Tag: Horse Racing Tips

French 1000 Guineas Preview

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Ervedya had originally been aimed at the Newmarket 1000 Guineas but the Aga Khan’s filly was re-routed to Longchamp in search of softer ground. The move looks likely to pay off with good to soft conditions prevailing on Sunday as she bids to win the French equivalent for His Highness The Aga Khan.

The daughter of Siyouni has won four of her six starts and was a top class two-year-old.  She won her first three races including a Group 3 at Deauville before finishing third to The Wow Signal in the Group 1 Prix Morny.

She then finished runner-up to Found in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac but connections are convinced that she would have been closer but for her wide draw. She was on the outside of the twelve-runner field and had to be chased up by Christophe Soumillon to get a good position. The effort may have taken its toll in the closing stages as she finished two and a half lengths adrift of the O’Brien filly.

Ironically, she has drawn exactly the same stall on Sunday although she does have two horses on her outside. She made her seasonal debut in very soft ground at Maisons-Laffitte in April where she beat Ameenah by a length and three-quarters. The runner-up is well drawn in stall five so has place claims but it is difficult to see her reversing the form with the favourite.

Andre Fabre is represented by Mexican Gold and Soft Drink. The former looks much the more dangerous of the pair and is a by Medaglia d’Oro out of a Gone West mare. She is unbeaten after two races including a Group 3 at Longchamp and breaks from stall nine.

Sainte Amarante has won her last two starts including a Listed race at Saint-cloud while Fontanelice was seven lengths behind Ervedya in April. She was also behind Mexican Gold when fourth last time out, doing all of her best work in the closing stages. Connections of the favourite would obviously feel happier if she were drawn in a single figure barrier but Soumillon’s experience should hold him in good stead.

The British and Irish challenge has surprisingly evaporated with Irish Rookie and Royal Razalma looking unlikely to feature here.

Ervedya @15-8 William Hill

French 2000 Guineas Preview

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Aidan O’Brien saddled Gleneagles to win the English 2000 Guineas and attempts to add the French equivalent on Sunday at Longchamp with Highland Reel.

Highland Reel was a late switch to Paris having been as short as 8-1 in the ante-post betting at Newmarket. He won his maiden by 12 lengths at Gowran Park to earn a tilt at the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. Joseph O’Brien was in the saddle that day and he beat Tupi convincingly despite pulling hard in the early stages of the race. Ryan Moore takes over on Sunday and looks sure to play a leading role from stall 7.

Stable companion War Envoy would not be out of it if he can reproduce his fine run in the Grand Criterium in October. He was only a length behind Gleneagles that day in fifth place and the race also included Guineas runner-up Territories. However, he has not shown that level of form since and was soundly beaten behind Kool Kompany in a modest looking renewal of the Craven Stakes.

Charles Hills will have been left frustrated after Greenham Stakes winner Muhaarar was drawn in stall 18. He beat subsequent Guineas flop Estidhkaar at Newbury, although third home Ivawood ran creditably to sneak into the frame in the colts’ classic.

Frankie Dettori partners Karar in the colours of Al Shaqab racing, a six lengths maiden winner before finishing second to Territories here last month. That form has been boosted by the winner’s subsequent run at Newmarket and Karar has plenty of scope for improvement.

Andre Fabre is responsible for Territories and he saddles Make Believe and New Bay here. The latter is lightly raced but looks to have been given a tough task from stall 16.  Make Believe is by 2000 Guineas winner Mafki out of a mare by Suave Dancer and ran a sound race on his reappearance in the Prix Djebel.

He travelled comfortably just behind the lead for most of the race and was just beaten on the nod by Ride Like The Wind. That horse disappointed at Newmarket but Make Believe left the clear impression that he would come on a lot for the race. Olivier Peslier is ideally situated in stall four and should be able to get a nice lead before going for home at the furlong pole.

Make Believe @9-2 Betfair

Lingfield Saturday Preview

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The Derby and Oaks trials are coming thick and fast at present and Lingfield is the venue for tomorrow’s classic pointers.

The Derby Trial at 2.55 has attracted just five runners with John Gosden’s Christophermarlowe odds-on favourite. The son of Tapit won the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom by four lengths from Future Empire but that horse was left trailing at Chester this week. He was more workmanlike than scintillating that day and Frankie Dettori is likely to make a long run for home on this long striding colt.

