Tag: Horse Racing Tips

Tara can spark Sandown double for Nicholls

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Sandown warms up for Saturday’s Tingle Creek Chase card with six races on Friday opening at 12.50 with a juvenile hurdle.

The form horse here has to be Baraka De Thaix after his fine third in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham last month. He made a bad mistake at the second last but stuck on gamely up the hill behind Golden Doyen. There aren’t many better four-year-olds on the scene at the moment and David Pipe’s grey should score.

The one I fear most is the Andrew Balding-trained newcomer Storm Force Ten. He was a decent handicapper on the flat, winning a good prize at the Chester May meeting. If he transfers that form to the jumps, he could make up into a decent prospect in the famous Waley-Cohen colours of Long Run.

The Grade 2 Winter Hurdle has attracted only five runners but four of them are unbeaten over hurdles. Nicky Henderson’s Vyta Du Roc is the obvious favourite after winning at Cheltenham last time but I am more taken with Tara Point. The grey is a daughter of Kayf Tara and has not been off the bridle to win her two starts for Paul Nicholls. It won’t be plain sailing with Ordo Ab Chao and Shantou Bob also in the field but Tara Point looks worth a bet at around 3-1.

The Nicholls and Twiston-Davies combination could make a quick return to the winners’ enclosure in the following handicap chase with Black Thunder. He was a promising novice last season and put up an excellent effort when second at Ascot in the United House Handicap Chase. He had the subsequent Hennessy Gold Cup third Merry King behind him that day.

He was beaten fair and square by Corrin Wood at Warwick last season but I am not convinced that he was at his best in the heavy ground. He looked far happier at Ascot last time and can make his fitness count against the McCain horse who is having his first run since the RSA Chase in March.

The final race on the card looks booked for Henderson’s Theinval who escapes a penalty for a win in a Conditional Jockeys’ race at Kempton last time. That was a big improvement on his first run, a common theme with Henderson’s horses this season. The one I fear most is Coup De Grace who ran on well to finish fourth at Cheltenham in a competitive handicap last time. He could be worth an each-way bet at a decent price.

Baraka De Thaix 12.50 @4-7 Betfair

Tara Point 1.55 @3-1 Coral

Black Thunder 2.30 @8-11 Skybet

Theinval 3.30 @9-4 Coral

Coup de Grace @8-1 Coral each-way

Kempton Thursday Preview

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The National Hunt racing is modest on Thursday ahead of the big weekend meetings at Sandown but the all-weather flat action continues at Kempton.

Jockey Luke Morris recently chalked up a career best tally for the year when surpassing last year’s tally of 168 winners. He could not be described as a stylish jockey by any stretch of the imagination but he gets the job done. He must also be a nightmare for the handicapper to read while trying to assess his winners, particularly those late developing three-year-olds of Sir Mark Prescott.

Morris should be on the score sheet again on Thursday on hat-trick seeking Vaguely Spanish in the 6.45 race. The son of Oratorio is trained by Tony Carroll and showed previous little until finishing an unlucky fourth at Brighton in October. He got off the mark at Windsor later the same month when bursting through late off a modest handicap rating of 49.

The handicapper put him up only 3lbs and Luke Morris did the steering on him when following up at Wolverhampton last month. He looked in a tricky position turning for home but responded gamely when pulled out wide and beat Gracefully by half a length. He is only up a further 3lbs here and the opposition looks extremely weak.

In the earlier maiden races I like the look of Richard Fahey’s Star Of The Stage at 5.45. The son of Invincible Spirit has missed the break on both of his starts so far, running on strongly at the finish to take third here last time out.

He races in the colours of Cheveley Park Stud so will be expected to pay his keep. The danger could be Stamp Of Authority who was still going strongly in the lead at the furlong pole over seven here last time out. He faded close home to finish only fifth but this drop in trip should see him go close.

You don’t often see runners in maiden races here that have finished second at Ascot first time but that is the case with Ajmal Ihsaas in the 6.15. Marco Botti is stepping the filly up two furlongs here but she could be a little better than your average maiden winner. Rock Kristal appeared to resent racing in a hood last time for John Gosden and could pose the main threat without the headgear.

Star Of The Stage 5.45 @2-1 Betfair

Ajmal Ihsaas 6.15 @4-5 Betfair

Vaguely Spanish 6.45 @11-8 Paddy Power

Tingle Creek Chase Preview

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Saturday’s Tingle Creek Chase looks wide open in the absence of Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre. Eighteen horses were entered on Monday so the race looks more like a big handicap than a two-mile championship race.

