Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Greenham Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Saturday’s Group 3 Greenham Stakes looks a very high quality renewal and looks certain to have an impact on the ante-post market for the 2000 Guineas.

Richard Hannon’s Ivawood is a surprisingly short-priced favourite, although the yard have already won two Guineas trials this week. Ivawood suffered his first defeat when surprisingly beaten by Charming Thought at Newmarket in soft ground in October. He had looked a real Guineas prospect when winning impressively in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. If the defeat was purely down to the ground, he will be the one to beat but he is tackling seven furlongs for the first time.

Ivawood is not the highest rated in this field with that honour going to Dewhurst Stakes winner Belardo. Roger Varian’s colt produced a shock when beating Kodi Bear by two lengths at Newmarket in a first-time hood. Interestingly, there is no sign of the headgear on Saturday as he makes his first start in the blue of Godolphin.

He had been disappointing in the July Stakes when drawn poorly and again at Doncaster in September in the Champagne Stakes. Clearly connections felt that he was capable of better and the hood seemed to work the oracle. He reversed Champagne form with Estidhkaar at Newmarket and it remains to be seen whether the softer ground was key to his improvement.

Aidan O’Brien sends over Dick Whittington and a victory for the son of Rip Van Winkle would boost the case of Gleneagles in the Guineas. His case has been strengthened by the Craven Stakes winner Kool Kompany. Dick Whittington beat the Hannon colt by half a length at the Curragh in August. He was a beaten favourite at Royal Ascot in June on his only previous start at seven furlongs.

Toocoolforschool turned the Mill Reef Stakes into a procession when beating Growl by seven lengths. He had previously been beaten half a length by Nafaqa at Doncaster in a Listed race over seven furlongs. Karl Burke’s gelding made all when winning the Mill Reef and it would be no surprise to see him bowling along in front again here.

Flaming Spear was backed as if defeat was out of the question on his debut for Kevin Ryan and duly obliged at York. This is a huge step up in class for the son of Lope De Vega while Fannaan is unbeaten in two races for John Gosden. He beat the reluctant Hawkesbury at Newmarket in October and could yet represent Gosden in the Guineas following the defeat of Faydhan in midweek.

Belardo @6-1 Paddy Power

Ayr Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Scottish Grand National meeting gets under way at Ayr on Friday with the going officially good to soft. The outlook is for fine weather for the rest of the week so it is unlikely to favour the soft ground horses.

The card begins with a Novices’ Hurdle at 1.25 with Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville teaming up with Different Gravey. He is an imposing son of High Chaparral who has won races at Newbury and Huntingdon this season. He looked in trouble on his most recent start with three to jump but got stronger as they race went on, eventually beating A Vos Gardes by three lengths.

He meets the runner-up on identical terms here and should confirm the form. He did win a point-to-point on good ground in Ireland and should not be too inconvenienced by conditions. Fascino Rustico could be a danger if he can get his jumping together. Dan Skelton enjoyed a tremendous couple of days at Cheltenham this week and this horse was running respectably when falling in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

The staying handicap hurdle at 2.30 looks wide open and Henderson again has a leading contender in Special Agent, racing in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen. He had to work hard to win last time out and was probably flattered by his eight-length winning margin. There are plenty of others with chances here but not all are proven over three miles.

Brian Ellison’s Racing Europe certainly stays, having just been run out of it by Milansbar at Kelso over three miles and three furlongs last month. That looked a very decent contest and followed a fair run in fourth behind the front-running Bygones Sovereign. He is also a winner in excess of three miles at Catterick and has won on good to soft.

He does have ground to make up on Shanroe Santos on Musselburgh form in February but that horse has been well beaten since. Tony McCoy will need to earn his fee aboard Capard King who looks a hard ride while Sir Vinski and Chosen Well are others with chances.

Henderson and De Boinville could be back in the winner’s enclosure at 4.10 with Spartan Angel who ran a good race when third in the valuable mares’ race at Newbury last time. The daughter of Beneficial was coming back after a lay-off that day and looks to have been kept for the better spring ground.

Different Gravey 1.25 @11-10 Ladbrokes

Racing Europe 2.30 @8-1 Bet365

Spartan Angel 4.10 @3-1 BetVictor

Newbury Friday Preview

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Following two fascinating days of action at Newmarket, the flat turf action moves on to Newbury featuring the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Conditions Stakes.

