ARTISTIC STREAK looks good despite top weight in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway (5.45) at Southwell today.
Donald McCain’s mare has had one previous try over the Fibresand track’s two miles, scoring by a head under the trainer’s daughter Ella in October.
After a defeat over a mile and six at Southwell 13 days later, Artistic Streak went off at 50-1 for a two-mile event at Wolverhampton last time out.
The daughter of New Approach ran a fine race to finish third, beaten a neck and half a length, behind Fleur Irlandaise, and another good account is on the cards here.
Mick Appleby’s string has begun 2021 in decent form, and BLUE HERO is a worthy favourite to give the Rutland handler a fourth winner of the year by beating four opponents for the opening Ladbrokes Watch Racing Online For Free Handicap (4.15).
The former Michael Bell inmate was having his first start for his new yard when finishing a one-length second to Final Voyage at Wolverhampton last Saturday.
There is a 2lb nudge up the handicap to deal with here, but Appleby puts cheekpieces on the son of Air Force Blue, who is taken for a first career score at the seventh attempt.
With Taunton’s jumps fixture having fallen to the weather punters have got two bumpers for jumpers cards at Lingfield Park and Newcastle to sort through.
To say these fixtures lack appeal from a betting point of view is an understatement, but PERCY PROSECCO can break out the bubbly in Lingfield’s Visit attheraces.com “Jumpers’ Bumper” National Hunt Flat Race (1.20), while BROTHERLY COMPANY gets the nod in the Quinnbet Best Odds Guaranteed “Jumpers’ Bumper” National Hunt Flat Race (3.10).
Friday's tips
LINGFIELD PARK
11.50 CITY DERBY
12.20 TAZKA
12.50 LEGENDARY GRACE
1.20 PERCY PROSECCO
1.50 GLORY AND HONOUR
2.20 HASANABAD
2.50 BLACK KALANISI
3.20 EL KALDOUN
NEWCASTLE
12.10 NELL’S BELLS
12.40 FIRST GLORY
1.10 OKAVANGO DELTA
1.40 HAPPY HOLLOW
2.10 MONSIEUR CO
2.40 ONTHEFRONTFOOT
3.10 BROTHERLY COMPANY
3.40 CHOSEN FLAME
SOUTHWELL
4.15 BLUE HERO (NB)
4.45 MOTAFAAWEQ
5.15 THRAVE
5.45 ARTISTIC STREAK (NAP)
6.15 KEVIN THE MINION
6.45 AMOURIE
7.15 THE GLOAMING
DOUBLE: ARTISTIC STREAK and BLUE HERO