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore won the Chester Vase with Hans Holbein and are represented here by Kilimanjaro, a colt by High Chaparral out of a Dalakhani mare. He looked very ordinary on his first two starts at Gowran but was an easy winner at Dundalk in April. He was fitted with a hood for the first time there and the grey is currently 50-1 for Epsom. Christophermarlowe is well ahead on official ratings and can provide Dettori with another big race winner.

Whatever the fate of Kilimanjaro, O’Brien and Moore will probably collect in the Oaks Trial at 2.20 with Wedding Vow. She has been beaten by smart fillies in her last two races. She failed by half a length to hold Zannda at Leopardstown and was then second to subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo at Gowran Park. She is a beautifully-bred daughter of Galileo and nothing in this field has comparable form.

There are some more classy fillies on show in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at 4.05, a Group 3 race over seven furlongs. Lightning Thunder was runner-up in both the English and Irish Guineas last season for Olly Stevens but was a beaten favourite at Royal Ascot and Haydock. It is hard to explain her poor performances there but a lengthy break may have sweetened her up.

Kiyoshi is very smart on her day and Oisin Murphy rides her for Charles Hills while Al Thakhira is another with top class form in the book. The race will also provide some clues as to where the three-year-olds stand against their elders. New Providence ran a cracking race when just touched off in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket and has Ryan Moore in the saddle on Saturday.

Wedding Vow 2.20 @5-6 Paddy Power

Christophermarlowe 2.55 @4-7 Bet365

Lightning Thunder 4.05 @7-2 Betfair

Ascot Victoria Cup Preview

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The big betting race of the weekend is the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs at 3.45. As usual, it has attracted a huge field with 29 runners spread across the track.

The bookmakers are currently offering 12-1 the field and beating five places each-way, which tells you all that you need to know about the competitive nature of the race. Ed Dunlop has already scooped one major handicap this week with the Chester Cup and saddles Zarwaan here.

The four-year-old was our selection for the Lincoln at Doncaster and he ran a creditable race to finish sixth, unable to quicken in the closing stages behind Gabrial. He had chased home Chatez on soft ground at Haydock last year and was also a close fifth in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot. He may just have needed the race at Doncaster and this drop back to seven furlongs could also see him in a better light.

Richard Hannon saddles Emell, a five-year-old by Medicean and an emphatic winner at Haydock in April. He wore blinkers for the first time when producing a fine turn of foot to beat Professor by three and a quarter lengths. The handicapper put him up 8lbs for that run and he looked unlucky not to follow up at Goodwood. He seemed to be travelling extremely well under Kieran O’Neill but could not find a gap. He eventually flashed home in fifth and races off the same mark here.

Speculative Bid is on a hat-trick for David Elsworth after winning twice at Kempton this spring. He was a very impressive winner over Brave Echo off a mark of 82 before defying a 9lbs rise in April. He beat Outback Traveller by a head and that horse is only 1lb better off on Saturday. That was a fine seasonal debut for Jeremy Noseda’s son of Bushranger and he won by seven lengths here in October. He is now a stone higher in the handicap but has to be a contender.

Russian Realm is an interesting runner here for David O’Meara having previously been trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He won well in soft ground at Goodwood last May but never really went on from there. The change of scenery may bring about some improvement and Richard Hughes is an eye-catching jockey booking.

William Haggas is always to be feared in these big handicaps and he saddles the lightly raced Dream Spirit. He beat Maverick Wave at Newmarket last August but was beaten at the same track next time and was third to Mooharib at Pontefract.

Emell @25-1 Ladbrokes

Dream Spirit @14-1 Ladbrokes

¼ odds, 1,2,3,4,5

Chester Preview – Thursday 7th May

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Rah Rah (2-1) and Not Never (11-1) gave us a profit on the opening day of the Chester May meeting. Quick Jack was just run out of it in the Chester Cup by Trip To Paris, ironically the horse that I had deserted due to the rain softened ground.

Thursday’s card looks equally competitive and the action begins at 2.10 with a mile and a quarter handicap. Andrew Balding’s Collaboration did us a favour when winning the City & Suburban Handicap at Epsom last time and is difficult to oppose, despite a hefty rise in the weights. He was always travelling well that day and was going further clear at the finish.

