Horse Racing Tips: Bellum Justum can back up promising run at Newmarket

Flat racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland on Friday with six flat meetings taking place along with two jumps meetings across the afternoon and into the evening.

Thirsk kicks the action off before they go at Epsom and Bangor, while Fairyhouse, Clonmel, Bath, Goodwood and Doncaster take us through the evening. Amongst our Horse Racing Tips for Friday is one for trainer Andrew Balding who will be looking to continue his rich vein of form.

13:30 Epsom - Diego Ventura @ 7/4

Diego Ventura has made a solid start to this season, continuing where he left off as a juvenile. A dual winner as a two-year-old, this Hamad Al Jehani colt made his reappearance in May on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.

He raced well and made some headway in the closing stages, staying on well although unable to reach the leading pair. It was the first time he had finished outside the top two but the signs were there that he could be in for a good season after performing so well after a 188-day break.

He looked much better when winning last time out, this time in France in the Listed Prix de Pontarme. The addition of cheekpieces seemed to sharpen him up (and have been retained for today), and, although it was only a narrow victory, he again stayed on well to grind out a win that looked to have got away from him from two furlongs out.

He will not mind if there is a bit more rain in the ground come race time as he won on Good to Soft in France and he should come on again for that run. He has a reasonable draw as well, so he has every chance to back up his win last time out.

14:40 Epsom - Bellum Justum @ 22/1

Bellum Justum looked back to his old self last time out after a disappointing start to this campaign. In what looked to be a tough race in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket, he was tried in cheekpieces for the first time and the effects were immediately noticeable. He stayed on well in the closing stages and put the race to bed inside the final 110 yards.

Looking much sharper for his previous run also, he gave off signs that there will be more to come, with his trainer, Andrew Balding, saying they may wait for the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot after such a tough race.

However, he is now lining up for the Coronation Cup which shows that he must be raring to go.

Although this is a much tougher task than any he has faced before, he only finished a neck behind the all-conquering Jan Brueghel last year, while he is the only runner in this race with a course win to his name. If he brings his A-game he could easily spring a surprise.

16:00 Epsom - Giselle @ 9/1

Giselle has been the model of consistency throughout her relatively short career. As a juvenile she won one race out of three runs, but impressed each time.

Even though there were signs she was still a bit green, she gained valuable experience which would ultimately help her in her three-year-old season. That proved to be the case last time out when she dominated the Oaks trail at Lingfield last month.

It was not a hugely competitive race with only three runners, but the manner in which she put the race to bed with two furlongs to go suggests she is a class act. Even if still a work in progress, connections have been full of praise for her.

This race will demand much more, but she will have learned a lot from her run at Lingfield and her trainer's record in the Oaks suggests that she will be more than up to the task.

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