Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Windsor Monday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We did well enough at Newbury on Saturday with Mount Athos and Cannock Chase keeping us in profit. Newmarket proved trickier to unravel and Stomp was beaten in the Coral Sprint. I felt that he did not really get the run of the race but stuck on well enough to suggest he can claim a decent prize this season.

The pick of Monday’s action is at Windsor and all signs point to Café Society in the 8.05. The David Simcock-trained four-year-old caught the eye on his seasonal debut when sixth at Newmarket behind The Mighty Yar.

Jamie Spencer rode him into a never-nearer sixth place without giving him a hard time. He was slowly away but settled not far behind the eventual winner The Mighty Yar. He also had Van Percy in close proximity for much of the race and the Balding-trained horse came out and won on Saturday. Spencer found the gaps closing when he went to make a forward move while Ryan Moore had a smooth passage on The Mighty Yar. He wouldn’t have beaten him but he could have been third or fourth with a clear run.

We have been caught out before by Café Society after he went into the notebook with a fast finishing second to Bold Sniper at Ascot. Things did not go his way on his next outing when heavily backed but there is little in the opposition here to cause concern.

Café Society has always promised to win a valuable prize and this could be a nice stepping-stone to one of the big handicaps at Royal Ascot next month. He looked a desperately unlucky loser at Ascot l last year behind Bold Sniper and his turn is surely not far away.

Jakey hung badly at Epsom last time out when finishing only fifth behind Beacon Lady. Modernism has been on the go all winter on the all-weather and looks to be bottoming out while Nicholascopernicus was beaten 40 lengths on his first outing. Ballinderry Boy is the most obvious threat, mainly because he is trained by Balding and ridden by Oisin Murphy. Even so, this is well short of his best trip of two miles and Café Society can finally get things right.

Café Society 8.05 Windsor at 6-4 Bet365, Paddy Power

Newmarket Saturday Preview

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The Coral Sprint at Newmarket has been quite a successful event for me in the past with some useful three-year-olds competing over six furlongs.

Trainer Roger Charlton sets us a poser by running both Stomp and Stars Above Me. The latter was all the rage for a Newmarket handicap at the Guineas meeting and looked to be travelling easily with a furlong to travel. She did not find as much as Buick expected and changed her legs in the closing stages, perhaps resenting the quicker ground.

The going is expected to be just on the fast side of good on Saturday so it should be a close call in a re-match with the winner Nova Champ. The going is also a slight concern with Stomp who burst through to win easily at Lingfield having previously won on soft going at Windsor. Stomp has been raised 8lbs but that may not be enough to prevent him completing a hat-trick.

Parbold is yet another that might prefer easier ground when he lines up in the King Charles II Stakes. He didn’t run badly on his seasonal debut but I remember Richard Fahey saying that the going was a bit quick for him at Royal Ascot last year. He’s top rated on official figures but there is just a lingering doubt in my mind.

Ahead of him at Newmarket was Aeolus, a colt by Araafa trained by Ed McMahon. He looked a shade unlucky to beaten just half a length into third after meeting trouble in running. He was second to shock 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder at Doncaster on soft ground in October, a far better run that it appeared at the time. He looks the form choice.

Punters of a certain vintage will remember a horse called Miner’s Lamp rattling off a sequence of handicap wins for Robert Sangster, Barry Hills and Steve Cauthen. The name is now carried by another useful colt by Shamardal who runs in the blue of Godolphin.

He ran well enough here when second to Zee Zeely to suggest that he can go one better in the 5.15 race on Saturday. There are a few promising types in opposition including seven-length winner Talmada. To be fair it was only a four-runner race but her third to Bright Approach at Newbury was a fair effort and she is set to receive 8lbs from Miner’s Lamp. That could be decisive.

Aeolus 2.55 Newmarket at 4-1 William Hill

Stomp 3.30 Newmarket at 3-1 BetVictor

Talmada 5.15 Newmarket at 9-4 BetVictor

Newbury Saturday Preview

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The Lockinge Stakes is the highlight of Saturday’s Newbury card. For a race that has thrown up some top class winners, this looks a modest renewal.

