Horse racing betting tips: Back Minella to Bolt up in Berkshire
PUNTERS will be rummaging through the racecard at Ascot on Friday in the hope of finding a few nice bets, but few will be drawn to trainer David Rees, who has a very good chance in the 2m5f handicap chase (2.40pm).
The Welsh handler, who has just a handful of horses in training, somewhat slips under the radar with Paul Nicholls, Philip Hobbs and Nigel Twiston-Davies all fielding runners in this contest, but his DREAM BOLT shouldn’t be ignored.
The 10-year-old chestnut will be fighting fit for this, having run four times since September, and he showed all the right signs last time out at Newbury.
He finished third in a competitive race that day, just a neck and two lengths behind progressive young chasers, Chef D'Equipe and Siruh Du Lac, and has only been raised 2lbs as a result.
He races off 124, which remains 4lbs lower than his last winning mark of 128, and he looks a very nice each-way play at 16/1 with Betfair against the more obvious types in the field.
Of those, you’d have to make Royal Regatta the big danger.
He was pulled up on both of his starts last season but Hobbs’ horses are in much better form now and it wouldn’t be a big surprise for him to bounce back off what looks a fair mark.
After that, Ascot favourite MINELLA DADDY looks worth backing in the Davidstow Handicap Chase (3.15pm).
Peter Bowen’s charge has finished first or second on three of his previous four appearances at the Berkshire track, including in the valuable Listed Silver Cup in December 2016.
The eight-year-old was beaten less than two lengths that day off a mark of 142 and returns to action here off 136 with Sean Bowen once again in the saddle.
That performance came just a month after hacking up at the course when beating Tinker Time by seven lengths, while he also boasts victories at both Fakenham and Ffos Las.
He hasn’t been seen since finishing second at Kempton in May, but that showed a return to form having finished tailed off and been pulled up in two prior engagements at the beginning of the year.
The Bowen yard has been among the winners of late and he looks a fair price at 5/1 with the track, trip and conditions all likely to suit.
WENYERREADYFREDDIE looks a promising chaser and it would be no surprise to see favourite backers begin the day’s action with a win when he lines up in the novices’ chase (1.00pm).
The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old blitzed the field when last seen here three weeks ago, getting the better of Dr Richard Newland’s Caid du Lin by a whopping 18 lengths.
That was his second outing of the season, having run the talented Lil Rockerfeller to within two lengths despite racing too keenly when beaten at Uttoxeter at the beginning of October.
Lil Rockerfeller, a multiple Graded race winner in his own right, has since franked the form with a commanding win at Cheltenham.
Unsurprisingly he is a short price, but he has jumped tremendously so far this year and looks set to take this race en route to bigger and better things.
POINTERS
Wenyerreadyfreddie 1.00pm Ascot
Dream Bolt e/w 2.40pm Ascot
Minella Daddy 3.15pm Ascot