Andrew heads to the evening action at Sandown, Cork and York for his three recommended bets/trades on Friday, July 26th. 

SANDOWN 5.55

It’s common for the inexperienced jockeys to go off too hard in this 1m2f apprentice handicap and the race is often set up for a closer. These are the running styles of recent winners, in reverse order…

Towards rear of midfield

Held up in rear

Towards rear

Chased clear leader (neck runner-up was ridden patiently)

Chased clear leader (narrow runner-up was ridden patiently)

Held up in last pair

…two of those patiently-ridden winners were big prices (40-1 and 28-1) and with front-runners GLOBAL ESTEEM, LAWN RANGER and TWIN EARTH among the 12 runners today we could see another winner come from off the pace, with BLETCHLEY STORM the one most likely to benefit from a pace collapse. George Baker’s filly made a winning stable debut at Brighton on her penultimate start and didn’t have the race run to suit when fifth at Leicester last time. She’d prefer softer ground, but they put plenty of water on the track for yesterday’s meeting and the taps looks sure to be turned on again. Buy in the Spreadex 50-30-20-10 market or back her each-way in the fixed odds betting.

Recommendation: Back BLETCHLEY STORM in Sandown 5.55

CORK 6.00

SCORCHIO trailed home last of nine at Naas on her latest assignment but that was over 6f and she’ll be much happier back at the minimum trip tonight. Jack Davison’s three-year-old acquitted herself well in the Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes at Royal Ascot, going down by a little over four lengths in a 50-1 12^th of 28 and her record in 5f handicaps in Ireland reads 111 (3-3). Buy in the Spreadex 50-25-10 market or take a fixed odds price (forecast to start at 14-1).

Recommendation: Back SCORCHIO in Cork 6.00

YORK 6.40

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD caught the eye when a 14-1 ninth of 11 at Redcar on his recent debut and looks chancing at a similar price in this 7f restricted novice contest. Tim Easterby’s son of Ribchester was drawn widest of all in stall 11 of 11 at Redcar and was switched by David Allan to race against the far side rail, usually the place to be on the straight course. However, he repeatedly met trouble and, ironically, the race was fought out by high-drawn runners who challenged on the outer. He’ll have learnt plenty from that and can take a big step forward. Buy in the Spreadex 50-30-20-10 market or take a fixed odds price.

Recommendation: Back FLAMBOROUGH HEAD in York 6.40

Please note that these are examples of winning bets from the past week, and it is important to remember that spread betting carries a high level of risk to your capital and can result in losses larger than your initial stake/deposit.