Horse Racing Tips on Monday, April 11
There are three meetings spread across Britain on Monday, April 11th with the action coming from Hexham, Windsor and Pontefract. Our expert tipster has produced their best bets across the cards, which make up our advised Monday Lucky 15.
Ey Up It’s Maggie (3.40 Pontefract)
The Riu Hotels And Resorts Handicap is the feature at Pontefract on Monday and this has proven a good springboard in recent years with the likes of Mokaatil and Mondammej landing this before going on to big-race success.
Those pair were both 4yos, and representing that age group in 2022, EY UP IT’S MAGGIE is fancied for Tony Coyle and jockey Kevin Stott.
This daughter of Equiano ended last season with a Class 3 Leicester success and made a highly promising start to this campaign when fourth at Doncaster last month. Kevin Stott, who has form figures of 101 aboard this filly, is back in the saddle today, whilst unlike many in this field, she shouldn’t mind what the weather does to the ground.
Ey Up It’s Maggie likes to race prominently and is drawn to attack from the off coming out of stall 2, so with her yard enjoying a good bit of early-season form she can be supported to get back amongst the winners on Monday afternoon.
Monday Lucky 15 Tips. Jockey Kevin Stott can get amongst the winners at Pontefract.
Dereham (4.50 Pontefract)
Plenty in with chances in this Into The Sky Pontefract Marathon Handicap, but at the prices, DEREHAM looks like a solid proposition.
John Berry’s 6yo enjoyed the return to an easier surface when runner-up over 2m2f here back in October, under claimer Faye McManoman. The front two pulled 17l clear of the remainder that day, and Dereham can be called slightly unlucky not to have finished closer having been hampered and snatched up on the run-in.
Dereham returned to action at Chelmsford just eleven days ago, when a 4l fifth over 1m6f. He had found himself under the pump much earlier than his rivals that day and the run strongly suggested that the trip was the bare minimum nowadays.
Getting back on turf and stepping up markedly in trip is expected to suit Dereham, and it looks interesting that connections turn to Megan Nicholls here, who has ridden a winner for the yard.
Festival Of Light (5.40 Windsor)
Windsor’s closing Watch Off The Fence On attheraces.com Handicap features a wide range of 3yos that look open to improvement now sent handicapping for the first time, and one that falls firmly into that category is FESTIVAL OF LIGHT.
Ed Dunlop’s charge finished eighth in three consecutive novices at the backend of last year, yet she posted improving RPRs on each occasion and it looks a little interesting that connections pitched her into a hot Newmarket contest on debut, where she wasn’t completely unfancied in the market.
Festival Of Light looks a likely improver now handicapping with the benefit of those novice runs under her belt, and she is bred to be significantly better than an opening mark of 59, with her half-sister the Grade 2 winner Rhythm Of Light.
Connections turn to Hollie Doyle this afternoon, which looks like an interesting booking, and there appears to be a strong possibility that we’ve yet to see the best of Festival Of Light.
Monday Lucky 15 Tips. Ed Dunlop and Hollie Doyle can team up to land the Windsor finale with Festival Of Light.
Secret Eagle (5.50 Pontefract)
Pontefract’s concluding Join Racing TV Now Handicap is a wide-open contest on paper, and therefore it could pay to take a chance on SECRET EAGLE for the predominantly Jumps orientated Ruth Jefferson.
This gelding was a 50/1 winner at Catterick back in October 2020, when accounting for a pair of rivals now rated in the 80s.
He generally struggled for form last season, yet a penultimate Carlisle third was encouraging and Secret Eagle was subsequently sold for £6,000 at the sales.
Secret Eagle failed to beat a rival home on his stable debut here in September, yet subsequent wind surgery suggests that there may have been an underlying problem there, and a mark of 65 obviously has the potential to seriously underestimate Secret Eagle on the pick of his form.