Tag: Newbury

Long Distance Hurdle Preview

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The Hennessy Gold Cup is the feature race at Newbury on Saturday but the supporting card includes the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle featuring the reappearance of At Fisher’s Cross. The gelding started last season with a handicap mark of 122 and was rated 30lbs higher after a run of six consecutive victories.

It was a superb piece of training by Rebecca Curtis, taking in Cheltenham and Liverpool along the way. The six-year-old is regarded as the heir apparent to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle in March and this race will probably determine whether or not that remains his prime objective. With Tony McCoy riding at Newcastle, Barry Geraghty has been booked for the ride on an important weekend for owner JP McManus.

The famous green and yellow colours will also be in evidence with Champion Hurdle hopes Jezki and My Tent Or Yours. At Fisher’s Cross is ideally suited by a bit of give in the ground and the forecast is for soft going on Saturday. The bookmakers aren’t taking any chances by making him favourite at around even money but he looks the obvious form choice.

Reve de Sivola was second in this last year and went on to win at Cheltenham and Ascot before a creditable effort in the World Hurdle. He showed his usual battling qualities when springing a 36-1 surprise in a Grade 1 event in France at the start of this month. He is actually rated 5lbs higher than the favourite and will be a tough nut to crack with fitness on his side.

Celestial Halo put up a brave display to finish second at the festival and may even have won but for a last flight blunder. He has also picked up some prize money in France but this will be his first run since June.

I must confess to having a soft spot for Medinas having been on at huge odds when he won the Coral Hurdle. He is not very big but has the heart of a lion and showed that he is still improving when second to Tidal Bay at Wetherby. Another horse worthy of respect is Salubrious who was just collared at the Cheltenham Open meeting. That was his first run at an extreme distance and he clearly stays well.

At Fisher’s Cross 10-11 Bet365

Hennessy Gold Cup 2013 Preview

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Last weekend’s Betfair Chase did not quite go to plan with Cue Card holding off Dynaste and Silviniaco Conti. All credit to anyone who kept faith in Cue Card but I just could not see him keeping up the gallop over the three mile and one furlong trip. His only previous effort had ended with a leg-weary fifth in the King George but the going was very testing that day.

It could be argued that he had improved for his seasonal debut when a disappointing third behind Somersby at Exeter. I noted Kumbeshwar running on to finish under a length down on Cue Card that day but he ran like a hairy goat in the Paddy Power Gold Cup! I can only assume that Cue Card improved a stone between Exeter and Haydock.

As far as the Cheltenham Gold Cup goes, I’d still back the second and third to beat Cue Card. Both will be entitled to improve a few pounds and won’t be unduly concerned if the going turns soft. In the more immediate future, the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday has attracted 23 runners at the five-day stage.

The weights are set to rise by about a stone following the withdrawal of Tidal Bay. The Hennessy has become something of a Gold Cup trial in recent seasons but it is hard to imagine there being too many clues this year. The top weight Cape Tribulation is rated 22lbs inferior to Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth so it is going to take a spectacular performance to earn a quote for the festival’s biggest prize.

There are some promising second season chasers here, notably Invictus who is bidding to overcome an absence of almost 20 months. I’m surprised to see him at the head of the market, even if he did count Bobs Worth among his victims in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot. It will be hats off to Alan King if he can get him fit enough to win this first time out.

Rocky Creek has also been well supported but I’ve been slightly disappointed with some of the Nicholls horses this season. He has acknowledged that they are needing a run to put them straight and Rocky Creek has always been workmanlike rather than spectacular. I much prefer the claims of Hadrian’s Approach who almost upset Unioniste here last season.

He recovered from a bad mistake to finish with a flourish that day, suggesting that a big prize would come his way before too long. He has continued to throw in the odd costly mistake and did so again at Kempton on his return. The bare form of that run is nothing to get excited about but it should have put him spot on. I remember a horse called Arctic Call winning this and he was prone to the odd blunder. More often than not, you can get away with them at Newbury and he looks a decent bet at 11-1.

After David Pipe’s recent successes, I’m respectful of the grey Our Father who seems to run his best races when fresh. It may be a shrewd move by Pipe to go straight for a big prize with this one. Jonjo O’Neill is never one to disclose his plans but it seems that Merry King has been aimed at this race. He ran well at Ascot when second to Houblon Des Obeaux and has a big pull in the weights. So too does the third horse Triolo D’Alene, the second string of Nicky Henderson. He looks far too big at 25-1 2ith Betfair.

