Horse racing tips on Thursday 22 April
Thursday is another busy day in the horse racing world with five more meetings heading to post across the UK over the sticks and on the flat. With plenty to look forward to we’ve picked out our Thursday racing best bets and tips for the day’s action.
Another five UK horse racing meetings will head to post on Thursday with further action both on the flat and over the sticks for punters to unravel. The day’s flat racing comes from Beverley in the afternoon and from Chelmsford in the evening on the all-weather.
Meanwhile over the sticks there is action north of the border again at Perth, while Exeter and Warwick are also racing. With 36 races again taking place we’ve looked over each of the racecards taking place and have picked out our Thursday racing best bets and tips.
THURSDAY RACING BEST BETS – TIPS FOR WARWICK, PERTH, BEVERLEY, EXETER & CHELMSFORD
1:50 Perth – Glenearn Flooring Handicap Hurdle Cl4 (4yo+ 0-120) 2m4f
FLETCH has shown progressive form over hurdles this term, twice making the frame in starts at Southwell and Exeter prior to getting off the mark at Uttoxeter in February and Olly Murphy’s charge can follow up here following a breather.
The Kayf Tara won readily in that start at the Midlands track, beating Gadjet D’ainay by five lengths despite making a mess of the last hurdle and while that form is only ordinary he can continue to improve switching now to handicaps.
He proved in a decent bumper run that he can handle quicker ground and with a first-time tongue-tie also applied he could be fairly treated off this rating and with the longer trip a possible source of improvement.
2:10 Beverley – Beverley Annual Badgeholders Handicap Cl5 (4yo+ 0-75) 5f
DAPPER MAN is having his third run in a week but the Dandy Man gelding is on good terms with himself and connections seem keen to exploit his current rating before he goes up 6lbs for future runs.
Roger Fell’s charge got back on the scoresheet when taking an apprentices’ handicap at Ripon last Thursday and unpenalised for that success he went close at Pontefract on Monday, finishing runner-up behind Ventura Express having gone off too hard.
He can again race off an unchanged and unpenalised mark and while there’s a slight worry this will one run too many in such a short space of time he can go close if those runs haven’t left a mark while Ben Curtis likely won’t make the same mistake again.
Thursday racing best bets. Beverley are racing on the level.
2:30 Warwick – Bet At racingtv.com Handicap Chase Cl4 (5yo+ 0-110) 2m
GOUET DES BRUYERES has been steadily progressive over fences, finding another chunk of improvement following wind surgery and opening his win account at Wetherby at the start of this month when beating Tidal Watch by nine lengths.
Oliver Greenall’s Policy Maker gelding subsequently found only one too good at Market Rasen just three days later where he was beaten less than two lengths and he likely wouldn’t need to find much improvement to get back to winning ways here.
He was only run down late last time when shouldering a penalty although a couple of mistakes late on certainly wouldn’t have aided his chance; but he could yet be well-treated off this revised mark and having had a bit more time between runs he ought to go close here if brushing up on his jumping.
4:40 Perth – Fonab Castle Handicap Hurdle (Div I) Cl5 (4yo+ 0-105) 2m
Lightly-raced CANCAN was only denied by a half-length into third at Carlisle last month and Nicky Alexander’s Al Namix mare might be able to get off the mark now in a race that probably won’t call for a great deal of improvement in order for her to strike.
She appeared to lack a change of gear late on suggesting that she might benefit from a longer trip; but kept to two miles for this latest outing she nevertheless can make her presence felt and the form of that near miss has been boosted by the winner.
Only raised 1lb for that last run the refitting of a hood could help and this isn’t a particularly strong contest so it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see her involved in the finish taking on more exposed types.
5:45 Chelmsford – Example At Chelmsford City 14th August Handicap Cl6 (3yo 0-60) 6f
MOPS GEM won over this trip at Wolverhampton back in February and the Equiano filly has been running well in defeat since including when fifth to the reopposing Silver Nemo over this course and distance at the beginning of the month.
Michael Appleby’s charge was unlucky on that occasion, racing wide and making good ground late when badly hampered and eventually beaten just two lengths in dead-heating for fifth place behind the winner.
She was contesting off level weights with that rival but enjoys a 4lbs pull now and first-time cheekpieces could pull out some further improvement. While it is debatable whether she’d have won bit more luck in running last time she would certainly have finished closer and it would be no surprise to see her in the mix.
Thursday racing best bets. Michael Appleby (left) can saddle a winner on the card at Chelmsford.
6:15 Chelmsford – chelmsfordcityracecourse.com Handicap Cl3 (4yo+ 0-95) 6f
SHIMMERING DAWN knows how to win at this venue and her last successful start came over this course back in February prior to a lesser effort in Listed company at Wolverhampton.
The Morpheus mare bounced back from that run to go close at Lingfield at the beginning of this month, denied only by a neck behind Pholas on All-Weather Champions Day but she could go one better here with a repeat of that run.
The return to six furlongs is of no issue to James Tate’s charge who has won three times over course and distance and four times at the venue in general and this represents a slightly easier assignment dropping into a Class 3 contest having also been eased 1lb in the handicap.
Match-sharpness could prove an asset in this contest with all but one rival making their seasonal reappearance and she can get back to winning ways.
7:25 Exeter – Visit Heavitree heavitreebrewery.co.uk Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Cl5 (4yo+ 0-105) 2m2½f
EMMA LAMB is yet to get off the mark but it isn’t for lack of trying that the Passing Glance mare remains a maiden and Dr Richard Newland’s charge has finished runner-up in four of her last six starts including when last seen finding only Rukwa too strong by just over one length at Huntingdon.
Run down late after the last she has seen that form franked by the winner going in again next time and first-time cheekpieces may eke out sufficient improvement that could see her get off the mark.
Jockey Cillian Leonard is good value for his 7lbs allowance which eases the selection’s burden at the weights and in an open contest she might be worth chancing to come good on this occasion.