Tag: Haydock

Haydock Wednesday Preview

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The Derby meeting at Epsom proved a real money-spinner for Betcirca followers with seven winners from nine races covered over the two days. After forecasting four out of five winners on Oaks day, we followed up with wins for Baitha Alga and Cirrus des Aigles plus each-way profits on Kingston Hill and Romsdal in the big race.

There is hardly time to blink before Royal Ascot is upon us but there is an interesting card at Haydock on Wednesday. Lady Cecil does not have strength in depth at her yard but she does have quality and is sending four runners up north tomorrow.

Button Down runs in the opening maiden race and must have claims following her second to Hidden Dream at Salisbury. The winner hardly advertised the form this week but this promising filly by Oasis Dream is still improving and the extra two furlongs should help. The most interesting rival is the seven-year-old Montbazon, a classy hurdler trained by Alan King. He is having his first flat race a little late in life but King always felt he was Champion Hurdle class so it will be fascinating to see how he runs.

Magic Of Reality should go close in the one-mile handicap at 3.40 with only 9st 2lb on her back. The Galileo filly won twice last season at Salisbury over a mile and was second to Zurigha at Kempton on her comeback.

Lady Cecil and Richard Hughes team up again with Morning Watch in the 4.10 race. He was having only his second race when getting off the mark over a mile and a half at Lingfield and he should relish the extra two furlongs. The big threat is likely to come from Ryan Moore on Sandown winner Vent De Force. He beat habitual runner-up Tarabela by two lengths at Sandown over this distance and may still confirm the form despite a 9lbs rise.

Sea Meets Sky completes the Lady Cecil raid in the 4.40 race and this filly by Dansili also looks to have a winning chance. She won on her debut at Ascot last May and has been second on both of her subsequent outings. She should strip fitter for her seasonal reappearance at Doncaster last month and could round off a very successful day for the Warren Place yard.

Button Down 2.10 Haydock

Magic Of Reality 3.40 Haydock at 5-2 Coral

Morning Watch 4.10 Haydock at 7-2 Coral

Sea Meets Sky 4.40 Haydock at 5-2 Bet365

Newmarket Saturday Preview

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Wonderstruck (11-4) kept us in profit on Friday when eclipsing the £2.6 million colt Hydrogen. It will be interesting to see where they go next with Qatar Racing’s record purchase but we are not quite talking Snaafi Dancer just yet!

Tomorrow offers a glut of tricky handicaps and stakes races at Newmarket, York and Haydock. There are some very competitive fields, in total contrast to the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown on Thursday night. I think that must be a contender for the weakest Group 3 race in living memory and it must have been very frustrating for the race planners.

I was surprised by the decision to pull out Remote after Hillstar had already been withdrawn, especially after John Gosden had taken a chance with Kingman last week at the Curragh. He was rewarded there with a classic victory.

Top Tug reminded us just how much Sir Michael Stoute’s horses can improve from their first run of the season and I’m looking to Rye House to do the same tomorrow. He won impressively at York last season but never made it back to the track. He did not get the clearest of runs at York on his return behind Clever Cookie but showed enough to warrant support at Newmarket tomorrow. Soft ground won’t bother him and it is just a matter of whether or not he is good enough to win off a mark of 98.

My other selection for Newmarket is more speculative. I’m taking a chance on Picture Dealer in the sprint, although I do have slight reservations about the ground. He ran a race packed full of promise when finishing in midfield at York first time out and he looks just the sort to bag a nice prize this season. He did win on soft ground at Brighton in 2012 but his most recent victories have come on a faster surface.

York looks fiendishly difficult so I’m going to bypass that meeting and look to Haydock instead. The seven furlong race looks quite a hot contest with the likes of Tawhid and Garswood entered. They are both talented horses who have yet to fulfil their potential. The same cannot be said of Eton Forever who is a real seven-furlong specialist and looks the safest option at around 9-2.

Eton Forever 2.40 Haydock at 9-2 Totesport

Picture Dealer 3.00 Newmarket at 16-1 Totesport, Ladbrokes

Rye House 3.35 Newmarket at 3-1 Paddy Power

Grand National Trial Update

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The scourge of ante-post betting is of course the dreaded non-runner. Monbeg Dude has been scratched from Saturday’s Haydock Grand National Trial because his scope was less than 100%. That’s thrown a spanner in the works but don’t rip up your ticket just yet, the meeting could yet be abandoned. At least we still have 8-1 about Hawkes Point who is now as short as 5-1 in places.