The short-priced favourite is Olympic Glory, a position he owes to his Ascot victory last autumn. He had too much class for the upgraded handicapper Top Notch Tonto on that occasion, although his fitness has to be taken on trust here.

More importantly, the going is not soft and we are unlikely to see the best of “Tonto”. Tullius also stepped out of handicaps to slam Montiridge by four lengths at Sandown. That was either a fine victory or a very disappointing effort from the runner-up, but it was on soft ground.

Chopin was seventh in the Derby last year but is back to his right trip here while Aidan O’Brien saddles American import Verrazano. The colt is a Grade 1 winner in the States and finished in front of Breeders’ Cup winner Groupie Doll when fourth in the Cigar Mile. With the favourite so short, he looks the most logical alternative.

Sir Michael Stoute supplied a double for us at York on Friday and was a shade unlucky not to make it a treble with Radiator. I was slightly concerned about her having her first outing of the season but she ran a good race. The fact that Cannock Chase was able to win easily on his first run suggests that there is plenty of improvement to come, as with most of the Stoute horses. He looks the one to beat in the London Gold Cup.

Battalion takes a rise in class in the Aston Park Stakes but I’m a little worried about the drying ground for him. He won by four lengths on his first run on good ground but he did seem to be “climbing” a little and his best form is on soft and heavy. I had selected Mount Athos for Chester last week but he was pulled out owing to the soft going and this looks likely to suit him much better.

The early money has been for Hayley Turner and Bronze Angel in the seven furlong handicap at 2.40. He did show promise in the Spring Cup but I won’t be backing him at a single figure price and prefer the claims of Modern Tutor. He has joined Andrew Balding from Stoute’s yard and looked unlucky not to add to his Windsor victory last season. Balding had a great Chester with his handicappers and Oisin Murphy still claims a useful 3lbs.

Mount Athos 2.05 Newbury at 100-30 William Hill

Modern Tutor 2.40 Newbury at 17-2 BetVictor

Cannock Chase 3.15 Newbury at 4-1 William Hill

Verrazano 3.50 Newbury at 11-2 William Hill

York Friday Preview

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It has been a tough week at York and yesterday’s Dante result hardly clarified the Epsom Derby picture. Supporters of True Story have to be disappointed with his third place effort and they finished in a bit of a heap. Arod is probably the horse to take out of the race but perhaps he is more of a St Leger candidate than a Derby horse. His free running style in the early stages and his tendency to take a while to hit top gear will count against him on the Surrey track.

The third and final day of a long week looks like a red-letter day for Sir Michael Stoute. He has four runners, all with leading chances. Arab Spring should get the ball rolling in the handicap at 2.15. It is true that he is up 11lbs for his facile Doncaster victory but Sir Michael has entered him for the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. He has followed a similar route with his lightly-raced older horses in the past and Arab Spring shapes like a potential Group horse.

Next up is Gospel Choir in the Yorkshire Cup. He was most impressive when sweeping to victory in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket where his victims included last year’s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather. Pether’s Moon was second and he ran another solid race last week.

The toughest rival will be Tac De Boistron who breezed home at Ascot in the Sagaro Stakes. The form may be questionable as neither Simenon nor Harris Tweed appeared to run their races. Even so, he is a proven Group 1 stayer and must be feared.

Radiator was hyped beyond belief after winning a maiden at Lingfield by 15 lengths. Admittedly that is a rare occurrence but she was way too short at 11-10 for the Newmarket race won by Miss France from Lightning Thunder. Radiator was fourth but that form does not look too dusty after the 1-2 filled the same places in the 1000 Guineas!

The final leg of the Stoute four-fold is Mairise in the closing handicap over a mile and a half. The bare form is nothing to write home about but she was staying on strongly at Yarmouth last time over two furlongs shorter than she faces tomorrow. There aren’t many Stoute horses running with a handicap mark in the low seventies and the son of Authorized should be up to the task.

Arab Spring 2.15 York at 11-8 Paddy Power

Gospel Choir 2.45 York at 9-2 William Hill

Radiator 3.15 York at 9-2 William Hill

Mairise 5.00 York at 2-1 William Hill, Bet365

York Thursday Preview

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The opening day of the York Dante meeting proved tough going with That Is The Spirit saving our bacon in the 3.50. Regardez did finish in front of Cambridge but was only good enough to take third in the Musidora, a race which looked anything but an Oaks trial.

