4:20 York Racing Tips (21st Aug) BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF CONVIVIAL MAIDEN STAKES (Plus 10 Race) (CLASS 2) (2yo)

Sadly not enough time to write a substantial post for this excellent race but a few pointers. Firstly, look at the price money for this maiden. Win price money of £31,125. Astounding. Worth more than most Listed races. The form of this 7f contest will produce many future winners and many will contest Group races. 

Last year's contest was won by White Lake, a debutante trained by Luca Cumani. A race that was far from a vintage renewal and this gelding proved slightly disappointing although competing at pattern class. 

I sense this contest will detail a winner of greater class.  

Brian Meehan said he was ''very confident'' about the chances of Perkunas. I've rarely heard him talk about a horse in such terms. 

Very Talented ran well on debut at Goodwood and it held in high regard by Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor. Definitely worth noting.  

Luca Cumani rates Beautiful Morning. This beautifully bred filly cost 650,000. This daughter of Galileo ran well on debut when fourth and sure to improve. 

Never easy for a debutante to shine on debut especially against proven, experienced juvenile but I'm very interested in Click And Roll for David Brown. This bay filly sired by Candian Smart Strike out of an unraced mare. A half-sister to Hootenanny this March foal has clearly been catching pigeons on the gallops.Qatar Racing Ltd have a wealth of two-year-olds and it it intriguing this filly is their sole representative. Brown can go well with his debutantes and I would expect a bold show. 

Conclusion: A maiden of maidens - class horses vying for a prize that makes trainers, pundits and racegoers look twice. Plenty of winners will come from this contest which displays a field of potentially smart two-year-olds. Very Talented and Perkunas are worthy of note, with valuable race experience and lofty plans. The former, especially so. Beautiful Morning is bred to be a specimen and could go well for connections. Many debutantes catch the eye but Click And Roll is a horse I have mentioned a number of times before and excited to see take part. David Brown can ready a juvenile making its racecourse bow and this filly will need to be street-wise today. All noted have fair win and place claims. 

6:10 Newmarket (26th July) Free Horse Racing Tips

An EBF Median Auction Maiden Stakes over 6f on good ground. Eight two-year-olds take part: all colts bar one filly including two debutantes. An intriguing contest.

Tanzeel ran well on debut at Ascot, chasing home winner, Mappa Mundi, giving the impression there would be ample improvement to come. This well-bred son of Elusive City cost 100,000gns as a yearling and held in some regard with entries for the Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2) & Champagne Stakes (Group 2). The form of that initial start looks strong for this grade, which, by all accounts, is a drop in class. It will take a fair horse to beat Charlie Hill's charge. This is most likely a stepping stone to loftier targets.

Brian Meehan has not really hit the heights with his juveniles this season featuring rather patchy successes with a few dismal failures from well fancied horses thought to go well on their second start. This is usually the time to strike with this talented trainer. Headlong is a grey colt who fits this criteria. In fact, this son of Aussie Rules was the focus of my attention when racing at Kempton. In truth, he ran like a pig. I can't go into details but there was reason to believe - with some confidence - that this 60,000gns yearling purchase was going to run a big race.  There was much optimism to be gleaned from his debut effort at Newmarket. Horses which disappoint are never the best starting point for a bet but I would be surprised if this younger doesn't leave that last poor effort in the past. For the most part this looks a pretty moderate affair and if available at speculative or each way odds could go well. It would be encouraging if this May foal was supported in the market.

The only filly in the field, Penny Sixpence, was an expensive purchase when fetching 190,000euro as a yearling. This American bred daughter of Kheleyf out of a limited mare has a Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) which may be a sign of confidence. John Gosden [trainer] has a number of talented two-year-olds in his string and the stable can ready a debutante although she would need to be pretty smart to beat the boys and especially so at the first time of asking. The betting is key with this yard. Their debutantes go well when priced 11/4 and less. Considering the favourite is likely to be a hot favourite it would be telling if she was strongly fancied in the betting. If that is the case, I would take serious note of Lady Bamford's newcomer.