Many Clouds (tipped at 9-1) gave us a nice win last week in the Hennessy for one of the smaller stables in Oliver Sherwood and this week it could be the turn of Trainer Tom George to steal the headlines. He is set to run the rapidly improving God’s Own who has still not convinced everyone that he is a Grade 1 chaser despite wins at Punchestown and Exeter.

Balder Succes beat him fair and square at Kempton in February but could not repeat the performance in Ireland. God’s Own returned at 25-1 that day and was still a very generous 8-1 when the two met again at Exeter last month. The son of Oscar ran out a convincing five-length winner, both horses having made bad mistakes in the home straight.

His jumping is probably my main concern as they are certain to go very quick early on with such a big field. Balder Succes can go quite low at his fences and he is not certain to enjoy the Railway fences either. Never the less, I feel that God’s Own is a better bet at 9-2 than Alan King’s horse at 11-4.

Several of these have alternative engagements over the weekend including Twinlight, one of three entered by Willie Mullins. I don’t think that I could support him after the way he jumped at Kempton last year. Stable companion Ballycasey surely wants a longer trip and Felix Yonger looks held on Punchestown form, although he would probably be the best of the trio.

Oscar Whisky ran a great race to finish a close fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup with 11st 12lb on his back. However, he is a two and a half mile horse who has run his best races at Cheltenham and Aintree over the years. He put up a really laboured performance here last spring, admittedly in heavy ground, but I am not convinced that this race will suit him.

Paul Nicholls does not have a Kauto Star or Master Minded to call upon this year as he seeks a ninth win in the race. You have to treat Hinterland with caution after he was pulled up with a broken blood vessel last time so his best chance has to be Dodging Bullets.

He is starting to become a little frustrating as he didn’t really fire at Cheltenham last year and looked to be travelling well until flattening out on the run-in on his comeback behind Uxizandre. He could have failed through fitness there or maybe he does not really like the Cheltenham hill despite having won there in the past. He jumped perfectly soundly that day and could be worth an each-way bet on Saturday.

God’s Own @9-2 William Hill

Dodging Bullets @10-1 Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Leah-Anne Avery to star at Kempton

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The miserable weather in the UK has resulted in a very poor turnout at Newbury on Thursday so I am switching my attention to the all-weather at Kempton Park.

The action gets under way at 3.55 with eight races to keep the flat racing fans happy. All eyes will be on apprentice jockey Leah-Anne Avery at 4.55 as she bids to complete a hat-trick aboard Cadmium. She is apprenticed to Harry Dunlop and has impressed many with her neat riding style on the three-year-old.

Cadmium has improved dramatically since the Autumn and looked as though she won with a bit in hand last time when accounting for Silvee by a length and three-quarters. Her rider always had her handily placed just off the lead and nipped up the inside before repelling all challengers. The handicapper has put her up 4lbs but Avery is able to claim her 7lbs allowance here and has a great chance of completing the hat-trick.

John Gosden seems to have plenty of ammunition for the winter months and Colour Party should follow up her recent Wolverhampton victory in the featured nursery at 6.25. She had previously finished second in a big field at Newmarket and has more scope than any of her rivals. The danger is probably Richard Fahey’s Zaza Zest who romped home by eight lengths on her first attempt at seven furlongs last time.

Spring Fling could be ahead of the handicapper in the last if she can overcome a wide draw. If she were able to reproduce her Salisbury form from May against Lightning Moon she would win this by a street. She got to within a quarter of a length of Ed Walker’s colt who went on to win a Group 3 at Ascot in October. He is officially rated 98 while Spring Fling gets in here off a mark of 80.

Ralph Beckett knows how to train a filly and has two Epsom Oaks winners to his credit. He sends out a couple of interesting runners on Thursday in Engaging Smile (5.25) and Redstart (5.55). Engaging Smile ran on well into fourth on her debut and would have finished second with a clearer run up the straight. She has most to fear from Gosden’s Rastanora while Redstart was narrowly beaten at Leicester on her debut.

Michael Bell’s Niblawi should go well in the 4.25 after shaping nicely on his debut here last week. He was narrowly beaten by Miss Underwood but this looks an ideal opportunity to get off the mark.

