2024 Woodcote Stakes Tips

The first race at Epsom Racecourse on Friday is the Woodcote Stakes, with sixteen runners and riders set to line up on soft ground. This is a six-furlong encounter where The Actor has been installed as favourite, with Richard Hannon saddling a runner who was second in his first appearance at Newmarket before winning at the same track.

The latest victory was achieved by a neck over five furlongs, with the two-year-old having Sean Levey on board for this outing. Hannon also has New Charter in the race and the charge was second in her only ride to date, running well to be runner-up behind odds-on favourite Mountain Breeze at Newmarket.

Megalithic has the potential to go well for handler Ralph Beckett, with Hector Crouch on board a runner who was third in the previous outing. This was a solid enough outing at Salisbury when sent off as the 13/8 favourite before being beaten by Pont Neuf and Kassaya although the longer trip could suit him here.

Blewburton has the potential to go well for Eve Johnson Houghton, with the two-year-old producing a fine performance to win at Leicester in April when beating six other rivals. That was a two-length success in a maiden stakes race, with End Of Story also claiming a win in the previous outing when the horse was able to score for trainer Kevin Ryan.

2023 Woodcote Stakes Betting Tips

Haatem looks like a talented two-year-old and Richard Hannon will hope that his horse can perform well over the six furlong trip at Epsom Racecourse. The runner was seen most recently when running at Bath and the 4/9 favourite claimed a convincing victory over a similar trip, although this heat at Epsom looks a good deal more competitive.

Valour And Swagger looks likely to produce a strong run, with the horse kicking off his career with a win at Windsor and there has since been a credible performance in a novice race at Ascot Racecourse. Perhaps the firmer ground at Epsom will be more to the horse’s liking, while Balon D’or also has a win under his belt.

This came at Musselburgh in early April when triumphing in a novice stakes over five furlongs, with the horse then winning a conditions stakes race over five furlongs at Chester. That was a competitive tussle on 10 May where the runner had every chance in the final stages and this looks like the best each-way bet of the race to us.

Richard Hannon has more than one runner and it’s worth looking out for Mashadi, with the trainer having seen his charge record three successive runner-up spots. Sent off as favourite in a recent novice stakes encounter over five furlongs, the two year old was beaten by a neck although the horse previously ran well at York and there could be more to come.