Racing tips: Best bets for Saturday July 23

David Massey and Rory Delargy have bets at three of today’s meetings. Check them out.

Racing betting tips: Saturday July 23

0.5pts e.w Marnie James 2.05 York at 18/1 (Sky Bet, Betfair, Paddy Power – 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6 – min 16/1)

1pt e.w Gale Force Maya 2.40 York at 7-1 (Hills – 1/5 1,2,3,4,5 – min 13/2)

0.5pts e.w Cuban Mistress 1.50 Ascot at 33/1 (General- 1/5 1,2,3)

1pt e.w Chiefofchiefs 3.00 Ascot at SP (Sky Bet, Hills & Betway – 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

0.5pts e.w Top Secret 3.00 Ascot at SP (Sky Bet, Hills & Betway – 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

0.5pts e.w Magnifique 8.40 Lingfield at 40/1 (General – 1/5 1,2,3,4)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

*Punting Pointers were +161pts up for 2022 up until June 30 to advised stakes/prices

“I think he’s got everything going for him” | King George Best Bets

2.05 York

Ah, the Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe. Why don’t they have a Flat Jockeys’ Tommy Whittle? I’d pay to watch that. Anyway, this looks very open and depending on how the draw plays out on Friday night’s sprint, we could change our minds before race time.

As it stands, we feel low is where you probably want to be, although there’s an even spread of pace throughout. Val De Travers was an easy all-the-way winner at Musselburgh last time out and is improving at the right time, and Tom Scudamore is looking for his third win in this in recent years, so it’s just a question of whether stall 16 is going to inconvenience him.

We prefer the chances of Marnie James, who is racing in easier company than he normally does on the turf. His record at 5f on turf in Class 4 handicaps reads very well – 2311 – with those wins coming from marks of 82 and 86. From a mark of just 80 today, he’s clearly well handicapped, and we expect him to come on plenty for his run at Doncaster last month, given that was his first since February.

A couple of others are worth a mention at bigger prices.

Nibras Again, a previous winner of this back in 2019, will be one to benefit if they go too quickly up front, which isn’t the most unlikely scenario. He’s been running himself into full fitness, having only had the four starts this year since the start of June and looks well handicapped now. Some luck will be needed late but he’ll be picking them up if the breaks come.

Secretinthepark is getting a bit long in the tooth, but he retains his speed and enthusiasm for the game, and you can guarantee Nathan Moscrop will have been well schooled on Rebecca Menzies’ 12yo. He’s now 2lb lower than his Newcastle win at the start of the year, and took a step back in the right direction when third at Haydock last time out. He’s got a C&D win to his name, could be well berthed in stall 3, and 33-1 just looks a bit of an insult to his basic ability.

2.40 York

Aberama Gold and Gale Force Maya look likely to go forward from their low/middle draws and with Hyperfocus setting the pace among the high numbers, this should be well run.

Gale Force Maya’s record at this level, on quick ground, reads 22233391111 and given a liking for York, she has to rate as one of the more likely winners. She does not need to lead, having raced prominently on both her win here and her subsequent third to Flotus in the G3 Summer Stakes, so will be happy enough to let Aberama Gold take her along before pouncing in the latter stages.

Given this isn’t the most competitive Skybet Dash ever, Mondammej could be the one to benefit if they go too fast. He will need some cover from stall 1 but ought to be able to tuck in at the start without losing too much ground, and although his York record is patchy, he’s enough good efforts – including his second to Royal Aclaim here last time, giving him 10lb – to suggest he acts here well enough. It’s a tough ask under top weight, but he’s quality and we wouldn’t discount him.

1.50 Ascot

We’d not be putting anyone off Lezoo, unlucky not to win the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge at the July meeting last time, at 7-/ and bigger, as she holds a clear advantage on the ratings and whilst there are potential improved everywhere here, Lezoo herself could yet improve and she looks the right favourite.

However, with nine runners and a potential short-priced favourite, there’s an each-way angle to the race and Cuban Mistress, seemingly exposed, looks the wrong price as the firms are looking to keep the potential improvers onside.

She’s very tough and her latest second in the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown last time makes her second best on ratings, as things stand. Third home Eddie’s Boy won the Super Sprint at Newbury last weekend to give the form a very solid look, and although she has yet to race at 6f, she was doing all her best work when she hit the final climb at Sandown and she looks more than ready for a step up in trip.

We were looking to play her e/w without the favourite but only Bet365 have gone up with such a market, so as such we will play her e/w with the favourite in. But if you can avail yourself of the 20/1 e/w they offer without, that is the bet we’d be playing.

3.00 Ascot

It will come as little surprise that we’ve pressed the Chiefofchiefs button again, given he was arguably unlucky not to have gone closer in the Buckingham Palace last time out, with Jamie Spencer searching half of Berkshire for a gap before one came. His run style is always going to leave you trusting to luck to a certain extent, but his chance again here off the same mark, and with Colin Keane in the saddle, is clear to see.

Jamie rides Bunbury Cup winner Bless Him, and given how well in here he looks – essentially only a pound higher than that win – he probably has to, but stall 3 is probably not where he’d want to be. Given the latest going stick readings, it appears the middle to near side is the place to be, and they may all congregate in one group on this side. With no real pace among the low numbers, those drawn on the far side could find themselves compromised for track position.

Others we have considered include Air To Air, second on “his” unfavoured side in the Brittania last year and back to form on his latest start, Victoria Cup runner-up Accidental Agent, potentially well berthed in stall 19, the ever-reliable pair of Ropey Guest and Jumby (although neither are potentially well drawn) and if the stands side rail is indeed the golden highway, then Top Secret in stall 22 has to come into the reckoning. His record at Ascot over 7f on good or better reads two runs, two wins, and if you are the forgiving type, as his last two efforts have been poor, then 40-1 might look a big price.

8.40 Lingfield

Away from the bigger meetings, it was a struggle to find much else but the lucky last at Lingfield is of some interest, as it looks quite winnable.

It was the beautifully-bred Magnifique that caught the eye (£230,000 as a yearling ; went for £3,000 as a 3yo, make your own judgements as to what might have happened) as her three all-weather efforts, as they are, are considerably better than her two turf efforts and she’s traded a fraction of her Betfair SP on both her runs at Lingfield too. Jean-Rene Auvray hasn’t had a winner for some time (Rory – “he’s not had one since 2019!” Me – “well, he’s due one then, isn’t he?”) but in fairness, he has few horses these days and Magnifique, with the cheekpieces on today, might give him a chance of getting off a list that’s not so much cold, as frozen solid.

Published at 0945 BST on 23/07/22

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