Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Katie Walsh wins Irish National on Thunder And Roses

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Punters will be hoping that the Aintree Grand National is a lot easier to solve than the Irish equivalent after Thunder And Roses took the Easter Monday feature at Fairyhouse at 20-1. He was followed home by Rule The World (20-1), Sizing Coal (40-1) and Band Of Blood (50-1). Tony McCoy finished sixth on Cantlow on his final ride in the race.

Thunder And Roses was an emotional success for Sandra Hughes who only took over the stables of her late father Dessie in November. He races in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud who had the first three jumping the last with only Sizing Coal’s late run preventing a 1,2,3. Katie Walsh has not ridden the horse previously and would not have taken much encouragement from his last run at Cheltenham where he unseated Jonny King.

Walsh came close to winning the Grand National on Seabass in 2012 when finishing third to Neptune Collonges but now faces an anxious wait to see if she has a ride this year. She has been provisionally booked to ride Broadway Buffalo for David Pipe but the gelding still needs five more horses to drop out. He is one of three David Pipe entries among the 65 left in with only Soll guaranteed a run. Cheltenham winner The Package is just one place above Broadway Buffalo and both could be re-routed to the Topham Chase if they do not make the cut.

It seems likely that Nina Carberry will be the only female rider in the race this year when she partners First Lieutenant for Mouse Morris. The stable will be full of hope after saddling the runner-up and the fourth on Monday, although naturally disappointed that neither could cling on for the victory. First Lieutenant is a high class performer and he will carry the hopes of a famous National double for Gigginstown in the National.

Sandra Hughes is another left anxiously waiting for the final cut with her entry, Raz De Maree. He needs just three runners to come out in order to sneak into the starting line up on Saturday. First Lieutenant is a top price 33-1 with Paddy Power while Broadway Buffalo is a general 50-1 chance. Most firms are now offering non-runner – no bet terms on the race. For the best each-way value, BetVictor are also paying out on the first six home at Aintree!

Fairyhouse Monday Preview

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We opened the Fairyhouse Sunday card with two winners but our treble was thwarted when Apache Stronghold unseated his rider in the Ryanair Gold Cup. Still, four winners out of six selections over the weekend is not a bad return.

We previewed the Irish Grand National last week and have two selections in Grand Jesture and Los Amigos. The former is entitled to run well after his fine run at the Cheltenham festival while Los Amigos has been trained for this race all season. It’s impossible to be confident in a race such as this but hopefully one of them can sneak into the money.

There is a good supporting card, kicking off at 2.45 with a four-year-old hurdle. Dicosimo is likely to start favourite here on the strength of his eighth place in the Triumph Hurdle. He led for a long way before being passed by the Henderson trio and Ruby Walsh was easy on him once his chance had gone. It is too early to say whether it was a vintage renewal of the Triumph so I’d prefer to take a chance on stable companion Whiteout at 10-1.

She has won her only start since joining Mullins from France where she was the winner of a modest claimer on the level. She had Sam Red back in third on her debut and that rival has won easily since. She has to be worth an each-way bet against the favourite.

Dedigout has won his last two races at Grade 2 level but missed Cheltenham as he did not get his favoured soft ground. He could probably do with a downpour before racing on Monday but he has won on yielding ground and should not be inconvenienced by the current conditions. Thousand Stars has not raced since the summer and could be vulnerable and I am more wary of Cheltenham runner-up Noble Endeavour. He moved well in the Martin Pipe Hurdle and was just beaten on the nod.

Tony McCoy treated his legion of followers to another fine display on Gilgamboa on Sunday and can chalk up another victory on Blair Perrone in the 4.25. He is trained by Mouse Morris and won last time without coming off the bridle. Connections considered a tilt at the Betfair Hurdle earlier in the season and he could be the value bet against some exposed Mullins-trained runners. There was little between Max Dynamite and Sempre Medici in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle and Ruby Walsh has switched from one to the other here.

Whiteout 2.45 @10-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

Dedigout 3.20 @9-4 Ladbrokes

Blair Perrone 4.25 @4-1 Bet365

Grand Jesture 5.00 @20-1 Betdaq (each-way)

Los Amigos 5.00 @ 14-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

Fairyhouse Sunday Preview

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Speculative Bid (4-1) and Lady Dutch (7-2) gave us a tidy profit at Kempton on Saturday. Unfortunately Made Of Love denied us a treble when fading tamely in the closing stages. One lucky punter collected a three-quarters of a million pounds on the Scoop6 and can take it over the million if they win the bonus next weekend. Unfortunately, most of us were knocked out by a 33-1 shocker in the first race at Haydock.

