Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Sandown Saturday Preview – Farewell to The Champ

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The day has finally arrived for Tony McCoy to hang up his boots. The twenty times Champion National Hunt jockey will sign off with two rides at Sandown in front of a sell-out crowd on Saturday afternoon. Both are in the colours of his leading long-time patron JP McManus and are certain to carry a vast amount of sentimental support. If McCoy does not use up too much energy on Mr Mole and Box Office, he is still certain to be kept busy by the autograph hunters.

Sandown’s flat race card on Friday produced a couple of turn-ups and left trainer Charles Hills fuming at the state of the ground. He felt that the course officials had over-watered in preparation for Saturday’s jump card and does not intend to support the meeting next year. That will at least be good news for the majority of jump trainers who have produced a very competitive card for the final day of the season.

The opening handicap can go to Alzammaar who looked destined to finish third last time out. He kept finding more for pressure and eventually reeled in the leader to win going away. He is up in the handicap but Sandown’s still finish might suit him.

Al Ferof is the class act in the next, one of three runners for Paul Nicholls. The grey has twice finished third in the King George VI but has never really been convincing over three miles. This two and three-quarter mile trip looks perfect for him. Royal Rebellion ran well in the Grand National for a long way and he could give him most to do, providing his Aintree exertions do not catch up with him.

As well as the inevitable support for Mr Mole in the Celebration Chase, there is also the reappearance of Sprinter Sacre to look forward to. He ran very flat at the festival and Nicky Henderson may be forced to call time on his career if he does not show any sparkle on Saturday. Special Tiara can bounce off this ground and may be difficult to peg back.

The Bet365 Gold Cup, formerly The Whitbread, has attracted a host of Aintree disappointments including the Nicholls pair of Rocky Creek and Unioniste. Both are capable of putting up a bold show here but preference is just for Le Reve who seems better here than anywhere else. He is better off at the weights with Rocky Creek for his defeat in the Racing Post Chase and can give Leighton Aspell another big prize.

Box Office may win the 4.25 for McCoy but he does not look any value at around 7-2. I’m going to take a chance on the improving Wilberdragon while Polly Peachum is well treated in the last. Nicky Henderson’s mare is much better on decent ground and may have most to fear from the consistent Aqalim.

Alzammaar 2.00 @5-1 Coral

Al Ferof 2.35 @11-4 Bet365

Special Tiara 3.15 @7-2 Bet365

Le Reve 3.50 @9-1 Paddy Power

Wilberdragon 4.25 @9-1 Bet365

Polly Peachum 5.35 @15-8 Paddy Power

Sandown Friday Preview

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Betcirca followers have been among the winners this week with four at Epsom on Wednesday and three more at Bath and Beverley on Thursday. Hopefully the good run can continue at a high quality at Sandown on Friday, highlighted by the Group 2 Bet365 Mile.

There is very little between half a dozen of these on official ratings, although it could be argued that Shifting Power is the class act. He chased home Kingman in the Irish Guineas last summer and was only narrowly beaten by Charm Spirit at Chantilly. My worry with him is whether he will be suited by the fast ground and the same certainly applies to Breton Park and Top Notch Tonto.

Bow Creek improved out of all recognition at the end of the season and represents Godolphin but I am siding with Andrew Balding’s Here Comes When. I’ve followed this one since he won at Chester handicap as a three-year-old and he could still be on the upgrade. The Balding horses are in good form and Here Comes When usually runs well fresh.

There is unlikely to be a Shergar in the Bet365 Classic Trial and the withdrawal of Grey Lion has weakened the contest. Commemorative does not have much of a turn of foot so I’d expect him to be prominent but Cape Clear Island has fitness on his side. He was outpaced at Newmarket last week but fairly rattled home and could be good value against the favourite.

Cannock Chase was unbeaten in three starts last season and looks a typical late improver for Sir Michael Stoute. It would be no surprise to see him land a Group 1 this season. He faces Postponed who won the Great Voltigeur for Luca Cumani last season but was behind Cannock Chase at Ascot. Arab Spring showed that Stoute can get them ready to win first time out and I’m prepared to take a chance on the horse’s fitness.

The Esher Cup looks a cracking good handicap to open the card at 1.30 but Purple Rock arrives with a big reputation. He still holds a Derby entry and he would have to win this off a mark of 85 to justify at trip to Epsom. Both Spring Offensive and Tom Hark ran with a great deal of promise in a hot handicap at Musselburgh while Yeenaan was unlucky in running last time out.

