Category: Horse Racing Tips

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PB Lawrence Stakes Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Saturday’s Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes sees the eagerly awaited return of Puissance De Lune. The galloping grey won this race last year to cement his position as favourite for the Melbourne Cup but things did not go his way during the course of the season.

His ran well in defeat in the Makybe Diva Stakes and the Turnbull Stakes and many still had faith in him for Flemington until he was struck by injury on his fourth start. At first it was thought that he was simply lame but scans revealed lesions on both front tendons. For a while it seemed that we may have seen the last of him on the racecourse but connections have brought him back in search of a Group 1 victory.

Their target is the Makybe Diva in which he was narrowly beaten by Foreteller last season. Reading between the lines, he is expected to need this race and they would be delighted to see him finishing strongly in the first four or five. The bookmakers aren’t taking any chances by chalking him up at around 2-1 but there must be better value elsewhere.

Foreteller also suffered an injury when disappointing in The BMW at Rosehill Gardens and he is another on the road to recovery for Chris Waller. Blarney Stakes winner Lidari usually goes well first time up and Peter Moody has entered him in the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. He is quite short in the betting at around 4-1 and I prefer the claims of former UK middle-distance performer Spillway.

Spillway joined David Hayes after running well in Group 2 and Group 3 races, notably when placed in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. He also ran creditably when fourth to Telescope in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He won his second start in Australia in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Plate at Royal Randwick in April. His fitness is also open to question.

A couple who are race fit are Gig and Zamorar. Gig was second to Thiamandi at Caulfield last month in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes and could again sneak into the frame. Zamorar was third to Tiger Tees in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap last weekend under Katelyn Mallyon. The young jockey is looking for her first taste of Group race victory and could be in the money with fitness doubts over so many of her rivals.

Zamorar @8.0 Ladbrokes

Gig @15.0 Ladbrokes

Each-way 1/5 odds, 1,2,3

Salisbury Wednesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Salisbury must be one of the most pleasant racecourses in the UK and Wednesday’s card is the highlight of the season with the Listed Upavon Stakes.

The one I like here is Richard Hannon’s Lustrous who finished strongly to take second to Bracelet in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot. That form entitles her to start favourite here but she has since run poorly in Ireland and was only fifth at Goodwood.

I am prepared to overlook the Irish Oaks form as you sometimes get horses that just don’t travel well but I am a little concerned by her Goodwood defeat. There are a whole host of promising fillies in this race including the unbeaten My Spirit and the rapidly improving Kleo. Both should run well along with Godolphin’s Tearless who already has a comfortable course and distance win to her credit.

Richard Hughes won’t be keeping the video of the ride he gave When Will It End at Goodwood in his archive. Every gap he went for seemed to close immediately and he can be counted an unlucky loser. He is 4lbs better off with the winner Grigolo but that need not necessarily guarantee that he will reverse the form. Mark Johnston’s horse was not stopping in front and it should be close between the pair. However, I am hoping that Sir Michael Stoute’s Darshini can beat them both.

He made the running at Sandown last time out and Ryan Moore looked to have kept a little up his sleeve. The bare form isn’t outstanding but he can lead his rivals a merry dance here.

The same combination should be back in the winner’s enclosure half an hour later with Tercel. The gelding won nicely at Sandown, this time with Moore arriving late on the scene. He did not really have to ask for everything that day and there is plenty of room for improvement. Potentate looks the obvious danger for the Hannon and Hughes team.

Moore can make it three for the day when he partners Luca Cumani’s Petticoat lane in the 4.30. The daughter of High Chaparral ought to have won at Sandown last time out but was blocked in her run up the rail and had to switch to the outside. Although only fourth of five, she was beaten less than two lengths by the winner and can make amends.

Darshini 2.50 Salisbury at 5-4 Paddy Power

Tercel 3.25 Salisbury at 6-4 Paddy Power

Lustrous 3.55 Salisbury at 11-1 Bet Victor Non-runner

Kleo 3.55 Salisbury at 15-2 Sportingbet (each-way)

Petticoat Lane 4.30 Salisbury at 9-4 Paddy Power

Nottingham Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We needed a bit of scrambling over the weekend to keep our heads above water! Although we didn’t pick a single race winner on Shergar Cup day, we did select Olivier Peslier (6-1) and Europe (2-1) in the jockey and team standings respectively.

