Friday racing tips: Best bets for Thirsk, Sandown & Salisbury

Racing correspondent Jonathan Doidge brings us his horse racing tips for Friday, focusing on Thirsk, Sandown Park and Salisbury

Friday’s Racing Tips

• Tinto (Thirsk, 15.38) – 0.5pts each-way @ 20/1 bet365
• Strong Warrior (Thirsk, 16.08) - 0.5pts each-way @ 5/1 William Hill
• Carron (Sandown Park, 15.50) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 bet365
• Keble Spirit (Sandown Park, 16.58) – 0.5pts each-way @ 4/1 bet365
• Kotari (Salisbury, 19.43) – 1pt win @ 5/1 bet365

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There are six meetings in the UK with Thirsk, Salisbury, Sandown, Newcastle, Ffos Las and Fontwell all hosting cards. I’ve been through the cards and the odds on betting sites to pick out my favourite Friday racing tips in the hope of getting the weekend off to a great start.

Ruby Lodge Care Home In Thirsk Handicap (Thirsk, 15.38)

This looks like a typically tricky Thirsk sprint handicap and cases can be made for several. I like one who is proven here and, in fact, won this race last year. Tinto has not had the best of times lately, finishing nearer last than first on his last three starts.

However, his best effort of the campaign preceded that over this C&D and it’s a course and distance he has won over on three occasions, all from marks a pound or two higher than Friday’s.

Trainer Michael Dods has his string in good nick and this could be the race in which we see a revival by this nine-year-old. He’s drawn in stall six, which is better than last year’s stall eight draw, so that’s another little positive on our side. He looks a sporting each-way play on horse racing betting sites to return to form.

Friday racing tip 1: Tinto (Thirsk, 15.38) – 0.5pts each-way @ 20/1 bet365

Constant Security Services Handicap (Thirsk, 16.08)

The unexposed Strong Warrior looks very interesting on being stepped up in trip for this. Richard Fahey’s three-year-old won his first two starts, an Ayr maiden (5f, good) and a Pontefract novice (6f, good) under a penalty.

Although a beaten favourite on his handicap debut at Windsor (6f, good to firm) in June, he found only one too good and showed continued improvement.

Highly tried on his latest start, he was sent off at 80/1 on horse racing betting apps for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Although beaten more than seven lengths, he did meet with some traffic a couple of furlongs out and might have finished a place or two closer than he did.

He certainly wasn’t disgraced that day and he comes back to a handicap with the potential for further improvement up in trip and with a good draw. He can go close.

Friday racing tip 2: Strong Warrior (Thirsk, 16.08) - 0.5pts each-way @ 5/1 William Hill

Hwfa Williams - Founder Of Sandown Park Handicap (Sandown Park, 15.50)

Over at Sandown Park, there’s a competitive handicap over a mile in which Carron looks to have solid claims.

Charles Hills’ three-year-old has won twice over 7f this season, taking a Wolverhampton maiden in April and then comfortably accounting for his field in a 0-75 handicap at Leicester (good to firm) last month.

His only subsequent start saw him take on a field of older horses at Ripon, when he was stepped up to 1m and finished a two-length fifth of eight. He was slightly hampered in the closing stages there and could probably have finished closer than he did, granted a clear run in the final 100 yards or so.

He’s only had three handicap starts and I think there could be more to come from him both from this mark and over this trip.

Friday racing tip 3: Carron (Sandown Park, 15.50) – 0.5pts each-way @ 9/2 bet365

National Racehorse Week Handicap (Sandown Park, 16.58)

Sticking with Sandown and the final race on the card has thrown up another interesting handicap for horses rated 0-80.

With four last-time winners in the field the market may be well strong and that can help us get some value about Keble Spirit who, given his connections, may otherwise have gone off shorter.

Trained by the Gosdens, this Too Darn Hot gelding showed a bit of promise on his second start in a Newmarket maiden (1m, good to soft) last October. After a low key return on the Polytrack in the spring, he won at the first attempt in handicaps, at Yarmouth (1m2f, good to firm) in April.

He improved again when being sent here for a similar race to this last month, keeping on up the hill for third. Aside from the winner’s next run, the form of that race looks solid. Keble Spirit has since been gelded and it would be no surprise if there’s a fair bit more to come from him over this trip.

Friday racing tip 4: Keble Spirit (Sandown Park, 16.58) – 0.5pts each-way @ 4/1 bet365

Kingsclere 'Sally Hits 90' Handicap (Salisbury, 19.43)

There’s one of interest on Salisbury’s evening card and it comes in the shape of the six-year-old Katari, trained by Gary and Josh Moore.

His three wins have come over trips shorter than this 1m6f but he has some respectable form when tried over this far and he’s dropped to a handy mark after a strong of defeats.

He won’t mind if the forecast rain gets into the ground either and he looks capable of winning at this slightly lower level than his recent races.

Friday racing tip 5: Katari (Salisbury, 19.43) – 1pt win @ 5/1 bet365

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