Horse Racing Tips: Beckett charge looks bullish at Ripon

Flat racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland, with seven meetings taking place across the afternoon and into the evening.

First off is Ripon before they go to Fairyhouse, Yarmouth, Worcester, Limerick, Sandown and Market Rasen. Amongst our Thursday fancies is a promising colt for trainer Charlie Appleby, who looks set to have a big future.

15:40 Ripon - El Matador @ 10/3

Ralph Beckett's gelding, EL MATADOR, looks primed to return to the winners’ enclosure for the first time since May last year at Ripon here.

This son of Lope De Vega finished second in his last start over 1m. He stayed on powerfully, only just failing to get up by one length, and that performance suggests that stepping up in trip to this distance of 1m2f should spark drastic improvement.

That form reads strongly as he was ahead of a couple of previous winners.

His trainer, Ralph Beckett, is in rare form of late, and El Matador is more than capable of continuing that at Ripon here.

Horse Racing Odds

18:42 Sandown - Talk Of New York @ 5/4

Look out for the Charlie Appleby-trained TALK OF NEW YORK, who bids to land this prize for his trainer for the second year in a row.

This son of Wootton Bassett has strong form in the book: on his penultimate start, he finished third at Meydan; the winner has since won the German 2,000 Guineas and the second-placed finisher has since finished third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

In his last start, he impressed when comfortably winning by three lengths at Newmarket.

Charlie Appleby is well-represented in this contest with four runners and it's notable that stable-jockey William Buick elects to ride Talk Of New York; that vote of confidence stands him in good stead here, and he should prove too tough to beat.

19:12 Sandown - Gethin @ 10/3

The Owen Burrows-trained GETHIN impressed last time out and looks set to thrive in group company for the first time.

This son of Ghaiyyath was last seen beating Devil's Advocate on seasonal reappearance at Kempton, easily by three lengths. That form is strong as Devil’s Advocate won a competitive handicap at the St Leger festival at Doncaster late last year.

Burrows' colt is only four years old and has only five career starts, so he is still unexposed and has always shown the makings of a future group-level performer. Just like his sire Ghaiyyath, who improved drastically as he got older, Gethin can do the same.

He is in receipt of 7lbs from his main market rival, Ombudsman, and that should be too much of an advantage for Burrows' colt, and he should gain his first win in Group 3 company.

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