Tag: Horse Racing Tips

Chester Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Chester May meeting will always be one of my favourite festivals of the flat racing season. The tight track always provides thrilling racing along with more than its fair share of hard luck stories. This was the venue for Shergar’s stunning victory which set him on course for the Epsom Derby and his place in history. We will be previewing each day’s racing in detail as the classic trials unfold but the feature race of the week is still the Chester Cup.

A maximum of seventeen runners will embark on the two and a quarter mile trip with the usual mixture of seasoned campaigners and up-and-coming stayers. Last year’s finish was dominated by Dr Marwan Koukash with his horse’s finishing first and second. Jamie Spencer was guilty of playing his hand too soon on Angel Gabrial and was cut down close home by Ryan Moore on Suegioo.

Consolation came in the Northumberland Plate for the runner-up and he has been tried in a higher grade since. He is not a particularly big horse and I can’t see him shouldering his big weight successfully this year. He is 15lbs higher in the handicap while Suegioo enjoys a 10lbs pull for three and half lengths from Newcastle. I certainly wouldn’t rule out Marco Botti’s charge after a gentle warm-up race at Ripon.

The one that catches the eye is Quick Jack, trained by Tony Martin in Ireland. He has been favourite for a string of big handicaps on the flat and over jumps over the past 18 months. His trainer has chosen very carefully and has been rewarded with a victory at Galway and two fine placed efforts at Newmarket and Cheltenham.

He was unlucky not to win the Cesarewitch when beaten only three-quarters of a length into third behind Big Easy. Richard Hughes was on board that day and hit the front with a furlong to run. Don’t expect to see him until very late on here and much will depend on whether Hughes can weave his way through the field. There is a lot of rain forecast over the next couple of days and connections will be hoping that some of it falls on the Roodeye.

Mubaraza was favourite last year but failed to quicken in the home straight and finished fourth. Ed Dunlop also runs Trip To Paris who is on a hat-trick under Graham Lee. He stepped up to two miles for the first time at Ripon and beat Gabrial’s King decisively. The runner-up did not get a clear run up the straight but would not have beaten Trip To Paris. If the going stays on the quick side, he could be worth a saver.

Quick Jack 3.10 Chester Wednesday @6-1 Stan James

Newmarket Sunday Preview

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Gleneagles (4-1) and Goldream (5-1) gave us a profit on the first day of the Guineas meeting at Newmarket. It is the fillies turn to take centre stage on Sunday with the 1000 Guineas, the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Dahlia Stakes.

Our regular readers will be hoping that Local Time gives us a good run having been tipped at 40-1 in the ante-post lists. She is a lot shorter than that now and should not mind the quicker ground judged by her action on dirt. The race does not look particularly strong, especially with O’Brien having taken out both Found and Together Forever.

There are a couple of almost impossible handicaps on the card starting with the 1.50. Lungarno Palace did us a favour at the recent Epsom meeting while Watersmeet has looked a much improved performer on the all-weather. Arab Dawn has attracted market support and looks the sort to develop into a decent handicapper this season, although you could make a case for a dozen of these.

Andre Fabre went close in the 2000 Guineas with Territories and sends over Fintry for the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes. It is interesting to see Clive Brittain’s Rizeena kept in training while Bragging looked a progressive filly last season for Sir Michael Stoute.

A sharp pin may be as good as anything in the sprint at 3.00 but I’m going to give Zanetto another try. He has looked very useful on occasions and was tried at Group 1 level by Andrew Balding last summer. I’m a bit worried by the draw after the way the Guineas panned out and Huntsmans Close could be worth a saver on this side of the track.

The Pretty Polly Stakes has produced the last two Oaks winners in Talent and Taghrooda. There certainly does not seem to be anything of that quality entered on Sunday. It isn’t that often that Dermot Weld sends one over so presumably Zannda will handle the quicker surface and could step up on her Leopardstown form.

The closing handicap is another puzzler with Muqtaser representing the Dissolution form from the Craven meeting. The first six home that day could have been covered with a large horse blanket so the form may be suspect. Her Majesty The Queen’s Mustard seemed to hang fire last time out so I’m going for Godolphin’s Global Force. He made all to win his maiden in good style and could be tough to peg back.

