Horse racing tips: James Boyle's best bets for Sunday

Horse racing tips today:

• 16:50 Southwell – Rock Opera – 1pt @ 11/1 with BetVictor
• 20:30 Southwell – Sonnerie Power – 1pt e/w @ 40/1 with William Hill

For today's horse racing tips, our analyst James Boyle looks at the flat racing meeting at Southwell with two selections online.

As always, you’ll find up-to-date odds at the bookmakers, but our tipster’s predictions are researched early in the day and those prices could soon be moved in by the betting public. 

Odds stated are correct at the time of publishing, but check out today's racecards for all the latest movements. 

16:50 Southwell – Rock Opera – 1pt @ 11/1

Rock Opera has posted his best efforts over sprinting trips but he has the potential to stretch out to 7f when granted a properly run race. His sole attempt over the distance so far came at Wolverhampton and the first, second, third and fifth placed horses were all up with the speed throughout.

He posted the quickest final two furlong sectional in the race and I think it was circumstance that got the better of him rather than trip. A win followed when dropped to 6f at this track, getting up late in a slowly run affair, and he didn’t run badly on his sole start since under a penalty at Newcastle.

I’m not sure the uphill finishes suit him as well as the flatter tracks and if they go a good gallop, as looks possible, we could see him do better. He’s not overly exposed after just 12 starts and any double-figured price looks to be worth the risk that lies within whether the race will be run to suit.

20:30 Southwell – Sonnerie Power – 1pt e/w @ 40/1

Sonnerie Power hasn’t shown much for Mick Appleby and it’s tough to know what to expect today. On the plus side, his mark is easing and he’s just a few pounds above his last success for Roger Varian, after which he was picked up by his shrewd connections for 50,000 guineas. 

Some potential excuses can be found in the trips he has tackled since moving yards and he went relatively well for a long time over 1m 3f here on his last start. He did end up finishing in last place but was committed a long way from home and burned the petrol up too early.

He has had 52 days off since, which will have given the trainer time to get him right at home, and it’s worth noting that both of his successes have been at this trip following 88 and 96 day breaks. If he could revive, he’s a huge price at a level he’s capable of competing at when in form.

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