The Huxley Stakes at 2.40 looks wide open with some progressive horses entered. Cannock Chase may just have needed his first run of the season at Sandown in the Gordon Richards Stakes. Relatively few of Sir Michael Stoute’s horses have proved fit enough to win first time out. He is just preferred to Air Pilot who went through the handicap last season.

Hans Holbein can add another string to the bow of Aidan O’Brien in the Chester Vase as he plans his raiding party for the Epsom Derby next month. He has already shown that stamina is his strength and the opposition here is pretty weak for a Group 3.

Goring may be worth supporting in the seven furlong handicap after winning cosily last time out. He had previously been disqualified after a banned substance was found in his sample. Stoute’s Pleiades was beaten a long way last time and 6-1 or thereabouts looks good value for Eve Johnson Houghton’s runner.

Raj To Riches has just been caught in his first two races and should be suited by this faster track. He can use his early speed to put his rivals under pressure and get off the mark at the third time of asking. The six-furlong handicap which follows looks particularly tricky and I’m going to give another chance to Navigate. Martyn Meade’s colt showed plenty of early speed at Newmarket last time and this looks an easier contest.

The card closes with another very competitive race and the vote just goes to Empress Ali. She has run three times previously at the Roodeye, returning the form figures 2, 2, 1. Tom Tate may well have targeted this meeting for her seasonal reappearance and she is well drawn in stall 4.

Collaboration 2.10 @9-4 Bet365

Cannock Chase 2.40 @15-8 William Hill

Hans Holbein 3.10 @5-2 Racebets

Goring 3.45 @6-1 Bet365

Raj To Riches 4.20 @5-2 Bet365

Navigate 4.55 @9-1 William Hill

Empress Ali 5.25 @7-1 William Hill

Chester Preview – Wednesday 6th May

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Chester races gets under way on Wednesday with a seven-race card starting at 2.10 with the Lily Agnes Stakes. This race usually sets the tone for the rest of the week with the winner invariably coming from a low draw and I fancy Mark Johnston’s Rah Rah to do exactly that.

She is a speedy daughter of Lonhro and I liked the way she strode clear of Anwar at Kempton on her debut. Silver Wings has the inside berth and is likely to make a race of it while Astley Hall did everything wrong on his debut but still managed to win.

The going has eased with the midweek rain and that could benefit Michael Bell’s filly Banzari in the Cheshire Oaks. She was pulled out of the Pretty Polly Stakes on Sunday due to the fast ground and the move could pay off here. I was impressed with Victoria Pollard’s debut win at Newbury for Andrew Balding but they finished in a bit of a heap so she still has something to prove.

We have previewed the Chester Cup separately and expect a big run from Quick Jack under Richard Hughes. The rain has arrived in time so my biggest concern is whether Hughes will be able to navigate his way through this big field. The horse has run well in a County Hurdle and a Cesarewitch so is battle-hardened and just needs a bit of luck in running.

B Fifty Two will be a popular fancy to make all under Frankie Dettori in the sprint at 3.45. I just felt that he didn’t quite do enough last time out to suggest that he was at his peak and prefer the claims of Blithe Spirit. She is a course winner and ran a fine race against Spinatrix at Nottingham.

Sir Isaac Newton is difficult to oppose in the maiden at 4.20 having been edged out by Derby hope Zawraq on his debut. He is still entered in the Derby and a host of other top races so will need to win this if he is in that class.

Robert Cowell has his usual impressive team of sprinters and he saddles Duke Of Firenze and Normal Equilibrium on the 4.55. The former won the Epsom Dash when trained by Sir Michael Stoute but has been largely frustrating since and I’m siding with the proven recent form of Normal Equilibrium. He’s won around here before and has drawn stall one.

The final race of the card is a fascinating mile and a half handicap for three-year-olds. These races are all about potential at this stage of the season and Not Never has bags of that. He battled on gamely to win his maiden for Hugo Palmer and the stable are in excellent form at present.

Rah Rah 2.10 @4.50 Betfair

Banzari 2.40 @9-1 Boylesports

Quick Jack 3.10 @6-1 Stan James

Blithe Spirit 3.45 @5-1 Paddy Power

Sir Isaac Newton 4.20 @2-5 Betfair

Normal Equilibrium 4.55 @11-4 Betfair

Not Never 5.25 @7-1 Bet365