There are only six runners but it is possible to make a case for each of them. The favourite is the Godolphin-owned Winters Moon, a daughter of New Approach trained by Saeed bin Suroor. She is entered in the England and Irish classics and certainly has the best form in the book.

She won her maiden at Newmarket when beating Shagah by a length before finishing a one-paced third behind Muraaqaba at the same course. She could not compete with the smart Elm Park in the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury next time but ran a fine race when third to Together Forever in the Group 1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile.

She stayed on really well that day after being shuffled back early on. The runner-up was Agnes Stewart while Lucida was back in fifth, both fillies with classic pretentions. That was over a mile on softer ground but she ran as though she will relish the extra two furlongs.

The big danger could be Star Of Seville, trained by John Gosden. She didn’t look anything special when beaten into third on her debut but she made all to win by six lengths at Doncaster next time. She also has 1000 Guineas and Oaks entries and has to be respected, as does the unbeaten Ooty Hill. Roger Charlton’s grey colt won well at Newmarket in soft ground in October and could be one to follow this season.

The seven furlong handicap that follows looks wide open but it is difficult to ignore the claims of Her Majesty The Queen’s Capel Path. Sir Michael Stoute’s horses are shaping as though they need a run but Capel Path looks on a very tempting mark.

The son of Street Cry ran green on his debut and was well beaten at Sandown next time before winning impressively at Newcastle. Graham Lee looked as though he had plenty up his sleeve when beating Taysh by four lengths. There are any number of dangers here including Mujassam, Upstaging and Sugar Boy who all won last time while top weight Strong Chemistry is not out of it.

Our final selection at Newbury is Lucky Beggar in the 3.55. The grey is trained by Charles Hills and won this race last year off only a 1lb lower mark. He was never really involved in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster where he was held up off a slow pace. I would expect Jamie Spencer to try to force the pace here, tactics which have paid off handsomely for Lucky Beggar in the past.

Winters Moon 2.50 @7-4 Ladbrokes

Capel Path 3.25 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Lucky Beggar 3.55 @11-4 Bet365

Scottish Grand National Preview

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If punters have any money left after the Irish and Aintree Grand Nationals, a maximum field looks guaranteed for Saturday’s Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

This race is usually just an after-thought for horses that were aimed at, or fell in, the big race at Liverpool. With only one week between the two, it is looking more like a consolation prize for those that missed the cut at Aintree.

Gallant Oscar and Broadway Buffalo certainly come into that category, the former having already missed Fairyhouse in the vain hope of squeezing into last week’s field. Tony Martin’s gelding ran a fine race behind The Druid’s Nephew at Cheltenham but the going could be on the quick side for him by Saturday.

Broadway Buffalo would have been the Grand National ride of Katie Walsh but David Pipe’s gelding also missed out. He also ran well at the festival to chase home Cause Of Causes in the four-miler. I am not entirely convinced that he will run two races alike and prefer to look elsewhere.

One horse that did make the cut at Aintree was Peter Bowen’s Al Co. Unfortunately he then unseated Denis O’Regan at the first when jinking away from a rival. He continued without his rider for a few fences which he jumped without further mishap. I would not normally be tempted by a first fence faller but he won this race last year and is only 5lbs higher. He should have perfect ground conditions and the stable is in fantastic form with a strike rate approaching 60% in recent days.

Seventeen-year-old Sean Bowen enjoyed his first National ride when finishing eleventh on Mon Parrain and he is in the saddle this weekend. Jamie Moore rode Al Co last year, surviving a nasty moment when the horse ducked away on the run-in and almost unseated him.

There are several horses here that would really appreciate some juice in the ground and that certainly includes Benvolio, the mount of Tony McCoy. He was a brave second in the Welsh National but this is a different kettle of fish altogether. Stable companion Sam Winner looks to have plenty of weight, although that is not necessarily a bar to success as shown by Many Clouds on Saturday.

My best long shot is Harry The Viking who has been running well without winning. He had a titanic battle with Lie Forrit at Haydock and should get the better of that rival on this better ground. He looks good each-way value at around 28-1.

