We bring you all of Monday 8 May’s UK racing tips from Southwell, Worcester and Newcastle!
SOUTHWELL
Race 5 – LIL’ FRANK 15/4
Roger Varian’s LIL’ FRANK holds a fair chance in this novice stakes at Southwell. Running for the first time since being gelded, the Frankel three-year-old can put greenness behind him when making his third racecourse start after a considerable break.
Race 6 – WILDFELL 13/10
Peter Chapple-Hyam has a notable runner at the Nottinghamshire circuit in WILDFELL, who looks for a hat-trick in this handicap test. Twice a winner already this season, both times on the all-weather over seven furlongs, the Tasleet gelding has been faring well in exactly this type of contest. He has been put up 6lb for his last success but the margins by which he has been winning are comfortable enough and suggest there is more to come.
WORCESTER
Race 7 – EVERYONESGAME 13/8
Over hurdles at Worcester, Charlie Longsdon’s EVERYONESGAME can back up a winning run last time out in the seventh. The chestnut took a maiden event by six and a half lengths when his jumping seemed to have come together after mistakes in his two previous starts. The latter of those two efforts was a fifth place behind Stay Away Fay, subsequent winner of the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
Race 8 – BARRIER PEAKS 15/2
David Pipe’s BARRIER PEAKS can extend a fruitful season into the summer in this handicap hurdle. The bay won four times last season and was subject to a rise in the ratings that took him from 76 to 109. He was heavily beaten last time out, however, and was dropped 1lb as a result. He hung right on that occasion, which did not help his cause, but he is highly consistent and can bounce back under a good rider in Jack Tudor.
NEWCASTLE
Race 1 – DAMASCUS STEEL 5/2
DAMASCUS STEEL makes appeal in the opener at Newcastle. Ed Dunlop’s three-year-old was second on his all-weather debut at Wolverhampton, seeming to improve from a gelding operation as he was unplaced in three runs as a colt. He was also stepped markedly up in trip and seemed to find that to his liking, with the grey now in line to take on another half a furlong at Newcastle.
Race 4 – COPPICE 1/2
John and Thady Gosden’s COPPICE can return to winning ways in this fillies’ novice stakes. The Kingman filly was a debut winner at Kempton last year but kicked off this term in deep waters in the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket. She was disappointing when finishing 10th as the favourite, but her draw in stall one left her to race alone and she was never really involved. Her dam, Helleborine, produced the Group winner Calyx and his half-sister should be able to dominate in a less demanding contest.
