Category: Horse Racing Tips

This category is all about horse racing tips.

McEwen Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Lankan Rupee may not yet have the cult status of Black Caviar but he is currently rated the best sprinter in the world. The Usain Bolt of the equine world makes his seasonal debut at Moonee Valley on Saturday in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes and is hot favourite to return with a win.

The gelding by Redoute’s Choice won three Group 1 races last season to rise to the top of the sprinting pile. Despite the best efforts of Royal Ascot, connections could not be tempted to travel to the UK in a bid to emulate the great mare in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes but who knows what may lie ahead of him this season.

Trainer Mick Price gave the go-ahead for him to run after working with Lion Of Belfort over 800m on Tuesday. Jockey Craig Newitt was very impressed and Price admitted it would be a major blow to him if his stable star were beaten on Saturday. His Group 1 hat-trick came in the Oakleigh Plate, the Newmarket Handicap and the TJ Smiths Stakes.

He overcame bad ground to beat Rebel Dane by two lengths in the TJ Smiths but his performance in the Newmarket Handicap had already convinced the experts that he was the real deal.

The horse that is being spoken of as a possible giant killer is the filly Eloping. She produced an exceptional piece of track work on the same day as Lankan Rupee, recording a faster final 400m in the process. Trainer Peter Morgan is hoping that the 8.5kg weight allowance and the fact that the favourite is yet to race this season could lead to a shock win for his filly. Eloping has not run since finishing fourth to Brazed Beau in the Group 2 Champagne Classic at Doomben in May. The plan is for Eloping to blaze the trail and see if the favourite can reel her in.

The pick of the remainder may be Unpretentious who was third in the William Reid Stakes. Godolphin are represented by the Exceed And Excel colt Orujo. Peter Moody’s Angel Beach and the Robbie Griffiths-trained Angelic Light finished second and third in a Listed race here recently and re-oppose but the form does not look good enough.

If all goes to plan, Lankan Rupee should pick up the front-running filly with a furlong to run and stamp his authority on the race.

Lankan Rupee @SP Paddy Power

Goodwood Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

All of our selections ran well on Saturday with two winners and a place to keep us narrowly ahead on the day. The low draw system at Chester seldom lets you down and B Fifty Two (tipped at 5-1) and Dungannon (tipped each-way at 10-1) gave us a sprint 1-2.

Goodwood provides the main action on Tuesday and we have a tip for all seven races. The action kicks off at 2.20 and this looks booked for the familiar combination of Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes with Mystic Jade. She ran a race full of promise on her debut here and should appreciate the step up to a mile.

The three-year-old maiden is slightly trickier to call with the yards of Haggas, Gosden and Varian all represented. I am just siding with Soviet Courage and William Haggas as the first two pulled well clear last time he ran and that is always a good sign. Ryan Moore in the saddle is usually a good indicator that Haggas means business. Too The Stars is bred out of classic winners Sea The Stars and Finsceal Beo so she is going to be some addition to the paddocks when she breaks her maiden.

The nursery is one of the toughest races on the card but I’m sticking with Flash Fire having supported him in his maiden race last time. He may just have a little bit more scope than some of the exposed types in this race. The Conditions race can go the way of Godolphin courtesy of Good Contact. He was not particularly impressive when landing the odds last time but the Newmarket he finished second in previously was probably the best maiden race this season.

Moore will be expected to boot home Dolphin Village in the two-mile handicap after a fine run at York’s Ebor meeting but he is stepping up half a mile. I was impressed by the amount of ground Spice Fair made up last time and I think he could possibly outstay the favourite.

If Moore has already rewarded his followers by the time they come to the sprint handicap at 5.10, they will be lumping on the speedy Inciting Incident. A favourable draw and give in the ground will make him hard to beat but I just feel that Dilgura has more potential. She goes well fresh and looks better value, providing the going doesn’t deteriorate.

The last race looks like a battle between Hughes on Last Minute Lisa and Cam Hardie on Hallingham. I think Hughes may just be able to get a little more out of his mount as Hallingham can look a little reluctant at times.

2.20 Mystic Jade

2.55 Soviet Courage

3.30 Flash Fire @5-2 Bet365

4.05 Good Contact @5-2 Paddy Power

4.40 Spice Fair @9-2 Paddy Power

5.10 Dilgura @13-2 Paddy Power

5.40 Last Minute Lisa @4-1 Bet365

Racing Preview Aug 30th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Time Test was a very impressive winner at Sandown on Friday and looks set to be upped in class by Roger Charlton. It looked more of a staying performance to me rather than a Guineas prospect but I’m not ready to invest in the ante-post market just yet.

