Category: Horse Racing Tips

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Punchestown Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The bookies had a field day at Punchestown on Thursday with winners returned at 25-1 (twice), 20-1 (twice), 14-1, 10-1, 8-1 and 5-1. I don’t think even Mystic Meg will have had Jetson doubled up with God’s Own in the two Group 1 races!

Nothing if not game, we battle on into Friday’s card with Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh looking to hold a strong hand once again. The feature race is the Champion Hurdle which sadly has attracted just three runners. You do sometimes wonder what goes through trainer’s minds. There must be a hundred horses that ran at Cheltenham or Aintree that could have been guaranteed third place here at the very least.

The race sees a re-match between Cheltenham winner Jezki and the beaten favourite Hurricane Fly. He was only fourth at the festival with most pundits happy to assume that age is catching up with the horse. Now aged ten, he was bidding to become the oldest winning Champion Hurdler since Sea Pigeon but found disappointingly little in the straight.

Ruby Walsh was reluctant to accept the form on face value and it is worth remembering that he had beaten Jezki twice prior to Cheltenham. This has surely got to come down to a tactical battle and Hurricane Fly has proved time and again that he can win off any pace.

You won’t get rich by backing Vautour in the Champion Novices’ Hurdle but he looks impossible to oppose. He has a very similar profile to Faugheen who romped home earlier in the week and should see off his rivals tomorrow. It is curious that Mullins elected to drop Faugheen back to two miles and step Vautour up to two and a half, the exact opposite to their Cheltenham victories. Lac Fontana looked as tough as old boots when winning at Aintree but will need Vautour to have an off day to get near him.

Arctic Fire can complete the Mullins-Walsh treble in the following novice hurdle. He looked set to win the County Hurdle at the festival but was just run out of it by Lac Fontana. He was well backed that day and looked to have done everything right. The only doubt must be whether he will have recovered from such a hard race but he stands out on form.

If the bookies were partying on Thursday night, they could be crying into their beer by the time Warne lines up against On The Fringe in the last. I was impressed with Warne at Aintree and the win was never in doubt from half-way.

Hurricane Fly 5.30 at 11-10 Paddy Power

Vautour 6.05 at 2-5 William Hill

Arctic Fire 6.40 at 4-5 Bet365

Warne 7.45 at 9-4 Bet365

Punchestown Thursday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh did us proud on Wednesday with a thrilling Punchestown Gold Cup victory for Boston Bob. They look set to star again on Thursday with the great mare Quevega and the talented grey Champagne Fever in action.

Quevega needs no introduction having won the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle for the last six seasons. That record is surely going to stand for a very long time but she is also the winner of the past four World Series Hurdles at Punchestown. She goes for a fifth consecutive victory tomorrow and it is difficult to justify opposing her.

At Fishers Cross has not won this season, although he has run some good races. Last time out at Aintree he was unable to get past Coral Cup winner Whisper but may have had a valid excuse. Apparently he trod on a shoe at some point in the race and that cannot have helped. He was well beaten in the World Hurdle but the ground was not really soft enough for him and nor will it be tomorrow.

I’ve also got plenty of respect for Fingal Bay who lumped 11st 11lb to victory in the Pertemps Final. That is always the sign of a classy hurdler and he is entitled to take his chance at this level. Hobbs and Johnson have enjoyed a great run in recent weeks and it would be no surprise to see this one give the favourite most to do.

Alan King’s Balder Succes has helped this column out on a couple of occasions this season but I think he may meet his match tomorrow in Champagne Fever. I haven’t been a great supporter of Champagne Fever in the past but I thought he was desperately unlucky to catch Western Warhorse on a good day at the festival. Ruby Walsh must have been sickened to get done on the run-in like that but he can gain handsome compensation on Thursday.

For the treble I am going to side with AP McCoy on Ned Buntline in the handicap at 4.15. This one ran particularly well to finish second at the festival, coming from well off the pace. It’s a big field so he will need a bit of luck in running but must have a favourite’s chance. The bet of the day at Redcar is Zaawia in the maiden at 2.55. The daughter of Elnadim finished sixth in a hot Newbury maiden first time out and should make no mistake here for Ed Dunlop.