Sunday’s main action comes from Fairyhouse ahead of Monday’s Irish Grand National. There are two Grade 1 races and a Grade 2 featuring several horses that ran well at last month’s Cheltenham festival.

Harry Fry’s Bitofapuzzle ran a fine race to finish a close third behind Glen’s Melody in the Mares’ Hurdle. That was the race which saved the bookmakers a small fortune when Annie Power crashed out at the final hurdle. Bitofapuzzle had no chance of catching that brilliant mare but it was still a fine run and she will have conditions more in her favour on Sunday.

She has shown her best form on soft or heavy ground and this two and a half-mile trip looks perfect. The Pirate Queen was not far behind her that day while Petite Parisienne was not disgraced when fifth in the Triumph Hurdle. This is a stiff task for a four-year-old and a bigger threat may come from Rock On The Moor who missed Cheltenham and will be fresher than most.

It is hard to argue with the form of Shaneshill in the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at 3.50. He chased home stable companion Douvan in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and had already shown that he stays this trip. It will be interesting to see how the Supreme form matches up with the Neptune, represented here by the fifth and sixth.

Snow Falcon finished ahead of Outlander that day but the latter could turn the tables here. He was not fluent at his hurdles and had nothing left for the dash to the line.

The Ryanair Gold Cup at 4.20 puts the JLT Novices’ Chase form to the test with second and third in action, Apache Stronghold and Valseur Lido. They were separated by only a short-head that day, albeit 15 lengths adrift of the impressive Vatour. Bryan Cooper dropped his whip on Valseur Lido but it’s hard to say how much difference that may have made.

They both face a tricky opponent in Gitane Du Berlais, an impressive winner of the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown. Willie Mullins elected to send him to France next for a valuable prize over hurdles and he is almost certain to set the pace under Ruby Walsh. I just wonder if he can keep it up in these conditions and prefer the claims of Apache Stronghold.

Bitofapuzzle 3.20 @3-1 Bet365

Shaneshill 3.50 @8-11 Ladbrokes

Apache Stronghold 4.20 @9-2 Paddy Power

Scoop6 Jackpot set to hit £1.25 million!

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The Scoop6 Jackpot is expected to be close to £1.25 million on Saturday after the win fund eluded punters for a sixth successive week. As you would expect, they have not made it easy for punters with a treacherous looking card at Haydock providing five of the six races plus one from Kempton. In truth, you will probably need psychic powers or a sharp pin to unravel this lot but we’ve done our best to provide a few pointers.

2.00 Haydock

The combination of soft ground and large fields is the order of the day at Haydock starting with a gruelling three and a half mile handicap chase. At first glance, Midlands National third Woodford County has plenty of weight but his rider takes off 7lbs, leaving him just 5lbs higher than the bottom weight. Richard Johnson looks a significant booking on Incentivise who is the only one of these to have won at the distance.

WOODFORD COUNTY, INCENTIVISE

2.25 Haydock

Hindon Road blundered away his chance in a three-mile hurdle at Newbury last time and should go well off 10 stone here for Alan King and Wayne Hutchinson. Tony McCoy will be a popular choice on Upswing who is closely weighted with Gold Futures on recent form but it may be worth taking a chance on Kim Bailey’s Net Work Rouge.

HINDON ROAD, NET WORK ROUGE

2.50 Kempton

This is the only race in the Scoop6 away from the minefield of Haydock. Queen Catrine is a big of an enigma having run a fine race at Royal Ascot but done nothing since. Lady Dutch looks an altogether more straight forward ride for the in-form Marco Botti stable.

LADY DUTCH, QUEEN CATRINE

3.10 Haydock

Back over the jumps for another marathon handicap. King Of The Wolds was an easy winner last time while Astigos makes some appeal off a low weight.

KING OF THE WOLDS, ASTIGOS

3.45 Haydock

It doesn’t get any easier later in the day with another big field for the 888Sport Handicap Chase. Bob Tucker is not the fastest thing on four legs but he keeps galloping while Canuspotit looks fairly treated on his best form.

