UK Horse Racing Tips

In the World Cup Betting at 188Bet Handicap (3.40) at Haydock on Wednesday, Mont Kinabalu is just 1lb higher in the weights than when winning a similar race over course and distance last month and must have every chance of completing a hat-trick. The Society Rock gelding only just prevailed in a bunch finish here last time, but demonstrated excellent battling qualities and the form has already been franked by the runner-up, Global Conqueror.

The fact that Mont Kinabalu has won by a neck and a short head on his last two starts hasn’t left the handicapper with much room for manoeuvre but, even so, he looks to have taken a chance on Kevin Ryan’s progressive three-year-old, who remains unexposed over a mile. All three of his wins have come on good or good to firm going, so he has underfoot conditions to suit, not to mention the assistance of Tom Eaves, who’s 2-3 on him, and 6-24 overall on three-year-olds for the yard, this season.

His chance probably won’t have been missed by the bookmakers, but this looks a decent little race for the grade, with the likes of Dragons Tail, Ulshaw Bridge and Maverick Officer all having their sights lowered after running in better races last time. Mont Kinabalu appears firmly on the up, though, and should give us run for our money at a fair price.

Selection: Haydock 3.40 Mont Kinabalu to win 10/3

The K Club Handicap (3.35) at the Curragh on Sunday revolves, largely, around Allegio, who defied a 10lb rise in the weights when winning a Cork handicap by half the track in April and has a further 13lb rise to contend with this time. Considering he was beaten off handicap marks of 74, 79 and 82 last season, Denis Hogan’s 5-year-old has clearly struck a rich vein of form but, while he would almost certainly have won off today’s mark of 101 last time, whether he’s up to the task in this much more competitive race must be open to question.

Under the circumstances, I prefer to side with Claregate Street who, despite a 9lb rise for winning a fillies’ handicap the all-weather at Dundalk, carries a relative “featherweight” of just 8st 4lb. Marc Halford’s filly made up into a consistent handicapper last season and, although she races off a career-high mark here, won in convincing style last time and may still be open to further improvement on her return to turf. She appears indifferent to underfoot conditions and, although she’s actually 1lb out of the handicap proper, she shouldn’t be unduly inconvenienced, especially with jockey Conor Hoban able to ride at 8st 4lb, as he did at Dundalk.

Selection: Curragh 3.35 Claregate Street to win 5/1

Sky Horse racing presenter Hayley Moore (daughter of trainer Gary Moore and brother of Ryan) certainly had an unexpectedly eventful week. She made news across the world and lit up social media with her heroic display in singlehandedly stopping a loose horse; three year old Give Em A Clump. The horse had unseated his rider Fran Berr just a furlong into the race at Chepstow.

By name and by nature Give Em A Clump certainly didn’t go easy on Hayley when she attempted to stop it in its tracks. For a while it looked like she might be hurt, but in actual fact it ended up being more like some kind of Indiana Jones move, and where others stood back, she had the horse by the reins in seconds.

Moore, previously an amateur rider herself commented “I just couldn’t bear the thought of him going round again, especially on quite a hot day. He had the blinkers on and I think he was panicking a little, he was running on adrenaline.

“I’m used to catching horses, but not quite like that!”

In the At The Races Supporting Mental Health Foundation Handicap (8.20) at Windsor on Monday evening, Trogon remains a maiden after ten starts, but remains unexposed over a mile on turf and could be worth chancing in a first-time visor. Mick Channon’s 3-year-old has been knocking on the door in similar grade handicaps on the all-weather this spring, but went closest to breaking his duck at Kempton earlier this month, when third of 10, beaten two necks, in a bunch finish behind Harbour Pilot in a 0-70 contest over a mile. In truth, he has looked rather one paced on both starts at, or around, a mile on turf, but the new headgear might just eke out a little more from him, which is really all he needs to open his account.

With the possible exception of the thrice-raced pair Harbour Approach – now, interestingly, trained by Daniel Mark Loughnane, also responsible for Harbour Pilot – and Port Of Call, who’s been gelded since last seen at Kempton in September, the opposition appears exposed as moderate, so it doesn’t require a leap of faith to envisage Trogon opening his account. Mick Channon’s overall record at Windsor leaves something to be desired but, for those in search of a positive statistic, jockey Charles Bishop has a 4-11 (36%) for the yard in the last 14 days.

Fellow maiden New Orleans could prove troublesome if improving, as seems likely, for the step up to an extended mile, in first-time blinkers, on just his second start on turf, but Trogon will do for me on this occasion.

Selection: Windsor 8.20 Trogon to win  5/1