We’re racing at Huntingdon, Brighton, Ayr and Hexham today. Grab all of Tuesday 23 May’s UK racing tips right here!
HUNTINGDON
Race 2 – QOYA 9/4
Alan King’s QOYA is of interest in this mare’s handicap hurdle at Huntingdon. The four-year-old was third behind Listed winner Greyval here on her latest outing and kicks off her career in handicaps over obstacles with what looks a workable mark of 99.
BRIGHTON
Race 4 – SEATTLE KING 28/10
Brighton punters should put their faith in SEATTLE KING in the John Price Handicap.
The son of Kingman was highly tried as a two-year-old when trained by Ralph Beckett, competing at Listed and Group Two level, and began life in handicaps for Phil McEntee with a mark in the high 80s. A string of fairly uninspiring efforts saw his rating drop like a stone, though, and he now appears to have found his level – winning for the first time in almost two years here last month from a lowly perch of just 52.
After finishing fourth on his next start, Seattle King notched a second win at Brighton three weeks ago when rated 54 and is now up to 58. There is a question mark over whether he is as effective at this 12-furlong trip as he is over a mile and a quarter, but he will take some stopping if his stamina does last out over the extra distance.
Race 5 – BISHOP’S CROWN 1/3
Eve Johnson Houghton’s BISHOP’S CROWN will not be winning out of turn if he can bag this restricted novice stakes. The gelded son of Havana Gold has been placed on three of his four starts to date, most recently filling the runner-up spot in heavy ground at Goodwood on his three-year-old debut. Back on a sounder surface, he appears to have been found an excellent opportunity to break his duck.
AYR
Race 2 – BERRY EDGE 4/1
Michael Dods has had his string firing on all cylinders this month and looks well placed to add to his tally when BERRY EDGE lines up in the second at Ayr. The five-year-old was beaten less than two lengths on his return over track and trip earlier this month and has the chance to build on that off the same rating having now blown away the cobwebs.
Race 3 – WOVEN 4/1
Dods could also be on the scoresheet again in the next race with WOVEN in this handicap test. The Darlington-based trainer has been banging in the winners across the country in recent weeks, with Azure Blue’s Group Two triumph in the Duke of York Stakes the obvious highlight. Woven may not be in that class, but he is consistent in his grade and his recent reappearance victory at Doncaster suggested he is very much as good as ever.
The seven-year-old was rated as high as 95 a few seasons ago and while he has only won three times, including once in Dubai, he has been placed on a further 13 occasions, the highlight being his second in the Ayr Silver Cup.
He made the most of an attractive mark of 83 when recovering from a tardy start to win going away on Town Moor little over a fortnight ago and he is capable of defying a 6lb rise now for his in-form stable.
HEXHAM
Race 4 – ONWARD ROUTE 4/1
ONWARD ROUTE can strike gold over the jumps at Hexham in this handicap hurdle event. The nine-year-old won at the Northumberland venue last summer for Rebecca Menzies and added another victory at Uttoxeter to his CV before being given a winter break. His first run back at Newcastle last month was nothing to write home about, but he bounced back to form when beaten a neck by Fingal’s Hill on his return to Hexham at the start of May. He is up 2lb in the weights, but should nevertheless be competitive again in the hands of champion jockey Brian Hughes.
