Sunday tips - 14th September 2025
The semi-finals of the bet365 Empress Stakes take centre stage at Towcester this afternoon and Chris Oliver has three selections in the Category One event.
Sunday tips
*** Silverhill Freya (T3, 4.26 Towcester)
** Strike It Skye (T4, 3.49 Towcester)
* Baroness Velvet (T1, 4.07 Towcester)
All eyes are on Towcester today where three semi-finals of the bet365 Empress Stakes feature in the afternoon.
Silverhill Freya (T3) set the standard with a brilliant display from the front last Sunday and she is hard to oppose in the third semi at 4.26. Winner of the Christmas Oaks at Shelbourne and the Cork Oaks, Graham Holland’s bitch has a smart burst of early speed and it’s hard to see her not leading from a good draw in trap three. Once on the bunny, she should be very hard to peg back.
Her kennelmate Bockos Sapphire chased her home last week and she goes in the first instalment at 3.49, but preference is for the highly-promising Strike It Skye (T4). The Mark Wallis-trained bitch built on her trial stakes success when powering home to score in fine style from the reopposing Yahoo Mareike last week and she can do it both ways. The January 2024 puppy is still improving and could be hard to hold if, as expected, she turns handy here.
Baroness Velvet (T1) made full use of her draw on the rails to win a week ago and she can repeat the dose at 4.07. Kevin Hutton’s bitch fluffed the start on that occasion but showed smart early speed and bravery to get round in front, before keeping on nicely for a one-lengths success. She has a much better break in her locker and could take some catching in what looks the weakest semi-final.
