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Today's tips: Racing preview and best bets
Our star duo of Rory Delargy and David Massey look ahead to Friday's racing, with three selections advised.
Racing betting tips: Friday October 18
1pt win Special Dragon in the 3.10 Fakenham at 9/2 (General) min 4/1
0.5pts e.w Court Cian in the 4.20 Fakenham at 10/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3) min 9/1
1pt win Seantrabh in the 3.30 Haydock at 5/1 (General) min 4/1
3:10 Fakenham - Queen Boudicca Series Qualifier Mares' Handicap Chase 2m 59y
She ended up beaten a fair way on her chase debut at Southwell, but SPECIAL DRAGON took pretty well to the new discipline before a lack of fitness caught her out on her first run since May, and I expect a marked improvement with that run behind her.
Special Dragon showed little in qualifying runs but improved for the switch to handicaps over hurdles after wind surgery, winning at Ludlow and finishing second on her other starts in the spring. The last of those runs has worked out well with the horse who beat her scoring twice more subsequently, and her jumping was very good at Southwell against more experienced rivals.
It was a quiet summer for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero but three winners since the end of September shows that the powerful yard is back in top form, and Jagwar was a taking winner for the team at Wetherby on Wednesday.
4:20 Fakenham - P H Betts (Holdings) Ltd Novices' Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 1y
Stuart Edmunds has an excellent record at Fakenham and will be disappointed if he can’t go home with at least one winner on the card. COURT CIAN has the least chance of the trainer’s trio of runners on paper, but he could represent each-way value against hot favourite Double Powerful. The latter is in a winning streak and I’m not going to suggest he has to be opposed in his current form, but if he is very short in the market, then the place odds about the unexposed Court Cian will be attractive, and he’s expected to build on a promising debut for his new stable having been pointing and hunter chasing for Fiona and Michael Kehoe.
Court Cian showed plenty in bumpers, finishing second to useful hurdler/chaser Moonovercloon before joining the Kehoes, and he has been handicapped on two hurdle runs 18 months apart, not being seen to best effect on either occasion. He needs to improve on the bare form of a fifth of 11 to Fine Margin in a novice at Bangor last month, but was not knocked about by any means there and is sure to improve. A mark of 98 looks very fair on his bumper and point form, and he’s worth a tickle at the overnight odds.
3:30 Haydock – Weatherbys Stallion Book Handicap 5f
Declan Carroll has had a season to forget but his horses appear to have turned a corner and SEANTRABH ran really well from the worst of the draw at Redcar last time, finishing best for second place despite being hung out wide on a track that favours those who can race on the far rail in the latter stages. He’s on a very fair mark and has shown his best form on yielding or softer ground, so he’s taken to confirm his return to form with a win over Trilby, who has been running well all season, but can get going too late over this trip.
Preview posted at 0940 BST 18/10/24
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