Hadrian’s Approach 11-1 888Sport

Triolo D’Alene 25-1 Betfair

Horse Racing Preview 25th October

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The curtain may be coming down on the flat turf season but there are still some good quality cards on offer this weekend at Doncaster and Newbury. Although the going will be on the slow side, both courses are flat galloping tracks with very few hard luck stories for beaten horses.

I recently tipped Richard Hannon’s Tea In Transvaal despite the fact that she was still a maiden after four attempts and she bolted up by six lengths. The same colours are carried tomorrow by Bon Voyage who has been beaten in all four starts to date and I am anticipating a similar result. The stable have always held this colt in high regard and he has been battling away well in valuable sales races. He will find Friday’s company a lot easier to deal with and should represent value at odds of around even money.

Betting in handicaps at this time of year is a risky business but there are some tempting propositions at both flat meetings. The Artsign Handicap at 4.20 features three progressive types in Zain Eagle, Ajman Bridge and Squire Osbaldeston. Zain Eagle cruised home at Doncaster before flopping at Chester under a big weight whilst Ajman Bridge was slightly disappointing at Newmarket last time out. Preference is for Squire Osbaldeston who won comfortably at Lingfield and has the scope to make a group horse next season. I don’t expect the 4-1 with Ladbrokes to last too long.

My bet of the day at Newbury is John Gosden’s sprinter Blessington who put up a promising seasonal debut when second to Intibaah at Ascot. He was racing off a light weight that day but beat off some seasoned campaigners and must have every chance of going one better on Friday. William Buick is in the saddle and he should pick up this prize on the way to better things next season.

It promises to be an exciting weekend with The Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and The Cox Plate in Australia.

(Doncaster) 2.40 Bon Voyage

(Doncaster) 4.20 Squire Osbaldeston 4-1 Ladbrokes

(Newbury) 5.10 Blessington 5-4 Coral

Horse Racing Preview Saturday 21st September

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Having wisely resisted the temptation to get involved in the first two days of the Ayr Western meeting, Saturday’s card provides some top quality racing. There are also excellent betting opportunities at Newbury and Newmarket on what promises to be a very entertaining weekend.

The first horse that I want to be on at Ayr is the two-year-old Braidley in the opening nursery. He won so easily at Doncaster that even a hefty 10lbs rise doesn’t put me off. You wouldn’t want to take too short a price but I’m happy with the opening 4-1.

The Firth Of Clyde Stakes brings together Valonia and Coral Mist, first and second at Goodwood last month. That was Coral Mist’s first outing and she showed the benefit of the experience when winning impressively next time. Qatar Racing have moved in to purchase Valonia and are hoping that she can prove good enough to justify an entry in the Rockfel Stakes. Remember You is the form horse if Great White Eagle is as good as his Guineas price says but I’m siding with Coral Mist at 7-1.

I haven’t dabbled in the ante-post market for the Ayr Gold Cup. Over 200 entries was just too mind-blowing even for me! I’m inclined to stick with Richard Fahey’s Baccarat after the way he mowed down Spinatrix at Ripon. His trainer has admitted that he has a slight concern over the soft ground but he’s one of the few runners with pretentions of class and looks a reasonable bet at 12-1.

Fahey is also confident of a bold run from Supplicant in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Richard Hannon’s Shamshon is the obvious threat if he sees out the extra furlong but an each-way bet on Supplicant surely can’t be far off the mark at 5-1 or thereabouts. The Arc Trial may be rather grandly named but there are some decent types turning out including Godolphin’s Kassiano. He won with any amount in hand at Newmarket last time and looks to have his idea trip. I have a healthy respect for Gifted Girl but she is unproven beyond a mile whilst Camborne probably needs further.

According to the official handicapper, Jallota and Wedding Ring should bolt up in their respective £100,000 sales races. They each have upwards of 12lbs in hand on their rivals. Things don’t always work out that way but Wedding Ring is not that far behind Ihtimal whilst Jallota ran in one of the best two-year-old races in Europe when fourth to No Nay Never.

I’m also keen on the beautifully bred Casual Smile in the opener. I thought she would win at Ascot last time but she seemed to get involved in a set-to with a rival when launching her run on the outside and never quite got there. Finally, look out for Yeager in the last. His run in Arlington was brought to an abrupt end when he clipped the heels of a rival but he looked a fast improving sort when winning for us at 20-1 at Ascot. A good run on Saturday will put him in contention for the Cambridgeshire.