Ned Buntline 4.15 Punchestown at 5-1 Coral

Quevega 5.30 Punchestown at 10-11 Bet365

Champagne Fever 6.40 Punchestown at 13-8 BetVictor

Zaawia 2.55 Redcar

Punchestown Wednesday Preview

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The highlight of day 2 of the Punchestown festival is the Gold Cup at 5.30. Unlucky Cheltenham runner-up On His Own is tackled by stable companion Boston Bob who steps back up to three miles after his Aintree victory.

Willie Mullins has never lost faith in Boston Bob but decided to go for the Ryanair rather than the Gold Cup after a poor preparation. He ran well but found the two and a half miles too sharp. I felt he would struggle to improve on that effort at Aintree but the leaders wilted in the closing stages and he surged through to grab the spoils.

It is interesting that stable jockey Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride him in preference to On His Own on Wednesday. The jury is still out on the Cheltenham Gold Cup form with so many horses involved at the finish. It is difficult to believe that On His Own came within a short head of lifting the Gold Cup if you go back to the start of the campaign where he was well beaten in an Aintree handicap. We’ll side with Ruby Walsh on this occasion and hope that his judgement proves correct.

I also like the look of Beat That for Nicky Henderson in the three-mile novice hurdle. The Albert Bartlett first and third are in opposition but that race also had form students scratching their heads. Very Wood ran out a 33-1 winner but Briar Hill fell and Kings Palace ran a lifeless race.

Henderson was on a roll at Aintree and you could have named Beat That the winner a mile from home. Barry Geraghty always looked to have plenty in hand but did not want to let him go too soon for his first time over three miles. He strode away to win well and I take him to beat the Cheltenham form on Wednesday.

There is also some good quality flat action at Ascot including the Sagaro Stakes. Our old friend Simenon is back on his favourite track having won twice here at the Royal meeting in 2012 and running Estimate to a quarter of a length in the Gold Cup last year. He’s been around the globe since then, finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup. I’d love to see him bounce back here, although it will be tough against Tac De Boistron and Harris Tweed.

Graphic should confirm Doncaster Mile form with Fencing in the Paradise Stakes at 4.15. The winning margin was only a neck last time but the result was never in doubt and there could be more to come from this consistent performer.

Beat That 4.55 Punchestown at 2-1 Bet365

Boston Bob 5.30 Punchestown at 3-1 Bet365

Graphic 4.15 Ascot at 4-1 Bet365

Punchestown Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Punchestown Festival keeps National Hunt fans entertained this week with a host of Cheltenham and Aintree horses on show. Following festival form can be a recipe for disaster at this stage of the season as Punchestown but it is hard to get away from it tomorrow.

The feature race is the Champion Chase which looks wide open. Module and Somersby were no match for Sire De Grugy at the festival and will probably dominate the market. Module needed every yard of the two miles at Newbury in heavy ground to peg back Dodging Bullets and again looked short of pace at Cheltenham. His best form is over two and a half miles, although he is very closely matched with Somersby on Exeter form.

Hidden Cyclone has been on the go all winter and has been running well. He certainly wouldn’t be winning out of turn if he were to win here. I’m just favouring David Pipe’s Ballynagour here at an each-way price. He won at the festival with any amount in hand and ran a fair race at Aintree. He looked as though he would win between the last two but was outstayed after the last.

The RSA Chase form took a knock at Aintree with a disappointing run from O’Faolains Boy but I’d be inclined to put a rule through it. Four of those involved in that race turn out again for the Novice Champion Chase tomorrow including the third Morning Assembly and fourth Ballycasey. Interestingly, Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride Djakadam who fell in the JLT Novices’ Chase when still in contention.

It is difficult to make a comparison between that race and the RSA, but Walsh clearly feels Djakadam will be a force over this trip and that just about tips the balance. Walsh should certainly be on the score-sheet in the Champion Novice Hurdle with Faugheen who was one of the most impressive winners of festival week. He drops back half a mile here but was always racing keenly that day and should not be inconvenienced.

