Friday 4th July 2025
Friday’s Best Bets
2.15: Doncaster
BRAVE NATION – 2/1 (Win)
My first pick of the day on Friday comes within the 2.15 at Doncaster and this is a Class 3 handicap over five furlongs. Brave Nation can repeat his success from last year within this race for Michael Bell and Callum Rodriguez. He’s a three-time course and distance winner and has been running well in defeat lately. Most recently, he finishing fourth of fourteen in a Class 3 event over course and distance, and just a length and a quarter behind eventual winner Baldomero. He’ll contest this off the same mark and should go well again.
2.50: Doncaster
BAHADUR – 5/2 (Win)
I’m staying at Doncaster for selection number two and the 2.50, which is a Class 5 novice event over a mile and four furlongs. I’ve come down on the Seb Woods trained Bahadur here, who’s the mount of Daniel Muscutt. He’s shown a decent level of form in his last two outings, finishing a length and three-quarters third at Newmarket within a Class 2 event on his penultimate start, before finishing third over course and distance earlier this month in his most recent start. He should continue to naturally progress, and he sets the standard here.
3.00: Sandown (Dragon Stakes)
STAYA – 13/8 (Win) (NB)
Listed action here at Sandown in the form of the Dragon Stakes over five furlongs, and George Scott could hold the key with Staya, who’s the mount of Callum Shepherd. She was a winner on debut at Yarmouth back in May, and then took her form up a level when finishing fifth in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, just a length and three-quarters behind the exciting and impressive Ballydoyle winner in True Love. That form sets the standard here, and if she runs up to that level again, she should be tough to beat. She also gets the filly allowance from several of her market rivals.
7.15: Haydock
ARTANIS – 11/10 (Win) (NAP)
My fourth and final selection of the day comes from Haydock’s evening meeting, and the 7.10, which is Class 3 novice action over seven furlongs. Artanis was heavily supported on her racecourse debut at Doncaster last month when finishing second, but probably bumped into a smart one in the form of Amora Queen. She’s likely to be useful herself and should naturally progress coming into her second start here, and it would be disappointing should she not get her head in front for connections soon.
