Horse racing tips: Ayr, Newbury, Bangor, Nottingham, Thirsk and Wolverhampton – Steve Mullen’s betting preview for the racing this Saturday, April 21
Steve Mullen guides you through Saturday's racing at Ayr, Newbury, Bangor, Nottingham, Thirsk and Wolverhampton.
FAGAN can keep the Gordon Elliott party going by winning the Scottish Grand National at Ayr (4.05).
Tiger Roll’s winning team from Aintree are reunited as Davy Russell takes the ride on this eight-year-old who is open to any amount of improvement.
Elliott has shown in his relatively short training career that patience is the key with his chasers. He is happy to let them develop in their own time and he hasn’t asked Fagan too many questions yet.
After needing on the run on his fencing debut, he got off the mark with a convincing win at Perth where he wasn’t stopping over 3m.
He followed that up with a solid second at the same track when the drop back in distance didn’t suit.
His most recent spin over fences saw him chase home Black Corton at Cheltenham and that form has been franked in good fashion since.
William Hill shops will lay customers to lose a minimum of £5,000 for win bets on all races that are shown on ITV Racing and online customers will be able to bet to win a minimum of £1,000 at the available price.
Both offers will be available on the day of the race from 10am onwards.
For early bird customers prices will be available on all ITV races at the 5 day declaration stage so customers can choose to bet at the early prices or have a guaranteed minimum bet on raceday.
Group Trading Director Terry Pattinson said: "William Hill recognise that some customers are frustrated by not being able to get a sizeable bet on televised races, while we also want to ensure that early prices are there for our recreational customers and are not picked off by the few.
"We hope this offer appeals to both groups and the bet guarantee will apply to customers who may have been restricted in the past."
It’s Fagan’s hurdles form that really marks him down as live contender in this.
After winning a couple of bumpers he won a nice little race at Musselburgh before stepping up on that in style when finishing a close second in the 2016 Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
That was his first real test of stamina and he loved it, almost pulling off a 33-1 shock in the process. He looked every inch a stayer there so should love this first crack at an extreme distance.
The good ground will suit him and don’t worry about his 176 days off the track — Elliott is a past master of getting one ready at home.
3.45 Newbury - Taqdeer: 'Ran a promising race at Donny and can step up on that run'
TAQDEER will be carrying the Wizard’s wonga after he ran pretty well at Doncaster last time despite hating the very testing ground.
He was coming back from a two-year break and gelding operation there (ouch!) so was entitled to be a little bit rusty. And that’s how he seemed as he travelled well and looked to be a big player passing the 2f pole before just running out of gas.
Given the good impression he created before his break and the fact that Frankie Dettori teams up with John Gosden, we’ll keep the faith.
Tony Curtis could be a big danger coming back from a break of his own. The booking of Ryan Moore catches the eye and he was unlucky not to win a big handicap at Glorious Goodwood on his most recent run.
He was going like an easy winner until the door was bolted and he was forced out wide, meaning he had to settle for second. It’s a shame he hasn’t run since but if he’s fit enough he’d have a major say. The booking of Moore suggests he is wound up and ready to go.
AYR
1.45 Duke Of Navan
2.20 Crosshue Boy
2.55 Chesterfield
3.30 Peregrine Run
4.05 Fagan
4.40 William Henry
5.15 Comrade Conrad
5.50 Black Pirate
NEWBURY
1.25 Humbolt Current
2.00 Call To Mind
2.35 Hikmaa
3.10 James Garfield
3.45 Taqdeer
4.20 Jack Crow
4.55 Jeremiah
5.30 Pivoine
BANGOR
1.35 Fenlons Hill
2.10 Warthog
2.45 Red Devil Star
3.20 Way Of The World
3.55 Cowslip
4.30 Spirit Of Hale
5.00 Stoney Mountain
5.35 Twotwothree
THIRSK
1.55 Wasntexpectingthat
2.30 Tommy G
3.05 Kimberella
3.40 Savalas
4.15 Dance King
4.50 Zaaki
5.25 Ayutthaya
5.55 Unnoticed
NOTTINGHAM
4.35 Fareeq
5.10 Tizwotitiz
5.40 Global Conqueror
6.15 Echo
6.45 Saigon City
7.15 Mooltazem
7.45 Machree
WOLVERHAMPTON
6.00 It Must Be Faith
6.30 Powerful Dream
7.00 Critical Thinking
7.30 Street Poet
8.00 Gembari
8.30 Elgin
9.00 Air Ministry