Purple Rock 1.30 @9-2 Paddy Power

Cannock Chase 2.00 @9-4 William Hill

Here Comes When 2.30 @11-2 Stan James

Cape Clear Island 3.00 @3-1 Coral

Horse Racing Preview – April 23rd

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The horse racing action moves on to Beverley and Bath on Thursday with the unusually dry weather already having an impact on the ground. The going is good to firm on the Yorkshire track, good in places, but firm at Bath.

Hopefully there won’t be too many non-runners and the cards will hold up pretty well overnight. The 2.30 at Beverley is a competitive three-year-old handicap over seven furlongs and it may be worth taking a chance on Keith Dalgleish’s Go Dan Go. He is yet to score in five attempts but did little wrong when chasing home Second Wave at Redcar last time. The Godolphin-owned winner could turn out to be quite useful and Go Dan Go is worth another chance at this level.

Sir Michael Stoute got one on the board at Newbury at the weekend with Arab Spring in the John Porter Stakes. He saddles an interesting runner in Pleiades in the 3.00 race with Graham Lee on board. The son of Galileo looked a bit weak as a juvenile but Lee made all on him to win over course and distance in September. Graham Gibbons is in the saddle on Thursday and a mark of 84 may prove to be lenient.

Over at Bath, Roger Charlton saddles Master Zephyr in the 6.55 race with William Twiston-Davies in the saddle. He was unplaced in decent maiden races at Sandown and Newbury last season but ran out a good winner when dropped in grade at Wolverhampton in October. Although he had only a neck to spare over Romance Story, he was staying on powerfully at the finish and this race looks a fairly gentle introduction.

Austin Friars is an all-weather winner for Godolphin and the majority of those have struggled when switched to the turf. Triple Dip cannot be supported with any confidence after being beaten at the odds of 1-20 last time out so Master Zephyr gets the vote.

The runners in the maiden at 7.25 are not the quickest on four legs but Crisscrossed, Honourable Action and Ya Hade Ye Delil have all shown signs of ability. Frankie Dettori has made a great start to the season and I’m hoping to see him try forcing tactics on Ye Hade Ye Delil who has looked very one-paced in his previous races.

In the closing handicap, Akavit can defy a further 5lbs rise for Ed de Giles. He was in front a long way from home last time and Lorelei may have been flattered by her proximity at the line.

Go Dan Go 2.30 Beverley @9-2 Paddy Power

Pleiades 3.00 Beverley @9-4 Coral

Master Zephyr 6.55 Bath @9-4 Bet365

Ya Hade Ye Delil 7.25 Bath @9-4 Bet365

Akavit 7.55 Bath @2-1 Bet365

Epsom Preview 22nd April

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The Derby may seem long way off but Epsom gets its season under way on Wednesday with the Derby Trial meeting. A very competitive card also features the City And Suburban, the Great Metropolitan and a five-furlong dash.

It is the sprint which kicks things off at 2.10 and it may be worth siding with the in-form combination of Kevin Ryan and Jamie Spencer. They have already collected a couple of decent sprint prizes this spring and are represented by Piazon here. The four-year-old needs to improve but this doesn’t look the toughest event ever staged on the Surrey track.

The Great Metropolitan Handicap could go the way of Lungarno Palace who caught the eye when storming through into fourth behind Mica Mika at Doncaster last time. It is not the first time that the son of Henrythenavigator has hinted that a  longer trip might be in order. He also stayed on well when third at Newmarket over ten furlongs last October and he should go well for John Gallagher and Tom Queally.

There has not been a really credible Derby contender from the Trial since Daliapour in 1999 but Christophermarlowe could develop into a useful colt. He looked big and unfurnished last season but stuck on for two victories at Sandown and here at Epsom. If he has done well physically through the winter, he can see off Future Empire who is rated top on official figures.

The City And Suburban can got to the bottom weight, Collaboration, trained by Andrew Balding. I liked the way he quickened away at Windsor on his first start of the season and he can make the most of the 13lbs he receives from What About Carlo. That horse was a highly credible fourth in the Lincoln over a mile and should be much better suited by this trip.

Mezajy gets the vote in the maiden race at 4.30 after being tenderly ridden into third place at Nottingham by Graham Lee. The form has been let down since but he looked capable of stepping up on that effort, particularly if he is ridden more prominently this time. The danger is the Charles Hills-trained Mile High.

There are some promising three-year-olds in the final race including two in the Godolphin colours. New Strategy made all to win at Newmarket but I just prefer Deerfield who won his maiden at Thirsk. He was not really asked for maximum effort until the closing stages that day and could be the better value of the pair.

