Horse Racing Tips

Mark Milligan's Tips: Three to back on Tuesday at up to 11/1

Newmarket Racecourse
Mark has three Tuesday tips

Mark Milligan has taken a look at the opening day of Newmarket's Craven meeting and has a trio of selections...

  • Each-way shot can Thunder home

  • Varian Feilden runner bred in the purple

  • Promising Haggas filly can land Nell Gwyn


13:50 Newmarket - Back More Thunder each-way @ 11/1

A fair bit has to be taken on trust with More Thunder, but I think he's a fascinating contender in this 6f handicap.

Trained last season by the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute, More Thunder was campaigned primarily over 1m 2f, breaking his maiden at that trip on his second start.

Now trained by William Haggas, I find it intriguing that he's dropped to s sprint trip on his first start for a yard that clearly knows the time of day, and it doesn't look a forlorn move on pedigree.

Although by 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder, the selection's dam was a sprinter who was successful three times over 6f and More Thunder himself shaped a couple of times last season as though he could do with the emphasis more on speed.

William Haggas has campaigned plenty of his horses successfully in Australia over the last couple of years and this is the sort of move that Australian trainers make quite regularly.

He may find it all a bit too much trying a sprint for the first, but with four places on offer on the Sportsbook, More Thunder could be worth chancing each-way.


14:25 Newmarket - Back Sallaal @ 5/1

The 1m 1f listed Feilden Stakes can often throw up some early Derby clues and this year's renewal contains plenty of horses with potential.

It's a couple of once-raced horses that it may pay to concentrate on and, while Charlie Appleby's Masai Moon is sure to be popular, I prefer the claims of Sallaal at a bigger price.

Roger Varian's son of Frankel created a really good impression when winning on debut at Yarmouth last October, needing every yard of that 7f trip to come out on top there.

He looks sure to progress as he steps up in trip and is bred to be a top-notcher, from a family that this trainer knows well.

Sallaal's dam Nahrain was trained to Group 1 success by Varian, while he also trained the selection's half-sister Elmalka to win the 1000 Guineas. Completing an impressive pedigree, he's also a half-brother to Godolphin's high-class Benbatl.

With bloodlines like that to call on, it will be a surprise if listed races prove to be Sallaal's limit.


15:35 Newmarket - Back Nardra @ 9/2

Speaking of horses who created a big impression on debut, not many would have done more so than Nardra when she won a four-runner novice contest at Haydock in September, and she can go in again as she tackles the 7f Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Although she didn't have a lot to beat, the way in which she overcame greenness to fairly bound away in the final furlong was something to behold, eventually winning by over eight lengths with any amount in hand.

The time wasn't bad for the level, and while she'll need plenty more as she steps up into Group 3 company here, she's open to bags of improvement.

A lengthy type with plenty of scope, she cost £440,000 as a yearling and connections will be keen to recoup a big portion of that in some of the better fillies' races this season.

William Haggas isn't noted for tilting at windmills, so if he thinks Nardra is ready for a marked step up in class on just her second start than I'm not going to argue.


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Mark Milligan avatar

Mark Milligan

Mark Milligan is a Senior Horse Racing Analyst with Timeform Sporting Life and has been contributing to Betting.Betfair since 2021.

Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.