Category: Horse Racing Tips

This category is all about horse racing tips.

Lanzarote Hurdle Ante-Post Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After a very quiet week, National Hunt action picks up again this weekend with good quality cards at Kempton and Warwick. The feature race on Saturday’s Kempton card is the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has three entries with Aintree winner Dawalan along with Hammersly Lake and Royal Irish Hussar. Barry Geraghty has already been pencilled in for the ride on Dawalan which suggests he is the stable’s first choice.

The grey was considered a possible for the Triumph Hurdle last season but Henderson diverted him to the Fred Winter Hurdle when it was clear that he was not going to be good enough. He was never in with a chance in that hotly-contested handicap and time has shown that he is really more of a stayer. Stable companion Sign Of A Victory walked all over him at Ascot but he improved when stepped up to two and a half miles at Haydock behind On Tour.

He looked to be going nowhere with two to jump but finished best of all. He was made favourite for Aintree next time and rallied from the last to beat Bear’s Affair by three-quarters of a length. He is up 9lbs here but will be staying on when most of these have cried enough. He looks a good each-way bet at 9-1 in the ante-post lists.

Hammersly Lake was never really travelling like a winner last time but stayed on from the last behind Silsol. He looks more of a chaser in the making whereas Royal Irish Hussar has not recaptured his early juvenile form.

The bookmakers’ favourite is Tea For Two who won easily at Towcester last month. He is a course and distance winner and Lizzie Killy takes a useful 7lbs off his back. Hello George was sixth in the Ladbroke over two miles at Ascot and goes up in trip for Philip Hobbs while Warrantor steps out of novice company for Warren Greatrex. He was impressive at Market Rasen, as was runaway Haydock winner Kilcooley.

He chased home last week’s Tolworth Hurdle winner L’Ami Serge before winning by 23 lengths in heavy ground last time. Dawalan had him well behind at Ascot and is 8lbs better off here so I am sticking with the Henderson horse.

Dawalan @9-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Taunton Wednesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The pick of the National Hunt action comes from Taunton on Wednesday with a six-race card starting at 1.40.

The first race is a three-mile maiden hurdle restricted to five-year-olds and upwards so it is no surprise to see some real chasing types set to line up. The Chuckmeister won a point-to-point in Ireland and has now joined the Paul Nicholls stable. He is related to an old favourite of mine in Moorcroft Boy, a gallant winner of the Scottish National. He may not reach those heights but he jumps and stays and can get the better of Local Show who has shown decent form in similar events.

Vago Collonges will be a popular fancy to score for the same stable in the following novices’ hurdle at 2.10. He would be a certainty if able to reproduce his 2013 Champion Bumper form at Aintree but he has proved to be very frustrating since. Nicholls is applying the hood for the first time on Wednesday but I am sticking with the hat-trick seeking Rock The Kasbah.

He represents the Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson team and looks a very straight-forward ride. He tracked the leaders last time before picking them up in the home straight and winning nicely.

The handicap chase at 2.40 brings together a couple of horses that arguably should have won last time out but for their jumping. Pinkneys Pride loomed up on the outside full of running at Wincanton and looked unfortunate to knuckle on landing. He had raced very keenly and got close to a couple of fences but he was entitled to after a lengthy lay-off.

The danger is Alan King’s Money For Nothing who ploughed through the second-last here behind Un Ajou in December. He was slow at the last three fences and it didn’t look the greatest race in the world so I’m siding with the top weight, Pinkneys Pride.

David Pipe can land the handicap hurdle at 3.10 with the grey Bladoun. I don’t like backing horses that have been clobbered by the handicapper and this one is up 13lbs. However, Tom Scudamore had practically pulled him up before the line and he was higher in the handicap a couple of seasons ago. You could make a case for several of the others but I am most fearful of Mr Fitzroy who produced a 25-1 shock at Lingfield and is only up 5lbs.

The Chuckmeister 1.40 @2-1 Betfair

Rock The Kasbah 2.10 @4-5 Betfair

Pinkneys Pride 2.40 @5-2 Coral

Bladoun 3.10 @15-8 Paddy Power

Southwell Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It’s a relatively quiet week on the racing front after the big Christmas and New Year meetings. Southwell keeps interest ticking over for flat racing fans with a seven-race card on Tuesday and I have been delving into the all-weather form in the hope of finding a winner or two.

