Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Newmarket Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Friday’s Newmarket card should finally see the much-hyped £2.6million colt Hydrogen make his racecourse debut. Qatar Racing purchased the record breaking son of Galileo and placed him in the care of two-time Epsom Derby winning trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam.

A couple of relatively minor setbacks have prevented him from seeing a racetrack and it will not have been the plan for him to be making his debut just a week before the Derby. He still holds an entry for Epsom but he would have to win by half the track to take up that engagement with Chapple-Hyam likely to rely on Arod.

For those of us that are old enough to remember Snaafi Dancer, there must be some trepidation for connections ahead of tomorrow’s maiden race. Snaafi Dancer cost $10.2million and never ran, eventually proving to be a flop at stud. There will be no prizes for the headline writers if Hydrogen proves to be a similarly expensive flop!

In terms of a betting race, I am more interested in Wonderstruck who was third in a good maiden at Ascot behind Goodwood Oaks Trial winner Marsh Daisy. The runner-up has been beaten in a photo and the fourth has won since so the form looks rock solid.

Kieren Fallon seems to be flavour of the month with Godolphin. It is probably as much of a mystery to him as it is to everyone else but he will make the most of it. He has cracking rides lined up for Epsom next week and can chalk up another success aboard Famous Kid in the 4.15. Thirsk might not seem the obvious place to go for a Godolphin horse but a certain Farhh won the Thirsk Hunt Cup by six lengths in 2012 and he turned out to be quite good!

I am not suggesting that Famous Name is likely to prove to be that good but he can take the handicap off a mark of 91. Cloudscape could be the danger if he returns to his early season form but he ran too badly to be true last time out.

Earlier in the day I like the chances of Much Promise in the six-furlong handicap. The daughter of Invincible Spirit ran into some useful sorts as a juvenile, finishing behind Along Again, Valonia and Magnus Maximus. She made no mistake at Kempton in November over this trip and looks on a decent mark

Much Promise 2.30 Newmarket at 6-1 Ladbrokes

Wonderstruck 3.05 Newmarket

Famous Kid 4.15 Newmarket at 9-2 Coral, William Hill

Sandown Thursday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There is a good card at Sandown on Thursday night with the Brigadier Gerard Stakes topping the bill. Although there are only five runners, it still looks a bit of a puzzle.

Hillstar is the obvious choice after running a fair second to Brown Panther in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. That race was over a mile and five furlongs on soft ground so this drop back to a mile and quarter is interesting. I’ve never really been a fan of Hillstar but this looks as soft a Group 3 as you could come across and he must go close under Ryan Moore.

Top Notch Tonto will find his stamina tested here while Sheikhzayedroad and Sharestan have had their limitations exposed. The one horse that has the potential to develop into a genuine Group 1 performer is Remote, trained by John Gosden. He did this column a favour last season at Royal Ascot but has not raced since and that is a major worry. No doubt Mr G will tell anyone who asks that he will need the run but I’m inclined to chance it at around 4-1.

The second Group 3 on the card is the Henry II Stakes with several Gold Cup entries on show. Brown Panther won the Goodwood Cup and was eighth in Melbourne. The trip and ground won’t worry him and he is as honest as the day is long. Tiger Cliff was third in the Yorkshire Cup but they went no great gallop that day and I wouldn’t be certain of him confirming the form with either High Jinx (5th) or Camborne (7th). El Salvador has a high head carriage while Biographer has been very disappointing and the blinds are fitted here.

My best bet of the evening is reserved for the last with the reappearance of Abseil. I always take note of any lightly-raced four-year-olds retained by Sir Michael Stoute. A healthy percentage of them start in handicaps and progress to Group races and Abseil looks to be heading in that direction.

I was extremely worried about his draw at Chester last time out and it proved his un-doing. His cause was further damaged when he missed the break so he did well to chase home the well prepared Here Comes When. He was beaten five lengths so is only up 1lb for that run and he looks nap material.

