Tag: California Chrome

Prince Bishop stars on Dubai World Cup night

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

A top quality card on Dubai World Cup night featuring five Group 1 races ended with success for the Maktoum family when Prince Bishop stormed to victory in the main event.

For much of the race it had looked as though California Chrome would add his name to the roll of honour but he had no answer when William Buick produced Prince Bishop on his outside. The winner has been a grand servant to Saeed bin Suroor with eleven victories in a 28-race career but this is by far his biggest success.

It was quite a night for the veterans with Brown Panther winning the Dubai Gold Cup for Tom Dascombe and Sole Power returning to his best in the Al Quoz Sprint. Perhaps the most significant performance of the night came from the French-trained Solow in the Dubai Turf.

The grey stormed clear of last year’s French Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner The Grey Gatsby to win by four lengths. He looks set to be one of the stars of the season on turf. The French were also celebrating after Dolniya won the Dubai Sheema Classic under Christophe Soumillon. She confirmed her superiority over Flintshire from their recent meeting at Chantilly.

The Americans did not return empty-handed with Secret Circle gaining a well-deserved Group 1 success in the Dubai Golden Shaheen under a confident ride from Victor Espinoza. Although the winning margin was only a head, he never really looked like being caught by Super Jockey.

The UAE Derby was won in spectacular style by Mubtaahij for Mike de Kock and the colt will now head for the Kentucky Derby. He travelled easily throughout and gained revenge on his narrow 2000 Guineas conqueror Maftool who was beaten half a mile from home. The winning margin was eight lengths but it could have been doubled had Soumillon wished.

The form may be questionable but Mubtaahij goes to Kentucky with a major chance and is available at 12-1 with UK bookmakers. He will of course come up against the Baffert duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund who currently dominate the market.

Tamarkuz won the opening Godolphin Mile, giving us a tidy 30-1 treble on our Ante-Post update; Tamarkuz (6-4), Mubtaahij (11-4) and Solow (9-4).

Ante-post

Mubtaahij @12-1 Coral (Kentucky Derby)

Dubai World Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It’s Dubai World Cup weekend and the surface has been receiving as much attention as the leading contenders in the big race build-up.

After five years racing on a Tapeta surface, the decision was taken to switch back to a dirt track to attract the top American horses to Meydan. There was not a single American-trained runner in last year’s renewal but the move appears to have paid off with California Chrome set to start favourite.

Sheikh Hamdan has questioned the logic behind making the horse favourite, as no American horse has raced on the new surface as yet. Even though California Chrome has won on a range of dirt surfaces, the Sheikh feels that the surface at Meydan will be a new experience for last year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner.

That has not deterred punters who see only one result on Saturday with Art Sherman’s four-year-old as short as 5-4 having been 4-1 just a couple of weeks ago. The chestnut ought to be in great shape for this after chasing home the smart Shared Belief in the San Antonio Invitational last month. Although his Triple Crown hopes ended in the Belmont, he did run a fine race when third to Bayern and Toast Of New York in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

It’s a shame that the runner-up could not be here to add to the quality of the race but Lea could make a race of it. William Mott trains the six-year-old son of First Samurai who was second in a Grade 1 at Gulfstream Park last month. He was attempting to win the race for a second consecutive year but could not get past Constitution.

Last year’s World Cup winner African Story bounced back to form when winning the Al Maktoum Challenge by a neck from Prince Bishop earlier this month. Last season he comfortably beat Mukhadram by two and three-quarter lengths and would have a chance if back in that kind of form. Prince Bishop renews rivalry but both Godolphin horses are now eight years of age.

There has been support for Japanese raider Epiphaneia, a close fifth to Gentildonna at Nakayama in December. He was going like a winner at the two furlong marker in that mile and a half contest so this drop in trip should improve his chances. He had previously won the Japan Cup impressively by four lengths from Just A Way.

Side Glance seems to have been around forever but Andrew Balding’s gelding is still only eight. He ran some fine races in Australia including finishing only half a length away in fourth in the Cox Plate. He has not got his head in front since winning the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington in 2013.

With the value all taken about the favourite, it may be worth going each-way on Epiphaneia to land the prize for Japan and Christophe Soumillon.

Epiphaneia @8-1 BetVictor

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

Breeders’ Cup Saturday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The star names may be missing but Saturday night at the Breeders’ Cup is always special and drama is virtually guaranteed.

The first realistic European interest is in the Filly & Mare Turf where Sir Michael Stoute’s Dank bids to win the race for the second successive year. She was in irresistible form this time last season but has only managed two moderate outings this term and she makes little appeal at odds of around 9-4. If anyone can get her back to her best it will be Stoute but I prefer to look elsewhere for value. The one that could spring a surprise is the front-running Dayatthespa who could get a soft lead with so many hold-up horses in the field.

Another horse that could go wire-to-wire is Reneesgotzip in the Turf Sprint. The mare was only just beaten by Mizdirection last year in this race and was third behind the same rival in 2012. Her build-up suggests that trainer Peter Miller has only had one race on his mind for the daughter of City Zip.

It’s a bold move by Aidan O’Brien to send over The Great War for the Juvenile Dirt but Todd Pletcher saddles two highly promising colts in Daredevil and Carpe Diem. There aren’t really any form lines to tie the two up so Carpe Diem’s proven ability to handle the surface gives him the nod.

Telescope looks to have everything in his favour in the Turf as he should relish the quicker surface. It has taken some smart animals to lower his colours this season, notably Noble Mission and Taghrooda. Flintshire looks the man threat to Telescope on form after his fine run in the Arc but I am not convinced that he wants it quite as quick as this. The O’Brien team must be disappointed that Magician didn’t make the line-up this year due to injury and I’m siding with his conqueror Hardest Core to upset the Europeans.

Toronado falls into a similar category as Telescope in that he should find things in his favour and has much the best form in the race. He has had a light campaign so should not fail through fitness but his odds are not tempting and I’m going to have a little on The Aga Khan’s Veda. She looked like winning last time but may just have blown up in the closing stages and could have been primed for this race. She was second in the French 1000 Guineas in the spring and is entitled to go well.

The Classic features the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont and yet neither California Chrome nor Tonalist start favourite. That honour goes to Shared Belief who is unbeaten and comfortably beat UK hope Toast Of New York previously. I liked the way Tonalist travelled last time and he makes more appeal at 6-1 in what should be a thrilling finale.

Dayatthespa (Filly & Mare Turf) @9-1 Paddy Power

Reneesgotzip (Turf Sprint) @11-2 Coral

Carpe Diem (Juvenile Dirt) @7-2 Coral

Hardest Core (Turf) @11-1 BetVictor

Veda (Mile) @10-1 Bet365

Tonalist (Classic) @6-1 Coral