Saturday’s racing action opens with an impossible sprint handicap at Sandown before some more promising two-year-olds line up for the Solario Stakes. This doesn’t look like a strong renewal and Aktabantay looks vulnerable to something with a bit more scope. Future Empire fits the bill after knuckling down well to his task when beating subsequent winner Invincible Gold at Newmarket.

Godolphin has yet to win a Group 1 race this season, something that they will surely put right before long. I’m hoping to see the blue colours dominate on Saturday as Fintry makes the trip over to France for the Atalanta Stakes. Andre Fabre does not waste money on fanciful entries so we can assume that she is pretty smart. The danger could be John Gosden’s Water Hole who has won a couple of handicaps and deserves to take her chance at this level.

A huge field of handicappers go to post for the mile and a quarter handicap at 3.50. I’ve been going through the form but keep coming back to the ease with which Clon Brulee won at Newmarket last time. I don’t know the 7lb claimer and a 14 draw may not be ideal but he should go well. Forgotten Hero and Ajmany look the obvious dangers.

Chester also stages a very competitive card and B Fifty Two looks a tempting proposition in the opener. He blazed the trail here earlier in the season and comfortably holds Forest Edge on that form. More significantly, he nearly pulled off a shock win at the York Ebor festival and is housed in stall 2. He must surely go close although I am going to have a small saver on Dungannon who likes the ground and has slipped down the weights.

The seven furlong race at 2.55 is no easier to solve and plenty of people will fancy Foxtrot Tango to end his long losing run. It is true that he was second in the Irish 2000 Guineas and would win this doing cartwheels if he could reproduce that run. However, it is a long time ago now and I prefer the claims of Sir Michael Stoute’s Russian Realm. He was forced wide at York last time and is better with some give in the ground.

Finally, Whiplash Willie can gain a deserved Listed race success at 3.30. I was very disappointed with De Rigueur in the Ebor and the fast ground was blamed for his lack lustre performance. He is the main danger.

Future Empire 2.40 Sandown @9-4 William Hill

Fintry 3.15 Sandown @13-8 Betfred

Clon Brulee 3.50 Sandown @9-1 BetVictor

B Fifty Two 2.20 Chester @5-1 Paddy Power

Dungannon 2.20 Chester @10-1 William Hill (each-way)

Russian Realm 2.55 Chester @8-1 Totesport

Whiplash Willie 3.30 Chester @4-1 BetVictor

Sandown Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Racing has been distinctly low key in the UK this week after the excitement of the York Ebor Festival. Sandown provides the entertainment on Friday where all eyes will be on Roger Charlton’s Time Test.

The two-year-old son of Dubawi had caught the eye of several shrewd judges ahead of his debut at Newbury. He has been handed some big-race entries for later in the season so it was disappointing that he could not get past Stec over seven furlongs.

The race itself was extremely modest with just four runners but James Doyle looked to have matters well under control until his mount found nothing under pressure. It may have been a classic case of a horse needing the run and he can go some way to redeeming himself on Friday. There are several newcomers from the big Newmarket yards in opposition, notably Sir Michael Stoute’s Stravagante and John Gosden’s Sugar Boy. Neither hold big race entries and it will be disappointing if Time Test fails again here.

The colt runs in the all-conquering Abdullah colours, as does Torrid for Amanda Perrett in the 3.35 race. This colt is by Three Valleys who was a smart juvenile and he has not been seen since winning by eight lengths at Nottingham last season. He beat a horse called Saab Almanal who was not beaten far in the Dante at York and has since won his maiden at Newmarket. He is rated 95 so Torrid has scope to improve beyond his current mark of 90.

The two concerns are his lengthy absence and the softer going. He has been given an entry in the Cambridgeshire and the stable are generally performing better than they were a month ago. Ryan Moore needed all of his strength to persuade Beach Bar to win at Haydock while Imshivalla has been winning on quicker ground. I’ll take a chance on Torrid’s fitness.

There are several potential improvers in the closing handicap. Dance Of Heroes and Ski Lift both won with a little in hand last time out and have to be respected. I also felt that The Character showed himself capable of winning races when running on well into third at Chester last time. But the one that really catches my eye is Stoute’s Savant.

