Tag: Telescope

Sandown Friday Preview

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The Gordon Richards Stakes card at Sandown has been given something of a revamp and has attracted a fine quality card for Channel 4 viewers on Friday.

The star of the show is Telescope who reappears in the feature event for Sir Michael Stoute. Last season he was hyped out of all proportion before and after the Derby but proved himself a quality colt when winning the Great Voltigeur at York.

The original plan had been the Epsom Derby but a rushed preparation failed to get him ready in time. He then won at Leicester by 24 lengths before failing at odds-on at Haydock. Stoute felt that his critics were hard on him at the time and must have revelled in his York victory. Whether he can be another Harbinger is open to question but I’d be disappointed if he cannot win this.

There is a cracking field in the Bet365 Mile and I cannot split Garswood, Montiridge and Top Notch Tonto. The latter’s prospects will increase if the rain keeps falling while Garswood is yet to fulfil his true potential. Richard Fahey couldn’t seem to settle on his best trip last season and this is his first tilt at a mile since the 2000 Guineas.

Montiridge travels so easily in his races but does not always find a lot in the closing stages. You just can’t help but love Top Notch Tonto with his white legs! It is like watching one of those old westerns when he comes galloping through. I’m going to pass on this one but all three will win races this season.

Gosden and Buick are continuing on their merry way and I expect Western Hymn to boost his Derby prospects with a win in the Classic Trial. I like Newbury as a track for spotting future winners and there was plenty to like about the way he knuckled down to win there last time. Truth Or Dare and Sir Jack Layden have the best form in the book but both are well exposed. I’d be more worried about Red Galileo stepping up on last year’s form but Western Hymn should give us a nice double with Telescope.

Channel 4 are also showing the Esher Cup at 1.40 and there are a couple of horses for your notebook here too. Sacred Act and End Of Line both hold Group 1 entries and the market will be a good guide to their respective chances.

Telescope at 11-10 Paddy Power

Western Hymn at 4-6 Bet365

Shergar Cup Preview

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The Shergar Cup is now in its 13th year and has been through several different formats without really meeting with the full approval of the racing connoisseur. I remember the novelty of the original north v south challenge, flat jockeys v jump jockeys etc. but, at the end of the day, it’s still just another race meeting.

This year could be slightly different in that there is a Girls team led by a genuine talent in Rosie Napravnik. She could make the biggest impact on our racing scene since Julie Krone over 20 years ago. Napravnik is unquestionably one of the top ten riders in America and has a Kentucky Oaks and a Breeders’ Cup victory under her belt. Unfortunately Hayley Turner is out injured but Cathy Gannon will make an able deputy and the New Zealander Lisa Allpress is no mug either.

In case you are in any doubt about this girl, she has ridden 177 winners so far this season and is the first female in the top 10 in the states since Krone. She became the first girl to ride in all three legs of the Triple Crown in the same season earlier this year. Of course, she can only be as good as the horses she rides at Ascot but the bookies rate the girls as short as 5-2 to win the competition outright.

She looks to have a favourites chance in the last on Noble Deed and no more than a squeak on her other four mounts but I think she is worth a flutter at 8-1. I also think that her compatriot Gary Stevens is overpriced at 12-1, given all his experience over here. In terms of the competition outright, I don’t think the girls will quite pull it off but the Rest Of The World team could be a fair bet at 7-2.

There’s some cracking racing at Haydock tomorrow and Ryan Moore could have a field day. He partners runaway Goodwood winner Ascription in the opener before three promising rides for Sir Michael Stoute. No doubt he would settle for one winner on Telescope but he also has great chances on Labarinto and Ultrasonic.

If he bangs home the first four winners it would be foolish not go support him through the card, just in case he does a Dettori! Doubles and upwards could have us dreaming of a big payout if Moore can get off to a flying start.

ROTW to win Shergar Cup 7-2 Coral
Julie Napravnik 8-1 Top jockey
Gary Stevens 12-1 Top jockey

Ascription 11-4 Paddy Power
Labarinto 8-1 Bet Victor
Telescope 4-6 Coral
Ultrasonic 9-4 William Hill
Mahlah 3-1 Stan James
Rich Again 7-1 William Hill
Renew 15-2 Bet Victor

York Dante Meeting Day 2 Preview

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Nocturn’s narrow defeat on the opening day was a bit of a sickener. Everything went to plan until the last 50 yards when Mass Rally appeared fast and late on the opposite side to foil the gamble. Having worked out that his tendency to hang left would be negated by his low draw I was feeling quite pleased with myself as he looked set to complete his hat-trick. Hopefully there will be other days for this promising sprinter.

