Our resident tipster Ben Morgan provides his two best tips for the action at Newbury and Bangor this weekend
Fresh Freedom looks primed
With everyone still feeling the effects of a rough week at Cheltenham I anticipate this Saturday to be a low turnover day for the bookies.
A lot of punters might be having a couple of each way punts like myself for a bit of interest which hopefully will yield an unexpected profit.
My first selection is MR FREEDOM who runs at Bangor On Dee in the opener. Sheena West’s admirable dual purpose performer has a decent record when fresh which makes it all the more interesting he makes his return in this valuable yet competitive handicap hurdle.
A mark of 125 looks workable considering it was actually the mark he was on when he last won over hurdles.
A couple wins on the flat last Summer show his ability and with him still only being a 6 year old I think he can still improve plenty this year. At 12/1 he looks a great each way bet.
Scarlet to toast the Sunset
The Mares novice handicap Final at Newbury is always one of my favourite betting races of the year with so many unexposed horses lining up.
Finding the one who has most in hand is always a challenge I relish and this year I am splitting my stakes between two.
SCARLET O’TARA is probably, just, my main hope as she looks a tough, solid mare who will definitely stay the trip.
Her victory at Ascot has worked out well with Royale Margaux in second taking listed honours at Warwick in February.
She outstayed that mare at Ascot which suggests she should relish the stiff finish here. She can’t have been right at Carlisle on her last run and a break would certainly have freshened her up.
This could have been the plan for a while and at 11/1 I’m willing to take the chance.
My other dart at the board on Saturday is SUNSET MARQUESA who threatens to be a lot better than her current mark.
If you were to listen solely to her trainer, Joe Tizzard, then you would think she should be a 130+ mare but due to one reason or another she lurks on a mark of 117.
I think this is a lenient mark especially if the step up in trip on better ground brings about further improvement. She definitely looks overpriced at 12/1.
Bangor On Dee 1.35 – Mr Freedom
Newbury 3.15 – Scarlet O’Tara / Sunset Marquesa
