Horse Racing Tips: Leader of the pack

There is a mixture of jump and Flat racing in the UK and Ireland on Friday, with five meetings taking place across the afternoon and into the evening.

Among our three horse racing tips for Friday is a Grade 1 staying hurdler representing Olly Murphy in the feature contest from Newbury.

12:15 Newbury - Regent’s Stroll @ 4/7

REGENT’S STROLL is representing the significant trainer and jockey combination of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden in the opening Class 3 extended 2m Maiden Hurdle from Newbury.

Nicholls is 9-31 (29 per cent) with his representatives in the past fortnight and 203-938 (22 per cent) with his runners at Newbury. Harry Cobden is 606-2384 (25%) when riding for his Ditcheat-based boss including a 2-2 record when riding Regent’s Stroll.

The selection won going away in an Ascot bumper on his debut at around this time last year and defied a penalty in impressive fashion over this course and distance in March.

The Walk In The Park gelding has an appealing pedigree for this switch to hurdling and is considered capable of making a winning start to his second campaign.

14:30 Newbury - Galop De Chasse @ 2/1

Finally, GALOP DE CHASSE is marginally preferred to Dan Skelton’s course-specialist Heltenham in the Class 2 2m4f Handicap Chase at Newbury.

Heltenham is 3-3 over this course and distance, but may not find it easy to execute his customary pouncing tactics in this 10-runner field.

Galop De Chasse successfully made all the running over this course and distance in this month last year, and is likely to make a bold sight once again, following an encouraging second on his return to action at Wetherby 28 days ago.

A reproduction of his course-and-distance Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 140 may suffice off a mark of 133.

Place a win or each-way single on 14:30 Newbury. If your horse finishes 2nd, we will refund your stake in Free Bets up to £10.

15:05 Newbury - Strong Leader @ 4/5

The Grade 2 3m Long Distance Hurdle is the feature contest on a seven-race card from Newbury on Friday afternoon. Four runners are set to go to post, and STRONG LEADER, representing an Olly Murphy yard operating at 13-55 (24 per cent) in the past fortnight, is considered one of the best bets on the day.

The seven-year-old made a mistake two out when in close contention for the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle over a shorter trip at around this time last year, eventually losing out by a length to Blueking d’Oroux.

The Passing Glance gelding also did particularly well to reach a relatively close third when stepped up to this distance in Cheltenham’s Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle in January, following a bad early error.

The selection did hit the last when making the Grade 1 breakthrough over this trip in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in April, but he took his form to a new level on a track that can be considered similar to Newbury.

He has run well when fresh and, if he can grow up enough to leave that jumping frailty behind him this term, then significant prizes like Friday’s seem sure to come his way.

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