Al Co @16-1 Ladbrokes

Harry The Viking @28-1 Betfair

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Cheltenham Thursday Preview

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Wednesday’s Cheltenham card began with a victory for Nicky Henderson and Nick de Boinville with Might Bite but that only tells half of the story. He cruised into the lead at the last but began pulling himself up and drifted out to 40-1 on the exchanges before consenting to run on and regain the lead close home.

The same team could be in the winner’s enclosure again on Thursday with Broxbourne in the Mares’ Hurdle race at 3.15. Racing fans will remember Broxbourne winning the Goodwood Stakes and the Brown Jack Stakes on the flat when trained by Mark Johnston. She prefers good or fast ground so her opportunities have been limited over hurdles but the Lambourn trainer appears to have saved her for this meeting.

She warmed up with an effortless victory on ground softer than she likes at Ludlow and looks well handicapped on a mark of 127. There are some good mares in opposition including her stable companion Mayfair Music. She has run poorly on soft ground in her two previous races this season but it is safe to put a line through those. Top weight L’Unique would have finished fifth or sixth in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham had she not fallen. She could run well despite top weight while The Govaness won well last time and could be improving.

Sean Bowen continues to impress in the saddle and he rode another winner at Cheltenham on Wednesday. Tomorrow he rides two for his father, Peter, including Rolling Maul in the staying handicap hurdle at 4.25.

The seven-year-old son of Oscar has really paid his way this season, winning handicaps at Cheltenham and Warwick. He defied top weight of 11st 12lbs last time out on soft ground but conditions were faster when he fought back to beat Knight Of Noir in first-time blinkers on New Year’s Day.

His first four victories were on good ground so he should not be inconvenienced by conditions on Thursday. It is more a question of whether the handicapper has caught up with him with another 7lbs on his back. Aqalim ran well at the festival but I’m still not convinced that he stays three miles while Milan Bound needed all of McCoy’s persuasion to win last time out. Sybarite would also have a chance if he decides to put his best foot forward.

Broxbourne 3.15 @7-2 Bet365

Rolling Maul 4.25 @7-1 Ladbrokes

Newmarket Craven Stakes Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Craven Stakes is the highlight of Thursday’s card at Newmarket with a field of seven set to go to post. The race looks unlikely to have any great impact on the 2000 Guineas but could hold some Epsom Derby clues.

Nafaqa was a top quality two-year-old for veteran trainer Barry Hills and got within a length of Elm Park in the Royal Lodge Stakes on his last run. That was over a mile in September and the son of Sir Percy may already be crying out for a longer trip. He had previously beaten Toocoolforschool by half a length at Doncaster and that horse boosted the form with an impressive win in the Mill Reef Stakes.

Frankie Dettori had a great day at Newmarket yesterday, winning the Nell Gwyn and the Feilden Stakes. He rode Osaila for Al Shaqab Racing and now teams up with Moheet, an unbeaten son of High Chaparral. He won by seven lengths on his debut at Salisbury last year and could be anything. White Lake could also have a big future but has to improve on his disappointing defeat at Doncaster in September.

He was odds-on favourite that day but could never land a blow, finishing a length and a half behind Nafaqa. The Hills’ colt just gets the vote in a fascinating contest.

Music Master deserves to take the Abernant Stakes for Henry Candy after some fine efforts in Group 1 company. He usually runs well fresh and was third to G Force in Haydock’s Sprint Cup in September. He was also fourth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot which will probably be his main summer target again this season.

Following the All-weather form on turf can be the quick way to the poor house but it may be worth making an exception with Rocky Rider in the £200,000 Tattersalls Millions Trophy. Andrew Balding’s son of Galileo made hard work of winning his maiden at Windsor in soft ground in October but was very impressive at Chelmsford last time. Secret Brief is probably the one to beat if you overlook his last start when outclassed in the Dewhurst.

The globetrotting Grandeur could gain his first Group victory in the UK when he lines up for the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at 4.40. Arod was fourth in last year’s Derby but connections don’t seem certain about his best trip while French Navy will be hard to beat on his best form. There are some promising three-year-olds in the last and Muqtaser is just preferred to Mohatem.

Rocky Rider 2.55 @4-1 Paddy Power
Music Master 3.30 @5-2 Bet365
Nafaqa 4.05 @4-1 William Hill
Grandeur 4.40 @5-1 Coral
Muqtaser 5.40 @11-2 Paddy Power