Horse Racing Tips: Side with talented Cat to pounce at Newbury

Southwell, 14:20 - Back Heretic each-way @ [SP]

For much of his career, Fifty Sent has had a bad rap, but the seven-year-old has turned his career round in no uncertain terms in March and arrives here looking for a rapid hat-trick.

The victories have coincided with a bright start to the year by trainer Thomas Faulkner who was also on the mark with Desiderata at Wolverhampton earlier this week.

Fifty Cent is clearly thriving and bids to complete a trio of wins in the same grade which has seen him so successful of late, however Heretic hinted he might be about to hit form with a better effort over course and distance last time and a drop into this strike could see him ready to strike.

The selection won twice in a week in 0-55 company last autumn before the assessor could blink and, although he caught up with him quick enough, the seven-year-old has worked himself back to today's level which should see him highly competitive today.

His yard are certainly in a rich vein of form at present and their gelding should give it a bold go from the front in this grade.

Newbury, 15:00 - Back Charisma Cat @ 13/27.50

Alan King is another handler enjoying a decent spell and Charisma Cat could still be fairly treated despite shouldering top weight in a well-contested renewal of the EBF Mares' Final.

The daughter of Nathaniel was an extremely talented bumper horse, winning at Southwell, Warwick and Sandown in Listed company before finding two miles around Aintree last spring an inadequate test.

Although King's mare was beaten at long odds-on over Christmas at Wincanton, that below-par display was out of character with a couple of her efforts over hurdles which has seen her chase home the likes of La Conquiere here back in November and Khrisma last month.

Today's trip represents a step into the unknown for Charisma Cat, but her run style suggests that it is within her compass and a dosage index rating of 0.71 (the lower to zero, the more stamina in the pedigree) indicates that she has arguably done well to achieve what she has over the minimum trip.

She has the opportunity to display that these new circumstances can produce further improvement and she probably bumped into a smart rival in Khrisma at Market Rasen.

Bangor, 15:20 - Back In The Age @ 3/14.00

Dan Skelton tops and tails this Class 2 handicap with likely pace angle Knickerbockerglory heading the weights and the lightly-raced In The Age residing at the foot of the handicap.

An Irish point-to-point winner back in the day, the Saint Des Saints gelding has only made four starts over hurdles and there is every chance we haven't quite seen the best of him yet.

Without a run since the end of January, it appears that the selection's handler has kept him fresh for a spring campaign and this test should ideally suit a horse that races handily.

With his stablemate and Nowmelad likely to try and dominate, I could see rider Charlie Todd drafting in behind the speed before endeavouring to produce his mount with a winning challenge on the home turn.

Now read Paul Nicholls' preview of his Saturday runners and get his best chance