Arab Dawn 1.50 @12-1 Ladbrokes

Fintry 2.25 @2-1 Bet365

Huntsmans Close 3.00 @12-1 Bet365

Zanetto 3.00 @16-1 Coral

Local Time 3.40 @40-1* ante-post (now 16-1 generally)

Zannda 4.50 @3-1 Coral

Global Force 5.25 @9-2 Coral

Kentucky Derby Preview

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The Kentucky Derby is probably the most eagerly awaited race of the season in the United States. The first leg of the American Triple Crown could see a new star emerge and it is Bob Baffert who holds the aces with both first and second favourite.

American Pharoah was made hot favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last season only to miss the race through injury. He was an impressive winner of the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes in September and the third horse, Texas Red, went on to take the glory at Santa Anita.

He reappeared at Oaklawn in March and swept to an easy six and a quarter length victory followed by an effortless win in the Arkansas Derby. His stable companion Dortmund is an enormous colt by Big Brown and is unbeaten after six races. He got the better of Firing Line by a head in December and repeated the performance in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes. He made all to win by four and a quarter lengths last time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and it will be interesting to see how he handles this big field.

Todd Pletcher runs three here with Breeders’ Cup runner-up Carpe Diem looking the most likely. He has won both of his races this season impressively, winning the Blue Grass Stakes by three lengths last time out. Stable companion Materiality is unbeaten after three races and showed good form to beat Upstart in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.

Firing Line won the Group 3 Sunland Derby last time out, a thoroughly deserved success after two fine tussles with the mighty Dortmund. He is priced at 12-1 under Gary Stevens while Baffert’s horse is around 7-2 so there could be some each-way value there.

Backing Meydan form here is something of a risk but Mick de Kock’s Mubtaahij could also be worth supporting at decent odds. The son of Dubawi was unlucky to be beaten in the UAE 2000 Guineas but made no mistake last time when bolting clear in the UAE Derby to win by eight lengths. Christophe Soumillon takes the ride on him.

This looks a really competitive renewal and there is bound to be a furious pace. The draw could be a concern for American Pharoah’s supporters but he looks a straight-forward ride and is the one to beat.

Tips

American Pharoah @3-1 Paddy Power

Mubtaahij @12-1 Ladbrokes (each-way)

¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Punchestown Festival – Friday Preview

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There are two Grade 1 races on Friday at Punchestown and Willie Mullins looks set to win them both. He saddles the Cheltenham first and second in the Champion Hurdle and has four entries in the Champion Novice event.

Mullins has dominated the Grade 1 races all week and opposition to his star hurdlers has dried up here. There are only two rivals to Faugheen and Arctic Fire and both look well out of the depth. Faugheen only had a length and a half to spare over his stable companion at Cheltenham but had the race won a long way from the finish.

Ruby Walsh is one of the finest judges of pace in the jockeys’ room and he made sure that the Champion Hurdle did not turn into a crawl. Arctic Fire was held up in the rear and ran on past beaten horses to finish second. That was a fine effort and he looked set to go one better at Aintree when taking a crashing fall at the last flight. Fortunately, both he and Walsh escaped relatively unscathed. Walsh will once again look to dictate matters here with Paul Townend presumably trying to keep closer tabs on the favourite. The outcome will probably be the same as at the festival.

Mullins and Walsh then team up for Nichols Canyon in a much more competitive Champion Novice Hurdle. The former John Gosden inmate is one of four Mullins-trained runners here, although he looks much the best on form.

He was classy enough to finish second in a Group 3 on the flat and his only defeats over hurdles can be excused. He unseated his rider at Leopardstown in December and refused to settle when finishing third at Cheltenham. He was always cantering over his rivals at Aintree before easing to a four and a half length win over Parlour Games. That shows that his Cheltenham form was all wrong and he is the one to beat on Friday.

The pick of his stable companions may be Outlander who was well beaten when runner-up to Shaneshill at Fairyhouse. He had previously finished sixth at Cheltenham and has ground to make up on Nichols Canyon on that evidence. Sempre Medici was a creditable sixth in the County Hurdle before winning Grade 2 at Fairyhouse over two miles. He is unproven over this trip while Alpha Des Obeaux could emerge as the biggest danger.

The Mouse Morris-trained gelding was second to Supreme Hurdle winner Douvan here in January and looked booked for the runner-up spot at Aintree when falling at the last. Thistlecrack went on to win the race and finished a close second here earlier in the week.

Nichols Canyon @10-11 Skybet

Punchestown Festival – Thursday Preview

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Willie Mullins has dominated the Grade 1 races at the Punchestown Festival this week and he will be hoping to continue the trend on Thursday.

