Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Saturday, 22nd March

This Saturday of racing revolves around numerous top class meetings as Andrew Mount gives you his best bets.

Back his selections with Betfair’s HUGE new customer offer of £50 in Free Bet Builders when you deposit and bet £10!

Posted: 4.35pm, Friday, March 21st

2.05 Newbury – KALIUM (0.5pt e/w – 22/1 Coral, BetVictor, 20/1 generally)

The Tim Vaughan-trained KALIUM ran green when a three-quarters of a length second at Ludlow on his stable/hurdles debut and went one better at Wetherby (2m, good). He followed up at Fontwell on Boxing Day (2m1.5f, soft) and though only fifth when 13-8 favourite at Carlisle on his handicap debut last month he raced in the ‘swamp’ on the inside rail, and it’s safely ignored. He’s shortened up since I tipped him on GG’s Weekend Watch on Thursday but there’s still juice in the current price).

3.00 Kelso – RULA BULA (0.5pt e/w – 14/1 Paddy Power, four places, 12/1 generally)

Those in the top three in the weights have a good record in the Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle and I certainly wouldn’t put you off from a numbers 1, 2, 3 combination Tote Exacta and Trifecta (the Trifecta copped last year with the first three in the weights filling the first three places at odds of 9-2, 7-1 and 16-1). One of those is TOUR OVALIE who ran respectably 100-1 ninth of 23 when I made her a bet at Cheltenham last week but I’m going to side with RULA BULA whose 17-length second at Lingfield was better than it looked. The O’Neill-trained six-year-old was sent off as the 11-10 market leader that day but raced in the ‘swamp’ on the inside rail and it was a useful effort in the circumstances. The market looks to have over-reacted to that performance and a stalking ride in a big field could be just the ticket.

3.15 Newbury – COME ON NIA (1pt e/w – 25/1 generally)

I can make cases for several runners in this Grade 2 mares’ handicap, but the pick of the prices is Andrew Martin’s COME ON NIA, who can be forgiven her Ffos Las flop (last of four) on her latest assignment. A winner on her handicap debut at Ffos Las last spring (2m, good to soft), she improved for the step up to 2m5f at Ludlow on her second start this term, doing best of the closers in a admittedly modest second place, and bettered that when a two-length 25-1 runner-up at Warwick, again doing best of those to come from off the pace. Since the beginning of 2017 her trainer is 29 from 184 with his handicappers (15.8% strike-rate) for a huge profit of £124.56 to a £1 level stake at SP, with the sole qualifier to run at Newbury scoring at 8-1.

3.50 Newbury – DON’T MIND IF I DO (1pt win – 7/4 bet365)

I’m not a big fan of backing Alan King’s hurdlers as he instructs his jockeys to sit off the pace on the inside rail, even on tracks where it’s blindingly obvious that you need to race prominently and/or wide of the rail where the ground could be badly poached. That was certainly the case in the 1m7f heavy-ground Wincanton novice hurdle won by 16-1 shot Champagne Chic on January 30^th. The winner and 4-1 runner-up Ambion View steered clear of the ‘swamp’ throughout whereas Tom Cannon took the rail route on King’s 8-15 favourite DON’T MIND IF I DO. The jolly had to settle for a four-length third behind the two wide runners, but it was a solid effort in the circumstances, and he ran well at this meeting last year, finishing a 12-1 second of 20 in the Goffs Spring Sale Bumper.

5.00 Newbury – JAVERT ALLEN (2pt win – 7/4 bet365)

Pace angle JAVERT ALLEN clocked a fast time according to Proform’s speed figures when a short head second to Dr T J Eckleburg at Chepstow last time where he pulled 30 lengths clear of the third. The winner and third were both ridden patiently whereas Javert Allen got into a battle up front with Sans Bruit from some way out. That rival dropped away to finish 47 lengths back in fourth and Jane Williams’ charge now has form figures of 1222112 (3-7), with the latest win coming over today’s course and distance on his penultimate start.

Andrew Mount’s Best Bets

2.05 Newbury – KALIUM (0.5pt e/w – 22/1 Coral, BetVictor, 20/1 generally)

3.00 Kelso – RULA BULA (0.5pt e/w – 14/1 Paddy Power, four places, 12/1 generally)

3.15 Newbury – COME ON NIA (1pt e/w – 25/1 generally)

3.50 Newbury – DON’T MIND IF I DO (1pt win – 7/4 bet365)

5.00 Newbury – JAVERT ALLEN (2pt win – 7/4 bet365)

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