Racing tips for Friday at Epsom
The action continues at Epsom Downs this week with a competitive six-race card on offer for punters heading to the track on Friday 16th August.
Racing gets underway at 1.40 with a class five nursery contest before rounding off at 4.35 as eight runners tackle a class five handicap.
Read below to discover the latest tips for Epsom’s card on Friday, courtesy of OLBG:
The opening race of the afternoon (1.40) sees a field of nine head to the start for the class five nursery for two-year-old’s. Liberty Bird was a runner up last time out at Leicester for trainer Charlie Johnston and gets the nod here to bag a second win of the campaign, having been victorious at Beverley in June. Enchanted Eye rates the main danger from the Eve Johnson Houghton yard, a good second on nursery debut at Leicester 29 days ago.
A small field of four will take on race two of the afternoon at Epsom in the maiden fillies’ stakes (2.15) over the seven furlong distance. The Amy Murphy-trained Creative Lady is the clear pick on form here, a decent second in a Lingfield maiden last time out and is the one to beat here. Graduated, for trainer Dr Richard Newland, can fill the second spot, second at Brighton on her last spin.
A class four handicap marks race three on the Friday card at 2.50, with eight runners set to travel over the six furlong sprint distance. Winner of this race last year, Musicka is back for another crack for trainer David O’Meara and has hit form at the right time with a second in a big-field handicap at York last month so is the one to beat again. Of his rivals, Tourist can make his presence felt if bouncing back to form following a fifth at Doncaster last time out.
Race four (3.25) is an 11-runner handicap in class six for horses aged three and older, with preference heading the way of Imperial Cult, who landed a career best when scoring in a 12-runner handicap at Lingfield 17 days ago to follow up another win at that venue a month previously so is taken to complete the hat trick here ahead of Corporate Raider, a Brighton winner in June and second at that track 45 days ago.
The penultimate race on Epsom’s card this week arrives at 4.00 as six runners head to the start for the extended mile handicap in class five. Unreal Connection for trainer Amanda Perratt looks the one to beat here, a previous winner at Epsom who was fourth in a Sandown handicap when last seen. Eretat is the main danger, a cosy winner at Wolverhampton three weeks ago who is bidding to follow up.
Finally, the card comes to a close with the class five handicap over seven furlongs (4.35) and eight runners will take it on, with preference heading the way of Marlay Park, a four-time course and distance winner who has yet to fire this season but is sliding down the weights as well as dropping in grade here.
Epsom selections – Friday
1.40 – Liberty Bird
2.15 – Creative Lady
2.50 – Musicka
3.25 – Imperial Cult
4.00 – Unreal Connection
4.35 – Marlay Park
Image: Credit Paul. CC BY 2.0