Antepost Racing Tips: Two handicap picks at 25/1 can light up Eclipse weekend

Sandown Eclipse Verdict: Ballydoyle domination makes for tricky betting heat

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Constitution River (Fr)

• J:
• T: Aidan O'Brien, Ireland
• F: 211-11

Coral Eclipse day on Saturday and not a speck of rain expected at Sandown we can anticipate quick ground for the feature meeting on ITV.

It is one of the summer highlights, but betting-wise from an ante-post view, the Eclipse at 15:35 this weekend is a tough puzzle to solve. Aidan O'Brien has four in the race (of the nine entries) and we're no nearer to shoring up the declaration plans from Ballydoyle.

Constitution River can be backed at 4/51.80 on the Sportsbook if that's your thing. As a winner of the French Derby beating Hawk Mountain into second, the pair could match-up again, although with the latter at 12/113.00 in the betting, I am not expecting him to rock up.

Last year's win for O'Brien with Delacroix was his third on the spin, and he bids to create history with four successive Eclipse victories. While O'Brien doesn't make life easy for a punter, without him and the Coolmore horses, we'd be stuffed for top level action.

Gethin, recently purchased by Wathnan, ran a screamer at the track when runner-up to Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard. That was by some way a clear personal best and with Godolphin absent for the big races, Owen Burrows seems to be the one trying to serve it up.

But O'Brien rules and even having a bet with Gethin at [11/4], you want to know the opposition. So, for now, we just have to sit tight. With Constitution River's participation, O'Brien told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "He's off-handed, straightforward and all his training has gone well. We're just trying to split the two horses up really and give each a chance.

"Everything is right with him. A mile-and-a-quarter should be fine for him, and he ran round a right-handed bend at Chantilly last time so that should be fine too."

Sandown, 14:25, Coral Challenge Handicap Tip: Back Bourbon Blues EW @ 25/126.00

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Bourbon Blues

• J:
• T: Brian Meehan
• F: 45312-306

The Coral Charge that opens up the Sandown ITV coverage at 13:50 is a race to leave alone simply for the draw. We could like something only to be handed the coffin box, so we can zone in on the 14:25 and a decent handicap.

There's a runner here at 25/126.00 that interests me and it's Brian Meehan's Bourbon Blues, one of the three-year-olds in the race and a horse that wants fast ground.

He's at 25/126.00 perhaps for three underwhelming runs this term, and Meehan isn't exactly a "go-to" trainer these days. He's had just two - TWO - winners in the season from 61 runners. A meagre return for a yard with some big owners.

However, Bourbon Blues was a busy boy as a juvenile and kept good company - running in the Superlative and Ascendant Stakes (well beaten in both) but did win a 'Mickey Mouse' race at Newmarket in the Stewards' room.

He was third in the Fielden Stakes at Newmarket at the Craven meeting behind Morshdi in a strong handicap but has been well beaten twice over 1m2f subsequently. I am interested with him coming back down in distance for the mile as he performed well in the Golden Gates at Ascot off 103 finishing sixth at a whopping price.

I wasn't convinced about him seeing out the 1m2f at Ascot, as he had a fair bit to do from off the pace and the move to make up ground at the 8f mark (running under 12 seconds) meant his final effort lacked any sort of kick.

He travels well enough down a pound to 102, on that Ascot run, he does look overpriced for an each-way punt.

Newmarket, 14:05, Betway Bet £10 Get £40 Handicap Tip: Back Outback Legend EW @ 16/117.00

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Outback Legend (Ire)

• J: Jack Callan
• T: Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole
• F: 6314

Haydock's ground issues have forced fixtures elsewhere, so the Lancashire Oaks card has been moved to HQ and the July course, which also means two good handicaps to tackle here with Haydock's loss very much Newmarket's gain.

The 14:06 1m6f Handicap holds a ton of unexposed three-year-olds, unexposed at the distance too, and another double-figure poke is worth a second look.

It's Outback Legend who as the name suggests, is by Australia, and the sire's stock stay all day.

Tapping into that with some numbers for the sire, Australia in all turf races at 1m4f has a 12% win and placed 24% record. It increases at 1m6f to 14% win and an impressive 32% place, and at 2m, the win rate is much greater at 18%.

Outback Legend has had four runs in his career so far, and with his first and debut at 1m2f, he isn't ever going to impress on the clock.

He was all stamina winning his Maiden at Haydock in heavy, as he was under pressure three furlongs from home and picked up strongly.

Outback Legend than was sent for a handicap debut over 1m4f at Newmarket in a messy race. A small field, a finishing speed of 105% to suit those with a better turn of foot, and Outback Legend was also held up. All factors that surprisingly didn't suit.

Going up another 2f will certainly be a plus and he seemed to handle the good ground fine, and at [16/1], while he'll need to find plenty of improvement, he will certainly suit the 1m6f.

An early booking too of Jack Callan is good to see.

Newmarket, 15:15, Betway Old Newton Cup Handicap Tip: Back Tycoon EW @ 25/126.00

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Tycoon

• J: David Egan
• T: Kevin Philippart de Foy
• F: 13867-530

Old Newton Cup day at Newmarket on the July Course will be a novel addendum to Haydock's holes saga but this is always a cracking handicap, wherever it is staged.

Tycoon last ran at the Derby meeting and had no joy as the rains went against him and he flopped badly over 1m2f at the beginning of June, but the weather has come right for him and he ran two decent races at the start of the season.

His fifth at the Craven meeting on the Rowley mile was a fine run at a massive price and he was a huge drifter too in the betting that day, perhaps as he was drawn on the completely the wrong side of the track on the nearside.

Tycoon bettered that with an excellent third back at Newmarket for the Guineas meeting, again at a massive price and again potentially on the wrong side as he was in the small group that raced far while the main chunk of the action and winner came down the centre (admittedly drifting over to Tycoon's side).

His latest run over 1m2f is best to judge for this, and last year finished third in the Cocked Hat, so there could be more improvement or at least a seasonal best trying 1m4f. The quick ground is very much in his favour.

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