Today’s Horse Racing Tip – 3:10 Pontefract 23 April

Today’s free horse racing tip runs in the Riu Hotels And Resorts Handicap at 3:10 Pontefract. This 12-runner Class 2 event is run over five furlongs with the winner set to collect over £15,000 prize money.

Roger Varian’s Atletico returns to the turf following a brief campaign on the all weather where he finished runner up in all four races.

The six-year-old has improved with each run and the change of surface gives him a great chance of returning to the winners enclosure today. The gelding won over the minimum trip on Windsor and Newcastle turf tracks last year and is well suited to a little cut in the ground which he’ll find at Pontefract today.

The handicapper has been too harsh on the son of Zodiac who will attract plenty of support, including our nomination for today’s horse racing prediction.

Looking down the field, there are four rivals that are worth running the rule over. Top weight Dakota Gold progressed well as a three-year-old, winning on his seasonal debut at Thirsk and again at York last July. Michael Dods’ charge was placed in three subsequent races against better company and could a threat to today’s racing tip if he’s trained on over the winter.

Dods also saddles Holmeswood who won three from eight last season including a dead heat in a Class 2 apprentice handicap at York in August. He gave a fair account on his final outing of the season when finishing fourth in heavy ground at Haydock in September. The four-year-old gelding must give the selection 4lb today but could be a dangerous if he’s improved over the winter.

Orion’s Bow was a prolific winner in 2016, running up a five-timer from May to July. However, Tim Easterby’s gelding has since gone 13 races without success despite tumbling down the weights. Has a clear chance on his best four-year-old form and the betting market might indicate whether connections believe he can reproduce his old self the first time of asking in this campaign.

Foolaad is one contender who’s fitness can be relied upon. Roy Bowring’s seven-year-old has not looked back since winning a six furlong event on Newcastle’s all weather track last March.  The son of Exceed and Excel has gone on to win six of eight subsequent races running up a four-timer bat Southwell over the winter. The gelding has done most of his racing on the all weather and produced his best turf efforts on fast ground which he won’t get today. And, having climbed the weights may have too much on his plate today.

Of the remaining runner, Zylan and Poyle Vinnie have respectable all weather form but have something to prove on turf.

The going at Pontefract today is good to soft,soft in places and the weather forecast is mostly cloudy with a moderate south-westerly breeze.

Atletico is one of a few runners to have proven his fitness this campaign and has progressed nicely on the all weather. He’ll not be inconvenienced by the switch to turf and with Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle should have the edge over today’s rivals.