Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Hawkesbury the star attraction at Kempton

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There is plenty of racing in the UK for punters on Wednesday with jump meetings at Newbury and Newcastle and all-weather action at Lingfield and Kempton.

Both Newbury and Newcastle must pass early morning inspections but are expected to go ahead. That does at least tell us to expect very testing conditions which may be partly responsible for a disappointing turnout for Newbury’s 1.45 race.

I have been a fan of Far West over the past couple of seasons following his exciting juvenile campaign which ended in defeat in the Triumph Hurdle. He laboured under a stiff handicap mark last season as a result and is gradually getting the hang of things over fences. He looked to be in trouble here at the last meeting, losing ground at most of the fences before rallying on the flat. In the end, his flat speed proved too much for Seventh Sky.

Tomorrow he faces a really progressive chaser in Top Gamble, trained by Richard Lee. Strangely for a horse that fell in his last two races over hurdles, the gelding jumps like a stag and has been very impressive at Wetherby and Warwick. If Jamie Moore is positive on him from the start, I can see Far West struggling to keep in touch. Nicky Henderson should chalk up another couple of winners in the novice events but the odds are likely to be prohibitive.

John Gosden sends a couple to Lingfield and should be on the mark with Nancy Astor at 2.25. She ran a couple of nice races here, notably when chasing home stable companion Falling Petals last month. She is entered in a couple of Tattersalls sales races at Newmarket in April so will need to win a race like this if she is to follow that route.

You don’t get too many horses rated in the 100’s on the all-weather at this time of year but Godolphin send Hawkesbury to Kempton for a Conditions race at 6.40. The grey son of Shamardal looked pretty smart when winning by seven lengths at Doncaster in June but was beaten on both of his last two starts.

He hung badly at Newbury behind Belardo and pulled hard before weakening at Newmarket. He is clearly very talented but his ungainly style of racing is a concern. Even so, he should outclass his three opponents before connections map out a plan for the season.

My only other bet on the Kempton card is Thomas Blossom in the 5.40. He laughed at his rivals last time out and it is no surprise that Patrick Charmings has decided to run him quickly under a 6lbs penalty. David Probert should be able to settle him in this big field and come with a late run.

Top Gamble 1.45 Newbury @7-4 Paddy Power

Nancy Astor 2.25 Lingfield

Thomas Blossom 5.40 Kempton @11-10 Paddy Power

Hawkesbury 6.40 @4-5 Betfair

Southwell Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We managed a small profit from the opening day at Chelmsford City (formerly known as Great Leighs) and the general consensus was that it was a fair racing surface. That is good news for flat racing fans who like a flutter on the all-weather through the long winter months.

The action on the sand switches to Southwell on Tuesday and a six-race card featuring a host of familiar names. In the opening race I’m going to take a chance on Novalist who recorded back-to-back victories here before getting trailing in a disappointing sixth last time.

For reasons known only to connections, he raced without his usual blinkers that day and was always struggling. He was also tackling beyond a mile for the first time. He has the headgear restored on Tuesday and we will know our fate within a furlong or so. The main danger is probably the top weight, Queen Of Skies. She is another course winner and has been very consistent for the Appleby stable.

The second race on the card features a re-match between Eium Mac and General Tufto. Last week we sided with the former but he was just run out of it in the final furlong by the ten-year-old. I just wonder whether Raul Da Silva will try to delay his challenge a little longer this time. He was out in front from the two-furlong pole last time and now has a 6lbs pull with General Tufto.

The early money appears to be for Sleet who lost any chance when squeezed out at the start last time. You could make a case for him here but he is yet to win in ten starts and I’m happy to take him on at odds of around 5-2.

Hayley Turner will be a popular choice in the third race aboard Excelling Oscar. He is yet another course and distance winner and holds Never Easy on recent form. There are bits of form that tie in here with Bannister Bell and I’m going to side with More Drama, trained by Sylvester Kirk. She ran well in a very competitive race won by Splash Of Verve at Wolverhampton before fading into midfield at Kempton.

My final bet of the day is for Extreme Supreme in the five-furlong dash. He made his debut at Royal Ascot last summer and he obviously wasn’t up to that class. However, he has steadily improved with racing and is on a hat-trick over course and distance. He wasn’t knocked around last time and could be up to defying a 6lbs rise for Derek Shaw and Patrick Mathers.

Novalist 1.15 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Eium Mac 1.45 @5-2 Bet365

More Drama 2.15 @7-1 Bet365

Extreme Supreme 3.25 @4-1 Paddy Power

Great Leighs racecourse re-opens as Chelmsford City

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When Great Leighs opened in 2008 it became the first new racecourse in Britain for 80 years.  After staging forty meetings, the administrators were called in the following year but the course is set to be re-born as Chelmsford City on Sunday.

