Today’s free horse racing tips: The Betting Spy’s top picks for Saturday’s racing at Ayr and Wolverhampton
WITH Sandown washed away the Lincoln Trial meeting at Wolverhampton is a welcome reminder that this long soggy winter is coming to an end.
Proper turf Flat racing is not far away. Whether the Trial (1.35) will have any bearing on events at Doncaster in three weeks is debatable but FOX POWER is the one to be on now.
The lightly-raced four-year-old ran a blinder here last time when only beaten half a length by bang-in-form Via Serendipity, with Arcanada and Another Touch third and fourth, in a conditions event where he had to give weight away to all.
On that form he has rock-solid claims and, as a Listed winner last season, there may well be even better to come.
Rathbone has run well in two all-weather handicaps but is unproven over this far and this is a hot race.
Red Bond bolted in last time at Newcastle but that race fell apart a bit and the handicapper has hammered him.
He is held on earlier Wolverhampton form by the bottom weight Kaser, who has an each-way chance under the ever-excellent Hollie Doyle.
URBAN ICON can defy a 240-day absence in the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes at 2.45.
He won first time out as a two-year-old and was not beaten far when third in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on his reappearance last year.
He is the class act in this field judged on his neck second to Space Blues at Epsom and a close fourth of 18 in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
From a good draw and with Ryan Moore on board he holds rock-solid claims.
Gulliver is the pick on official ratings but the six-year-old has always been campaigned at sprint trips so the seventh furlong has to be a concern.
Cardsharp may be best of Mark Johnston's three. All of them have been off a long while but Braveheart's runners rarely lack for fitness.
Documenting is an all-weather regular and a very good one too. He may be best of those at an each-way price.
I spy an eyecatcher...
Huntingdon staged a good card on Sunday and the 3m novice chase was competitive despite there only being three runners.
Equus Secretus, who has been running well in decent handicaps and has a rating of 134, just got up to pip LIES ABOUT MILAN by a head.
The runner-up, although a nine-year-old, was having just his fourth start having won an Irish point-to-point before twice showing promise over hurdles.
He jumped nicely and trainer Fergal O'Brien must have been delighted. Lies About Milan is one for the notebook, honestly!
In the 3.55 ODYSSEY GIRL can make amends for a slightly unlucky defeat at Lingfield last time.
She was forced wide on the home turn but, once she got balanced again in the straight, rattled home to be a close third behind the very useful Badri, with Bendy Spirit held back in fifth.
Odyssey Girl was in front soon after the line and, off just 1lb higher at a track where she has run well before, looks sure to run a big race.
Last-time-out maiden winners Ventura Bounty - impressive at Newcastle - and Irish Acclaim, who scored at Kempton, may find this tougher whilst Southwell winner Godfather has been hit hard by the handicapper for a wide-margin win at a course where such successes are commonplace.
Thanks to the monsoons further south Ayr will be on ITV and the best advice to punters at the Scottish track is to trust THE CON MAN at 3.05.
Donald McCain's seven-year-old is lightly-raced and has more to offer after a fair effort when fifth of 15 in a better race at Ascot. He runs off the same mark and trip and ground will be fine.
Whoshotthesheriff disappointed in the Betfair Hurdle last time and has a bit to prove now, especially at this trip.
Sam's Gunner looked likely to become a star when winning the big novice handicap on the Sandown card this day two years ago but has barely raced and barely shown any promise since.