Horse Racing Tips: Newbury preview, predictions and best bets for Friday July 18

Friday’s schedule on 18th July is a fine illustration of summer flat racing in full stride, and Newbury plays host to one of the more captivating evening cards on the calendar. Read on to find the best tips and predictions in addition to the latest betting offers for Newbury racing on Friday July 18.

Horse Racing betting tips: Newbury Friday July 18 tips

Could a Rising Star Outclass the Older Rivals at Newbury?

• Golden Handshake carries the top BettingTips4You Expert Rating of 88 in the field
• William Haggas, his trainer, has a 33% strike rate in the past fortnight
• The gelding has improved his finishing position in each of his three starts, culminating in a 5-length victory last time out

Best Bet for Newbury Friday July 18

Top Betting Offers To Take Advantage Of Today

With several well-contested handicaps, maiden events and prospects stepping up in class, the Berkshire track will offer punters a range of challenges and opportunities across the seven-race card. Drying ground is expected to prevail, likely yielding a fair test of ability for runners looking to stretch out over middle-to-longer distances.

The highlight for many may well be the 5:20 Pump Technology Services Handicap over 1m4f, a Class 4 contest featuring a fascinating blend of lightly raced three-year-olds and battle-hardened older types. It’s a meeting point of potential and experience, with the younger contenders looking to exploit lenient marks while more seasoned campaigners aim to use their know-how to their advantage. Among the field are horses arriving in form – such as Odin Legacy, who’s enjoyed a productive spell – alongside those still working their way back to peak condition, like Sourdough, who shaped with promise after a break.

Newbury’s track layout tends to suit horses who travel well and can sustain a run in the home straight, and this race’s makeup should ensure a true pace. While there are cases to be made for each runner on different grounds, one contender brings a profile of unexposed talent and upward trajectory that separates him from the rest in this particular test.

Best Bet of the Day at Newbury: Golden Handshake to win – 5:20 Newbury

At bettingtips4you, our focus is firmly on precision over volume. That’s why we commit to delivering just one standout prediction per event – our Best Bet of the Day – rather than clouding judgement with a flood of selections. It’s a strategy grounded in accountability and consistency, helping our readers trust each call we make.

Our strongest view at Newbury rests with Golden Handshake, who lines up in the 5:20 handicap with a profile that screams untapped promise. The three-year-old gelding comes into this race on the back of a wide-margin maiden victory at Lingfield last month, where he strode away by five lengths, dictating matters some way from home and continuing to surge through the line in impressive fashion.

Prior to that breakthrough win, he shaped eye-catchingly in defeat at Nottingham, finishing a close second to a horse who has since advertised the form with further success. What’s most telling is how Golden Handshake handled that progression in trip – from 1m to 1m3½f – improving markedly with each extra furlong. Now stepping into handicaps off a workable opening mark of 84, he’s well positioned to take advantage of a rating that looks to underestimate his true ability.

Tom Marquand retains the ride and brings both familiarity and tactical sharpness, with trainer William Haggas in flying form, landing 12 winners from his last 36 runners – an excellent 33% strike rate. The BettingTips4You Expert Rating of 88 further underlines his credentials, sitting higher than any rival in this field. While others such as Odin Legacy and His Finest Hour bring solid credentials, neither can match the visual impact or rate of progress shown by Golden Handshake on his most recent start.

This test should suit his galloping style, and with the step up to 1m4f appearing a natural move, there’s every reason to expect him to put older opposition firmly in their place.o suits, as he went close here last year, and on balance, he represents the most solid option in a field of uncertain profiles. gets off the mark in handicaps.

---

Enhance your betting game with our daily free betting tips, predictions, and accumulators.

For more betting tips and news, check out:

• Horse Racing Tips
• Our Comprehensive Betting News

Don’t forget to visit our Free Bets page for the best possible value as well as our Predictions.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter For Exclusive Tips

Want to have exclusive tips from experts tipsters delivered right into your inbox? Subscribe Now To Our Newsletter. We will never spam, we fully respect your privacy!

Selected Bookmakers Offers