David Massey and Rory Delargy outline today's best racing bets and they have two selections including at Newbury.
Racing betting tips: Wednesday January 15
1pt win Shaala Asker in the 12.08 Southwell at 14/1 (Bet365, min 9/1)
1pt win Dancing In Brazil in the 3.00 Newbury at 10/1 (Bet365, min 13/2)
12.08 Southwell - Class 6 (0-50) Classified Stakes 4f 214y
SHAALA ASKER hasn’t won for some time, which is obviously a concern, but he drops into Class 6 company for the first time in a long time here and has shaped a lot better on his last two starts than his form figures suggest.
After finishing last on his first run for Charlie Wallis at Southwell back in November, he would have got a lot closer than eighth at Chelmsford next time but for totally running out of room in the latter stages and Jason Watson easing him right off. Off the back of that he went to Kempton and in a race where it paid to race prominently, never got into it from the back of the field but was again spotted running on late, suggesting he had a bit left in the tank.
This drop back to five furlongs does ask a question but it looks a strongly-run affair, and it isn’t enough of a negative to outweigh the positives, so he looks a bet if the right price.
3.00 Newbury - Class 4 (0-120) Handicap Hurdle 2m 69y
Norn Iron is of obvious interest for Harry Derham having shaped well on his return at Uttoxeter in October, but the market hasn’t missed him, and he’s not the only one who appeals in this handicap hurdle.
I’m pretty keen on the chances of DANCING IN BRAZIL based on the pick of his form for Alan King last term, and he’s the type to improve for a switch to Nigel Twiston-Davies. A well-bred bumper winner, he showed plenty on his early hurdle starts despite needing experience and was the subject of support on his handicap bow at Huntingdon in the spring, only for his race to end when he lost his back legs on landing over the penultimate flight when making a promising effort.
Based on how he travelled into the Huntingdon contest, Dancing In Brazil appears fairly handicapped, and has been dropped 1lb for that unfortunate effort. He has shown an ability to go well fresh in the past having won on racecourse debut, and the Twiston-Davies runners rarely lack for fitness after a break, while of the dozen horses who have been switched to the stable from other yards in the past two years, eight have either won or finished second at the first time of asking, suggesting a big run is on the cards for the son of Blue Bresil.
4.08 Newbury Class 4 (0-120) Handicap Hurdle 3m 52y
Geturguccion makes plenty of appeal in this staying handicap hurdle; she ran well in a bumper here in March, just touched off by Jasmine Bliss, and has transferred that level of ability to hurdles, running a solid second on her hurdles debut at Ludlow and then showing a bit of improvement at Plumpton last time, where she finished second to Julius Des Pictons in a race working out very well, with the winner, fourth and fifth all winners on their next starts.
On both hurdles starts she’s looked in need of further, and this step up to three miles looks a positive given she was placed in two Irish point-to-points in 2023. An opening mark of 108 looks perfectly fair, and she will go close if progressing as expected for the stiffer test of stamina.
Published at 0920 GMT on 15/01/25
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