Free horse racing tips for today: Brighton, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Uttoxeter and Wolverhampton – The Wizard of Odds’ betting preview for Thursday, October 18
The Wizard of Odds guides you through Thursday's racing at Brighton, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Uttoxeter and Wolverhampton
KIRKLAND FOREVER can make it three wins on the spin by taking Brighton’s 3.05.
Normally hat-trick hunters are sky high in the weights but she’s off the same mark as her bloodless win here last time out.
That was an apprentice contest and she had the race in the bag passing the two-furlong pole and just galloped further away from her rivals.
She got the ball rolling by winning a very similar contest to this in August. Again it was wrapped up a long way from the line and a 5lb rise in the weights since then looks more than lenient.
This drop in distance shouldn’t be a concern as she has plenty of zip and looks a couple of steps ahead of her rivals.
She has a good draw in stall four and can land another victory before the handicapper really gets stuck in.
KINGSTON looks a capital bet at Uttoxeter (2.20).
Tony Carroll’s nine-year-old showed a liking for this quirky track when third last time out.
He might have finished closer to the winner had he not allowed the principals to get away from him.
That wasn’t the first time he’s gone well here. He was a close third in a slightly better race in the summer and looks on a fair enough mark over a trip that suits.
The Wizard's best bets
STRIKE IT LUCKY 15: KINGSTON (2.20 Uttoxeter), PUNJAB MAIL (2.30 Brighton), KIRKLAND FOREVER (3.05 Brighton), DOSTAL PHIL (4.30 Uttoxeter)
EACH-WAY DOUBLE: SHAMSHON (4.40 Brighton) and SUGAR PLUM FAIRY (5.15 Brighton)
TOP TEAM: Tom Marquand has a 75% strike-rate riding for Amy Murphy over the past two years. They team up with ENTERTAINING BEN in the 4.40 at Brighton. He’s got an each-way shout.
IN-FORM: Leighton Aspell has a 40% strike-rate in the past two weeks. Keep an eye on his mounts at Carlisle — Shanroe Santos (3.45), Gregarious (4.20) and Regarding Ruth (5.30).
PUNJAB MAIL can deliver in Brighton’s 2.30.
He’s bred to be decent and has already given plenty of positive vibes. He took a giant leap forward from his debut when finishing a close-up second at Kempton 10 days ago.
He was still very green and took a big jumo out to his left coming out of the stalls. He got himself nicely into contention passing the furlong pole and it took a good performance from the winner to take the race.
You would expect a bit more improvement for that outing and it wouldn’t take much to get off the mark.
DOSTAL PHIL can get back on track in Uttoxeter’s 4.30.
Philip Hobbs’ five-year-old won a bumper in France and was well touted and strongly backed for his hurdling debut at Bangor this time last year.
Despite a fair run, he could manage only fourth and hasn’t been seen since. Given he cost JP McManus the best part of £300,000 and is bred to be classy something has clearly been wrong.
He’s back now having had a wind operation and can pick up where he left off in a race that’s big on quantity and relatively short on quality.
BRIGHTON
1.30 Harlequin Rose
2.00 Arms Of The Angel
2.30 Punjab Mail
3.05 KIRKLAND FOREVER (NAP)
3.35 Zeshov
4.05 Stormingin
4.40 Shamshon ew
5.15 Sugar Plum Fairy ew
CARLISLE
1.40 Green Zone
2.10 Fin And Game
2.45 Good Boy Bobby
3.15 Windsor Avenue
3.45 Cooking Fat
4.20 Quids In
4.55 Sleep In First
5.30 Kalifornia
UTTOXETER
2.00 Kingston
2.55 Idilico
3.25 Contented
3.55 Boreham Bill
4.30 Dostal Phil
5.05 Sounds Of Italy
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.25 Top Boy
6.00 Stellar Comet
6.30 Smart Illusion
7.00 Mon Beau Visage
7.30 Repaupo
8.00 Sumner Beach
8.30 Top Offer
9.00 Ravens Raft
CHELMSFORD
5.45 Murray River
6.15 Anycity
6.45 Awe
7.15 Boy In The Bar
7.45 Pollyissimo
8.15 Muneyra
8.45 Global Wonder