The Dante does not look likely to have much impact on the Derby picture unless something wins by a street. The prime candidate to do that is True Story, the mount of Keiren Fallon. The form of the Feilden Stakes is patchy and I was very disappointed with Somewhat at Chester last week. Even so, he did win by seven lengths so he is entitled to be hot favourite here.

You could argue that Arod has similar credentials in that he pulled hard but still won easily at Windsor. However, he beat little and this is a shot in the dark. Bunker’s form received a boost with the French Guineas last weekend and he is not out of it, although the Hannon horses seem to need a run so far this season. The only sensible policy is to sit this one out.

For my main bet on the card I’m going for the unlucky Spring Cup runner-up Spa’s Dancer in the Hambleton Handicap. At seven-years-old he is not likely to be improving but he may well have caught Gabrial’s Kaka at Newbury with a clear run. Haggas throws a spanner in the works with the un-raced pair Queensberry Rules and Fury, either of whom could win on their best form.

The Middleton Stakes is also a bit of a puzzle. I was a keen supporter of The Lark last season and took 33-1 each-way in the Oaks (third) and backed her to win at Doncaster. She has a liking for soft ground but this looks on the sharp side first time out.

Secret Gesture may have been flattered by her 10 lengths Lingfield Oaks Trial win last season and her second at Epsom may have been as good as she is. Thistle Bird is probably the form choice but has not run this season while Gifted Girl may step up on her Newmarket third. It’s a tricky one but we’ll side with Gifted Girl at an each-way price.

I would probably have as much chance of finding the winner of the opening sprint with a sharp pin but Top Boy ran well enough at Chester to warrant support.

Top Boy 1.45 York at 12-1 Bet365

Gifted Girl 2.15 York at 6-1 Paddy Power

Spa’s Dancer 3.15 York at 13-2 Totesport

York Wednesday Preview

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The Dante meeting starts at York on Wednesday with a very competitive card. The big race itself is looking likely to be something of a damp squib after Roger Varian’s curious decision to sidestep the race with Kingston Hill.

I’d have thought it was an ideal stepping-stone to Epsom after his eighth place in the 2000 Guineas. You could excuse him for finding it all happening too quickly at Newmarket and it is too early to rule him out of Derby calculations. Unfortunately it seems we will have no further opportunities to assess his chances.

Tomorrow’s classic clues are provided by the Musidora Stakes with the once-raced Cambridge being the one in the Oaks frame. She did look a class act when accounting for Regardez last season at Nottingham but I am just a bit concerned by the form of the Charlie Hills stable after Chester. I fancied several of his runners there but he drew a blank, something that his father rarely did at the Roodeye. I’m going to side with Regardez each-way as she looks a game filly who should at least stick on for a place.

Rye House seems to be all the rage in the opener but I’m equally concerned by the fact that most of the Stoute horses have needed a run. He won well here last season but never made it back to the track. Tres Coronas was a good winner at Chester but is running under a penalty and it could be worth a little on Hi There who was in front of him at Epsom.

Royal Rascal caught my eye running on well on his last run for Tim Easterby and could be a better bet than stable companion Fast Shot. Blaine could be interesting if he is back to his Gimcrack form of a couple of seasons ago but he has a poor draw to overcome.

I kept faith in Moviesta last season and was eventually rewarded at Goodwood after a couple of near-misses in big handicaps. He shaped well at Newmarket behind Sole Power and is my selection in the Duke Of York. Jack Dexter is the one to beat on form but the ground may be drying out.

In the fifth race I like the look of That Is The Spirit who won with plenty in hand at Doncaster from Provident Spirit. The runner-up won well at Newmarket but I cannot see the form being turned around on just 3lbs different terms.

Hi There 1.45 York at 12-1 Ladbrokes

Royal Rascal 2.15 York at 11-1 William Hill

Regardez 2.45 York at 9-1 BetVictor

Moviesta 3.15 York at 6-1 Bet365

That Is The Spirit 3.50 York at 4-1 BetVictor