Tag: Horse Racing

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

Clarence House Chase Preview

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The two-mile Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday provides Sire De Grugy with a great opportunity to bag a second Grade 1 this season. Gary Moore’s chestnut won the Tingle Creek at Sandown in good style and has since followed up in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.

His victory in the latter was overshadowed by the unfortunate end to the winning run of Sprinter Sacre who was pulled up with an irregular heartbeat. Fortunately the signs are encouraging that this was an isolated episode and Nicky Henderson’s stable star could well return to action in time for Cheltenham. Of course, should the Lambourn trainer have any concerns about his horse, he will not hesitate to give the festival a miss and start afresh next season.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase must surely be on the agenda for Sire De Grugy with doubts surrounding the odds-on favourite. He was beaten at Cheltenham by Kid Cassidy earlier this season but I’m convinced that his defeat was down to his erratic jumping that day. He ballooned a couple and virtually pulled himself to the front before tiring in the closing stages.

Gary Moore believes that the course does not suit him and that he is a better horse on a flat track. Ascot should not pose any problems on Saturday and his jumping has been much better in his last two races. He had four lengths to spare over Somersby in the Tingle Creek and ought to confirm the form on the same terms. Any ease in the going will be in his favour although Somersby did win here in 2012 and will keep battling to the line.

Oiseau De Nuit finished second at Kempton but was possibly flattered by his proximity with Sire De Grugy going on much earlier than intended. The winner jumped to his left over the last three fences and was probably idling in front. Jamie Moore will be looking to get a good lead into the race on Saturday and deliver his challenge between the final two fences.

Strictly on the ratings, the Irish raiding party of Hidden Cyclone, Days Hotel and Special Tiara have 10lbs and more to find with the favourite. Hidden Cyclone finished in front of some top notch two-milers at Leopardstown last time out but he was previously well beaten in a Cheltenham handicap and needs to improve.

Kid Cassidy ran no race at all in Ireland and seems to reserve his best for Cheltenham. The one horse that concerns me slightly is the novice Fox Appeal. He won very easily at this course last time out from Raya Star although it is possible that the runner-up did not give his true running. Alan King’s horses have been under the weather of late.

Fox Appeal is undoubtedly useful having been slightly unlucky to be caught by Wonderful Charm at Wincanton on his previous start. Trainer Emma Lavelle did us a big favour when pitching the novice Shotgun Paddy against more experienced rivals last weekend and this fellow is no slouch either. Whether he is quite ready to take on Sire De Grugy at levels I’m not sure.

Sire De Grugy at 13-8 888Sport (6-4 Bet365)

Exeter Tuesday Preview

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We had a great weekend with Shotgun Paddy (9-1), Saphir Du Rheu (6-1) and Deputy Dan (11-4) all doing the business. All three look to have a great future, although it was slightly worrying to hear that Deputy Dan had sustained a nasty gash during the race at Warwick. Hopefully he will be fine and can run a big race in one of the novice events at the Cheltenham festival in March.

Shotgun Paddy confirmed his trainer’s belief that he needed a trip to bring out the best in him and the four-mile National Hunt Chase is a likely target for him. The Grand National has been touted as a long-term objective but I’d have thought that can wait for another season. His jumping can be low and flat which is not ideal for Aintree. Given his ability to handle heavy ground, I’d keep him in mind for the Welsh National in December.

The weather continues to play havoc with the fixture list and a soggy Exeter keeps the show on the road on Tuesday. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the stables in and out of form with Cheltenham creeping ever closer and Venetia Williams has her string firing on all cylinders. She won four races in row at Plumpton recently and bagged another double at the Sussex course on Monday.

She and Aidan Coleman also teamed up with a nice priced double at Warwick on Saturday and Dungeness turns out quickly under a 7lbs penalty. He was always travelling well at the front at the weekend and responded well when challenged to finish well on top at the line. Tomorrow’s race is over a further half mile and he must now shoulder top weight.

There are a couple of other horses to note in the race in Catcher Star and Residence And Spa. Both improved enormously last time out, Catcher Star overcoming a last flight blunder to beat subsequent winner Getabuzz and Residence And Spa staying on strongly over three miles at Taunton. Both will be hoping for proper gallop but I’m hoping Dungeness has further improvement in him.

