Free betting preview & tips Down Royal | Fran Berry: Rak and roll at Royal

Recommended Bets: September 4

1pt e.w Shanroe in 3.10 Down Royal at 5/1

1pt e.w Rakan in 2.35 Down Royal at 5/1

*Shanroe is now a non-runner

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

It’s drying ground up at Down Royal and I hope it’s going to keep on drying for both my selections on the card there this afternoon.

The day’s best bet is in the Paddy Power Horseymchorserace Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap at 3.10 with SHANROE making plenty of each-way appeal at 5/1 (Sky Bet 1/5 1,2,3,4).

Trained by Karl Thornton, he was a triple bumper winner last year before he won his first Flat race at Limerick by a head in maiden company in June.

He’s showed all summer what great health he is in by winning impressively at Tipperary over hurdles before a second, again over timber, at Cork in July.

I tipped him up in this column for his return to the Flat at Leopardstown last time and he ran a cracker in a close second, and he only went up 1lb for that run.

His last four runs suggest that he’s a horse seriously on the upgrade and with the ground drying in his favour he’s a very fair each-way bet at 5s getting the four places.

The extra three furlongs today should really suit him.

Earlier on Master Of Reality is a short-priced favourite in the Listed Her Majesty’s Plate over 1m6f, but he could be worth taking on if his long-term target is the Melbourne Cup again.

I’m happy to chance he won’t quite be at a peak just yet and with that in mind I’m taking him on each-way with Dermot Weld’s RAKAN at 5/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3).

He ran in the Irish Derby last year with Jim Crowley coming over to ride and while he didn’t perform that day he does have some good form to his name including a defeat of Barbados in a three-runner Listed race at Leopardstown.

At the same track his comeback run was very solid in July, where he was a decent staying-on fourth, and you’d imagine with normal improvement he will have a say in this.

Posted at 1000 BST on 04/09/20

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