The course is now owned by Betfred who have invested in a new grandstand and plan to run it is a leisure venue. There are 58 meetings scheduled for this year, kicking off with Sunday’s seven-race card which begins at 12.50. The opening day is restricted to around 750 guests but future meetings will be open to the public with an increased capacity of 10,000.

Newmarket trainer John Gosden who is a great supporter of all-weather racing and likes to keep his stable ticking over through the winter months. He saddles Zamoura in the 1.20 and Tempus Temporis in the feature event, the Betsi Golden Mile at 2.50.

Zamoura is a three-year-old filly by Azamour out of a mare by Observatory. She created a good impression on her racecourse debut at Lingfield last month when just beaten on the nod by Dreamlike. She took a little while to realise what was required of her but came through strongly under Nicky Mackay to lead inside the final furlong. She has an extra two furlongs to travel here and should have more scope than Richard Fahey’s Pin Up.

Punters are unlikely to get rich on Zamoura but there may be some value with Godolphin-owned Tempus Temporis. He looked decidedly moderate in his first three starts but was transformed by first-time blinkers at Kempton last month. He swept past some more experienced handicappers to win by six lengths and is worth his chance at this level. His biggest threat may come from another Godolphin horse in Super Kid, runner-up at Lingfield over seven furlongs last time out.

The blue of Godolphin could land the opener with Tryster who last ran at Newmarket in much better company. The son of Shamardal was no match for First Flight in receipt of 4lbs but had previously been impressive when winning by five lengths at Brighton in the summer.

Robert Cowell’s Exceedingly could be worth each-way support in a competitive looking sprint at 1.50 while Rizal Park could still be on a winning mark in the 3.20. Andrew Balding’s four-year-old by Amadeus Wolf beat a decent sort in Nigel’s Destiny at Kempton last month and could go close under a 5lb penalty.

Tryster 12.50 @2-1 Ladbrokes

Zamoura 1.20

Exceedingly 1.50 @10-1 Bet365

Tempus Temporis 2.50 @7-2 Coral

Rizal Park 3.20 @4-1 BetVictor

Horse Racing Preview January 10th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

A nice double on the all-weather at Lingfield on Friday (Don’t Be and Sabre Rock, both tipped at 9-4) paid over 10-1 to set us up nicely for the weekend.

Channel 4 cameras are at Kempton and Warwick for some good quality National Hunt racing, although winners may be hard to find. Nicky Henderson made fools of ante-post punters by pulling Dawalan out of the Lanzarote Hurdle with Barry Geraghty now switching to Hammersly Lake. I have not seen any explanation in the media but I’ve gone back to the race for a second look and believe Saffron Wells could give us a run for our money.

He has got in here on a light weight after running a cracker at Newbury when trying to concede almost a stone to Polamco. That horse is an improving stayer and the pair were separated by the Paul Nicholls-trained Morito Du Berlais, a good yard stick in staying handicaps this season. Saffron Wells like to get his toe in and will have perfect conditions on Saturday.

I had considered supporting Heath Hunter but I see that Tom Scudamore has elected to ride Dell’ Arca instead. Heath Hunter showed up well for a long way at Haydock last time but the application of first time blinkers suggests that David Pipe thinks he has his own ideas about the game.

Kilcooley has been hammered by the handicapper for his 23-length win at Haydock and I have more regard for Tea For Two, the mount of Lizzie Kelly. The gelding won with plenty in hand at Towcester and does not look harshly treated for his handicap debut.

Shotgun Paddy was our midweek selection for the Warwick Classic Chase as he bids to repeat last year’s victory. He has to carry top weight of 11st 12lb so it is difficult to be confident in such a testing race.

This is a big year for Godolphin after a poor season in 2014. Charlie Appleby already has a number of his string in action on the all-weather and it could be worth noting his runners at Lingfield on Saturday. Magical Effect looks a ready-made winner in the 12.20 after finishing second at Wolverhampton in October.

The son of New Approach can get off the mark here while Turning Times should make it a double in the handicap at 3.10. The daughter of Pivotal is a bit of a rarity in that she is a roan racing in the Godolphin blue. She won her maiden here in August after a couple of decent efforts at Kempton.