Piazon 2.10 @7-1 Paddy Power

Lungano Palace 2.45 @9-2 William Hill

Christophermarlowe 3.20 @10-11 Betfair

Collaboration 3.55 @13-2 Paddy Power

Mezajy 4.30 @5-4 Bet365

Deerfield 5.05 @11-2 William Hill

Ayr Scottish Grand National Day Preview

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Our two ante-post choices for the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday have stood their ground but it doesn’t look like Tony McCoy will get a ride in the race. The champion jockey had been booked to ride the soft ground specialist Benvolio but Paul Nicholls pulled him out with conditions having gone against him.

Al Co will need better luck than he experienced at Aintree last week when unseating his rider at the first fence. In-form Peter Bowen is confident that he has suffered no ill-effects after he continued to jump a further eight fences without his rider. He is only marginally higher in the weights than when successful last year and will love the ground. Harry The Viking has done nothing wrong in his recent races and should finish in front of old rival Lie Forrit on this faster ground. It is difficult to be confident in such a huge field but both have each-way chances.

The Scottish Champion Hurdle is enjoying something of a revival since being turned into a handicap. It still has some classy entries including one-time Champion Hurdle prospects Irving, Calipto and Sign Of A Victory. All three have question marks against them after disappointing this season but Irish raider I Shot The Sheriff looks very well handicapped.

He landed a gamble at Fairyhouse at the Irish Grand National meeting and comes here under a 5lbs penalty. He is racing over three-quarters of a mile shorter on quicker ground but he likes to race up with the pace. Paul Townend should have him handy and try to make it a decent gallop and he may still take some catching.

The Future Champion Novices’ Chase at 2.00 has a smaller field but also looks tricky. Fine Rightly has been winning in softer ground in Ireland while Oscar Rock has improved since blinkers were applied. Top Gamble ran too freely last time out and should do better but I’m inclined to side with the tough and consistent Seventh Sky. He does not know how to run a bad race and should give us a run for our money.

Seventh Sky 2.00 @11-2 Totesport

I Shot The Sheriff 2.35 @5-1 Totesport

Al Co 3.45 @14-1 Totesport (each-way)

Harry The Viking 3.45 @28-1 Stan James (each-way)

Newbury Saturday Preview

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Newbury stages a terrific card on Saturday with trials for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas. The Greenham looks every bit as good as in recent years in which it has been won by the likes of Frankel and Kingman. We have previewed the race separately and sided with Belardo as the value bet against Ivawood.

Richard Hannon could end the day with four classic trials winners in a week following the victories of Kool Kompany and Osaila. He saddles Tiggy Wiggy in the seven-furlong Fred Darling Stakes. She was so good over six furlongs as a two-year-old that there is a feeling that she will ultimately prove to be a sprinter. Many Lowther and Cheveley Park Stakes winners in the past have gone down that route and we will know a lot more after Saturday’s race.

Strictly on the form, she cannot really get beaten. She has over a stone in hand on her rivals and she should get seven furlongs, if not the mile.

The opening race on the card is a fascinating mile and a quarter handicap with a huge field including three unexposed horses. The pick of them could be John Gosden’s Mahsoob who won nicely at Kempton on the all-weather on his only start as a three-year-old. He has a very wide draw in nineteen so he will have to go around his field under Paul Hanagan. Others to note are Luca Cumani’s Lunasea and Andrew Balding’s Field Of Fame.

Romsdal should take another step towards the top middle-distance prizes in the John Porter Stakes at 1.45. He was placed in both the Derby and the St Leger last season and looked good on his comeback at Kempton. Windshear was less impressive on his seasonal debut while Arab Spring may just need the run to put him straight.

By far the most competitive race on the card is the Spring Cup at 3.25 but I am keen on the chances of Buckstay for Peter Chapple-Hyam. I fancied him each-way for the Lincoln but he missed the cut and ran in the Spring Mile instead. He nearly gained handsome consolation but was run down by the impressive Chatez in the closing stages.

That looked like an exceptional performance by the winner and Buckstay should go close here. He is up against Lincoln winner Gabrial who is up 6lbs and is drawn close by.

Mahsoob 1.15 @4-1 Bet365

Romsdal 1.45 @15-8 Bet365

Tiggy Wiggy 2.15 @Evens Totesport

Belardo 2.50 @6-1 Bet365

Buckstay 3.25 @8-1 Bet365