Wednesday's Horse Racing Tips: James Boyle's Best Bets at Catterick

For today's horse racing tips, our analyst James Boyle looks at the flat racing at Catterick, with one selection now online.

As always, you’ll find the most up-to-date odds at the best horse racing betting sites, but our tipster’s predictions are researched early in the day and those prices could soon change. Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing.

15:40 Catterick – Archduke Ferdinand – 1pt @ 9/1

Archduke Ferdinand was one of my selections when he raced at York a month ago and, despite having what should have been a good racing position, he didn’t fire.

I’m not certain why that was the case but if he bounces back, he wouldn’t be the first horse to misfire there and then return to form. Indeed, two of his British successes have come on the back of not winning at York, and one of those was a very bad run as well.

From a handicapping point of view, he’s on a workable mark for sure. This time last season, he was racing off a stone higher than his current rating of 76 and prior to his last run, he had looked on good terms with himself when finishing third behind Badri at Redcar.

That track does suit the horse – previously 2-2 over the C&D – and he’s now testing himself at Catterick for the first time, but it's where his trainer does best on turf, landing seven winners and nine seconds from 45 runners in the last five years, and could be a place he’ll enjoy.

Whether he does or not will depend on his early position as he likes to be close to the speed. There’s competition for the outright lead but if he can slot into a nice tracking sit from gate five, there’s a chance he’ll be able to take over in the straight and grind things to the line from there.

The front trio in the betting take up a large percentage of it and Archduke Ferdinand being available at an ever-easing 9/1 makes appeal. The time off since York can freshen him up and he’s too well-handicapped to ignore at the price.