but he was noted finishing off his race well without being subjected to a hard ride and it’s those details that are worth clinging on to.
Successful on his two previous visits to the Merseyside track, a more favourable draw this time around will hopefully lead to a profitable ending.
8.30 DUNDALKSee All Odds
TIP 4: WILD BERRIES – 1-point Each-Way (four places)
Best odds of 4/1 at Betfred while publishing.
WILD BERRIES completely turned over a new leaf when upped in trip and revisiting today’s venue last time out and with an extra furlong and a half threatening to bring about even more improvement, Ross O’Sullivan’s filly rates a strong choice to follow up.
The lightly raced three-year-old didn’t arrive at the Lough venue highly recommended, hence the 28-1 starting price, but she made a total mockery of those odds with a performance of some note.
Staying on powerfully in the closing stage having travelled well throughout, the daughter of Acclamation ended up posting a similar speed figure to the one achieved by the 89-rated Kilcrea Rock over the same C&D and if capable of running close to the same level on her return visit, she is likely to prove her victory here seven days ago was no fluke.
