Tag: Ascot

Horse Racing Preview 17th January

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The attention of the horse racing world will be firmly on Sprinter Sacre as he is expected to make his long-awaited return to action in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Nicky Henderson is understandably nervous about the prospect, just over a year after the horse was pulled up with a fibrillating heart at Kempton. He has been given the best possible veterinary care since and would not be risked unless everyone was happy with his condition. Even so, it will still be remarkable if he is able to bounce back with a win.

Not since my 33-1 bet on Yahoo was denied by Desert Orchid have I been happy to see my horse finish second but I am going to oppose Sprinter Sacre on Saturday. I felt that Dodging Bullets put up a first class display to win the Tingle Creek and is over-priced at 3-1. He is probably not in the same league as the favourite but there must be a big doubt about Sprinter Sacre’s fitness.

Whatever happens with his stable star, Henderson should be in the winner’s enclosure at the start and the finish of the card. I was impressed with Top Notch on his debut and he looks to have an easy task in the first. He will undoubtedly be shortened for the Triumph Hurdle if he does win so I’m going to have a small each-way ante-post investment.

Likewise, Out Sam should underline his festival claims in the last. He only won a four-horse race at Newbury last time but all of his three rivals that day have come out and won since. They include last weekend’s embarrassingly easy Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle winner Tea For Two. It will be a major shock if Out Sam is beaten on Saturday and the Neptune looks likely to be his festival target.

Haydock has to survive an 8am inspection with frost and snow threatening the meeting. The New One is expected to take another step towards the Champion Hurdle in a weak trial so the main betting interest is in the Peter Marsh Chase. Broadway Buffalo easily beat Toby Lerone here in the Tommy Whittle but I was disappointed with him at Wetherby last time. The ground cannot get too heavy for Toby Lerone so he is the each-way selection.

They are racing on the all-weather at Lingfield and Godolphin can land a quick double with Emirates Skycargo and History Book. The latter is trying her hand at sprinting after being edged out over a mile and seven furlongs. She has bags of early speed and is worth a chance at around 9-2. Andrew Balding’s Melvin The Grate can land the featured Ladbrokes Handicap at 2.35 after coming from last to first on his most recent start.

Top Notch 12.40 Ascot @4-7 Bet365

Emirates Skycargo 1.25 Lingfield @4-5 Betfair

History Book 2.0 Lingfield @9-2 Coral

Melvin The Grate 2.35 Lingfield @7-4 Coral

Dodging Bullets 3.00 Ascot @3-1 Coral

Toby Lerone 3.15 Haydock @10-1 Skybet

Out Sam 3.35 Ascot @4-6 Bet365

*Ante-post

*Top Notch – Triumph Hurdle @20-1 William Hill

*Out Sam – Neptune Hurdle @16-1 William Hill

Henderson delays Sprinter Sacre decision

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National Hunt fans will have one eye on the weather for the rest of this week in the hope that Saturday’s card at Ascot can go ahead. The meeting is not currently in danger but Nicky Henderson has warned that he will not risk stable star Sprinter Sacre on heavy ground. A final decision may be left as late as Saturday morning.

The gelding established himself as the best chaser in training in 2013 when romping to victory in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham festival. He followed up at Aintree and Punchestown and only Arkle and Flyingbolt now stand above him in Timeform’s all-time steeplechase ratings.

There was media speculation that Henderson would be tempted to run him in the King George VI in 2014 but the Lambourn trainer decided to keep him to two miles. He suffered his first defeat over fences in unfortunate circumstances when pulled up at Kempton just over a year ago with a fibrillating heart. There were fears that we would not see him back on a racecourse but he has made a steady recovering under the finest veterinary care and attention.

Had it not been for his health problems, Sprinter Sacre would be long odds-on for Saturday’s Clarence House Chase. He is rated more than 20lbs higher than any of his five rivals but there are obviously going to be fitness concerns. Barry Geraghty seems confident that he is back to his best after riding him over five fences at Newbury after Christmas. Even so, he is not likely to push his ears off if he starts to labour in the closing stages.

With doubts still surrounding the participation of Sprinter Sacre, Dodging Bullets has been cut to a best price 7-4. He did this column a favour when landing the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at rewarding odds and represents Paul Nicholls who has been successful four times in this race.