The grey has had three very quiet races to date, most notably last time out when tenderly handled into fifth place at Kempton. He looks ready to improve for the step up in distance and Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle.

Time Test 3.0 Sandown 9-5 Betfair

Torrid 3.35 Sandown 7-1 BetVictor

Savant 4.45 Sandown 11-2 BetVictor

Memsie Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Memsie Stakes at Caulfield is the first Group 1 of the new season in Australia. A top quality field of eleven horses have been declared for the $400,000 prize.

This race is regarded as the first serious trial for races like the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate later in the season. Puissance De Lune was favourite for the Melbourne Cup this time last year but he has not won in any of his last six races.

He was beaten a head by Happy Trails in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in October. Silent Achiever stayed on into sixth place that day and all three are set to start on Saturday. Happy Trails went on to be beaten a short head by Shamus Award in the Cox Plate and made his first appearance of the season in the Group 3 Spring Stakes. The seven-year-old was beaten nearly five lengths into fifth but should be fitter for the race.

The race that probably holds the key to the outcome here is the Group 2 Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick. Gai Waterhouse won the race with Sweet Idea who held Messene by a head with Boban finishing strongly in fourth.

Both the runner-up and the fourth are back for another crack at the winner having side-stepped last week’s Warwick Stakes. Glyn Schofield missed the break on Boban at Randwick and he is my idea of the winner here. A nine draw is not ideal but Sweet Idea is drawn wider still in ten. Craig Newitt will probably chase her out early to get a position and Boban should be able to track her through.

Boban won four consecutive races last season including two Group 1’s. He added a third win in the highest grade when winning the Chipping Norton Stakes in March. He lost his way afterwards but looked to be on the way back in the Missile Stakes.

Team Hawkes are optimistic of a big run from Messene who is handily drawn in barrier four. Peter Moody’s Moment Of Change was a close second to Hard Stride in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield last time out. He has three course and distance victories to his credit with the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes. He is another who likes to be up with the pace early on and will probably be vying for the early lead with Sweet Idea.

Silent Achiever has not run since finishing fourth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick in April. She had a recent barrier trial over 1100 metres and should not be far away while

Super Cool finished third behind Atlantic Jewel in this race a year ago. He has not raced since finishing ninth in the Melbourne Cup and will probably need the race.

Boban SP @Paddy Power

Epsom Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The victory of Muhaarar in the Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday gave us a profit on all four days of the York Ebor meeting. We finished the week over 30 points in profit after Dutch Connection (16-1), Tapestry (12-1), Sole Power (7-2) and Pale Mimosa (7-2).

The racing is not up to the same quality this week but there are a couple of interesting handicaps at Epsom on Tuesday that may be worth a flutter.

The old expression about following over cliffs springs to mind looking at the form for Mission Approved. His last six races have yielded three seconds and three thirds and he is likely to be a popular choice yet again in the six-furlong John Akehurst Handicap.

Formerly with Sir Michael Stoute, the gelding is now with Luca Cumani and almost popped up at 20-1 at Goodwood last time out. He certainly did not appear to shirk the issue when battling to the line and was unlucky to be beaten a short-head by Barnet Fair. The handicapper has put him up 3lbs for that run which must be frustrating for connections.

Huntsmans Close was not far behind him while Duke Cosimo won a very competitive race at Ripon last time. Both should go well along with track specialist Swiss Cross but I’ll keep faith with the luckless Mission Approved.

In the closing race I’m going to go with Roger Charlton’s Marzante. The grey ran a cracking race when narrowly beaten by Cherry Princess on his first outing for three years. He set a modest pace and looked like being swallowed up early in the straight but kept finding extra all the way to the line. Cherry Princess arrived fast and late and Marzante looked unlucky not to hold on.

The handicapper has put him up 3lbs for his troubles but he should run well for George Baker who has impressed me this season. Cherry Princess re-opposes and Gabrial The Thug should also pose a threat. Perhaps the biggest threat is the so-called “Bounce factor”. Many believe that horses running well after a lengthy layoff could suffer a bounce effect next time and run poorly. Marzante would be a prime candidate but, not knowing the reasons for his lengthy absence, I am prepared to take a chance.

It is difficult to get very excited about the rest of the card but hopefully the racing will pick up during the week.

Mission Approved 3.25 @4-1 Betfair

Marzante 5.05 @9-2 BetVictor