Tag: Leopardstown

Leopardstown Sunday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Dodging Bullets (7-2) was one of five winners for us on Saturday but what a brave run by Sprinter Sacre in second. Post-race reports suggest that he will be able to try to regain his Champion Chaser crown at the Cheltenham Festival, despite bleeding from a nostril. Nicky Henderson will of course be guided by the very best veterinary advice but hopefully we will see a re-match in March.

The pick of Sunday’s action is over the water in Ireland with Boylesports sponsoring a couple of cracking handicaps. The Boylesports Handicap Chase has attracted a field of fifteen but Foxrock stands out after his fine run in the Paddy Power Chase.

Ted Walsh’s gelding was carrying 11st 7lb that day but looked like winning until headed on the run-in by Living Next Door. The winner was receiving nearly a stone so it was a gallant effort by Foxrock who looked like developing into a useful stayer last season. He disappointed slightly at the festival in the National Hunt Chase but his stamina could be the key to Sunday’s race.

Several of the market leaders have form over shorter distances and the heavy ground will make this seem more like an extended three miles. Foxrock finished third in his previous race despite losing both of his front shoes and he could be up to defying a 5lbs rise in the handicap.

The Boylesports Hurdle could go to leading Irish owner JP McManus who won the race last year with Gilgamboa. Finishing well in seventh that day was Henderson’s Snake Eyes and he is back for another tilt at the valuable prize.

The seven-year-old must have had his training problems as will be having only the seventh start on Sunday. He has always shown plenty of potential but has not proved the easiest horse to settle, twice having been turned over a long odds-on. Tony McCoy managed to nurse him home at Sandown last time off a mark of 123 and he must still be a contender off a 5lb higher mark. My main worry with him is that he does not look the easiest ride and has an awkward head carriage.

That just makes me lean towards another McManus runner, Waxies Dargle. He won at Fairyhouse in November for Noel Meade under a typically confident Paul Carberry ride, easing down to a walk in the closing stages. He was entitled to win that day but was value for much more than the two and a half lengths winning margin over Digeanta.

Foxrock 2.20 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Waxies Dargle 2.50 @10-1 Ladbrokes

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

£5 returns £355 on our 70/1 best bet over Christmas

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Fancy 71/1 on a 14/1 horse? Want to potentially win £355 from £5 if this hotly tipped horse wins for us? Sure you do. That’ll pay for Christmas no? That Xbox One you purchased for your son, all paid for!

On Saturday the 27th the main race of the day takes place in Ireland, the Dial-a-bet chase. This is a 2 mile 1 furlong jumps race taking place as Leopardstown at 13:20pm. The horse in question is Bright New Dawn. This horse has been well backed from 20/1 to 14/1 in the last few days and will go off single figures for the big feature race!

The shrewdest of shrewd punters have been tipping him up in the lead up to Christmas, and for a £5 bet to win £355, we’re onboard with this gamble.

How to get £355 back from £5

  • Head to Winner and open an account 
  • Then go here
  • Put £5 on Bright New Dawn, once the bet is placed you’ll receive your £20 free bet
  • Put £20 free bet on Bright New Dawn
  • Cheer on the horse to victory (hopefully!)

 

Boylesports Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

As well as the top class racing at Cheltenham and Doncaster, there is some excellent sport over in Ireland at Leopardstown this weekend. Hurricane Fly is expected to be back in action on Sunday when he will be expected to consolidate his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle market.

Willie Mullins reported a slight scare in midweek with some minor bruising but all seems well for the defending champion. He will clash with Jezki and Our Conor once again and it will be interesting to see if the younger horse can improve on his last effort. He looked a smart winner of the Triumph Hurdle but little has come out of the race of any consequence.

Saturday’s Boylesports Hurdle looks almost impossible to solve but we shall have a go! We had an each-way bet on Flaxen Flare in the Ladbroke and he slogged on into third place. Gordon Elliott’s gelding won the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last season and is probably just too high in the handicap at the moment.

The favourite is Quick Jack who was heavily backed when beating Deep Trouble at Cheltenham in November. He has only gone up 6lbs but he looks a bit short in the betting for me at around 3-1 in a 24-runner handicap. A case can be made for Sea Light and Blood Cotil. Sea Light has won three on the bounce but has gone up 11lbs for his latest win.

Blood Cotil should have landed the odds at Cork last time but fell after previously finishing second to Diakali in France. Willie Mullins and Paul Townend teamed up to win the Thyestes Chase this week and they look set to feature here. Gilgamboa has only had three races and is up 8lbs for his latest win. Experience counts for a lot in a rough and tumble race like this and that puts me off Gilgamboa and the disappointing Snake Eyes.

Sullane Chief won with any amount in hand last time but the handicapper has come down hard with a big hike in the weights. Conor Walsh takes off 7lbs and he could still run well with only 10st 3lb on his back.

The form that I like best for this race is the Leopardstown Christmas Rated Hurdle won by Dysios from Leah Claire. The runner-up is a tough little mare who was placed twice in Listed company on the flat. She ran well at Leopardstown but was just done for toe by Dysios in the run from the last. She is 2lbs better off for two lengths and it is hard to split them. They are both on offer at good each-way prices so they will do for me.

Leah Claire at 20-1 Coral

Dysios at 25-1 Boylesports

Leopardstown Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The King George confirmed Silviniaco Conti as a serious Gold Cup contender with his stamina proving decisive in the closing stages. Credit to Cue Card for running so well until tiring between the last two fences but I have to say that he does not look like a Gold Cup horse. If he was going to win over three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham he would surely have managed three miles around Kempton.

The Christmas Hurdle turned into the predicted duel between The New One and My Tent Or Yours and I was very surprised by Tom Scudamore’s tactics on the runner-up. Twice previously he has accepted the blame for hitting the front too soon and yet here he was setting the pace? Presumably he felt that he could not beat My Tent Or Yours in a six furlong sprint. It was inconclusive as far as the Champion Hurdle goes.

The highlight of Kempton’s card on Friday is the Desert Orchid Chase in which Sprinter Sacre reappears against Tingle Creek winner Sire De Grugy. Almost unbelievably, the race is not televised. Something must be wrong when Channel 4 cannot even screen the best chaser in training? He should extend his winning sequence to eleven but won’t be a betting proposition/

The same cannot be said of Cause Of Causes in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. Tony McCoy teams up with the former winner of Ascot’s Ladbroke Hurdle in preference to three other JP McManus-owned runners.

The Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old was smart over hurdles but has been slow to warm to steeplechasing. He has been beaten in modest company but appeared to be finally getting the hang of it last time out and looks well weighted on 10st 11lb.

He battled on well under Ruby Walsh to finish second to Sraid Padraig at Fairyhouse in November. He will need to improve again to win this but he is a seriously good horse when he hits form and is worth a bet at around 12-1.

Willie Mullins suffered a couple of setbacks on Thursday when the odds-on Analifet and Champagne Fever were both well beaten. He will be hoping for better luck with Moyle Park in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at 1.50. The Tullow Tank and The Game Changer are both useful but it will be a major blow for Mullins if the highly-rated Moyle Park cannot win this.

The best bet on Kempton’s card is Nicky Henderson’s Grandouet who ran a fine race when second to Hinterland at Sandown. Barry Geraghty held him up behind the leaders and was just done for a little toe when Hinterland quickened approaching the last. Grandouet responded well to pressure and was closing him down at the line. A similar performance would be good enough to beat Dodging Bullets.

Grandouet at 10-11 Bet365, Coral

Moyle Park at 7-4 Bet365, Coral

Cause Of Causes at 12-1 Ladbrokes