I fancied Dodging Bullets in last season’s Arkle but he had to settle for fourth place behind shock winner Western Warhorse. He shaped well when finishing second to Uxizandre at Cheltenham in November and that clearly sharpened him up for Sandown. He should confirm supremacy over Somersby who was two and a half lengths away in third and reaching the autumn of his career at ten years of age.

Willie Mullins is represented by Twinlight who beat Hidden Cyclone in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Chase last time. He is not the safest of jumpers and tends to jump out to his right. He made a couple of blunders at Kempton on his only previous trip. The race will lose a lot of its interest if Henderson pulls out Sprinter Sacre but Dodging Bullets can continue his progression towards the Champion Chase in March.

Dodging Bullets @7-4 Ladbrokes

Winterbottom Stakes Preview

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There have been few more thrilling races than the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley last month when eight horses crossed the line with mere fractions between them. The verdict went to Lankan Rupee but we get a chance to see the runner-up Angelic Light in action on Saturday in the $750,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.

That was a fantastic run by Angelic Light who has clashing with the top sprinters all season. The Robbie Griffiths-trained mare will break from barrier five on Saturday and bids to add to her victory in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes. On that occasion she got the verdict over Lankan Rupee and she has been snapping at his heels ever since.

The big danger could be Peter Moody’s Moment Of Change who finished second in this race last year, beaten a nose by Buffering. He was only inches behind Angelic Light in the Manikato and then finished fifth behind Terravista in the Darley Classic.

Godolphin’s Sidestep has been the subject of some good support this week and starts from barrier two. The son of Exceed And Excel was three places behind Moment Of Change in the Darley but has been aimed specifically at this race for some time.

Jim Taylor’s Magnifisio beat a good field to win the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes last time out and had earlier finished fourth in the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes. Her chances have not been helped with a wide barrier draw in eleven.

If there is to be a surprise it could come from the talented Bel Sprinter, winner of the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint. The seven-year-old disappointed last time out at Flemington behind Deep Field but could make them all go if he is in the mood. Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes winner Shining Knight had that race sewn up some way out but this looks a much tougher contest. Testamezzo finished strongly in second that day but will surely be playing for places at best.

Angelic Light is hard to fault on her form or her consistency and she can enjoy Group 1 success on Saturday at the main expense of Moment Of Change.

Angelic Light @3.10 Bet365

Bel Sprinter @14.0 Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3

Railway Stakes Preview

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The $1million Group 1 Railway Stakes is Perth’s richest race and is the highlight of Saturday’s card at Ascot.

The bookmakers make the front-running The Cleaner favourite for Mick Burles as he bids for his first taste of Group 1 success. Steven Arnold has the task of sending him out in front from barrier eight and he certainly has a chance on his fine third in the Emirates Stakes.

His main market rival is the Grant Williams-trained Respondent who has drawn barrier while stable companion Elite Belle is drawn wide in sixteen. The latter finished fourth in the Lee Steere Stakes which has proved a valuable guide to this race in the past. She is one of six runners coming on from that race and must reverse the form with runner-up Fuchsia Bandana and third placed Platinum Rocker. They are drawn in barriers 11 and 9 respectively so it could be close between them once again.

The one that caught my eye in the Lee Steere was fifth-placed Ihtsahym. He was a smart three-year-old, winning the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic and the Group 2 CB Cox Stakes. His form this spring has not been anything special but he has been racing over shorter distances and was not beaten far last time. He goes back up to a mile here and could be the each-way value of the race.

I just favour Elite Belle to come out best of the rest. Four of the last ten winners of the Railway Stakes ran in the Lee Steere Stakes on their previous start and Elite Belle is yet to be beaten over a mile. There has been plenty of interest in 2012 winner Mr Moet who comes here without a prep race. Jockey Paul Harvey has won it three times in the past while Mr Moet has a fine record at Ascot.

Local trainer Adam Durrant believes that he is as fit as he can get him for this race. Alma’s Fury looks to have been dealt a rough hand in barrier 18 following a good run behind Hucklebuck in the Yellowglen Stakes. If The Cleaner goes out quickly, the field may be stretched and that will suit those with stamina. I’m hoping that Ihtsahymn can bounce back to form but will also have an interest in Elite Belle.

Elite Belle @7.00 Sportsbet

Ihtsahymn @17.0 Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Ascot Saturday Preview

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If the forecasts of doom prove correct, the runners at Ascot on Saturday will be strung out like three-mile chasers. The going was officially described as heavy by midweek and more rain is forecast across the UK.

