Horse Racing Tips on Monday, July 4
There are the three meetings spread across Britain on Monday, July 4th with the action coming from Worcester, Ayr and Ripon. Our expert tipster has produced their best bets across the cards, which make up our advised Monday Lucky 15.
Delight Of Dubai (1.35 Worcester)
Worcester’s second race on their eight-race Monday card is the John Burke Handicap Chase, where DELIGHT OF DUBAI rates the one to be with.
This mare has gained two wins from ten starts since switching to the larger obstacles, the most recent of those victories coming at Newton Abbot last August when holding off the challenge of Sizing Cusimano, who is now officially rated 10lb higher.
Delight Of Dubai finds herself on just a 2lb higher mark, and she was much improved the second start back from a break at Uttoxeter last time, when a 33/1 third.
The first-time cheekpieces applied there have been retained, and trainer Noel Williams runners this season have now produced form figures of 1133. At a track where Delight Of Dubai has run well previously, and on ground she appreciates, there appears to be plenty in her favour here.
Monday Lucky 15 Tips. Tom O’Brien can get amongst the winners at Worcester with Delight Of Dubai.
Starshiba (4.45 Ayr)
It is a little surprising to see STARSHIBA trading at the biggest price available in Ayr’s 7f Summer Breaks At Western House Hotel Handicap.
This 5yo had some eye-catching form to his name for David Elsworth last season, which included a short-head second to Perotto (conceded 3lb) and that runner is now officially rated 107, whilst Starshiba finds himself on a rating of 74.
That is in part down to form figures of 0098 since joining current trainer David O’Meara and owners The Horse Watchers, where he has fallen 8lb in the weights in the process, but he has produced progressive RPRs on each of those outings and was only beaten 3l at Doncaster last time.
Connections now turn to a new headgear combination for Starshiba, and it’s interesting that they enlist the bang in form Cieren Fallon for the ride. If those factors manage to bring about even a small improvement, Starshiba looks weighted to outrun his odds.
Lessankan (5.05 Worcester)
Worcester’s Monday card concludes with the At The Races App Form Study Handicap Hurdle, and a particularly interesting entrant for this 2m7f contest is LESSANKAN.
A four-time point winner, this 7yo is yet to get off the mark in seven starts under rules, but he put up arguably his best showing in this sphere to date when a close second at Ffos Las last time out.
That run came over fences, and Lessankan is 5lb higher reverted to the smaller obstacles here, but the big plus appears to come from the decision to step him back up to this 2m7f trip, with that Ffos Las run coming over an extended 2m3f which would have been sharp enough.
The front two pulled over 20l clear of the remainder last time out, so the rise received does not look unwarranted, and Lessankan looks sure to have improvement to come for these connections.
Monday Lucky 15 Tips. It’s set to be a family affair at Worcester on Monday with the Brace’s teaming up for victory with Lessankan.
Sophiesticate (5.15 Ayr)
Ayr’s card concludes on Monday with the Weddings At Western House Hotel Handicap, and the first thing to note when looking at this contest is there are a lot of pace angles, which means that this could be set up for SOPHIESTICATE.
The likes of Victory Star and Tele Red do like to race prominently, and if they take each other on at the head of affairs, the patiently ridden Sophiesticate could be the one to benefit.
This 3yo hasn’t managed to get off the mark in seven starts to date, but she’s produced encouraging form figures of 4233 since sent handicapping, shaping on more than one of those occasions as though she was worth stepping up to this 1m2f trip, which her pedigree agrees with (dam placed over this distance).
Sophiesticate has raced at Hamilton on each of her last four starts, but she was a respectable fourth in a course and distance novice as recently as April, with the winner there now rated 90, the second 74 and the third 77. That form taken in isolation suggests that Sophiesticate is well-treated off a mark of 61, and Paul Mulrennan getting back aboard looks a plus for her chances.