Saffron Wells 2.40 Kempton @12-1 Paddy Power

Shotgun Paddy 3.35 Warwick @9-1

Each-way 1/4 odds, 1,2,3

Magical Effect 12.10 Lingfield

Turning Times 3.10 Lingfield @15-8 Paddy Power

Lingfield Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There are decent flat and jumps meetings in the UK on Friday including the reappearance of the smart Josses Hill at Doncaster. Nicky Henderson’s gelding was runner-up to Ptit Zig on his chasing bow at Ascot and meets nothing of that calibre at Town Moor. Anything other than a comfortable victory would be a surprise but he is likely to start a strong odds-on favourite.

Henderson has runners at Doncaster and Huntingdon with winning chances and will be looking to improve his strike rate after a slow start to the season. He should be among the winners but I am looking to the all-weather at Lingfield for my two bets of the day.

It will be interesting to see how Mick Channon’s Sgt Reckless gets on in the mile and a half maiden at 1.10. It isn’t that often that you see an eight-year-old start favourite first time out on the flat but the son of Imperial Dancer was a smart novice hurdler last season. He may find Ralph Beckett’s Belrog the main threat here, a lightly-raced son of New Approach.

My first wager is on Sir Mark Prescott’s Don’t Be who is trying to complete a four-timer in the 2.15 race. Prescott is a master at setting up a sequence with his handicappers and Don’t Be has worked her way up from a mark of 66 to 82. Much of the credit for her improvement must go to jockey Luke Morris who has ridden her to all three victories.

Morris would not win any medals for style but he knows how to get the best out of his mounts. She scored at Wolverhampton in November and followed up at Lingfield in December. She then completed her hat-trick by beating Brigliadoro by a short-head just before Christmas. The runner-up has won since so a 6lbs rise may not necessarily be enough to stop her on Friday. The weights give Zman Awal a good chance of reversing recent form with Bint Dandy and James Fanshawe’s four-year-old looks the main danger.

In the 3.25 I am siding with Shelley Birkett and Sabre Rock to complete a hat-trick for the Newmarket yard of Julia Feilden. Sabre Rock seems to have settled down since being taken down the start early and has won his last two starts over course and distance. After beating Turnbury by half a length he followed up in some style to beat Catching Zeds by two and three-quarter lengths. He could be called the winner a long way out that day and connections are keen to strike again before he is re-assessed.

The danger looks to be Top Set who is still a maiden after 13 attempts. He ran on from a long way back to finish second to Moulin Rouge last time under Hayley Turner. Seb Sanders has ridden the gelding before and takes over on Friday. I am just put off by the fact that he is yet to win and it is difficult to deliver a horse fast and late here in a big field.

Don’t Be 2.15 @9-4 Bet365

Sabre Rock 3.25 @9-4 Paddy Power

Warwick Classic Chase Preview

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The big steeplechase this weekend is the Warwick Classic Chase, due off at 3.35 on Saturday. The race is over three miles and five furlongs and the going is expected to be very testing.

Shotgun Paddy did this column a good turn last year and bids for a repeat win under top weight of 11st 12lb. On the face of it, he has a stiff task but he is actually racing off only a 2lbs higher mark than last season.

Emma Lavelle’s eight-year-old can get very low at some of his fences but he was able to get away with ploughing through the last fence before beating Carruthers by six lengths. The runner-up ran a cracker that day but is surely getting a little long in the tooth for a competitive race such as this.

Shotgun Paddy came within a quarter of a length of winning at the Cheltenham Festival last March when just failing to catch Midnight Prayer.  Lavelle had no hesitation in nominating the Welsh National as his early season target but everything went wrong at Chepstow. He lost his position early on and then slithered on landing over the second fence. Jockey Leighton Aspell pulled him up before the seventh fence when it was clear that he was not going to get involved.

Daryl Jacob takes over in the saddle on Saturday and he remains a very promising young chaser. The fences do not take a great deal of jumping around here and he looks good each-way value at 8-1.

The early favourite is the novice chaser Return Spring, trained by Philip Hobbs. He was useful over hurdles last season, winning at Cheltenham in November. This will be only the fourth chase of his career after finishing third to Kings Palace last time. His jumping was a bit sketchy that day, although he does have a similar profile to Shotgun Paddy from a year ago.

West End Rocker is now thirteen years of age but won at Lingfield in December. He is up 4lbs and Cheltenham winner Benbane Head carries an 8lbs penalty. Hawkes Point was fancied for the Welsh National after finishing second in the race in 2013 but was under pressure a long way from home and was eventually pulled up. He is difficult to fancy on that evidence and I shall stick with Shotgun Paddy in the hope that he can defy top weight.

Shotgun Paddy @8-1 Paddy Power

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4