We had another good day yesterday, I took a chance on shorter priced runners and was rewarded with two winners and a place.
The chancy selection finished one out of the places, it wasn't the best inclusion with hindsight. I put up Good Banter at 25/1 on debut when an unlucky 2nd to an odds on shot, he was almost a cert in my eyes and went in easily enough. I am not going to start adding such prices but putting him in the bet over the 8/1 outsider would have multiplied our returns by 5.
I am back working tomorrow but hopefully can continue eating into the deficit which I have been able to do whilst home with 4 winners, 4 placing and 4 unplaced from 12 selections. I've gone for relatively short prices, two selections were picked before the markets opened, it isn't ideal but they have solid chances.
Attacanter Racing Tips
Magical Merlin 7/2 – 17.02 Beverley
Magical Merlin has caught eye in a race full of horses who rarely get their heads in front. I selected him before the prices and will stick with him.
Harry Charlton doesn't send many to the track, just two over the last two years, a 20/1 shot finishing 9/9 and Amphius, a 1/5 winner. When operating under a joint license with his father, they only sent one here back in July 2023, a lightly raced horse who finished 2nd. Since 2021, his father had only sent two runners here, a 1st and a 2nd.
This horse was 3rd last time in a Class 2, they've dropped him a furlong, down into divison two of a Class 4 handicap. The horse in behind carried 9lbs less, was well beat and won next time. The 2nd is an extremely consistent horse who came into the race off the back of a win whilst the same applies to the winner, overall the form looks very solid and the jockey booking is very strong – he's won four of his last five rides for the trainer which is something you don't see very often.
It's been 9 runs since his last win, he isn't particularly well treated but can easily have a say at this level still with scope to improve as a 4yo.
Drakeholes 8/1 four places – 19.00 Newcastle
Paul Mulrennan, for me will forever be a conman given some antics I have seen on the AW wiht him restraining horses. Now, I am no expert nor am I a rider, but I wanted to throw a little shade given I detest such antics.
He does however have a decent record with this trainer at this track from 10 runs, he's had 3 winners, (22/1 2nd, two wins from last 3 rides, all this year), this is the trainer's only runner her today and whether or not we're on a run early it doesn't matter, we'll catch them next time.
The horse may well have gotten a poor draw, it doesn't right him off totally but it could have been kinder. The horse was only 9th here last time which is hard to overlook, 9th at Ayr before that too but won here off 2 lower back in March. He wasn't really campaigned until January last season, which is another concern but is now rated 52, he peaked at 72 last year, winning over C&D off 70 in Dec 22 by 6 lengths with Paul on board.
Etretat 9/2 – 13.40 Beverley
The Charlie Johnston yard has sprung to life recently, with three winners from their last six runners. Etratat has been a consistent 3yo for the yard this summer and is now dropped back into Class 6 company with the assitance of the yard's 5lbs apprentice which he hasn't had in any of the recent runs I've checked.
He only managed 6th here in a Class 5 last month but that race looks to have been quite stacked. The horse in behind has a 2nd and 1st to his name since, Island Native finished just ahead of him and won next time in a Class 4. Shaladar was in 4th, a horse I tipped when he was next seen, agonisingly being pipped late at Ascot, again in a decent Class 4. The horse is rated 7lbs lower today and the race is slightly weaker, which entitles the horse to have claims today.
Back in July, again over C&D the horse, 2lbs above what he is today in a similar raced finished a length behind in 3rd, the 4th was winning shortly after, the 2nd won next time out and has gone in again after that, the winner came into the race having won, and has also gone in since.
The Johnston yard over the previous 4 years operate at 15.6% here, 14 winners with a further 17 of those managing to place (34.2%). Archie Young won this exacty race last year which is also another feather in this cap.
I was hoping to chance Dandy's Angel who was 2nd to Ribble River who beat Rizzel's selection yesterday from 8lbs higher, the horse is a track specialist but at 11/2, I'll stick with the Johnston yard.
Three Platoon 6/1 – 16.45 Newcastle
This selection has bombed for us recently, but he is going in one final time. I could be completely wrong but I am still convinced there is a win in him from the Beverley run. It was after that I tipped him, he was allowed to steam off at a pace which gave him no chance and now, interestingly, he is dropped 2 furlongs.
I am oftern guilty of moving on from trends too quickly, I get so invested in the sport, I begin to see the obscure as obvious and then doubt it given how shady the sport can be, it can be really frustrating. For instance, Rizzel has latched onto this apprentice and been successful with him recently, and that alone makes me want to find the next thing, but I am going to try and make more use of the exploits I spot.
With that said, it may not be today we're rewarded as the combo have a 5/6 fav in the opener, so this may just be here to make up the numbers but as I've said the horse is getting one more chance given it looks as if he only needs to beat one of the short market leaders to claim a place.
*Advised Bet – Eachway L15*
WHAT IS A LUCKY 15 BET?
A Lucky 15 bet consists of 15 unique bets, covering every possible combination that comes from backing four selections. The 15 bets are broken down like this:
– 1 fourfold accumulator
– 4 trebles, with each treble omitting one of your selections
– 6 doubles, again covering every possible combination
– 4 singles
The attraction of a Lucky 15 is that it offers many more ways to win than a standard accumulator. A Lucky 15 uses both your acca and your singles as well as producing trebles and doubles that reward you for correctly calling 2/4 or 3/4 of your selections. To cover the 15 separate bets, a Lucky 15 uses your stake 15 times. If you were to place £1 on a Lucky 15, you would be staking £15 in total across the various bets.
In December 2020 we sadly 
