Lucky 15 Tips: Shimmering Sands can shine once again at Beverley

There are five meetings across Britain and Ireland as a new week gets underway, with both Flat and National Hunt action on offer on what should be another cracking day’s racing.

Cartmel’s seven-race jumps card gets us underway in the afternoon, with Flat racing from Ayr following up next. Ballinrobe, Beverley and Windsor provide the evening entertainment.

You can’t go wrong with a Lucky 15 so we have selected four strong fancies across the day’s racing action who are well worth considering. Amongst them is a bang in-form runner for Michael & David Easterby who can make a successful hat-trick bid at Beverley.

Horse Racing Odds

15:30 Ayr – Azure Zain @ 9/1

Richard & Peter Fahey’s AZURE ZAIN didn’t take long to get off the mark last term and was an impressive winner of a Wolverhampton novice back in June 2025, on just his third start. Making all the running on that occasion, he kicked clear to score by a very wide margin.

He went on to produce several fair efforts in defeat that season, particularly when third over course and distance off a 1lb higher mark in September. Returning to winning ways at Ascot on his penultimate start, he held on gamely to score by a narrow margin off a mark of 73.

The handicapper responded with a 3lb rise, which seems fair, and the son of Hello Youmzain is better than he showed at Pontefract last time out.

16:12 Cartmel – Dunkerque @ 2/1

Jennie Candlish’s DUNKERQUE managed to win a couple of times over hurdles but the switch to fences has enabled him to go to the next level. He followed up his victory in a Newcastle novice hurdle by winning on chasing debut at Southwell a month later.

It’s worth noting that the six-year-old remains unbeaten over the larger obstacles, winning again at Kelso and earning a fourth consecutive victory at Newton Abbot last month. On a 3lb higher mark now, he can win more races before the handicapper catches up.

17:50 Windsor – Arabica Queen @ 10/3

Jonathan Portman runs the thrice-raced ARABICA QUEEN in this nursery, which has a small but competitive field. Making her first start in handicap company here, we haven’t seen the best of her yet and there could be any amount of improvement to come in this sphere.

She wasn’t disgraced when finishing fourth on debut over course and distance in May and bumped into a smart winner when second at Bath after that. The daughter of Caturra showed a good attitude to win narrowly last time out and she can continue to progress.

21:00 Beverley – Shimmering Sands @ 7/4

The experienced seven-year-old SHIMMERING SANDS has been in very good form for Michael & David Easterby so far this season, winning both of his two starts so far this season. He just about had enough fuel in the tank to score at Pontefract last month.

Running over the same course and distance next time, he absolutely bolted up to score by seven lengths. The winning margin probably wasn’t an accurate reflection of the level of dominance he displayed and an 8lb rise might not be enough to stop him here.