Ayr

1.30 Braidley 4-1 William Hill

3.15 Coral Mist 7-1 William Hill

3.50 Baccarat 12-1 888Sport

Newbury

1.50 Kassiano 13-8 William Hill

2.20 Supplicant 5-1 Coral

Newmarket

1.55 Casual Smile 13-8 Betfair

2.30 Wedding Ring 6-4 Bet365

3.05 Jallota 6-4 Paddy Power

5.55 Yeager 6-1 William Hill

Newbury Friday 20th September Preview

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Mount Logan (5-4) got us back on the winning track yesterday at Yarmouth and looks like a decent colt in the making. Newbury and Ayr take centre stage on Friday and I’m keen on the chances of Richard Hannon’s Pupil in the one-mile Haynes, Hanson & Clark Stakes.

Those with long memories will recall that this is the race that saw the arrival of Shergar and Lammtarra on the racing scene, though I seriously doubt that there is anything of that class on show this season.

Pupil is a son of Mastercraftsman out of the speedy Blue Iris but stamina rather than speed seems to be his strong suit. Evidently he was well regarded at home before he made his debut at Newbury because he went off 7-2 favourite in a field of 12. There must have been some long faces after the race as he failed to pick up at all for Richard Hughes and beat only two home.

Whatever the reason for his disappointing debut, he looked a different proposition when stepped up to a mile at Doncaster on good to soft going. Once again, Hughes was able to settle him in rear but this time he made smooth progress with over two furlongs to travel. Mark Johnston’s Double Bluff took him into the race nicely and Hughes briefly had to get serious with Pupil to go in pursuit. In the final 100 yards he was well on top and powered clear to win by a length and a half.

None of the placed horses have reappeared to date so it is difficult to evaluate the form but Pupil looks sure to run well on Friday. Godolphin’s Pinzolo has won his only start at Newmarket but it looked a lot harder work than Pupil’s victory. It has to be said that he was going on strongly at the end so is another that should see out the mile well at Newbury.

Red Galileo has finished second on both of his outings, chasing home another Godolphin horse in Golden Town at York last month. He may have been slightly flattered to finish within a length and a half of the winner who wandered around in the closing stages. What About Carlo had Castle Combe behind him when winning at Goodwood but the latter could improve for the experience.

Pupil 3.40 Newbury 5-1 Bet Victor, William Hill

Newbury Saturday 17th August Preview

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The Group 2 Hungerford Stakes has attracted only five runners which is a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps there are just too many Group races at a mile at this time of the season? Last weekend we were treated to an exciting clash of the generations when Moonlight Cloud just got the better of Olympic Glory and Intello but this is certainly not in that league.

Soft Falling Rain comes here unbeaten and with a big reputation after reeling off a hat-trick of wins in Dubai in the spring. If he is rusty at all then he may struggle to cope with a rejuvenated Caspar Netscher who was a shade unlucky to be run out of it in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood. If the favourite is as good as they say he is, then he should win this but there isn’t any great value at around 6-4 and it might be worth taking some of the 7-2 about Caspar.

Newbury maidens are always worth watching and Richard Hannon’s Tea In Transvaal looked like a ready-made future winner when finishing fourth on her debut at Ascot last month. A couple of fillies have come out of the race and run well and her experience should be enough to get favourite-backers off to a good start tomorrow.

The Geoffrey Freer Stakes has been a bit sub-standard in recent years but has attracted a decent field tomorrow. Regular readers of this column will know that I’d follow Lost In The Moment over a cliff quite happily and there was little wrong with his effort behind Forgotten Voice at Goodwood. Aiken must be a threat as Gosden’s horses are winning all over the place at present and I’d fancy Biographer if the heavens opened.

The French raider I’m Your Man looked a little unlucky not to beat Lost In The Moment at Newmarket but it is worth considering that the winner was virtually brought to a halt in a sandwich as well as smacked over the head with a whip before renewing his effort. I cannot really desert him can I?

Glen Moss ran a cracker at Ascot behind Galician last time and the booking of Johnny Murtagh can help him secure a well-deserved victory at Newbury tomorrow. It’s anybody’s guess whether stall one will prove to be good or bad but he should give a bold run.

Finally, Mr Gosden’s Thomas Hobson won easily last time and should follow up in the handicap later in the card. I’d be surprised if he returned as high as 9-4.

Tea In Transvaal 7-3 Betfair

Caspar Netscher 7-2 Stan James

Lost In The Moment 11-2 William Hill

Glen Moss 11-2 Bet Victor

Thomas Hobson 9-4 Bet Victor