Rory Delargy and Dave Massey have two bets across today's meetings including one at Pontefract.
Racing betting tips: Monday April 14
1pt win Forceful Speed in the 3.35 Pontefract at 15/2 (General, min 7/1)
1pt win Les’s Legacy in the 4.18 Hexham at 4/1 (General, min 7/2)
3:05 Pontefract
Drawing the inside berth is City Captain, but in his case the draw is incidental and he’s selected on the basis that he’s almost certain to be fit for this seasonal debut, which also happens to be his first start for the talented Harriet Bethell. I mentioned Harriet’s record with new recruits at the last meeting where she saddled Milteye to be second, and that made her record first time with horses transferring from other yards three winners and six places from 13 runners over the past two years, with winners at 18/1, 14/1 and 11/1. Milteye was backed from 20/1 overnight into an SP of 6/1 and Bethell’s record is certainly no fluke.
City Captain has a little to prove now dropping to sprinting having finished fourth on his only start in a nursery last year for Sylvester Kirk, but he did race freely that day (as he had over 1m at Bath on his final qualifying run), and he’s likely to prove best at 6f for the time being. He’s been picked up by the shrewd outfit that is The Horsewatchers and he remains with untapped potential at this trip, with his mark perfectly fair on what he’s achieved, but possibly lenient of the drop in trip has the expected effect.
3:35 Pontefract
He didn’t achieve a great deal on his debut for Raphael Freire in the Rosebery at Kempton, but Forceful Speed was unfancied there and eased when meeting race-ending trouble around two furlongs out, so it’s easy to put a line through that run, and the fact that he has a race under his belt is a positive as he returns to the scene of his most recent success.
Forceful Speed has run his best races at this venue, winning three from four away from testing ground, and was beating some in-form sorts when landing a 1½m handicap here in June for George Boughey and the change in stable should not be a concern, with Raphael Freire heavily involved in the AMO operation in recent times and only granted a licence to train last summer.
Forceful Speed has also won twice over C&D on good ground and it’s likely this has always been his main spring target, with Kempton merely serving to blow away the cobwebs.
4:18 Hexham
Les’s Legacy did the column a good turn when successful here last time out and we see no reason to desert him from a 6lb higher mark, with Ben Smith taking all that off and a pound more. He tends to keep his form when he finds it, and with his ideal conditions again, he can follow up.
A couple of bigger-priced ones are worth a mention. There was the odd glimmer of ability in novice hurdles from Fairly Fulling, including when a fairly distant fourth over C&D last November, but after a couple of moderate efforts he ran better than a 16½ length fifth to Dickens here last time might suggest. Sent for home after jumping three out well, he traded about a quarter of his pre-race price but it became clear Ross Chapman had used up the petrol a bit too soon, and he faded from the last. A step up in trip today should suit, and he’s worth a second look if he keeps drifting.
A two-year absence means Quickasican will probably need the run for Jessica Bedi but any horse that finished within shouting distance of Springwell Bay in a novice hurdle ought not be the rank outsider in a race of this moderate quality. He’s worth keeping an eye on with a view to the future.
Preview posted at 0955 BST on 14/04/2025
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2025 successes
- Ultra Beat 7/2
- Les's Legacy 13/2
- Coniston George 9/2
- Fairlawn Flyer 12/1
- Finn Lough 9/2
- Magma Sam 9/1
- Hawajes 9/2
- Trouble Man 3/1
- Royal Jewel 11/4
- Mr Vango 5/1
- Jack Sprat 11/4
- Ormolulu 100/30
- Khangai 9/2
- Jimmy Knocker 6/1
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