Lucky 15 Tips: All in at Ponte Carlo on Tuesday

Let's head to Ponte Carlo for Tuesday's Lucky 15 tips. Some cracking racing this week with the July meeting at Newmarket, and of course then on Saturday night towards the week's end it's The HurriKane against The Striking Viking in a rather different pursuit from Miami Stadium.

A fantastic week of sport then to savour. You'll all have your favourites but I hope Tuesday's Pontefract tips are of interest. Seven races, kicking off with the 13:48.

What a time to be alive ...

Horse Racing Odds

14:18 Pontefract - Talitha Rouge @ 10/3

A 10f maiden, for three-year-olds and upwards.

I'm siding with Talitha Rouge, a three-year-old Space Blues filly out of a Shamardal mare, trained in North Yorkshire by David O'Meara.

Two runs so far, both this season, the best of which was at this trip first time out at Redcar in May, beaten a length. Arguable whether 1m 4f next time was ideal or otherwise because the effort was respectable (beaten 4l), but with a less convincing recorded Racing Post rating.

This young lady is by a Breeders' Cup mile champion and hails from a powerful yard. She'll doubtless have little trouble picking up a maiden or a novice somewhere and why not on Tuesday? The brilliant Danny Tudhope, for the first time, has the riding assignment.

14:48 Pontefract - Arisaig @ 7/2

This five-year-old Harry Angel mare has some fancy entries at Goodwood (Sussex Stakes, Celebration Mile), unsurprising perhaps given the Johnston yard's penchant for the Downs, but it also surely indicates the esteem the yard hold her in.

Arisaig has won four of 24 starts all told, and tackles a mile here in Listed company. She's fresh from a good run in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge at the royal meeting 20 days ago, fading late to be beaten 6.75l at this trip.

This should be much more up her street and on this her fourth run since reappearing for the season she should be cherry-ripe. Jamie Spencer has ridden her several times in the past and is again in the saddle.

Tends to be held up which is 100% Spencer territory. Expect a late swoop, finders crossed.

15:18 Pontefract - Dark Cloud Rising @ 11/8

Class 2 sprint handicap, over 6f.

Drawing the one box at Ponte is always a bonus at whatever the distance, but especially so in sprints. Dark Cloud Rising is hard on the paint here for once again the combo of O'Meara and Tudhope, and this four-year-old Dark Angel gelding has the added advantage of being a course-and-distance scorer.

He's in prime nick and just 19 days ago took one of these at Ripon by a cosy 2l, eased towards the finish. We're about to find out how much the horse had up his sleeve as he reappears under a 6lb penalty, now up to a mark of 94.

It will be a career-high performance if he can pull it off but in such great nick looks well worth a stab - especially with that plum draw. Has five wins from 21 starts, admirable for a sprinter given the ultra-competitive nature of such contests.

16:48 Pontefract - Brave Empire @ 6/1

Another sprint, a Class 5 over 5f, for three-year-olds and upwards.

We've not got a standout draw here on this occasion (7 of 10) but I still think we've got a great chance, and at a value price at time of writing.

Brave Empire is a five-year-old Dark Angel gelding trained by Ivan Furtado in North Yorkshire and ridden by Jason Hart, who had a winner at Southwell on Sunday.

At Donny 31 days ago Brave Empire produced his best effort for a wee while at this trip and in a slightly lower grade, going down by just 1.25l, getting outpaced close home.

Ponte is almost as stiff a finish as you can find and that late resolve could be a godsend on Tuesday, as some perhaps begin to roll around and fade late in the piece. Expect another late swoop perhaps?

This fella began life with Roger Varian at HQ and has been with Ivan since April last year. He's been kept pretty busy and is in the main admirably consistent. Last time was a big hint for me that his turn might be close at hand.

If all four of our selections won, today's notional 50p win Lucky 15, at the prices indicated (they can of course fluctuate), would return around £395 for a £7.50 total stake. If you can improve upon our selections (of course you can) - then go for it!

NAPS Table with Betfred Insights.