It was a similar story in the US PGA Golf where Jim Furyk saved our bacon by sneaking into the frame at 40-1. It was the second major running that we have been grateful to the American after placing at 70-1 in the British Open.

The weekend went out with the remnants of Hurricane Bertha lashing much of Britain and the going is on the soft side across much of the UK. The forecast is for steady improvement through the week so we shouldn’t need to start thinking of the new jumps season just yet!

Nottingham stages an interesting card on Tuesday evening and I’ve dug out three selections. I was immediately drawn to Enlace in the two-year-old race at 5.55 after her narrow defeat in a big field at Newmarket last time. I could hardly believe her price of 13-8 at the time but she was only a stride away from landing the gamble. However, after careful consideration, I am opposing her with Ann Duffield’s promising colt George Dryden.

He won by six lengths at Pontefract first time out and this looks a good opportunity to make it 2/2. He strode away from modest rivals that day and has Enlace to beat but he could be well above average.

In the 6.55 I am going for 18-length Southwell scorer Dino Mite. The form on the all-weather is usually hardly worth the paper that it is written on but two of the vanquished horses in that race have since won comfortably. Admittedly they were only rated 60 so Dino Mite has a bit to do off 80 here but she could make her rating look very generous.

My final selection is Speed Hawk in the Conditions sprint race at 7.25. I’ve rarely seen such an out-of-sorts collection of sprinters as this. Robert Cowell saddles four and Speed Hawk is the only one of them that is still progressing. He beat a useful sort last time out at Bath. I am most fearful of Duke Of Firenze who has joined Cowell from Sir Michael Stoute’s yard. His profile suggests that he would like quicker ground and a race to put him straight but we shall see.

George Dryden 5.55 Nottingham

Dino Mite 6.55 Nottingham @9-2 Paddy Power

Speed Hawk 7.25 Nottingham @9-2 Bet Victor

Haydock Saturday Preview

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At the time of writing, the rain is apparently “pelting down” at Haydock on Friday evening and the going is already good from good to firm. That probably means some testing conditions for Saturday’s card and that means some careful consideration is needed.

It looks a good quality card on Saturday but there are almost certain to be a load of non-runners if the going turns soft. The pick of the form has been achieved on fast ground so it may pay to delve a bit deeper and find horses that will go in softer ground.

The first horse that stands out is Sir Michael Stoute’s Rye House. He obviously has his problems as he is now five years old and this will be only his ninth start. He impressed me when winning at York last season in soft ground but did not reappear for a year. He finished fifth behind the well-handicapped Clever Cookie but did not have his conditions next time at Newmarket. He could start at a lot shorter than 6-1 if the going continues to deteriorate.

Nabucco is a horse that I have followed since early in his three-year-old career. He is tough and consistent but does not like fast ground. All things considered, it was a decent run to finish third to Amralah at Newbury last month on good ground. He absolutely hacked up in heavy ground at Salisbury last season and he could get a Group 3 success in the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes tomorrow.

Hillstar did not look entirely happy on this sort of ground at Chester in May and I’ve never really been entirely convinced by him. True Story looks overrated and Nabucco can gain revenge on Amralah.

There are some interesting races later in the day, notably the Listed Fillies’ Stakes at 3.25. I am tempted to support Psychometry here but there is no real evidence that she likes soft ground. She was third at Goodwood behind Marsh Daisy but was well beaten. It was her eye-catching run at Ascot that makes her worth keeping an eye on. She never had an inch of space and yet managed to finish full of running within four lengths of the winner. She has a decent race in her, I’m just not sure that it will be tomorrow. Each-way might be the way to go.

Rye House 2.20 Haydock at 6-1 Bet365

Nabucco 2.55 Haydock at 8-1 BetVictor

Psychometry 3.25 Haydock at 10-1 BetVictor (each-way)

Shergar Cup 2014 Preview

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The Shergar Cup has survived a surprisingly long time. It was first contested in 1999 at Goodwood and move to Ascot the following year where it has remained. Whilst the idea of attracting jockeys from around the world may have had a novelty appeal back then, it is hardly a factor these days. That being said, it does fill a bit of a void in the racing calendar between Goodwood and York.

