Horse Racing betting tips: Ancient Times, Michaels Choice & Beautron appeal on Sunday

Keith Melrose Updated: 17 Jun 23 15:55 Published: 17 Jun 23 11:43

Meetings at Doncaster and Salisbury come under the spotlight on Sunday and Keith Melrose from the Racing Post provides his best bets.

Keith Melrose's tips

3.50 Doncaster - Ancient Times @ 5/1
4.00 Salisbury - Michaels Choice @ 9/2
5.00 Doncaster - Beautron @ 7/2

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Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

3.50 Doncaster - Ancient Times @ 5/1

One of the 'Epsom five', horses whose chance was ruined in the recent Dash there by virtue of their stalls opening late, Ancient Times has two attempts to make amends this weekend.

He held an entry at Chester on Saturday but was drawn in stall 10 for that race.

It is extremely difficult to overcome that sort of draw at Chester and he will be much better off taking his chance at Doncaster on Sunday.

This horse was progressive in 2022 and gave a really good account on his reappearance in May.

In a race at Newmarket won by Spring Bloom, he cut out much of the running before getting tired.

You imagine the Dash was the main aim for this lightning-quick sprinter, but that doomed bid still dropped a clue for this race.

Trainer Harry Eustace had booked Kaiya Fraser, a promising 7lb apprentice, and Fraser is given the ride again here.

With that weight concession, Ancient Times is attractively handicapped and they will do well to catch him, even if Doncaster isn't the most obvious front-runner's track in the country.

Keith Melrose’s tip:

Ancient Times @ 5/1 - 1pt win

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4.00 Salisbury - Michaels Choice @ 9/2

Salisbury is not exactly a unique course, with its right-handed out-and-back loop and stiff finish, and it has quite a lot in common with Hamilton in particular.

But its layout is unusual and therefore the track does lend itself to course specialists.

Michaels Choice is one of those.

He has run 39 times at other tracks, recording four wins, while he has run three times at Salisbury and won twice.

Three of his other wins have been at Bath, so he clearly relishes a stiff climb to the finish, for all he is a sprinter.

It is over a year since Michaels Choice last ran off a BHA mark in the 60s. He won that day, over this course and distance on good to firm ground.

His mark has been a long time in dropping back to where is comfortable, but he is hardly out of form.

Two starts back, on his seasonal reappearance, he ran a creditable race to finish third here.

That might have cost him his 100 per cent course record, but it sets him up for another bold showing at a track where he thrives.

Keith Melrose’s tip:

Michaels Choice @ 9/2 - 1pt win

5.00 Doncaster - Beautron @ 7/2

In August 2017, Alpine Dream ran the race of her life to finish second at Musselburgh. That was on good to firm ground and, while she won twice on softer than good, her best runs came when the ground was quick.

Her first foal, Poptronic, appreciates quick conditions too and Beautron looks to have carried on the family tradition.

Granted, her improvement last time might also have had something to do with it being her handicap debut, but she clearly relished the good to firm ground at Carlisle as she streaked away to a convincing win.

She improved her Racing Post Rating by 19lb in the process, and conditions will be quick again at Doncaster on Sunday.

In this three-year-old handicap, Beautron can go in again for Tim Easterby, who is having a quietly warm spell at the moment.