UK Racing Tips – Monday 2nd August

A lot of action today to keep racing fans interested and we have 5 selections at Newcastle, Kempton and Windsor. 

Tip 1 – 2.18pm Newcastle

We get underway in the opener at Newcastle with the Jennie Candlish trained Mutaabeq. It comes with a bit of a health warning as this horse is not one for maximum faith.

Mutaabeq has been running very well recently in better races and he will not be afforded a better opportunity to gain a third career success. Generously dropped a further 2lbs after shaping well at Haydock, he now drops in to a 0-65 for the first time.

After being slowly away and making a big mid-race move in the aforementioned Haydock contest, he finished a close fifth. The pace held up on the whole in that event and I think that performance can be marked up.

Seven furlongs on this straight course with a high draw should prove ideal. Despite the reservations given the poor strike rate, Mutaabeq should be favourite and makes appeal at the prices against a moderate bunch.

 

2.18pm Newcastle – Mutaabeq 1pt win 5/1 generally

 

Tip 2 – 3.15pm Kempton

 

Alan King hit the headlines last week with Trueshan and Asymmetric taking major honours at Goodwood. The yard are in flying form and whilst this nursery won’t generate the same amount of column inches, Spiceline looks to have a great chance.

This Showcasing filly was a big eyecatcher over this course and distance on debut where the form has worked out producing a handful of winners. Similarly, shaping with promise again second time out at Newmarket that form is also strong.

Her final run in novice company had the hallmarks of fulfilling the criteria of last run before getting a mark. Spiceline has not yet been asked any serious questions in her three runs to date. Tender and considerate handling the common theme.

Now moving in to handicaps off what looks a workable mark, she looks the value in an open contest.

 

3.15pm Kempton – Spiceline 1pt win 8/1 generally

 

Tip 3 – 4.00pm Newcastle

 

David Simcock sends just one to Newcastle today and the handicap debutant Special Directory makes appeal.

Her three runs in maiden and novice company have come at Southwell and Chelmsford. Held up on all three occasions at two courses that are notoriously difficult to make ground up. In spite of that, Special Directory has shown varying degrees of promise in all three runs. I think she could have more ability than an initial mark of 68 suggests.

The trip is an unknown, there are doubts on pedigree but she has shaped as if a step up in trip will suit. One who should prove to be suited by the trip is fellow three-year-old Allegranza but she’s taken two big steps backwards lately.

The market leaders are both older horses and with the weight for age concession, this looks a great opportunity for Special Directory to make a winning handicap debut.

 

4.00pm Newcastle – 1pt win Special Directory 9/2 generally

 

Tip 4 – 4.33pm Newcastle

 

Raise The Roof could prove to be well treated on the back of her impressive win at Wolverhampton last time. However, she is going to have to be to give weight to Beating All.

He was extremely disappointing on handicap debut at Chester and has since been given a break. His previous form stacks up rather well indeed. He beat subsequent Royal Ascot winner, Foxes Tales, on debut at Kempton before running well in a strong race behind Siskany and Surefire at Windsor.

On those two pieces of form alone, a mark of 81 has to be considered on the lenient side and could well underestimate him. A return to an artificial surface should suit and I think Beating All should be the favourite.

 

4.33pm Newcastle – 2pt win Beating All 3/1 generally

 

Tip 5 – 6.45pm Windsor

An unsurprisingly stellar field for this sprint series final. The favourite, Edraak, has made huge strides in recent months and has shown a real affinity for this course.

The one at the prices that makes appeal is the well handicapped Huraiz. He had become bitterly disappointing but his latest start suggests he is on the way back. If he builds on that performance over a more suitable trip, then he has a great chance.

Seemingly unfancied in the market, caught wide early and then challenging wider than ideal it’s plausible to suggest that recent Windsor run can be upgraded. Huraiz has been dropped a further 2lb for that and back up to a more suitable distance, he has strong claims.

It was only 5 starts ago he finished second behind Edraak at Chelmsford giving him 10lbs. There is now a 25lb swing in the weights for a 2-length defeat. Edraak has undoubtedly improved out of recognition since then but it does emphasis how well treated Huraiz is now.

 

6.45pm Windsor – 1pt each way Huraiz 14/1 (5 places) most firms