Niblawi 4.25 @23-20 Betfair

Cadmium 4.55 @11-4 Betfair

Engaging Smile 5.25 @6-5 Betdaq

Redstart 5.55 @9-5 Betfair

Colour Party 6.25 @2-1 Bet365

Spring Fling 6.55 @3-1 Coral

 

Haydock Saturday Preview

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The Betfair Chase at Haydock is the highlight of Saturday’s National Hunt action. Last year it was won by Cue Card who defeated Dynaste and Silviniaco Conti. All three are back again this year via very different routes.

Cue Card looked like winning the King George before being outstayed by Silviniaco Conti. Dynaste ran poorly but returned to win the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham festival. The picture is further confused by the recent Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in which Menorah beat Taquin Du Seuil with Silviniaco Conti fading into fifth place. I am just going to side with David Pipe’s Dynaste who clearly wasn’t right at Kempton last year and could yet make a Gold Cup horse.

The New One should not have much difficulty in winning the 1.50 and taking another step towards the Champion Hurdle. I was impressed with Aurore D’Estruval at Wetherby and she could run well for John Quinn but it will be a major shock if anything can trouble the favourite.

The Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle has attracted a really strong field headed by Volnay De Thaix. Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old carries 12 stone including a 5lbs penalty for his recent win at Huntingdon. He absolutely bolted up that day and is going to be difficult to beat.

Katkeau also carries a penalty for beating Big Easy at Cheltenham. The runner-up looked like providing yet another winner for the in-form Philip Hobbs stable and should run another big race here. I also have a sneaking fancy for the Irish horse Dara Tango who recently won on the flat at Catterick. He was awarded the race after being hampered close home by Jolie Blonde and that should have put him spot on for his return to hurdling.

The 1.15 is an equally competitive race with Morito Du Berlais going for a hat-trick for Paul Nicholls. He was always travelling comfortably behind the leaders that day and did well to quicken up after a sticky jump at the final flight.

The big danger here is the Evan Williams-trained On Tour. It isn’t often you see the jockey taking a pull at the last in a two and a half mile handicap hurdle but Paul Moloney had to fight to hold on to On Tour at Stratford. He needed to shake him up when challenged on his outside by Go West Young Man. The handicapper has put him up 9lbs but that may not be enough to stop him.

On Tour 1.15 @5-1 Coral

Volnay De Thaix 2.25 @9-2 Stan James

Dara Tango 2.25 @14-1 Bet Victor (each-way)

Dynaste 3.00 @9-2 Paddy Power

Ballarat Cup Preview

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The $200,000 Ballarat Cup is the last black-type race of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival 2014.

Bookmakers have chalked up Robert Smerdon’s Spinderbella as the favourite following her victory at Moonee Valley last time out under Glen Boss. The five-year-old mare is by Spinning World and is unbeaten at Ballarat after two previous victories. Connections will have been delighted with the draw in barrier three and Chad Schofield takes over the reins on Saturday.

Smerdon had originally intended running Spinderbella in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington but swerved that race due to the fast ground. He won this race in 1996 with McGuane and will also saddle Electric Fusion (drawn 17).

My idea of the winner is Dan O’Sullivan’s Tuscan Fire despite having to carry joint top weight of 60kg. The eight-year-old will have the assistance of champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy and will pop out from barrier one. He was a good fourth over a shorter trip Melbourne Cup Day and that should have put him spot on for this race.

Chris Waller saddles four-year-old Vilanova (drawn 2) while the first two home in the Ararat Cup, Mujadale and At First Sight, will clash again. Mujadale has much the better of the draw here and it would be no surprise to see the form confirmed.

The colours of OTI Racing have been prominent in recent weeks with the successes of Au Revoir and Renew. They are pinning their hopes of Count Of Limonade here, although trainer Mick Price has issued a warning that he will not run on fast ground. He was pulled out of the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Sandown last Saturday with a high temperature but the Moe Cup winner is reported to be back in excellent health. He finished fifth in the Bendigo Cup with Price insisting that he would have fared better on easier ground.

The tough mare Waltzing To Win could sneak into the frame with her low weight but I am siding with McEvoy to steer home Tuscan Fire with Mujadale good value for a place at around 10-1. T

Tuscan Fire @7.0 Sportsbet*

Mujadale @11.0 Sportsbet

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

* If your horse finishes runner-up in the Ballarat Cup, Sportsbet will refund your stake as a free bet up to a maximum $100.