ITV Racing Tips for Saturday 30th March from Haydock and Musselburgh

1:50 Musselburgh

The first of four live races from Musselburgh is the Royal Mile handicap.

It’s JOHNNY RINGO (7/1) for me here. He progressed well in his 2 year-old campaign finishing runner-up on the first two occasions before getting his head in front last time out at Newcastle. He stayed on strongly there over 7f and one of his second placed efforts was over the mile on heavy ground. That suggests he’ll have no problem over the trip and this sharp mile could certainly suit him well. He’ll be staying on again and he’ll sit off what is likely to be a strong early pace. Hopefully, he can claw the leaders back in the last furlong and go close.

 

2:05 Haydock

The first of three races from Haydock comes up at 2:05 and we have a 10 runner handicap hurdle over 2m to start proceedings there.

The one for me is BALLYGEARY (11/1) EW. Donald McCain does well here at Haydock and I think Ballygeary can go close off his current mark of 118. He’s a consistent sort and his 7th placed effort in the Morebattle hurdle last time out can be marked up. He travelled into that race well and was short of room at a crucial stage. He was eased down and this race isn’t as deep as that race by any stretch of the imagination. Peter Kavavagh is a decent claimer and he takes a further 3lb off so he’s effectively running off 115. He was a winner of 119 at Bangor earlier in the season so 115 has to look lenient. He’s proven in the mud and I think this flat track with plenty of pace to aim at will suit him well.

 

2:25 Musselburgh

Next up is the Silver Arrow handicap over the 7f trip.

I like POET MASTER (11/4)  in this. With three wins from four starts, he’s open to any amount of improvement this season after turning 4. He comes from the right connections and the Karl Burke team have started the season on fine fettle. I was really impressed with the last of his victories at Doncaster and I’ll chance the unexposed sort against the proven handicaps here.

 

2:40 Haydock

The 2:40 from Haydock is a handicap hurdle for the stayers over the extended 3 miles.

I’d be happy to give GOSHHOWPOSH (13/2) a go here despite the disappointing effort last time out. He went off 6/4 last time out at Exeter and pulled up. It was too bad to be true and prior to that he bolted up at Wincanton on Boxing Day. He has the talent to be a better horse than a mark of 127 and the first-time blinkers could help him concentrate and travel better in the early stages. If he is there turning for home, I wouldn’t want to swap him as he will stay all day.

 

3:00 Musselburgh

It’s back to Scotland for the 3:00 race, the Scottish Sprint Cup handicap over the 5f distance. 

It’s GLORIOUS ANGEL (8/1) EW for me here. She ran last week and she was far from disgraced finishing just over 4 lengths behind potential Group class performer Montassib. She normally takes her racing well and the fact this is her third start of the season could give her a decent fitness edge against the majority of her rivals on this soft ground. She enjoys soft ground too which helps. From stall 4, she’ll be able to grab a nice early position and top claimer Brandon Wilkie claims 5lb which is an obvious plus.

 

3:15 Haydock

The final race from Haydock is a Veterans Chase over three 2m4f trip.

I’ll chance PINK LEGEND (9/1) here. The 10 year-old makes her debut in a Veteran race and it’s a significant drop in class from what she’s been running in recently. She was last seen running in the Grade 2 Mares Chase at the Festival. She did disappoint there but it was only in December, she was winning well at listed level at Newbury suggesting she still has enough of ability to complete, especially now against the elders. She’s dropped in the handicap due to the lacklustre runs recently but if she can bounce back against weaker opposition, this mark is well within her reach.

 

3:35 Musselburgh

The finale on ITV is the Queens Cup handicap over 1m6f. 

It’s STRUTH (9/1) EW for me here. He has always threatened to be a better horse than he’s shown and he is a horse that has his quirks. However, he strikes me as the type that could improve a lot for being gelded and that is exactly what’s happened over the winter. He has decent form on soft ground and likes to sit handy. Musselburgh is a good track for front runners as we know and from stall 5 under Jason Hart, I think he’ll be able to track the leaders at the very least and gain a decent position. There will be plenty of hard luck stories in this and the fact Struth will be up with the pace is encouraging. He was last seen in November finishing a fine second in the competitive November Handicap and like I said, now gelded, I’m hoping he can improve further this year and this is a good starting point for him.

 

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