BOB TUCKER, CANUSPOTIT

4.20 Haydock

If any of you are still standing at this point, Good Luck! Only ten to choose from here! Racing Post ratings put only 6lbs between first and last. Ustica clearly wasn’t himself last time out and is worth another chance while Royale Django stayed on stoutly at Southwell.

USTICA, ROYALE DJANGO

Totesport Scoop 6

Kempton Park Saturday Preview

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After the excitement of the All-Weather Championships at Lingfield, the flat racing action moves to Kempton on Saturday.

There are some decent handicappers in action in the 2.15 with the weights headed by Outback Traveller. Jeremy Noseda’s four-year-old has gone up 12lbs since beating a decent field by seven lengths at Ascot last autumn. That was by far his best run of the season and it will be interesting to see how he fares off this new mark.

Ninjago was runner-up in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood last season but disappointed in Dubai this winter. He wore blinkers for the first time when winning over course and distance last time but the one I like here is Speculative Bid, trained by David Elsworth.

He has gone up 8lbs for a very impressive course and distance victory under Jamie Spencer. He missed the break but threaded his way through the field on the bridle and was only pushed out to score easily.

Queen Catrine was very frustrating last season after her brilliant run at Royal Ascot in June. She came from last place to force a photograph in the Sandringham Handicap but the verdict went to Muteela. She did not reproduce that form in three subsequent outings and is yet to add to her maiden victory at Ayr in 2013.

Wee Jean was just behind her that day and ran well again at Sandown next time before losing her form. Victoria Regina has run a couple of nice races in Dubai but I prefer to side with Lady Dutch, a comfortable winner here last time. Marco Botti does well with his imports and she looks capable of following up.

Frankie Dettori and John Gosden team up in the 3.25 with the lightly-raced Made With Love. He nearly made all on his debut last season at Newmarket and was surprisingly beaten at odds-on next time. Gosden gave the colt a lengthy break and he duly obliged in a moderate maiden over course and distance.

The Newmarket trainer does not tend to keep that many older horses in training unless they are likely to be top class handicappers or better. All of his rivals on Saturday are thoroughly exposed and it will be disappointing if he cannot kick off the new campaign with a win off a mark of 90.

Speculative Bid 2.15 @4-1 Ladbrokes

Lady Dutch 2.50 @7-2 BetVictor

Made With Love 3.25 @2-1 William Hill

Ervedya 16-1 for 1000 Guineas after Imprudence win

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The 1000 Guineas may seem a long way off with the build-up currently in full swing for next week’s Grand National, but the first meaningful trial of the season has already taken place.

His Highness The Aga Khan won the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffite on Thursday with Ervedya, a daughter of Siyouni out of a King’s Best mare. The race was over seven furlongs in heavy ground and Christophe Soumillon bided his time before cutting through the field to win impressively.

It is worth remembering that subsequent Guineas winner Miss France was only sixth in this race last year. Ervedya has top class form from last year and was boosting the credentials of favourite Found, her conqueror in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Ervedya was badly drawn that day so had to be brought across from stall 12 and make the running. She travelled well in the lead until Found was driven up alongside and quickened away to win by two and a half lengths. Queen Bee was fifth that day and filled third spot at Maisons-Laffitte so the form is looking solid.

William Hill offer the best price of 16-1 about Ervedya for Newmarket and that would be great value on soft ground. She has won on good ground but her trainer may consider the French Guineas a better option.

Andre Fabre has confirmed that High Celebrity will run at Newmarket and will not be having a prep race. The daughter of Invincible Spirit was not risked in the testing conditions this week and will hope to make it third-time-lucky in Suffolk next month. She was beaten at odds-on in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes in July and finished third to Tiggy Wiggy in the Cheveley Park Stakes last time.

Found reportedly had a temperature last month but is back on course for the Guineas where she is likely to be joined by Together Forever, winner of the Dubai Fillies’ Mile in October. She was runner-up to Found at the Curragh in August but improved throughout the season, winning her last three starts. The going was soft when she beat Agnes Stewart by half a length over a mile with Winters Moon just a nose away in third.

Aidan O’Brien has declared himself to be delighted with Together Forever who is currently a top price of 14-1 with Boylesports. Richard Hannon’s Tiggy Wiggy is freely available at 20-1 with question marks about her stamina while Lucida and Fadhayyil are also prominent in the ante-post market. The latter is going straight to Newmarket for veteran trainer Barry Hills following her second place in the Rockfel Stakes.