Some cracking horse racing action goes to post on Friday and we pick out our Friday racing best bets for the day, including racing at Cheltenham.
Two classy fixtures go to post as part of Friday’s quartet of horse racing action where the day’s racing on the flat comes from Doncaster where it is the first of two days’ racing for the Vertem Futurity Trophy meeting; while Newbury also goes to post on the level with some competitive handicap action.
There is also flat racing action under the floodlights in the evening with an all-weather fixture on the Newcastle tapeta.
Meanwhile, for the day’s jumps racing we pay our first visit to Cheltenham for day one of the Showcase Meeting which extends into Saturday and there’s sure to be some early Cheltenham Festival hopes taking to the turf across the two days.
We’ve looked over all of the day’s racecards and we pick out our Friday racing best bets for the day across each of the fixtures taking place.
FRIDAY RACING BEST BETS – TIPS FOR CHELTENHAM, DONCASTER, NEWBURY & NEWCASTLE
1:10 Newbury – Are You Hot To Trot For 2021 Novice Stakes (Plus 10 Race) (Div I) Cl4 (2yo) 1m
WALLEM showed heavy ground to hold no fears when pulling clear with another promising sort on his debut at Leicester ten days ago and the Sea The Moon colt can progress for that run to go one better here.
Andrew Balding’s charge was beaten a neck in that first outing with the front pair pulling five lengths clear of the rest; while that form has been knocked since, he is open to plenty of improvement on the back of that debut and ought to be sharper and more streetwise for the run so it would be no surprise to see him progress.
2:25 Cheltenham – Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (5yo+) 3m½f
GALVIN retains his novice status despite being a second-season chaser and Gordon Elliott’s Gold Well gelding has been in rude health since returning from lockdown.
Progressive last term, twice finishing runner-up which included in the Northern Trust Chase during the Cheltenham Festival behind Imperial Aura, he is 3-3 this campaign and latterly ran out an impressive scorer over Waitnsee in a Grade Three contest at Tipperary earlier in the month.
This is his first try at three miles but he ought to improve for the longer trip given his stamina-laden pedigree and with no concerns over the ground and proven course form then he could prove a tough nut to crack in this contest.
Friday racing best bets. Trainer Gordon Elliott can get amongst the winners at Cheltenham with Galvin.
2:40 Doncaster – Vertem Investing In The Future Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 6f
It might be worth chancing JONAH JONES to get off the mark for the season and register a first win in two years.
Ed Walker’s charge was a dual-winner for Tom Dascombe prior to joining this yard and he’s been running well in defeat despite managing to get his head in front. His latest outing at Ascot saw him finishing third having met with trouble in running and he has to go down as an unluckly loser given he was only beaten one length behind Fortamour.
That form is solid and he can turn out here from the same handicap mark where the softer ground should be more to his liking so every chance the No Nay Never gelding can resume winning ways.
2:50 Newbury – Academy Insurance Fillies’ Handicap Cl4 (3yo+ 0-85) 1m2f
WONDROUS WORDS has yet to finish out of the first three in any of her five starts and the Lope De Vega filly even managed to register a win at Redcar in August when readily beating Ours Puissant by five lengths in August.
That was her first try at this longer trip and she saw it out well on the soft ground; she subsequently wasn’t disgraced at Ayr last month when denied only by Salsada where she might have been given too much to do.
The handicapper has pushed her up another 2lbs for that near miss, but there might get more of a pace to this contest which will suit and she can make her presence felt.
3:35 Cheltenham – Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m
ROUGE VIF was a decent sort over hurdles, winning three times which includes the Grade Two Premier Kelso Novices’ Hurdle and third in the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree; Harry Whittington’s charge has continued to show very good form since switching to the larger obstacles last term.
A dual-winner which includes the Grade Two Kingmaker Chase at Warwick the Sageburg gelding finished a very good third in the Arkle Chase during the Cheltenham Festival and that run sets the standard in this contest.
He makes his return to action here but he won at the first time of asking twelve months ago and every chance he can repeat the dose here where the underfoot conditions will hold no fears. The trainer took this race twelve months ago with the smart Saint Calvados and he can double up on this prize with the selection who can improve again this term.
Friday racing best bets and tips. Harry Whittington can strike at Cheltenham with Rouge Vif.
6:30 Newcastle – Get Your Ladbrokes Daily Odds Boost Nursery Handicap Cl6 (2yo 0-60) 5f
Irish raider TWICE ADAAY has done little wrong in her two starts to date, finishing third both times in outings at Catterick and Beverley; Adrian Keatley’s charge could be worth chancing now on her handicap debut to get off the mark at the third attempt.
The Adaay filly has been well beaten both times, but she possibly bumped into a useful sort latest in Lazyitis while the runner-up from that race has won since to give the form a boost.
Now trying tapeta for the first time and on her handicap debut, she could show improvement and a rating of 55 could prove workable so every chance she can progress further to make her presence felt again in what looks an ordinary race.