The thriving Blue Uluru tops 2018 Rockingham Handicap betting tips given by Horsebetting.com experts for this wide-open 5f contest at The Curragh on Saturday, 30 June. The Aidan O’Brien trained Dali looks the obvious danger, while Dark Shot odds appeal each-way in an ultra-competitive affair. Read our 2018 Rockingham Handicap betting tips preview to learn more about our recommended punts in this premier handicap.Blue Uluru can capture Rockingham to complete hat-trickBlue Uluru is a sprinter on a serious upward curve and looks worth a bet to land the hat-trick in the 5f Rockingham Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday, 30 June (14:15).
After being denied just a head on seasonal reappearance at Dundalk, the Ger Lyons trained filly got back on the scoresheet when comfortably landing an 11-runner contest at Naas by 1 1/2 lengths.
She got put up 7lb for that victory, but it was not enough to stop her following up over course and distance 22 days ago.
After breaking well, the daughter of Choisir raced keenly on the heels of the leaders before showing a good attitude to dig deep and get up close home to beat the re-opposing Dali by a head.
Given how Blue Uluru over-raced, it was a fine effort and she looked value for more than the winning margin.
It makes a further 4lb rise look more than fair and she now meets the runner-up on 5lb better terms. That means that there is no reason from a handicapping perspective as to why she should not come out on top once again.
Blue Uluru also has her optimum conditions of 5f and fast ground. That combination has seen her successful in three of her four starts.
With the prospect of even more improvement to come, she is going to be tough to beat for a yard going well.
Dali the obvious dangerDespite being worse off at the weights, the aforementioned Dali still looks the one likely to give Blu Uluru most to think about as he has since gone on to land a Listed affair at Naas.
The three-year-old, who hails from the all-conquering yard of Aidan O’Brien, made virtually all and stayed on strongly to beat Mirza by a comfortable two lengths.
It may not have been the strongest race for the grade, but Dali got the job done with minimal fuss and it was hard not to be impressed.
He appears to be improving with each outing and, like many from his stable, looks the type to get better as the season progresses.
Quick ground clearly suits this son of Scat Daddy and he’s also two from five over the minimum trip.
If allowed an easy lead he could prove tough to peg back, but at the weights he has it all to do to gain his revenge on Blue Uluru.Dark Shot has an each-way shoutDark Shot has some solid form to his name in big field handicaps and looks the best each-way option in this year’s Rockingham renewal.
The five-year-old was a desperately unlucky loser when flying home and going down by just a short-head to Caspian Prince in the 2017 running of the Epsom Dash. He also ran very well in this year’s renewal when a keeping on 4 1/4 lengths fifth of 20 to Tanasoq.
Dark Shot has since gone to to run another solid race when fifth of 16 again to Caspian Prince in the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh.
Trained by Scott Dixon, the gelding is clearly in good heart at present and is ideally suited by a strongly run race. He will get that in this, and Dark Shot definitely has a big pot in him when things drop right.
The fact that he has not won since September 2016 has to be a slight concern, but there is no doubting that he has the ability to play a leading role in this and the booking of Kevin Manning to do the steering is a positive one.Your Next Bet
