Saturday Horse Racing Tips: Ed Bethell looks set for a big day at Redcar

Competitive racing at Ascot and some classy events at Newmarket headline the domestic action on Saturday, but I’m going to focus elsewhere for my bets. After all, it doesn’t matter where the winners come as long as you get them.

In truth, I’m far more excited about the seven Grade 1s on offer at Keeneland, Belmont At The Big A and Santa Anita than watching Inspiral win the Group 1 Sun Chariot at an odds-on price. She deserves to be clear favourite in the big one and Frankie Dettori should rack up another top-level victory, but I’m happy to watch the event as a neutral.

Redcar might be the last racecard you look at on Friday evening, but I’m eyeing up an afternoon double that features two Ed Bethell-trained juveniles. Bethell, who took out his licence in 2021, is having a career-best year with 42 winners and a 23% strike-rate. Interestingly, Charlie Appleby is the only trainer with a better win record from those who have sent out more than 50 runners this term.

The first of Bethell’s two-year-olds is Mickley, who runs in division one of the 7f novice event (1.40 Redcar) under Callum Rodriguez. By precocious sire Soldier’s Call, who won the Flying Childers and Windsor Castle in his juvenile campaign, you would expect Mickley to quickly progress into a nice type and he ran with great promise on debut at Newcastle just 11 days ago.

His actual chance of winning was over after about three strides as he missed two lengths at the start before veering badly right-handed to the unfavourable rail, but he learned plenty during the race and stuck on nicely under tender handling for minor money. Don’t overlook the amount of money he took that day, either - Bethell first-timers don’t generally go off 5/4 favourite!

He’s clearly come out of that race well given the quick turnaround and this switch to turf should help. With previous winners Respectful and Greer in the line-up, Mickley should go off at a reasonable price despite receiving weight.

Talking of previous winners, Bethell and Rodriguez will team up again in division two (3.20 Redcar) with Gressington. This grey colt got the job done well at the first time of asking 31 days ago and, much like his aforementioned stablemate, he now moves from the all-weather to turf.

His success came at Southwell in a race that featured a couple of well-related sorts. Gressington broke nicely from the inside and was quickly hustled into a prominent spot, from which he tanked through the middle-part of the contest before quickening up decisively well in the closing stages. Rodriguez only issued one reminder en route to a one-and-three-quarter-length success.

Bethell was keen to point out how much improvement Gressington would find from start one to two in his post-race interview and, although he might need to step forward given he’s going to face the talented Zain Blue on Saturday, that looks highly likely.

I’m on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday evening to cover the US action alongside Wolverhampton, so it would be remiss of me to not include a selection from the Midlands venue in this column. That pick is Louaizeh, who runs in division two of the 1m4f 0-55 handicap (4.55).

This isn’t much of a race - the majority of the runners are completely exposed and pretty limited in terms of talent - so it provides the perfect opportunity for James Ferguson’s lightly raced three-year-old to get off the mark at the fifth attempt.

Following three novice starts over inadequate trips, Louaizeh was stepped up to an extended 1m1f at this venue 54 days ago and was ridden cold in rear. Unfortunately for her, the race was completely dominated by two horses who got racing early and never looked like being reeled in by their pursuers. In short, she had little chance from her position.

Nevertheless, Louaizeh ran home nicely for third place under hands-and-heels riding and is extremely interesting now that she gets more ground on Saturday. If she can’t win this off an unchanged mark, connections will be pretty disappointed.

Saturday’s Horse Racing Tips

Mickley (1.40 Redcar) @ 9/2
Gressington (3.20 Redcar) @ 9/2
Louaizeh (4.55 Wolverhampton) @ 9/2