He has three runners in the World Series Hurdle at 5.30 led by former Champion hurdler Hurricane Fly. The gelding has been a phenomenon over two miles and has won 26 of his 40 races. At the age of eleven, he battled on to finish third to his stable companion Faugheen at Cheltenham and his appetite for racing seems as strong as ever.

It is a bold move by Mullins to try the eleven-year-old at this three-mile trip for the first time. He has won over two and a half miles but that was way back in 2010 so this really is a step into the unknown.

Last year’s Champion hurdler Jezki relinquished his crown this season but bounced back to win at Aintree. That was over two and a half miles, although he may well have finished second but for the last flight tumble of Arctic Fire. Mark Walsh takes over in the saddle to replace the retired Tony McCoy and the gelding has not always been the easiest horse to settle.

With the market leaders not guaranteed to stay, the value bet could be Tony Martin’s Dedigout. He has won his last three races at Gowran Park, Navan and Fairyhouse and will not be found wanting for stamina. He would certainly appreciate a shower of rain but is worth supporting at the early 7-1 on offer with Paddy Power.

The star of the show on Thursday is undoubtedly Un De Sceaux who was a most impressive winner of the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham. He would still be unbeaten but for a fall at Thurles and he has hardly put a foot wrong since. He had six lengths to spare over God’s Own at Prestbury Park and is already a hot favourite for next season’s Champion Chase.

Official ratings give him upwards of 18lbs in hand of his rivals on Thursday and, given a clear round, he should chalk up another Grade 1 success. The best bet on the card at Redcar has to be Godolphin’s Bow And Arrow who won by a staggering 13 lengths at Thirsk last week. He turns out quickly under a 6lbs penalty and is certain to go up considerably more once he has been re-assessed.

Dedigout 5.30 Punchestown @7-1 Paddy Power

Bow And Arrow 3.25 Redcar @4-5 Betfair

Ascot Wednesday Preview

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There is an excellent card at Ascot on Wednesday with two Group 3 races and a Listed race.

The action starts at 2.25 with a two-year-old Conditions Stakes featuring three first-time-out winners. The one to be on here looks to be Gifted Master for the in-form Hugo Palmer stable. He was an impressive winner on his debut at Newmarket where he had the Brocklesby Stakes winner behind in fourth. He won’t have everything his own way with Mark Johnston’s Buratino and Windsor winner Handytalk in opposition but another win here could book his Royal Ascot ticket.

Montalcino is strongly fancied to win the Retraining Of Racehorses Stakes at 3.00 for Brian Meehan, another stable which has started the season impressively. Level stakes followers of the yard are already fifty points up this season and Montalcino holds an ambitious entry in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot. If she is that good, the others won’t see which way she went but I’m going to take a chance on Pulcinella. The Godolphin filly was second off a modest mark in a Newmarket handicap on her last outing but she is by that good mare Petrushka and can only improve.

The Sagaro Stakes at 3.30 looks a real puzzle, particularly if the ground remains on the fast side. Tac de Boistron is known to prefer softer ground and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him taken out if the rain fails to arrive. Forever Now was very disappointing at Nottingham behind stable companion Deuce Again last time and is surely better than he showed that day. Pallasator should go close here for Sir Mark Prescott but there are a number of improving horses here that are taking a step up from handicap company.

Stomachion and Wakea will both win races but I am siding with Luca Cumani’s Mizzou. He did nothing but improve last year and was only beaten inches on his last start here. Normally I would not back Cumani until later in the summer but he’s already sent out a couple of winners and his horses seem quite well forward. Whatever he does here, he should develop into a decent stayer this season.

The horse which may steal the headlines is Henry Candy’s unbeaten Limato. He oozed class when winning the valuable Redcar Two-year-old Trophy under a confident ride from Graham Lee and could develop into a Group 1 sprinter this season. There are plenty of speedy sorts in opposition in the Pavilion Stakes at 4.05 but I expect Limato to continue where he left off last season and make it five in a row.

Mondialiste ran a cracker in the Lincoln and did not enjoy the smoothest of runs at Newmarket last time. He looks the form choice in the Listed race at 4.35 for David O’Meara.

Gifted Master 2.25 @6-4 Stan James

Pulcinella 3.00 @7-2 Betfair

Mizzou 3.30 @9-1 Boylesports

Limato 4.05 @13-8 Paddy Power

Mondialiste 4.35 @2-1 Bet365