Brown Panther 7.15 Sandown at 4-1 Paddy Power

Remote 7.50 Sandown at 4-1 Betfair

Abseil 8.50 Sandown at 2-1 Bet365

Irish 2000 Guineas Preview

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Having backed Kingman for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket at odds of 16-1 last June, it was frustrating to see the race split into two groups. I remember being at the track when Hawk Wing was beaten in similar circumstances by Rock Of Gibraltar, although it turned out that both were brilliant milers.

Night Of Thunder’s 40-1 win was hard to explain after Kingman had beaten him so convincingly at Newbury in the Greenham. I suppose he just needed the run more than the favourite and improved considerably for the race. The fact that he won despite veering off a true line suggests that he was a worthy winner.

Kingman now goes in search of redemption in the Irish equivalent and is odds-on to succeed. The race is very different to Newmarket’s straight mile and James Doyle should be able to get a breather into his colt. The one slight concern is the going at the Curragh, currently described as yielding. Kingman probably wouldn’t want it any softer as the Curragh mile takes some getting if they go a fast pace.

Shifting Gold made heavy weather of winning the European Free Handicap but ran the race of his life in the Guineas to finish fourth. Connections were clearly elated with that effort and he bids to give Hannon Junior a second classic. He looks the sort of horse to grind out his victories rather than win impressively so I’d expect to see Richard Hughes ride him close to the pace.

Dermot Weld’s Mustajeb seems to be all the rage after an easy win in a Group 3 at Leopardstown. Whilst you could not fault the style of his victory, you have to doubt whether beating Brendan Brackan entitles him to be as short at 6-1 against horses with classic form.

War Command was only ninth in the Guineas, sinking our other ante-post wager placed after his demolition job in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Clearly he was a classic case of a good horse that did not really improve and he has been overtaken by others in his generation. The positive vibes from Ballydoyle were all about Australia prior to the Guineas and they proved to be correct.

This does not look like a race to get rich on but Kingman should beat this field and head to the Royal meeting for a possible re-match with Night Of Thunder.

Kingman 8-11 Bet365, William Hill

Goodwood Friday Preview

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The colts take centre stage at Goodwood on Friday with The Cocked Hat Stakes attracting some promising types. It is a long time since this race had any merit as a Derby trial but a couple of these still hold entries at Epsom.

The one that stands out is Roger Charlton’s Observational. He is yet to win a race after finishing second in both starts but has shown plenty of promise. He was second at Newbury in soft ground on his debut in October, staying on well without threatening to catch Chatez.

He did not reappear until April and ran a cracker in a valuable sales race at Newmarket over ten furlongs. He launched his run on the wide outside and looked likely to win with a furlong to travel but found Sudden Wonder just too strong. Charlton’s horses are usually better for their first run and the son of Galileo can get off the mark tomorrow.

Postponed is the obvious threat after finishing third in the Craven Stakes and fourth behind Barley Mow. That latest effort was slightly disappointing and Derby entries for both he and Observational look a shade optimistic.

Tioga Pass is my selection for the staying handicap in receipt of two stone from Lady Cecil’s Phaenomena. The latter beat Sir Michael Stoute’s Astonishing last season and that filly romped home next time out. Phaenomena let down her supporters next time and she looks vulnerable with ten stone first time out. Tioga Pass was stepping up in trip for the first time when winning at Kempton for Paul Cole and looks capable of improving further.

Our third and final selection is Red Refraction in the sprint for Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes. The colt by Red Clubs has a poor win to run ratio but it was difficult not to see him as a desperately unlucky loser last time at Ascot. Held up in rear, he was guided inside by Sean Levey while the winner Blessington took the opposite course.

Levey ended up having to cut through runners late on to take second but the winner had flown. That was over six furlongs but he has raced over tomorrow’s distance of seven before and this looks a soft race. If you back him, don’t expect to see Hughes appear until late on.

Red Refraction 2.50 Goodwood at 2-1 Bet365, William Hill

Tioga Pass 3.25 Goodwood at 5-1 BetVictor

Observational 4.00 Goodwood at 5-2 Bet365

Goodwood Thursday Preview

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The Oaks form of Taghrooda comes under the microscope at Goodwood tomorrow in the Height Of Fashion Stakes.

