Wednesday 24 May’s UK racing tips come your way from the meetings at Yarmouth, Ayr and Warwick!
YARMOUTH
Race 2 – AT LIBERTY 3/1
AT LIBERTY is of clear interest in this handicap test at Yarmouth. Michael Bell’s charge is a previous winner at the Norfolk circuit and has also finished second twice form just four-course starts, so he clearly likes the place.
He was well held on his first start of 2023 at Bath, but levelled up when a creditable third at Nottingham last month on ground softer than ideal. Quickening conditions will certainly help him as he returns to a happy hunting ground and he is certainly capable of making his presence felt from his current perch of 70.
Race 4 – HAPPY TEARS 12/1
HAPPY TEARS may be able to make it third time lucky for George Boughey in this maiden fillies’ stakes. The daughter of Dandy Man has so far finished fourth at Bath and Ascot respectively, not beaten far on either occasion. She does not appear to be a star at this stage, but she is another who may be able to take her game to another level now we are finally getting some fast ground.
AYR
Race 3 – AL HUSN 10/11
AL HUSN can provide trainer Roger Varian with a third victory in the last six runnings of the Tennent’s Lager British Stallion Studs EBF Rothesay Stakes at Ayr.
The Newmarket handler claimed the Listed prize with Nezwaah in 2017 and Shenanigans two years later, and will have high hopes of striking Scottish gold once more with another upwardly mobile filly. After being beaten in her first two races, she rattled off four successive wins and was unbeaten in three outings last season.
The daughter of Dubawi made her reappearance in the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month and while no match for the brilliant winner Via Sistina, she was best of the rest in second and can only strip fitter for the run. With a return to 10 furlongs and a sounder surface both in her favour, Al Husn will take some stopping.
Race 4 – VENTURA RASCAL 9/1
VENTURA RASCAL has won at Ayr before and should go well again in the Whitley Neill Handicap. The six-year-old is only 1lb higher in the weights than when finding the target here a couple of years ago and there was plenty of encouragement to be taken from his comeback fourth at Pontefract.
He raced on the speed that day before weakening late on and given it was his first outing since September and his first since undergoing wind surgery, he could improve significantly. The excellent recent form of trainer Kevin Ryan’s string breeds further confidence that he will be ready to run up to his very best.
Race 6 – THEOPHILOS 13/8
Johnny Murtagh’s Irish raider THEOPHILOS looks the answer in the sixth at Ayr today. The four-year-old won with more in hand than the official winning margin of a length and a quarter might suggest at Tipperary last month and while an 11lb higher mark looks steep on the face of it, Murtagh would not be sending him to Scotland if he did not think he was up to the task.
WARWICK
Race 5 – SAINT CALVADOS 15/8
SAINT CALVADOS is taken to get back on the winning trail over the jumps at Warwick. The 10-year-old has not got his head in front since landing the Grade Two Oaksey Chase at Sandown in April of last year, but has been competing at a high level and his recent third place at Ayr suggested his winning turn is not far away.
