Horse racing tips from Sporting Life and Timeform team

A slow-burner for Fergal O’Brien, WE GOTTA GETAWAY was retained by Graeme McPherson & David Killahena last year and fitted with a tongue tie, he was unable to justify strong support on December’s handicap debut. Six months later he was also tight in the betting and overcame a slight mistake at the last when successful at Market Rasen last week and while not looking totally straightforward in the process, We Gotta Getaway ultimately confirmed he possesses more ability than his lowly BHA rating of 81. He’s up 5lb in Uttoxeter’s 6.10 contest and while he takes on more rivals on Saturday evening, the ceiling handicap mark for the race is actually lower than Market Rasen and assuming he copes with this relatively quick turnaround on what has been a rather truncated career so far, We Gotta Getaway can go in again.

MUTAMANNI – 7.25 Leicester (Matt Brocklebank)

MUTAMANNI put the experience of his first couple of outings to good use when winning a Brighton maiden earlier this month, looking to score with plenty in hand after dossing out in front. He’s bred to go on improving with racing and now goes handicapping from what looks a workable opening mark of 80 in a very winnable contest. There’s rain in the forecast but the ground shouldn’t get too bad and, as a son of Showcasing, you’d imagine he’ll be fine on an easier surface anyway. Trainer George Boughey is in good form (9-35 last fortnight) and this looks a progressive horse to keep on side.

PERIANTH – 9.00 Leicester (Graeme North)

Which Flat racecourse in Britain is the most course specialist of all is a question that would probably elicit a wide range of different responses among the racing public, but Leicester would surely take high rank and with that in mind the chances of PERIANTH in the 9.00, the final race of the day, make even more appeal. She won on her handicap debut at the course at the end of May over six furlongs, but her dam won at up to a mile and a quarter and has already produced a smart winner at seven furlongs in the shape of I’m A Gambler besides which she showed a high level of form herself, earning herself a 105 Timeform rating. Suffice to say, Perianth remains potentially very well handicapped off a mark of 65, just 3lb higher than last time, and Pam Sly’s filly is worth a decent bet.

Year after year the London Gold Cup proves to be one of the hottest handicaps of the season and this year looks no different with a deeply impressive winner in Kings Gambit who is destined for pattern races and Persica finishing fourth, who came out and bolted up at Epsom on Derby weekend. Just behind him in fifth was INTO BATTLE who was arguably unlucky not to finish even closer having ran into traffic around the two furlong pole and he has to be of serious interest on Saturday running off the same mark.

CLASSIC – 2.05 Sandown (Andrew Asquith)

I was guilty of backing CLASSIC a fair few times last season and he is a horse who I’m convinced will prove himself well handicapped when putting it all together. He managed to win over seven furlongs at this course from a mark of 89 last summer and went on to shape well on his next two starts at Newbury, left with too much to do on one occasion and moving through the race like the best horse at the weights the other. I am willing to put a line through his recent return over this course and distance where he was well beaten by Dual Identity given he is unproven on soft ground, was entitled to need the run, and that clearly wasn’t his true running. Back on faster ground now and granted some luck in running I’m expecting him to prove much more competitive.

RELENTLESS VOYAGER – 3.00 York (Ben Linfoot)

RELENTLESS VOYAGER looks to have improved significantly from three to four and the son of Ulysses can go in again in the Listed Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes over 1m6f at York. Andrew Balding’s horse hacked up in the Northern Dancer Handicap at Epsom on Derby day, making a mockery of his mark of 101 as he romped home by three lengths. That performance marked him out as potentially Group class and this looks the perfect next step up on the ladder for him given how hard he hit the line over 1m4f last time. He’s straightforward and relaxes well, so he should get the extra two furlongs no problem.

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