The most interesting development is the booking of Tony McCoy for our old friend Merry King. You may recall that we backed the horse each-way in the Hennessy (5th) and the Welsh National (5th). The old saying about follow them over a cliff springs to mind but it wouldn’t take a lot of improvement to win this.

On his last start he looked well beaten turning for home but then seemed to get his second wind and ran on to be a close third. That was with a first time visor and the jury is still out as to whether or not it helped. He is 4lbs better off with the winner Wychwoods Brook and it would seem daft not to include him each-way at 9-1.

Another old favourite of mine, Burton Port, was taken out along with Scottish National winner Godsmejudge. I would imagine that the likely heavy ground was the reason for both. I’ve seen a couple of speculative tips for Burton Port for the Grand National.

He is certainly well enough handicapped if he returned to the kind of form that enabled him to finish fourth in the Gold Cup. Unfortunately he hasn’t shown the slightest glimmer as yet this season but Donald McCain will do his best to rekindle the flame. I am not tempted in at this stage but he’s one to keep an eye on.

The other big weekend races, weather permitting, are the Ascot Chase and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. I don’t think either will have much of a bearing on the Cheltenham festival, although it will be interesting to see Zarkandar in action against Melodic Rendezvous. Paul Nicholls is aiming Zarkandar at the World Hurdle this season but he’s racing at two miles for his prep.

Captain Chris ought to win the Ascot Chase as he’s meeting lower rated rivals at level weights. Many of those are under a cloud including Riverside Theatre and Medermit. If there is a horse capable of causing a surprise it is probably Rolling Aces. For whatever reason, he folded tamely last time out but had previously won at Down Royal and showed some decent form last year.

Merry King (each-way) at 9-1 Coral

Haydock Grand National Trial Preview

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The weights were announced today for the Aintree Grand National on April 5th. This means that trainers can now stop attempting to pull the wool over the handicapper’s eyes as the die is cast!

The handicapper has decided to be lenient to the 13-year-old Tidal Bay and has reduced his rating to keep him closer to his rivals, albeit with top weight of 11st 10lb. It is not only the weight but also the fact that no horse of his age has won the National for over 90 years.

You cannot criticise his performances this season with a gallant third in the Welsh National under 11st 12lb and a good second to Last Instalment in the Irish Hennessy on Sunday. You could see him finishing third or fourth in the Gold Cup but Paul Nicholls has decided to go for the National and good luck to them.

Saturday’s Grand National Trial at Haydock has attracted several leading National hopes, none more so than Michael Scudamore’s Monbeg Dude. He was beaten a country mile in this last year by Well Refreshed and is 7lbs better off Gary Moore’s gelding. In terms of subsequent form, they have gone in opposite directions. Monbeg Dude won a Grade 3 chase at Cheltenham last time whereas Well Refreshed was pulled up in the Welsh National.

Moore has reported that Well Refreshed returned a sick horse from Chepstow and that his work and tests will decide his participation this week. I really fancied him in the Welsh National but it is difficult to be confident after such a poor run. You would have to side with Monbeg Dude who has 10st 9lb in the National and could be the clear favourite if he wins this.

Venetia Williams could run last year’s runner-up Rigadin De Beauchene and Ffos Las winner Emperor’s Choice. The former has not run for a long time and will surely be found out on this ground while Emperor’s Choice landed a nice gamble last time but this looks a much tougher task.

The big danger to Monbeg Dude looks to be Hawkes Point who ran a great race at Chepstow, just failing to catch Mountainous. The form of the race is difficult to assess but Tidal Bay was just behind him and ran well in Ireland. Nicholls has not enjoyed the best of luck in recent weeks with several of his stable stars beaten but you’d have to consider Hawkes Point a major contender here.

He, along with Merry King and Godsmejudge, are also entered at Ascot but you would imagine Nicholls will go for the stronger trial. Three miles at Ascot may not be sufficient a stamina test for this out-and-out stayer.

Monbeg Dude at 7-1 William Hill

Hawkes Point at 8-1 Boylesports, Unibet, 888Sport

Racing Preview Saturday 18th January

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Ascot and Haydock provide the pick of the action this weekend. I have already previewed the Clarence House Chase and the Peter Marsh Chase but there are plenty of other tempting races to bet on.

