UK Horse Racing Tips

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Middleham trainer Mark Johnston holds a very strong hand in the Landwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.35) at Newmarket on Wednesday and, although Threading is officially rated 3lb superior to stable companion Nyaleti, the latter was only beaten a head in the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes over course and distance when last tried over 7 furlongs. The daughter of Arch made a satisfactory, if unspectacular, reappearance when sixth of 10, beaten 4¼ lengths, behind Gronkowski, in the Listed 32Red Burradon Stakes, over a mile, at Newcastle last month but, back on rain-softened turf with a furlong less to travel, she may be capable of resuming winning ways.

She’s more exposed than most of her rivals, but can reasonably be expected to continue to improve throughout her three-year-old campaign and doesn’t have much to find with the best of these in any case. Her two heaviest defeats as a juvenile both came at the highest level, including once over a mile, so it would be folly to underestimate her in this company.

Selection: Newmarket 3.35 Nyaleti to win

In the Play for Free at Sunbets.co.uk/Vegas Handicap (2.00) on Wednesday, Big Amigo escapes a penalty for winning an apprentice handicap over course and distance eight days ago, under Eoin Walsh, and must have every chance of following up. The Bahamian Bounty gelding had done all his previous winning over 6 furlongs on Fibresand or Tapeta, but had run respectably in a 0-85 handicap at Lingfield on his only previous attempt on Polytrack two seasons ago. He was making his debut over a mile, on any surface, at Lingfield last time, but stepping him up in distance proved a shrewd move on the part of connections and he remains very well handicapped on the pick of his form at Southwell. Of course, Fibresand and Polytrack are completely different surfaces, but Big Amigo is 11lb lower in the weights than when winning convincingly over 6 furlongs at the Nottinghamshire track last March and Eoin Walsh takes off another 3lb. Although a 5-year-old, he remains unexposed over course and distance and may yet have more to offer.

Selection: Lingfield 2.00 Big Amigo to win

In the C&S Electrical Handicap Hurdle (3.45) at Taunton on Tuesday, course and distance winner Our Merlin has looked in the grip of the handicapper since stepped up in class at Sandown two starts ago. Indeed, Robert Walford’s 6-year-old has been raised 4lb and 1lb for finishing second and third, respectively, the last twice, making an eye-watering total of 42lb since opening his account in a lowly 0-100 handicap hurdle at Plumpton in December. Clearly, it’s difficult to argue that he’s well handicapped, but he’s holding his form well and this looks a significantly less competitive contest than those he’s contested recently. His three wins have come at Plumpton, Fontwell and here – all sharp tracks – so it’s conceivable that Sandown and Cheltenham didn’t play to his strengths and the return to less testing underfoot conditions won’t do him any harm either. Regular partner Harry Cobden, who’s 3-6 on him, once again takes the ride.

Selection: Taunton 3.45 Our Merlin to win

Dan Skelton has only been training in his own right for four years, but continues to saddle winner after winner – 133 at the last count – this season. The Warwickshire trainer has a strong contingent of novice hurdlers and, on Sunday, sends Solo Saxophone on the 300-mile round trip down the M5 to Exeter to contest the In Play Betting at 1888Bet Novices’ Hurdle (2.30). The 4-year-old Frankel colt failed to win on the Flat for Dermot Weld last season and looked well beaten, at one stage, on his hurdling debut at Catterick in December.

However, he rallied after the second last flight, overhauling the leader, Outcrop, on the run-in to win by 4 lengths going away. The third horse that day, Haulani, subsequently ran well in a better race at Kempton, but Solo Saxophone was only workmanlike when beating 50/1 outsider Titan in another run-of-the-mill juvenile hurdle at Wetherby last month.

Nevertheless, he has the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as his main objective, so can reasonably be expected to improve with experience. In fact, he has looked far from the finished articled on both starts for Dan Skelton, so he could be worth chancing, despite taking a significant rise in class.

Selection: Exeter 2.30 Solo Saxophone to win 5/1