Tag: Horse Racing Tips

Hennessy Gold Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Hennessy Gold Cup is fast approaching and has attracted several potential Gold Cup horses.

Last year we were celebrating a 14-1 ante-post winning tip with Nicky Henderson’s Triolo D’Alene. His season fell apart a little after that and it will be interesting to see if he makes his seasonal debut here. Henderson is more likely to rely on Hadrian’s Approach who departed early on last year but ended the season winning the Bet365 Gold Cup (formerly the Whitbread) at Sandown.

I had previously thought that his jumping didn’t stand up in big fields but there was nothing wrong with it at the Esher track. On the downside, he is up 7lbs and arrives here without the benefit of a previous run. Philip Hobbs had an unbelievable three days at Cheltenham’s Open meeting and pins his hopes on Fingal Bay.

I’ve always got the greatest respect for horses that can carry big weights in the festival handicaps but he has only ever raced twice over fences. He was a fair second on his debut before running out after continuously jumping to his left at Exeter. He reverted successfully to hurdles last season but this an enormous task for an inexperienced chaser. The same applies to Irish hope Djakadam who fell at the festival on his third start over fences and has not been seen since. Time may show that he is well handicapped here but he hasn’t done enough over fences to justify his current price in a race like this.

Ireland has a poor record in this race but Gordon Elliott’s Don Cossack would be an interesting contender after wins at Punchestown and Down Royal. He only had two to beat in the Grade 2 Powers Irish Whiskey Chase last time but did it well.

Paul Nicholls has won this twice as a jockey and three times as a trainer. He could saddle Rocky Creek and last week’s Cheltenham winner Sam Winner. Rocky Creek finished second last year and is up 5lbs but ran a cracker when runner-up to Road To Riches at Down Royal last time. Nicholls is aiming him at the Grand National in which he finished fifth last year.

Although plenty of horses have won this without a prep race, I usually like confirmation that the horse is fit and well and Many Clouds fits the bill. Oliver Sherwood was bitterly disappointed when he was brought down in the RSA Chase and it would have been interesting to see whether he could have beaten O’Faolains Boy. He reappeared at Carlisle and won impressively with the handicapper raising him 7lbs as a result.

The RSA Chase has been a great guide to the Hennessy Gold Cup in recent seasons and runner-up Smad Place has to be worthy of consideration. Alan King has already declared his intention to go here without a prep race and it would be difficult to ignore his chances if you fancy Many Clouds. He has only had four races over fences but has winning form at Newbury. With doubts about Djakadam and Fingal Bay, I’m going each-way on Many Clouds and Smad Place.

Many Clouds @17-2 Betway

Smad Place @10-1 Ladbrokes, Bet365

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Kempton Thursday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Kempton stages an interesting all-weather card on Thursday and I have been burning the midnight oil to try and find a couple of winners.

The second race on the card is a nursery and looks like a straight match between Chetan and Rialto Magic. Chetan battled well last time out after coming under pressure a long way from home but he has been on the go a long time. I just prefer the claims of Jamie Osborne’s Rialto Magic who will be having only her fourth race.

The daughter of Monsieur Bond ran particularly well here last time when third in the hands of Racheal Kneller and it is interesting that Adam Kirby takes over here.

There are only five runners in the seven furlong nursery which follows but a case can be made for four of them. Top weight Lyfka would probably be on a four-timer but for meeting bad interference at Wolverhampton but Marmalad is weighted to finish in front of him here. I’m going to side with Newbury runner-up Vegas Rebel who receives 10lbs from Lyfka and is more attractively priced.

My first instinct was to go for Solidarity in the 5.30 race after Desert Snow bolted up at Kempton on Wednesday. That horse had Solidarity behind him last time in the same colours of Godolphin. A 6lbs penalty does not look harsh for a comfortable win at Wolverhampton but he may be pushed to beat Double Discount on these terms. That horse stuck on the better of the two the last time they met and they are on exactly the same terms. Double Discount has won easily since and has to be the value bet, if you will forgive the pun!

Finally, I am going for Knight Owl in the 6.40 after an eye-catching run from James Fanshawe’s horse last time out. He finished fast from well behind to take fourth place and that looks the ideal prep for Thursday’s race. George Baker takes over in the saddle from Shane Kelly and few ride this course better. I was reluctant to pass over Andrew Balding’s Geordan Murphy who has won his last two starts at Windsor and he is feared most.