A three-mile hurdle is going to take some getting tomorrow and I’m siding with Carole’s Spirit in the 1.50 at Ascot after seeing her battle back at Haydock. She looked beaten two out but just refused to give in and fought back to win well. She absolutely bolted up at Plumpton in similar ground and can upset the favourite Mickie.

I was very impressed with Ptit Zig’s effort when he carried 11st 12lb into second place in the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot. The form hasn’t really been put to the test yet but he should be too good for Melodic Rendezvous in the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls is eager to send him over a fence so he would have to win comfortably to be allowed to run in the Champion. Soft ground is also a pre-requisite and that is not guaranteed in March, even if it does sometimes feel like the rain is never going to stop! I think the 50-1 will be cut in half if he wins well tomorrow so I’ll risk a small each-way bet.

Over at Ascot, I’m going to take a chance on Citizenship in the handicap hurdle for Venetia Williams. The stable continues in fine form and this horse was a very smart hurdler a couple of years ago for the Harrington stable in Ireland. He picked up a £50,000 prize and then ran in the County Hurdle but was never sighted in a muddling race.

He lost his way subsequently but looked in rude health when winning at Exeter and has been diverted here from the Lanzarote Hurdle. I’m slightly concerned that the heavy ground was the reason for his withdrawal but he has a couple of furlongs less to travel here and is worth a bet at 9-1.

Williams and Treadwell could land a big race double as Renard has decent claims in the next. He won well at Chepstow in similar ground and will handle it better than most of these.

Ptit Zig 2.40 Haydock at Evens William Hill

Ptit Zig (Champion Hurdle) at 50-1 each-way Stan James

Carole’s Spirit 1.50 Ascot at 4-1 Bet365

Citizenship 2.25 Ascot at 9-1 Coral

Renard 3.00 Ascot at 5-1 Stan James

*Sire De Grugy 3.35 Ascot 6-4

*Merry King 3.15 Haydock 11-2

*Chance Du Roy 3.15 Haydock 10-1 (each-way)

*Ante-post

Peter Marsh Chase Preview

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Wedding Ring (5-2) and Emirates Flyer (4-1) gave us a very profitable day at Meydan on Thursday. Wedding Ring earned a 25-1 quote for the 1000 Guineas, although I still rate her below stable companion Ihtimal for the fillies’ classic. Perhaps Godolphin mean business this season after the nightmare of 2013.

It’s a far cry from Dubai to Haydock on a saturated Saturday but the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase is our next big race preview. My regular readers will know that I’ve been following Merry King and I’m giving him a third and final chance here. He ran well enough in the Hennessy to finish fifth to Triolo D’Alene, seemingly being outpaced in the home straight after closing up turning for home.

That looked a decent enough trial for the Welsh National but he produced an almost identical performance. He jumped safely and moved on to the heels of the leaders three out but made no further progress, again having to settle for fifth place. Jonjo O’Neill is sticking a first-time visor on him on Saturday, he’s run well at the track before and looks worth another chance at 11-2 or thereabouts.

I’m also going to support Aintree winner Chance Du Roy at 10-1 with Coral. That looks like outstanding each-way value with the Philip Hobbs stable in great form at present. The form of the Becher Chase is nothing to shout about with the veteran Baby Run in second but Mr Moonshine (3rd) did win convincingly at Musselburgh next time.

Vino Griego is top weight, although Joshua Moore takes off a handy 3lbs. He bolted up at Sandown but I’m just not sure how he will run at Haydock. He’s handled Ascot and Cheltenham well enough in the past but can be a bit awkward at his fences and he may not like some of these big black obstacles.

Venetia Williams runs Katenko who is trying to work his way back to form after suffering an injury last season. I felt that everyone got rather carried away by talking about him as a Gold Cup horse and I’d like to have seen more from him when he trailed home behind Unioniste at Aintree.

Vintage Star was just behind Merry King at Chepstow but I’ll be disappointed if the O’Neill horse can’t beat him here whilst Sydney Paget dropped out tamely at Wetherby. It wasn’t a great Rowland Meyrick by any means and perhaps Sydney Paget was flattered by his wide margin win over course and distance previously.

Merry King 11-2 Coral

Chance Du Roy 10-1 Coral