The others are best watched.

Conclusion: Tanzeel will take all the beating and sets the standard. He ran a great race on debut and with a couple of lofty entries it is pretty much guaranteed Hills' will be expecting a win. Headlong is an interesting horse but difficult to assess after his last race which must be considered a disappointment. The gamble is whether he can come back to form especially against a strong favourite. If touching speculative odds he could be a fair each way bet. I can't help but think if connections fancy their chances the money will follow. It would bring encouragement. An interesting horse. Penny Sixpence cost a lot of money and hails from a stable which can unveil a true talent. She would need to be smart to win this on debut and I would take a watching brief unless priced 11/4 & less sp. If featuring in that price guide it would signify a big run.

2:20 Nottingham (21st May) Free Horse Racing Tips

An EBF Maiden Stakes over 6f 15y on good to soft ground. A field of six two-year-olds take part - all colts or geldings - two with race experience while debutantes hail from leading trainers. Windfast was fancied to go well on debut at Newmarket, a race which has been quoted by Jamie Spencer as ''strong''. The seventh placed won next start, however, the first three really caught the eye and may have Royal Ascot on the cards. Brian Meehan's son of Exceed And Excel finished second that day when ridden by Kieren Fallon. This 30,000gns yearling purchase looks a talent and certainly one of the more precocious types from this stable. From a statistical perspective this bay colt has an outstanding win chance. He is sure to improve for the experience and step up in distance. The betting on the exchanges has this colt priced about 8/13f at present which doesn't look great value against a number of talented trainers. The likely winner although I wouldn't be tempted to bet at relatively short prices. If drifting to even money would make more appeal.

3:20 Kempton (3rd December) Free Horse Racing Tips

A Maiden Staked (Div 1) over 1 mile. Ten juveniles take part, the majority lightly raced, four debutantes, with two fillies against a field of colts. A number of fashionable trainers are represented although most - although showing promise - still have something to prove, if not difficult to assess. Saved By The Bell is most proven of those with form. Brian Meehan's representative, an Irish bred son of Teofilo, was relatively fancied on debut racing over 7f. Little went right that day at Warwick where a slow start all but finished this bay colt's chance. The winner Red Avenger has proven to be a talent. This Michael Buckley-owned two-year-old may have been

Brian Meehan: From Russia With Love

All the major racehorse trainers and bloodstock agents were in Yorkshire this week for the start of the annual sales at Doncaster.

But top trainer Brian Meehan was noticeably without the person who is said to be one of the best judges of horseflesh in the country at his side - namely his wife, Kim.   

For Meehan, 45, who describes Kim’s contribution to his racing operation at the late Robert Sangster’s internationally renowned stables, Manton, near Marlborough, Wilts, as ‘inestimable’, will no longer be able to rely on her eye in spotting a possible future champion, because she has asked for a divorce.

The cause of her displeasure is a recent encounter rugged Meehan enjoyed with a Russian masseuse, I am told. 

And though husband and wife are still living at the Manton spread, Meehan has moved out of the marital home and into a  cottage on the estate

A friend of the couple tells me: ‘Brian confessed to it. The Russian girl is not on the scene any more - she has vanished. But Brian is much admired by the ladies.’ 

Meehan has a three-year contract to train at the 2,800-acre Manton, where he has more than 100 horses in training. 

He was invited to become master of Manton in 2006. It is not the first time the estate has been the backdrop of marital unhappiness: Sangster’s marriage to his third wife, Sue, ended while he was there.

Meehan - a winner at Royal Ascot this year - is one of Britain’s most successful international trainers. And Kim has been a huge support, not least because she is the daughter of the late trainer Frank Allison. She also enjoyed an accomplished career as an amateur jockey before her marriage 18 years ago. 

Kim also trained for her father previously and has always been active in helping Brian, but alas no longer. 

‘It’s a private matter,’ says Meehan. ‘There isn’t anyone else in my life and I am just concentrating on looking after my clients and winning races.’