My regular followers will know that Trainer William Haggas has done us a few good turns in the past and he sends a couple north tomorrow, both with leading chances. Toofeeg is fitted with blinkers in the handicap at 1.50 as he goes for his first win in six attempts. He jinked and caused his rider to lose an iron when very disappointing here in November and ran a lot better last time behind Noro Lim. He is bred to be useful, being by Approve out of a Zafonic mare, and the blinkers will hopefully bring about some improvement.

The early money has been for Lysander The Greek but it is hard to see why. I can only think that considerable improvement is expected as he steps up to a mile for the first time but he represents poor value at around 5-1.

Whatever the fate of Toofeeg, Haggas should not return empty-handed as Belahodood looks a safe bet in the 2.50. The four-year-old made a pleasing debut at Kempton when beaten by a decent sort in Made With Love. John Gosden will be aiming higher with the five-length winner and Belahodood was eased once his chance had gone.

Forced Family Fun can get punters off to a good start in the opening handicap. He won easily over hurdles recently and can take advantage of a good handicap mark on the level for John Quinn and Tom Eaves. Hurdles form could again hold the key in the two-mile race at 1.20 and I am siding with Plumpton winner Mariet. Suzy Smith’s Dr Fong mare has shown precious little on the flat before but she had run well at Fontwell prior to her Plumpton win and is lightly weighted here.

Best Tamayuz is becoming something of a Southwell specialist with three course victories and he can make it four in the 2.20. His biggest threat is Kung Hei Fat Choy but there were no excuses for his defeat last time and Scott Dixon’s four-year-old can score under 5lb claimer Tim Clark.

Lewamy had the race won a long way out at Kempton last time and can follow up for Michael Bell in the 3.20. The early money has been for Boboli Gardens but I’d much rather stick with the proven recent form. Finally, take Raul Da Silva to steer home Eium Mac for a second course and distance victory in the 3.50. He should hold the veteran General Tufto on 3lbs worse terms.

Forced Family Fun 12.50 @15-8 Betbright

Mariet 1.20 @8-1 Paddy Power

Toofeeg 1.50 @7-2 Skybet

Best Tamayuz 2.20 @3-1 BetVictor

Belahodood 2.50 @14-5 Betfair

Lewamy 3.20 @3-1 Paddy Power

Eium Magic 3.50 @7-2 Bet365

Sussex National Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Plumpton used to be my local course so I always look forward to the Sussex National meeting which takes place on Sunday.

It has attracted a typically strong field including Reblis who did this column a favour a year ago when sluicing through the mud for Gary Moore. He is back attempting a repeat victory and is 2lbs lower in the weights than last season after some moderate efforts. It seems safe to assume that this race has been the target for him but I just wonder if it is going to be soft enough for the son of Assessor.

Venetia Williams runs two here in Tarraco and Gorgehous Lliege. The former has had a hike in the weights after winning easily last time but the punters have gone for Gorgehous Lliege in the early betting. I watched his run closely last time and he was almost carried out by a rival, losing all momentum and never managing to get back into the contest. He didn’t quite do enough for me that day and I’ll side with Tarraco who looks better value at around 10-1.

Nicky Henderson claimed the big prize on Saturday with L’Ami Serge at Sandown and he should be on target with Caracci Apache in the 1.50. This one got up late to beat stable companion Clean Sheet last time out and the runner-up has gone in since. He looked as though he may only be fourth approaching two out but stayed on very strongly and stamina can again win the day here. Kilgeel Heel is the obvious danger but may not have quite as much scope as the Henderson horse.

Pain Au Chocolat should get punters off to a winning start at 12.50 after a very promising first run for the Million In Mind Partnership. He didn’t do anything wrong but was just outpaced from the last and will have learned a lot from the experience. The useful flat performer Devilment is the main threat for John Ferguson.

The novice chase at 1.20 may only have four runners but three of them are clearly above average. Chris Pea Green has bolted up here on his last two starts and was a fair hurdler last season while Grumeti was placed in the Triumph Hurdle a couple of seasons back. I am going to oppose both with David Pipe’s Sail By The Sea who won a hurdle by 25 lengths and receives weight from his rivals.

Pain Au Chocolat 12.50 @Evens Betfair

Sail By The Sea 1.20 @5-2 Bet365

Carraci Apache 1.50 @13-8 Bet365

Tarraco @10-1 Betfair

Sandown Tolworth Hurdle Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Splash Of Ginge was one of three winners for us at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and attention now turns to the Tolworth Hurdle card at Sandown on Saturday.