After Friday’s supposed “Future Champions’ Day” at Newmarket where a sharp pin would have had more chance of yielding a profit than a form book, can we expect more of the same on Saturday? There is certainly something wrong with the race planning in trying to promote these racecards as the cream of racing when they are invariably run on soft ground. The decision to move the Champion Stakes from Newmarket was a bad one and the attempt to build a supporting card around it is looking very dubious.

We have previewed the big race separately and expect Cirrus des Aigles to fly the flag for France with Noble Mission most likely to follow him home. If the feature race is struggling to live up to its title, the QE II does at least provide an interesting clash between 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder and his Longchamp conqueror Charm Spirit. It is a measure of the strength of Richard Hannon’s mile division that he has been forced to take out Toronado and Olympic Glory but still saddles the favourite.

Charm Spirit got first run on Night Of Thunder last time but looks the sort to keep pulling out more. I wouldn’t be confident of Hannon’s colt gaining his revenge and will side with Olivier Peslier’s mount. The Fillies & Mares provides Albasharah with the chance to follow up her Newmarket win from last weekend. She has an extra two furlongs to travel here and it may just pay to side with Silk Sari who has bottomless stamina.

The sprint race looks like a good opportunity for G Force to land yet another major prize for David O’Meara. He was unlucky in the Nunthorpe and gained handsome compensation in the Haydock Sprint Trophy. Soft ground should not be a worry and he may have most to fear from Viztoria who was third here last year.

In the opening stayers race I am going to take a chance on Pallasator, if only because he is built like a chaser and should handle the ground. In the closing Balmoral Handicap I have gone through the form and Gabrial’s Kaka looks a cracking bet at a big price. He won the Spring Mile at Newbury and was also a good third at Sandown. He now finds himself more than a stone better off with Velox. He was badly hampered in the Cambridgeshire and the form could easily be turned on its head. It wouldn’t be the first time this week!

Pallasator 1.45 @8-1 Paddy Power

G Force 2.20 @9-2 888Sport

Silk Sari 2.55 @5-1 Bet Victor

Charm Spirit 3.30 @7-2 Skybet

Cirrus des Aigles 4.05 @13-8 Coral

Gabrial’s Kaka 4.45 @33-1 Coral

Champion Stakes Preview

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The Group 1 Champion Stakes is the feature race on Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday with a maximum field of eleven. That number is likely to be reduced further after persistent rained turned the going to heavy by midweek.

The quality of the race is certainly not up to standard following the enforced retirement of Derby winner Australia. Several other leading contenders have also fallen by the wayside and second favourite Free Eagle could join them unless the going improves by Saturday morning. Dermot Weld has already said that his lightly-raced colt will not be risked on heavy ground.

One trainer who is not overly concerned by the weather is Madame Barande-Barbe who has aimed Cirrus Des Aigles at this race for some time. Formerly the top rated racehorse in the world, the eight-year-old won this race in 2011 and has finished runner-up for the past two seasons. He has been first past the post in his last four races, although he was subsequently disqualified at Longchamp for causing interference.

His winning margin of a head over Fractional is not earth-shattering form but it was his first run since beating Flintshire in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in the summer. He pulled up with an injury that day and will surely improve for his comeback race. Last year’s Derby winner Ruler Of The World gained his first win since his classic triumph when winning the Prix Foy under a front-running ride from Frankie Dettori. He was unable to repeat that effort in the Arc when finishing fifth behind Treve and I am not convinced that he really likes deep ground.

Noble Mission has lived under the tag of Frankel’s brother throughout his racing career but has not done too badly himself. He is probably not within 20lbs of his brother but could follow his sibling into the history books in this prestigious race. He has won two Group 1 races this season and was just beaten in a slog last time out. He has been the mainstay of Lady Cecil’s yard in a disappointing season and will put up his usual game display.

Free Eagle has a lot to prove even if he does run and it is very difficult to make a case for anything else. Al Kazeem does not seem to be the force that he was last season while Sheikhzayedroad and Pethers Moon are grand servants to their respective connections but have never looked up to Group 1 class. Cirrus Des Aigles may be in the autumn of his illustrious career but he should still be too good for these.

Cirrus Des Aigles @6-4 Skybet