Friday Horse Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's quartet of bets at up to 12/1

Newmarket, 13:50 - Back Heraldry @ 10/34.33 (NAP)

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Heraldry

• J: William Buick
• T: John & Thady Gosden
• F:

I'm hopeful William Buick can have a stellar day at Newmarket on Friday as he's riding all three of the selections that I'm targeting at the July Festival.

First up is John and Thady Gosden's Heraldry, who is still unexposed after just three starts and could well have bumped into one when second in a novice contest at Windsor last time, where he also wasn't seen to maximum effect. That run came on the back of him breaking his maiden at Kempton, and the son of Kingman finished with running left after being intimidated by the winner Decade Of Time late on.

The winner franked the form by going in next time and Heraldry has plenty of handicapping scope as he makes his debut in this sphere from a mark of 89.

Newmarket, 15:00 - Back Valedictory @ 3/14.00

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Valedictory

• J: William Buick
• T: John & Thady Gosden
• F:

Buick teams up with the Gosdens again for the next selection as he takes the ride for his principal employer Godolphin on the highly progressive Valedictory.

By Cracksman, this one looks a top staying handicapper in the making, and he showed improvement when stepping up to this 1m 6f trip at Goodwood last time, winning with something in hand from Spinning Wheel, a race that is already proving strong form, with a pair of the also-rans going in next time.

The market at the top end is all about Wine Dark Sea , who could well be chucked in under a 6lb penalty following a 13-length romp at Carlisle last time, that coming hot on the heels of a ready Ascot success.

However, this is a much deeper race than the one he faced last time and it will be a real acid test of his credentials. The percentage call is to take him on at a short price.

Newmarket, 16:45 - Back Rosario E/W @ 6/17.00

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Rosario (Ire)

• J: William Buick
• T: Roger Teal
• F:

On what could be a real red-letter day for William Buick, I'm taking him to land a hat-trick on the admittedly tricky sprint handicapper Rosario.

A talented sort on his day, the five-year-old hasn't won anywhere near as many races as he probably should have, mainly due to his propensity to give his rivals a head start from the stalls.

That tendency to break slowly has cost him over the years, but there's little doubt he's lurking on a very good mark nowadays having dropped 6lb below the perch from which he was successful at Goodwood last year.

Buick has never ridden the gelding before and I'm taking it as a real sign of intent that connections have managed to secure his booking for this assignment, while we also have the added security of four places available on the Sportsbook in this contest that has attracted just 12 runners.

I'm prepared to take the chance that today is the day Rosario puts it all together again.

York, 17:05 - Back Muker E/W @ 12/113.00

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Muker (Ire)

• J: Alex Jary
• T: Nigel Tinkler
• F:

Another very well-handicapped sprinter is Muker, who I put up in this column last week at Nottingham, a race that he could well have won had things panned out better. Although that was just a small field, his inexperienced rider managed to find plenty of trouble before his charge stayed on after the race was all but over.

That was a tough one to take, but I'm convinced Muker is on a mark he can win off nowadays and there should be more than enough pace to tee up his late kick in this York contest, while good value claimer Alex Jary takes off a valuable extra 3lb.

Again, the each-way terms are in our favour here with four places to go at and Muker looks a fair bet at 12/113.00.

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