Rialto Magic 4.40 @3-1 Bet365

Vegas Rebel 5.10 @11-4 Skybet

Double Discount 5.40 @9-2 Coral

Knight Owl 6.40 @5-1 Ladbrokes

Kempton Wednesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

All-weather racing fans are in for some saturation coverage on Wednesday with sixteen races across Lingfield and Kempton.

The highlight of the day is the Listed mile race at 6.25 which has attracted a very strong field of 12. The probable favourite is Roger Charlton’s Captain Cat who comes out on top on official ratings after a tremendous season.

He has shown his versatility by winning on the all-weather and on the turf, most notably claiming a Group 3 prize at Haydock in September. He then stepped up to Group 2 company at Newmarket where he was beaten by an in-form Custom Cut. He ended his turf campaign with a respectable fourth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in desperate ground.

William Haggas runs two here in Graphic and Her Majesty The Queen’s Prince’s Trust. I was a great fan of Graphic last season as he worked his way up the handicap but he has found it tougher in a higher class. He is still a rattling good miler but it is difficult to oppose Prince’s Trust after his second easy victory in three races.

The four-year-old son of Invincible Spirit won with a ton in hand at Yarmouth first time out and was backed to win a valuable race at Ascot despite a 12lbs rise in the weights. He proved very disappointing, weakening right out of contention behind Intransigent. He showed that form to be all wrong last time when beating that rival, again appearing to have plenty in hand. Intransigent boosted the form with a win at Lingfield last Saturday but Prince’s Trust needs to improve again to win this.

Tenor is another leading contender here having gone up almost 40lbs in the handicap this year. He won a Listed race at Sandown in September and ran a fine race to finish fifth in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket. Providing that the long season has not taken its toll, he must have each-way claims.

I also like the look of Andrew Balding’s Duretto in the earlier maiden race at 5.25. He ran an eye-catching race on his debut when second to Firmament at Newbury. He was blocked in his run and had to switch to the outside of the winner before finishing strongly. That looked a far better race than he faces tomorrow and he can take this on the way to better things.

Duretto 5.25 Kempton @10-11 Betfair

Prince’s Trust 6.25 Kempton @5-1 William Hill

Doncaster Tuesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The racing this week is a bit of an anti-climax after three days of top quality action from Cheltenham but I’ve picked out a couple of horses from Doncaster on Tuesday.

The first is an unraced novice hurdler called Annalulu who makes her debut for Highclere Racing and new trainer Paul Nicholls at 1.20. She is a daughter of Hurricane Run out of a mare by Loup Solitaire and was a pretty useful performer on the flat in France.

She won on her fourth start in a modest three-runner event over a mile and three-quarters and went on to win a very competitive handicap over the same distance at Deauville in July. She was due to run on Monday at Leicester but was taken out because of the heavy ground and should find conditions more suitable at Town Moor.

They don’t look a great bunch in opposition on Tuesday with Witch From Rome the pick on form after three placed efforts. The Tim Easterby pair were moderate on the flat but Dan Skelton’s Boss Des Mottes could be a threat. He is another French import but he will have to be useful to concede 7lbs to Annalulu.

My second bet of the day is Shadows Lengthen in the handicap chase at 2.50. If you’ve seen footage of this one’s victory at Wetherby last month you will be very tempted by Paddy Power offering 6-1 in their early price list. He is up 8lbs for a seven-length win over Off The Ground, although he could have doubled the winning margin if he’d been ridden out.

That was an impressive performance after a prep run in a handicap hurdle at the same course two weeks’ earlier. Brian Harding took up the running with three to jump and had his rivals in deep trouble from that point on. He was carrying 11st 11lb and only has an extra pound on his back tomorrow.

It’s quite a competitive event with the consistent Violets Bay running for Harry Redknapp and Crazy Jack making his chasing bow after a good run over hurdles. Uriah Heep won on his first start over fences for Alan King while Robbie is another with each-way claims after a good run at Musselburgh. I just liked the way Shadows Lengthen travelled and jumped at Wetherby and expect him to start a lot shorter than 6-1.

Annalulu 1.20 Doncaster @6-5 Betfair

Shadows Lengthen 2.50 Doncaster @6-1 Paddy Power

Cheltenham Saturday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It is Paddy Power Gold Cup day at Cheltenham on Saturday and the going remains soft after a dry opening day.

