Horse Racing Tips: Rock ready to roll at Town Moor

Dundalk's abandonment has left two National Hunt meetings and two All Weather meetings in Britain making up Friday's fare across the afternoon and into the evening.

There’s competitive jumps action in the afternoon at Doncaster and Sandown in Britain, as well as a Flat offering at Lingfield, while Southwell's AW card takes us into the evening. Among our Friday horse racing tips is one for trainer Kim Bailey who should continue to improve over fences.

12:55 Doncaster - Salt Rock @ 9/4

Kim Bailey’s 7yo, a £205,000 purchase after winning a point-to-point in March 2022, has always been seen as a chasing type and after the minimum three qualifying runs he duly won over the larger obstacles on his handicap debut.

Although that was only a narrow win, it came against two decent yardsticks and he did well to get up close home at a tight track over two miles.

The three furlongs extra and long galloping straight at Doncaster should suit him much better today, and he should easily cope with the 6lb rise for winning last time.

His hurdles starts this winter also came over two miles and in finishing not far behind Gidleigh Park, Royal Infantry and Miami Magic he showed plenty of potential. He can be expected to rate much higher over fences before the season is out.

14:38 Doncaster  - Horsesomeharry  @ 17/2

Eighteen go to post for this 3m handicap hurdle but the one to be with is a likely improver from the Greenall/Guerriero stable.

Although a 7yo, the gelding is making only his seventh start having not seen a racecourse until March last year.

Having underwhelmed in a bumper and two maiden hurdles on soft ground, he took advantage of a favourable mark to score on his handicap debut in November at Carlisle.

He failed to back that up next time but returned a dirty scope afterwards and got back on track last time when coming home strongly to finish fourth at Wetherby after getting outpaced.

That was behind a subsequent winner, and the way he finished off there makes today’s 3m trip look a likely source of improvement.

16:10 Sandown - Marlacoo @ 5/1

The favourite for the aforementioned race at Wetherby was Tom Lacey’s 5yo Marlacoo, making his handicap debut, but who came to grief before the race really got going.

Backers that day are likely to return as he races from the same mark in this similar contest and he still retains plenty of potential.

His runner-up effort in a novice hurdle at Wetherby was well advertised when the winner took a Grade Two at Haydock next time, while the fourth home that day, beaten ten lengths by the selection, has run good races in defeat in handicaps and is currently rated 108 himself.

It is encouraging that Lacey is an outstanding 5-11 with hurdlers at Sandown in the last five years, including winning this race with a handicap debutant in 2023, so he knows just what it takes to win at the course.

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