Jake Price's Thursday Betting Tips For Racing Action at Newbury and Newcastle

TIP 1: MIAMI MAGIC - 1pt E/W (5 Places)

Best odds of 15/2 at Betfair Sportsbook, Sky Bet and Paddy Power (five places) while publishing.

Whilst I am under no illusions that this Pertemps Qualifier could simply be a preparation for MIAMI MAGIC to have a crack at the Coral Gold Cup at the end of the month, if we rewind to 12 months ago there were the exact same concerns surrounding Haiti Couleurs – who went and defied a mark of 145 despite it only being a prep, before then going on to the Betfair Chase at Haydock. With that in mind I think this horse, rated 7lbs lower over hurdles, is worth chancing at a nice price.

This 7yo was a good novice hurdler, winning his maiden and a novice under a penalty before then finishing second behind Potters Charm (153) in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day 2024. He was then second behind Tripoli Flyer (141) in the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton, before a massive gamble ensued on him in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree – where he was sent off the 5/2f, but ultimately lost all position at the start and was always on the back foot when disappointing in 7th place.

Last season connections were very excited to go over fences with him, but he was certainly a slow burner in that sphere – making plenty of mistakes at Uttoxeter over 2m and then Kempton over 2m2f. When stepped up in trip to 2m4½f at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, where they tend to race that stride slower, he was much better, however, and on this occasion he stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Regent’s Stroll (149) by 4 lengths.

A good third place in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown followed, and then when stepped up in trip again to 2m7½f at Newbury in February he ran out an extremely impressive winner – pulling 15 lengths clear of dual subsequent winner That’s Nice, showing everyone that he is a horse who stays three miles with no issues. That run then set him up nicely for yet more support in a Grade 1 at Aintree, but this time he fell four out when still travelling strongly in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

With so much untapped potential yet to come you can see why connections are looking at races such as the Coral Gold Cup, but Stuart Edmunds has reported in a stable tour that he has been ready to run since a potential race at the Cheltenham October Meeting – it is just that they have been waiting for appropriate ground to start him on. Newbury provides that, with this hurdles card run on the Flat track, and with his trainer also stating that they would have no issues going back over hurdles, I think his mark of 138 could be ripe for exploiting before he goes over fences and has to race off a mark of 145. Ultimately I doubt there are Pertemps Final aspirations for him, so there would be no harm in winning a race like this, and it is also notable that this race would be his first ever handicap.

TIP 2: EMPTY NEST - 1pt Win

Best odds of 5/2 at bet365, William Hill, Sky Bet, Paddy Power and others while publishing.

A horse who went straight into the tracker following his run at Newcastle nine days ago was EMPTY NEST, and now that he drops back to Class 5 company surely everything is in line here for him to be able to get his head back in front for the first time since winning over course and distance in March 2025.

This 8yo cut a bit of a frustrating figure last season, finishing second here at Newcastle in January behind Always A Reason (106), before then finishing second to Another Fine Mess (112) at Doncaster in February off a mark of 95. He ended his campaign going off 7/4f at Wetherby when getting tired in the lead and finishing 5th, before then going off 9/4jf back at Newcastle in April when third, but those efforts have now seen his mark drop to 90 – meaning he is rated 4lbs lower than his last win.

On seasonal reappearance last week I thought he ran an absolute belter behind the obviously chucked-in Rule Me In (93), who has since been raised 7lbs for a 4.5-length success – but our selection jumped notably well that day when chasing in vain, and he pulled 13 lengths clear of the third, Balking (100). Had the Christian Williams hot favourite not been in there then he would have run out a very impressive winner, so I think he has to be worth chancing now left on the same mark of 90, whilst also dropping in grade from a 0-110 Class 4 to a 0-100 Class 5.

With fitness now guaranteed too, you’d have to sit up and take note of the record EMPTY NEST has over this course and distance – as his form figures now read 21232. Hopefully on this occasion he doesn’t bump into anything as well treated as that rival on his latest start.