Horse Racing Tips on Sunday, July 24
There are three meetings spread across the UK on Sunday July 24th, with the action coming from Chelmsford, Pontefract and Uttoxeter. Our expert editor has produced their top tips across the cards, which make up our advised Sunday Lucky 15.
She’s A Mirage (1.00 Chelmsford)
Course and distance winner One More Olly heads the betting here for trainer Richard Hughes. The daughter of Camacho found the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes too hot on her second start when finishing way a long way down the field, and is entitled to plenty of respect back in much calmer waters here. However, it could pay to take a chance on SHE’S A MIRAGE in this five-furlong nursery.
Although Richard Hannon’s Kodiac filly has failed to get her head in front in four starts so far, that doesn’t tell the whole story as she’s had her excuses in defeat and has come up against some extremely useful types. Sixth to the impressive Queen Mary winner Dramatised on her debut, she was badly hampered on her second outing when finishing fourth behind a pair of subsequent winners at Salisbury. Sent to Bath on her following outing in June, She’s A Mirage ran her best race to date, finishing behind Listed runner-up Cuban Mistress and Ralph Beckett’s talented Group sprinter Lezoo.
Unable to cope with the soft ground at Haydock when last seen, Richard Hannon’s useful filly switches to the all-weather surface this weekend and connections will be confident of her getting off the mark at the fifth attempt.
Tantoli (2.30 Uttoxeter)
It wouldn’t be a total surprise to see an improved effort from Kim Bailey’s TANTOLI on just his second hurdle outing on Sunday afternoon. The five-year-old had previously finished down the field in a couple of bumpers last season but certainly wasn’t devoid of promise on his hurdling debut at Worcester last month. Returning from a 235-day break on that occasion, the five-year-old jumped particularly well in the main and still travelled strongly under jockey David Bass turning for home.
Whilst it was slightly disappointing to see him gradually fade out of contention to finish sixth, lack of recent fitness ultimately told that day and he should take a sizeable step forward on Sunday following his opening run over timber.
Marks Bear (2.45 Chelmsford)
This six-furlong class 2 handicap appears to be an ultra-competitive contest with several in here holding claims in some shape or form. The likes of Dubai Station and Misty Grey will be popular amongst punters but perhaps this can go the way of Gary Moore’s MARKS BEAR, who returns to his preferred all-weather surface following two below-par efforts on the turf recently. In fact, the four-year-old has proven to be a model of consistency for connections on the all-weather with form figures of 1-1-2-2-2-2.
Rated 87, his only previous start at Chelmsford resulted in a course and distance win back in November 2020 and although he must bounce back to form this Sunday, Gary Moore’s charge is clearly at his best on the synthetics and the four-year-old is well worth supporting this weekend.
Stroxx (5.15 Pontefract)
The in-form Canaria Prince is likely to head to the market here for Tim Easterby and Duran Fentiman. The four-year-old recorded his first career victory on his penultimate start at Beverley earlier this month and ran up to form when second at Hamilton just ten days ago. He’s entitled to respect here, but at the prices, it’s surely worth giving Liam Bailey’s STROXX another chance to finally come good after finishing just a neck behind Tim Easterby’s charge last time out.
Formerly trained by Tim Easterby, Stroxx has seemingly returned to form this season and has certainly threatened to get off the mark in his latest outings for new connections. Narrowly defeated at Hamilton in June, Liam Bailey’s five-year-old suffered a similar fate at Musselburgh on his penultimate start, showing plenty of speed throughout but finishing just three parts of a length behind the winner in a minor event at Musselburgh last month.
With the majority of his best efforts coming on stiff tracks, Stroxx should have little trouble in coping with the uphill finish at Pontefract this weekend and while he is somewhat of a frustrating sort, it’s surely only a matter of time before he strikes this season.