The Veterans Handicap Chase looks like an ideal opportunity for Nick Gifford’s Tullamore Dew to win his first race since 2011. The chestnut was a creditable second in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby last time and comfortably holds Junior on that form. The rest of the field look moderate, although I’m a little wary of the Williams runner Ballyoliver with just 10st 4lb to carry.

Tullamore Dew at 9-2 Coral

Dungeness at 7-2 Bet365

Kempton Saturday Preview

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Top quality National Hunt racing returns to our screens after last week’s modest offering. The highlight of a good Kempton card is the Tolworth Hurdle, a grade 1 event for novice hurdlers over two miles.

David Pipe runs The Liquidator who was an impressive 15-length winner at Cheltenham on his most recent start. At the time that looked a very smart performance, although his task was made considerably easier by some sloppy jumping from his rivals.

Pipe has said that the fact this race has been moved from Sandown could count against The Liquidator who is still a possible for the two and a half mile novice at the festival in March. You would imagine that the tactics would be to make sure there is a decent gallop with this small field and he looks the one to beat at around 5-2.

I am a big fan of Irving who may have been given a race by Prince Siegfried at Ascot last time had John Ferguson’s former Group 3 flat winner not fallen at the last. I am surprised to see him as high as 10-1 in places and he could be the danger.

The information on running and riding plans for the Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle was virtually non-existent this week until the final declarations were made on Friday. This surely cannot be a good way to encourage punters to invest ante-post. Now that we finally know what is and what isn’t running, the one to be on looks like Saphir Du Rheu.

The grey looked as if he had just joined in between the last two flights when winning at Sandown in December. Admittedly he has gone up over a stone as a result but the 5lbs taken off by Harry Derham should help and he is narrowly preferred to Junction Fourteen. Emma Lavelle’s gelding has been hyped up since winning over course and distance but that may not have been as strong a race as that won by Saphir Du Rheu.

Twinlight looks like a chaser with a future and I will be supporting him to beat Captain Chris tomorrow. He had his field well beaten turning for home in a Grade 2 chase at Cork last time out and was allowed to hack home from two out. You can ignore the sticky jumping over those fences as he wasn’t going fast enough to jump them any better!

The Liquidator at 5-2 William Hill

Saphir Du Rheu at 5-1 Bet365

Twinlight at 11-4 BetVictor

Warwick Classic Chase Preview

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The Warwick Classic Chase is a race similar to the Welsh National in that it often requires a real slogger to see out the marathon trip. I remember backing old Moorcroft Boy to win this many moons ago with his limitless stamina and love of heavy ground. He duly obliged and I thought he was going to make me rich in the 1994 Grand National when he jumped into the lead before Dunwoody galvanised Miinnehoma for a final effort.

This week’s race will take place in heavy ground so the same rules apply. Having gone through the runners a couple of times, it is hard to pinpoint one that you could safely call a mud lark. I suppose you would have to consider Boyfromnowhere one of those least likely to be inconvenienced by the going after his gutsy win at Fontwell. My problem with that race was that the form looks extremely moderate and this is an altogether tougher task.

It is always tempting to go with class in this type of event and the one that stands out is Shotgun Paddy. He is only a novice but has been racing against a really good sort in Black Thunder. He would have given him a tough race last time had he not clattered the second last and handed the initiative to the Nicholls runner. I’ve no idea whether he will see out the last three-quarters of a mile if the going continues to deteriorate but it’s worth taking a chance at 7-1.

Willie Mullins has taken out On His Own and relies on Vesper Bell. This one travelled over for the Becher Chase and made a hasty exit at the first fence. If that experience hasn’t knocked his confidence, he is one of those with form in this type of ground and has to be respected but it is effectively his first race of the season.

I cannot see the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup winner Carruthers winning under top weight on his first start of the year whilst Hey Big Spender and Master Overseer are difficult to catch right. I was looking forward to a good campaign for Same Difference this year but he has been lifeless in his first two races. If he were to bounce back to his best he would definitely be in with a shout but I cannot support him until he improves.

I’m also going to put up Any Currency as an each-way alternative after his excellent run at Cheltenham in December. That came in the Cross Country race won by Sire Collonges. He obviously takes a bit of knowing and needs to be kidded along so he is as likely to be pulled up as win. At 20-1 he is worth a small saver.

Shotgun Paddy at 7-1 William Hill

Any Currency (each-way) at 20-1 Boylesports