With the Jumps season coming to an end at Sandown on Saturday, Flat racing takes centre stage with five meetings across the UK and Ireland on Monday.
First off is Southwell (2.00-5.45pm), before they race at Ayr (2.15-5.35), Windsor (4.34-8.09), Naas (4.50-8.20) and Wolverhampton (5.30-9.00).
Our Monday picks include a newcomer to trainer Geoffrey Harker’s yard who showed improvement to win last time out and could well have more to give.
Horse racing tips today – Ayr and Windsor
Enda McElhinney’s picks for Monday are below. Scroll down to read the expert analysis behind them.
Odds, correct at time of publishing, may be subject to change.
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Horse racing tips: Ayr 3.15
The feature race on the card is a competitive-looking handicap over 1m 2f for which a maximum field of 14 has been declared. Bustaam, trained by David O’Meara, has been in good form so far this year, winning well at Doncaster before finishing second off a 10lb higher mark at Pontefract last time out.
He’s likely to prove popular with the punters but looks worth taking on as he’s not particularly well handicapped. POWERFUL RESPONSE could be the one to side with and he showed a good attitude to get off the mark for the season nine days ago at Nottingham (1m 2f, soft).
Plenty had gone wrong on his previous start when fourth behind Bustaam at Doncaster (1m 2f, soft), but Powerful Response lived up to his name to produce that career-best effort at Nottingham. The handicapper has responded with a 1lb rise, which is more than fair and shouldn’t be too taxing.
Softer ground would probably be preferred but there’s still some soft in the description and there shouldn’t be any excuses on that front.
He has had just the two starts for Geoffrey Harker’s yard since moving. It’s more than likely there’s further improvement to come as a four-year-old and he should be winning more races this season.
Selection: Powerful Response @ 9/2 with BetMGM
Horse racing tips: Windsor 7.09
Watch out for PIQUE here as there could be any amount of improvement to come on her first start in handicap company. James Fanshawe’s filly had two races as a juvenile and wasn’t beaten too badly when fifth at Lingfield in October.
She stepped up to an extended 1m 1f on her seasonal return at Wolverhampton and shaped as if she would improve for the run. That could end up being a useful spin from a form point of view and this race is undoubtedly easier.
Stepping up in trip to an extended 1m 3½f should suit her and significant improvement could be on the cards. The three-year-old daughter of Nathaniel only just about squeezes into this contest and it surely won’t be long before she is racing in a higher grade.
Selection: Pique @ 9/4 with BetMGM
Horse racing tips: Ayr 3.50
There’s only 10lb between the entire field in this 7f handicap and that’s probably an accurate reflection of how tight the race could be. Classy Al was third over an inadequate 5f last time out and looks well handicapped enough to be near the top of the market.
Roger Fell and Sean Murray run END ZONE here and he was a winner over course and distance back in September. That victory came by the narrowest of margins and the ground conditions should be pretty similar here, which bodes well for his chances.
Far too keen at Thirsk last time out, he got upset in the stalls and his chances were effectively over from that point on. A slow start also didn’t help and he was never able to get into the race. The heavy ground also didn’t suit and the quicker conditions will be to his liking here.
The handicapper probably could have helped out by dropping him a pound or so, but nonetheless he should be much more competitive here and he’s entitled to improve for the run.
Selection: End Zone @ 16/1 with BetMGM
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