The feature race has a very disappointing turn-out of just four runners, one of which pulled up at Plumpton on his most recent outing over two years ago. That is a pretty abysmal entry for a £22,000 event and the odds-on favourite is Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge. He was very impressive at Newbury but was presented the race at Ascot last time when Emerging Talent fell two out. It was too early to say whether he would have won but L’Ami Serge is clearly an above average novice.

I have followed the career of Aurore D’Estruval with interest and John Quinn’s five-year-old should have the class to win the 12.40. The only question mark is the distance as she steps up to two and a half miles for the first time. I would be more concerned if the going was heavy but she can take this at the expense of the consistent Mischievous Milly.

William’s Wishes was a smart chaser a couple of seasons ago for Evan Williams but has obviously had his problems since. He showed that he may be on the way back when a respectable sixth in the Tingle Creek last time out. He has Mr Mole and Brick Red to beat, first and second at Exeter last month.

I like the chances of Song Light in the 3.00 despite a hefty 10lbs hike in the weights. The gelding was a close third in a very competitive race at Cheltenham in November and was never going to get caught at Huntingdon last time. Kevin Jones rode him in both races and takes a valuable 7lbs off here, allowing him to race off just 10st 5lb. I fear the Paul Nicholls-trained Bouvreuil most of all, a French import at the foot of the weights having his first run for the yard.

The closing race looks no easier to solve but it may be worth sticking with hat-trick seeking Bertie Boru. Not many meetings go by without a Philip Hobbs winner and this eight-year-old has got up late in both of his starts this season. He looked to have no chance jumping the last at Newbury but wore down Phone Home in the shadow of the post. The runner-up ran moderately last week but Bertie Boru should give us a run for our money.

Aurore D’Estruval 12.40 @5-4 Ladbrokes

William’s Wishes 1.50 @7-2 Coral

L’Ami Serge 2.25 @1-2 Bet365

Song Light 3.00 @6-1 Paddy Power

Bertie Boru 3.35 @9-1 BetVictor

Cheltenham New Year’s Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Punters won’t want to be nursing too much of a hangover with Cheltenham getting under way at 12.10 on New Year’s Day. There is some top quality National Hunt action to greet 2015 and there could be plenty of festival clues throughout the card.

There are some decent staying novice hurdlers in the opener and I see no reason to desert Brother Tedd after two easy victories for Philip Hobbs. The market suggests that Different Gravey and Zeroeshadesofgrey will fight out the finish but I am surprised to see Brother Tedd as big as 11-2. Assuming all eight stand their ground, he looks a rock solid each-way bet at those odds.

The second race will take some sorting out and the Aintree race won by Oscar Time may hold the key. Alfie Spinner would probably come out on top on the bare form but I liked the way that Our Father travelled into the race before lack of fitness told in the closing stages. The grey was a top novice a couple of seasons ago and David Pipe knows how to get them ready for competitive races like this.

Ptit Zig was very impressive at Ascot and can beat Champagne West in the Dipper Novices’ Chase at 1.20. He looks a classy recruit to fences and was thought good enough to contest the Champion Hurdle last season. The only slight concern is that it is his first sight of the Cheltenham fences but he should have too much speed for the Philip Hobbs runner.

The big handicap chase of the day at 1.55 looks wide open. I studied the form for this race in some detail before concluding that Splash Of Ginge could be the value bet. I was disappointed to see the bookies chalk him up as favourite but it is fatal to change your mind. The best odds guarantee will come in useful if he goes bigger than 6-1 on the day.

Knight Of Noir is the selection in the handicap hurdle at 2.30 after his promising first run of the season. He travelled well throughout but was just out-sprinted from the last by Morito Du Berlais. That horse has gone on to run well in top handicaps since so Knight Of Noir should go well despite a 5lbs weights rise.

Finally, I am siding with Rock On Ruby in the two and a half-mile hurdle over the Henderson duo of Vaniteux and Beat That. I am a great admirer of Beat That but this trip looks short of his best and it may be significant that Geraghty prefers Vaniteux. Rock On Ruby loves it here and always looked in control last time out.

Brother Tedd 12.10 @11-2 Skybet

Our Father 12.45 @7-1 Paddy Power

Ptit Zig 1.20 @11-8 William Hill

Splash Of Ginge 1.55 @6-1 William Hill

Knight Of Noir 2.30 @5-1 Ladbrokes

Rock On Ruby 3.05 @3-1 Coral