Friday Racing Tips: Ottilien the one to beat on bow for O'Brien

Rob Eddy

Apr 21

It's a hectic lead-up to the weekend for fans of racing, with seven scheduled meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland on Friday.

Jumps action comes from Ayr - as the Scottish Grand National Festival gets underway - as well as Fontwell, Kilbeggan and Exeter, while they are racing on the Flat at Newbury, Cork and Bath on a non-stop day with 50 races taking place.

Amongst our Friday fancies is a newcomer to the Joseph O'Brien team seeking to build on some promising form last season.

Selections

Cork 3.08 - Ottilien @ 11/10
Ayr 1.50 - Prairie Wolf @ 17/2
Bath 6.25 - Get Ahead @ 12/1

Tip 1

Some Listed action from Cork via the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Noblesse Stakes, a Fillies' And Mares' event over the mile-and-a-half trip with a good field of 11 assembled and an opportunity is presented to OTTILIEN (11/10), as she makes her stable bow for the Joseph O'Brien team.

The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor progressed last season for the excellent David Menuisier, winning at Chantilly on her seasonal bow and the notching a second success in three starts when scoring in Listed grade at Saint Cloud upped to this mile-and-a-half trip in September.

Her final start yielded a 1¼-length third behind the classy Sea La Rosa from the William Haggas team in the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp on Arc weekend when tackling 1m6f on very soft ground.

She sets a fair standard on that form and the forecast conditions at the Mallow track are ideal for Dylan McMonagle's filly, who has already showcased her ability to go well fresh and can make a winning Irish debut now.

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Tip 2

The Scottish Grand National Festival gets underway at Ayr this afternoon, with the big race north of the border taking place tomorrow.

There's lot of competitive action on day one, including the Largs Ladies LWOB Novices' Handicap Hurdle over an extended three miles, where PRAIRIE WOLF (17/2) might be one to outrun his odds in a field of ten for trainer Sue Smith with Ross Chapman doing the steering.

A Doncaster bumper winner last season, he's posted recent figures of 2122 over hurdles, winning at Catterick (2m3½f, good) in February and second-best most recently at Kelso (2m5f, good to soft) at the end of last month.

Better jumps at the final flights in his recent start at Doncaster and Kelso might have yielded different outcomes, with those defeats by a short-head and a half-length respectively.

He has scope to be a bit better than this latest mark of 118 and stepping up to three miles should aid with jumping, while his pedigree offers plenty hope that stamina will be a forte for him.

Horse Racing Odds

Tip 3

More Listed-grade action for the Fillies' and Mares' comes at Bath this evening in their Lansdown Stakes over the flying five furlongs and last year's winner White Lavender justifiably heads the betting for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee.

She ended last season with a personal best as she was narrowly denied in the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp behind The Platinum Queen.

She looks sure to go well, but in this Betfred Extra Place Race (four places) there is some optimism that GET AHEAD (12/1) can give her a race for Clive Cox.

The 4YO Showcasing filly was a close third in this race a year ago, missing out on second only in a head-bobber as White Lavender went by the principals on the wide outside late in the race.

Like the returning winner, she's an improved filly now and at four has the scope to continue her progress this season.

Hollie Doyle rides for the first time now, a positive for sure, and with that extra place to aim at and her inclusion on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder noted, Get Ahead is a solid alternative to the market leader.