The big race is due off at 2.30 with Oscar Whisky and Johns Spirit heading the weights. Philip Hobbs was in good form with a double on Friday but Colour Squadron was diverted from this race only to be beaten by his stable companion in the novice chase. Present View won well at the festival in March and had a nice prep race over hurdles, although connections could have done without the nasty scare when he received a cut at the last flight. Fortunately no damage was done and trainer Jamie Snowdon is optimistic that there is more improvement to come.

The card opens at 12.40 with a tricky novices’ handicap. John Ferguson’s Parlour Game was a good winner on Friday and he will be looking to Chesterfield to continue the good work. Like his stable mate, he is a former Godolphin runner. There are plenty of disappointing types in this race so I am going to take a chance on Irish raider Diamond Dame who is certainly in great form at present.

All eyes will be on Kings Palace for his chasing debut in the 1.15. David Pipe’s six-year-old looked like being one of the bankers of the festival meeting but ran at least a stone below his best and eventually fell. He has had plenty of time to get over that experience and is capable of beating his four rivals if anywhere near his early form of last season.

The Murphy’s Group Handicap Chase at 1.50 features several walking wounded including Sam Winner, Cape Tribulation and The Package. Preference is for the latter who has run some great races here over the years and is capable of winning after a lengthy absence.

The Grand National winner Pineau De Re reappears over hurdles in the 3.00 but will be hard pressed to concede 4lbs to Vivaldi Collonges. He looked likely to score here last time out but was just beaten by In The Rough after a protracted dual. They finished well clear of the third and the Nicholls’ horse can go one better here.

Nicky Henderson’s Hargam makes his hurdling debut in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at 3.35 and is expected to run well. He was a high class performer on the level in France but faces a useful sort in Golden Doyen. He was beaten on the nod at Chepstow in a decent race and his experience may just give him the edge.

Diamond Dame 12.40 @14-1 Bet365

Kings Palace 1.15 @6-4 888Sport

The Package 1.50 @8-1 Ladbrokes

Present View 2.30 @13-2 Coral

Vivaldi Collonges 3.00 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Golden Doyen 3.35 @5-2 Paddy Power

Cheltenham Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Open meeting at Cheltenham kicks off on Friday with a typically competitive six-race card. The going is reported to be good to soft so I am hoping that the Cotswolds avoids the torrential rain that has been battering other parts of the UK this week.

I have never been a great fan of the Cross Country Chase but it seems to be surviving the test of time and a few old favourites are back in action tomorrow. The favourite is last year’s winner Balthazar King who has since gone on to finish a courageous second in the Grand National. He won in France in September so will presumably be fit enough to do himself justice and old rival Uncle Junior may now be past his prime at 13. He won’t be any great value but should win with the ground in his favour.

Colour Squadron was pulled out of the Paddy Power Gold Cup to run in the novice chase here and his greater experience could be decisive. There are some very exciting novices in opposition, notably Dell’Arca who won the Greatwood Hurdle last year and ran well in all of the top two-mile handicaps. I am convinced that Colour Squadron would have won last time had he been held up for longer and compensation awaits.

The Amateur Riders race which opens the card looks very tricky but I am just going to side with Dan Skelton’s Mister Grez. He probably needed his recent run to put him straight and Bridget Andrews is good value for her 5lbs claim.

The second race does not look any easier but I just have a sneaking suspicion that Anay Turge has been laid out for this event. The grey won it 12 months ago and was given a gentle introduction last month. Jamie Moore looks a significant booking and he could reward each-way support at a decent price.

It’s nice to see Ruby Walsh back in the UK and he replaces the injured AP McCoy on Jonjo O’Neill’s Champagne Present in the 3.00. The four-year-old looked sure to win at Aintree last time but was beaten in a photo with the front two quickening all the way to the line. Blaklion looks the one to beat after his gutsy win at Chepstow.

I was expecting to see Nicky Henderson’s Cup Final at a good price in the last but he has been installed as favourite. He came up against Irving last season but was slightly disappointing subsequently. He is held in high regard at home so should be tough to beat off a rating of 125. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he wins but Cassells Rock could be the better value. He was runner-up in a £75k race on the level in September and stayed on well over hurdles last time out. This uphill finish looks right up his street.

Mister Grez 1.15 @12-1 Bet Victor

Anay Turge 1.50 @15-1 William Hill

Colour Squadron 2.25 @5-2 Bet Victor

Champagne Present 3.00 @4-1 William Hill

Balthazar King 3.35 @5-4 Totesport

Cassells Rock 4.05 @7-1 Bet365