I’ve studied the form of the six races and come up with some selections that will hopefully bring us a return. On first glance, Olivier Peslier and Frankie Dettori seem to have benefitted most from the draw and should be among the winners. That should mean back-to-back victories for Europe if you’re contemplating betting on that particular market.

The opening “Dash” looks particularly tricky with Goldream the logical form choice. If the weather is the same down south as it is up here in Scotland, there should be some ease by tomorrow and that could change the complexion of the race. Peslier’s mount, Move In Time, handles softer ground and is my tentative selection.

The Frenchman is aboard Hassle in the Stayers race at 1.30 and this one ran well, although no match for Maid In Rio last time. He doesn’t find a lot off the bridle so could still be handicapped to go well and any overnight rain won’t bother him.

Dettori can claim the next aboard Grandorio who ran well at York, just going down in a three-way photo. He raced wide of his rivals and can be considered a little unlucky. Communicator should also run well for Europe but may find this trip on the sharp side.

Magic City ran a stormer in the Betfred Mile at Goodwood and would have won in another few strides. He is something of a Goodwood specialist but there seems no reason why he cannot perform well here and he is just preferred to Dark Emerald.

Dettori will fancy his chances on top weight Wrangler in the next. He was not quite as impressive as I’d expected at Haydock last time and he needs the rain to arrive. Trip To Paris won well here last time and I shall take a chance on his South African pilot doing the steering. The last race is Europe’s weakest link and I think this could go to the ROTW skipper Craig Williams aboard Remember. It’s a close call between that one and Golden Steps on Newmarket form.

Tips

Move In Time 12.55 at 11-2 Bet365

Hassle 1.30 at 5-1 Bet365

Grandorio 2.05 at 6-1 Coral

Magic City 2.40 at 4-1 Coral

Trip To Paris 3.15 at 6-1 Stan James

Remember 3.50 at 7-1 Ladbrokes

Specials

Europe to win @2-1 Betfair

Top jockey Olivier Peslier @6-1 BetVictor

Brighton Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Racing in the UK this week is a bit low on quality in the wake of Glorious Goodwood. The Shergar Cup is the main attraction this weekend and, try as I might, I can never get inspired by this competition. I shall preview it on Friday with a view to finding a couple of winners but I don’t think any serious punters take the rivalry between the jockeys too seriously.

There are some competitive little races at Brighton on the Sussex coast on Friday. Being a Sussex man, I have some affection for the rolling South Downs and Brighton’s undulating track usually provides good entertainment.

One horse that I will not be putting my pennies on tomorrow is Muhawalah who looks decidedly mulish. The daughter of Nayef has been called a few names in the past but she got her head in front at Carlisle last time out, albeit with various forms of headgear. Course form is always worth a pound or two and I respect the chances of bottom weight Sandy Cove but I am just leaning towards the hat-trick seeking Serena Grae. Marcus Tregoning knows how to get the best out of his horses and this filly could still have a few pounds in hand.

The following sprint is littered with course and distance winners. Brighton regulars will have a soft spot for Noverre To Go after numerous fast finishing efforts here but he rarely finishes in front at the line. Ginzan ran a mighty race to get close to a well-handicapped horse at Windsor last time out and is feared most but I am siding with Panther Patrol.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s stable are in decent form and this one seems to have all the credentials necessary to win here. Usually fast out of the gate and an easy traveller, the weights suggest a quick hat-trick is on the cards.

My final selection is Welsh Inlet in the seven furlong handicap. I had fancied the Mark Tompkins-trained Blue Bounty. He has run in some competitive races and this looked as good an opportunity as he has had. He has been withdrawn this morning and Welsh Inlet could be the one to benefit.

This one has won and placed here before and always seems to stay on up the Brighton hill. The race does not look as though it will take a great deal of winning and 3-1 is a fair price.

Serena Grae 3.40 Brighton at 9-2 BetVictor

Panther Patrol 4.10 Brighton at 9-4 Stan James

Welsh Inlet 4.40 Brighton at 3-1 William Hill