John Gosden’s filly romped to a six-length victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket and has been favourite for the Epsom Oaks ever since. The trainer suffered frustration in the 2000 Guineas with Kingman being beaten narrowly and will be hoping to have better luck on Oaks day.

His nearest pursuer was Luca Cumani’s Jordan Princess but at a respectful distance with Uchenna further back in fourth. It will be fascinating to see how they perform in a race that also tests the value of the Cheshire Oaks form.

Feedyah is another interesting runner having been thrashed twice by Ihtimal in Dubai. That filly is my ante-post wager for the classic and I notice that Kieren Fallon has taken over from De Sousa. There are some strange goings on with Godolphin and their jockey plans at the moment.

I watched the performance of Psychometry that day with interest and she shaped well enough. As with most of Sir Michael Stoute’s horses, she needed the run to put her straight and I will side with her to improve enough to take this. Strictly on the book, she should not beat Secret Pursuit but that filly will be having her fifth start of the season tomorrow.

There are plenty of betting opportunities on a good card and I like the chances of Emef Diamond in the 2.40. Mick Channon’s horse ran well enough at Nottingham to suggest he can feature here. There are several dark horses to worry about including Fast Delivery who won easily on the all-weather but Emef Diamond is attractively priced.

Presto Volante can land the stayers handicap for Amanda Perrett despite the money being for stable companion Lion Beacon. You have to think that Ryan Moore’s booking is significant on the latter but Presto Volante could be picked out travelling best a long way from home at Kempton and he is only up 6lbs.

The Stoute bandwagon can roll on in the 3.50 with Russian Realm, a colt out of classic winner Russian Rhythm. He may not have her class but he ought to be up to taking this. The Rectifier may be a threat after a fine run at Haydock along with Roger Charlton’s So Beloved.

Emef Diamond 2.40 Goodwood at 14-1 BetVictor

Presto Volante 3.15 Goodwood at 15-2 BetVictor

Russian Realm 3.50 Goodwood at 9-4 William Hill

Psychometry 4.25 Goodwood at 5-1 Paddy Power

Sandown Thursday Preview

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Sir Michael Stoute’s stable has burst into form in the past couple of weeks and he launches an assault across Sandown and Goodwood on Thursday.

The pick of his Sandown runners is Provenance who bolted up at Kempton on his debut and is now tried in handicap company. He does not yet have any high profile entries but I would be surprised if he is not able to follow up off a mark of just 84. The form of his Kempton win may be moderate but he is not up against a very inspiring bunch on Thursday with several of them having flopped last time out.

Russian Heroine should not be hard pushed to take the opener for Stoute after a good debut run at Windsor behind Cajoling. Although no match for the winner, it looks the best form on show in this contest.

Stoute’s third runner of the night is Munaaser in the mile and a quarter handicap. He looked to have been given plenty to do last time but cut down the leader readily before surging five lengths clear. The one thing that worries me about him is his high knee action. The going is good to firm at the Esher track and that could just catch him out.

It is interesting that Ryan Moore partners Cricklewood Green who ran well for Richard Hannon last time. I am not convinced that he will be suited by the conditions either and I’m siding with Luca Cumani’s Roseburg.

He won stylishly at Pontefract over this distance and has much more of a daisy-cutting action suited to quicker ground. He looks a far more tempting proposition at the prices than the Stoute horse. I will also be keeping an eye on Gold Trail who showed plenty of promise as a juvenile but is yet to race this season.

Stoute’s fourth runner is Savant in the maiden race but there is a long odds-on favourite here in Mutakkayef. He took two bumps when beaten by a decent sort in Barley Mow at Newmarket and this looks a lot easier to win.

Russian Heroine 5.55 Sandown

Provenance 7.00 Sandown at 11-8 BetVictor

Roseburg 7.35 Sandown at 10-1 BetVictor