Sgt Reckless stayed on to be fourth at Cheltenham and then finished runner-up to Josses Hill. He didn’t seem to find as much off the bridle as seemed likely and Faugheen should have his measure.

Faugheen 4.20 Punchestown at 8-11 Ladbrokes

Ballynagour 5.30 Punchestown at 17-2 888Sport

Djakadam 6.40 Punchestown at 11-4 Paddy Power

Bet365 Gold Cup Preview

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Without wishing to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, the Bet365 Gold Cup still needs translating to the Whitbread Gold Cup to understand its significance. Sponsors come and go but certain races like the Hennessy have a fixed place in the National Hunt calendar and the Whitbread is the traditional end-of-season staying chase.

It’s been a while since it has captured the imagination like it used to with the likes of Diamond Edge, Special Cargo and Mr Frisk, but it can still produce a thrilling climax to the National Hunt season. We are now paying for the fine bank holiday with a return to miserably wet weather and the going is currently good to soft at the Esher track. It shouldn’t change too drastically so there won’t be any excuses on account of the ground.

Godsmejudge missed his appointment at Aintree this season after a couple of disappointing displays but bounced right back to his best in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr. He couldn’t quite provide us with a winner there but ran right to the line to finish second and must have sound claims tomorrow. Wayne Hutchinson is back on board and my only reservation is that the race is quite soon after his last effort.

Bury Parade is worthy of consideration but he has been raised again by the handicapper for a defeat last time. He ran on strongly to finish second and hasn’t shown any signs of his refusal to race earlier in the season. I’m just going to pass him over on account of his big weight.

Many of the others are on a retrieval mission after failing at Aintree or Cheltenham including Burton Port and Hadrian’s Approach. Burton Port was backed for the Grand National but got no further than the second fence. It is interesting to see AP McCoy back on him here but I’m not convinced that his second in the veterans’ chase showed him to be back to his best.

Spring Heeled foiled our selection, Cause Of Causes, at the festival and has a 9lbs penalty for that victory. I’m not sure that it will be soft enough for Rigadin De Beauchene but it may be worth having a saver on Same Difference. He was second here a year ago, although that did follow a win at Cheltenham. He has been a long way short of his best this season but his fifth last time suggested he could be on the way back.

Godsmejudge at 12-1 BetVictor

Same Difference at 10-1 Bet365

2000 Guineas Ante-Post Update

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The 2000 Guineas picture has been pretty static since Kingman annihilated his field in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. He is a best priced 11-8 at the moment and I cannot see him getting much bigger than that.

I tipped Kingman at 14-1 after his win in a Newmarket maiden back in June last year. I remember questioning my sanity at the time as I had already re-invested some of my Royal Ascot winnings on War Command. I cannot ever remember backing horses so early for the 2000 Guineas.

In the case of War Command, you’d have thought that going on to win a Dewhurst would have ensured his place among the favourites but not a bit of it. Aidan O’Brien’s glowing praise of Australia has left him as the clear stable favourite with War Command eased out to around 16-1. Hopefully he will still take his chance but there has not been much in the way of confidence emanating from Ballydoyle about his chances.

Toormore’s Craven victory was workmanlike rather than spectacular and he has been easy to back at around 7-1 since. You could make a good case for him as an each-way bet at those odds. He may not have been suited by having to make his own pace that day and at least we know that he is fit. However, his run just did not excite onlookers in the way that Kingman did.

There is one strange anomaly in the ante-post betting and that is that Betfair are showing 56-1 about Godolphin’s Outstrip. There appears to be a cool dismissal about the Godolphin horses as I cannot believe that Ihtimal is still such a big price for the Guineas and Oaks after her brilliant Meydan win in the UAE Oaks.

Outstrip was unlucky to be caught by Toormore at Goodwood as he hit the front plenty soon enough. Richard Hughes made the victory look far easier than it actually was and I don’t believe there will ultimately prove to be much between the pair as three-year-olds. Outstrip went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a late swoop and that is the style of racing that suits the grey best. He may prove no match for Kingman but he is no 56-1 chance.

Outstrip at 56-1 Betfair

*Kingman at 14-1

*War Command at 10-1

*Ante-post advice