I was also left wondering what might have been after the Duke of York Stakes when Hawkeyethenoo was a fast finishing fourth, the fate of all good each-way bets. Jockey Graham Lee has looked a natural since switching to the flat from jumps but this was not one of his better-judged races. He passed up a couple of opportunities to switch his mount into the clear on the outside in favour of taking the more congested inside route. By the time he got a clear run it was too late.

Day two features the Dante Stakes and the latest raid by team O’Brien on the Derby trials. The Chester Vase and Dee Stakes looked particularly weak affairs whilst the Lingfield Derby trial was reduced to a virtual walkover for Nevis following the defection of Greatwood. O’Brien saddles Indian Chief here, an easy winner of his maiden last time out and currently available at 20-1 for Epsom. The stable also has Mars and Battle Of Marengo to consider. The Derby is in danger of becoming a straight fight between Dawn Approach and Team O’Brien unless the Dante can throw up a rival contender.

Sir Michael Stoute withdrew Telescope from the race with a minor infection and it now seems that the colt will have to go straight to Epsom. He runs in the same colours of Greatwood who could prove an able deputy on Thursday after a highly promising run at Newmarket. He was finishing best of all behind Windhoek that day and shaped as though a mile and a half would suit him even better. Soft ground was put forward as the reason for his absence at Lingfield but I am slightly concerned that he may already find this mile and a quarter a little sharp. Luca Cumani knows how to train a Derby winner and I think this likeable colt could enter the picture tomorrow. William Hill offer 5-1 for the Dante and 25-1 for the Derby so I shall take a little of both and hope that he puts in a bold showing.

The Hambleton Handicap has always been one of the best mile handicaps of the season, often providing clues to races such as the Hunt Cup and Goodwood’s Golden Mile. Tomorrow’s race does not appear to have quite the same quality about it but I am intrigued by David O’Meara’s two runners. Two For Two and Anderiego finished third and second respectively in the Thirsk Hunt Cup, both coming from way off the pace. Two For Two was knocked sideways by St Moritz early on and it is not surprising to see him chalked up favourite. It would be tempting fate not to have a saver on Anderiego and both should run well.

In the stayers race I am siding with Hidden Justice who has been transformed by a spell over hurdles. He won easily at Pontefract on his return to the flat and could be up to defying a 10lb rise in the weights tomorrow.

Greatwood 5-1 Dante William Hill, 25-1 (each-way) Derby William Hill
Two For Two 9-2 William Hill
Anderiego 9-1 (each-way) William Hill
Hidden Justice 5-1 Ladbrokes

York Dante Meeting Day 1 Preview May 15th

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York’s Dante meeting provides the last real chance for anything to emerge to challenge Dawn Approach in the ante-post market for the Epsom Derby. Aidan O’Brien has been busily mopping up the Derby trials over the past couple of weeks and currently has six possible runners headed by Battle Of Marengo. He saddles Indian Chief for the Dante on Wednesday where he is set to clash with Greatwood and Windhoek.

Sir Michael Stoute’s intended Dante runner Telescope has been forced to miss the race due to a minor infection and connections hope that he will still make it to Epsom. Bookmakers are offering him at 6-1 with a run. The Oaks chances of Telescope’s stable companion Liber Nauticus are put to the test on the opening day of the meeting when she lines up for the Musidora Stakes. The Azamour filly didn’t really know what it was all about on her only run as a two-year-old but responded well to pressure to win her maiden at Goodwood.

Her inexperience would usually be a cause for concern in stepping up to this grade but this does not look the strongest renewal. In fact, her main market rival also has only one race under her belt, a win on the all-weather at Wolverhampton. Woodland Aria quickened up well that day but is freely available at 25-1 for the Oaks, suggesting that the stable are not expecting great things from her.

I was most impressed with Secret Gesture at Lingfield on Saturday. Ladbrokes went 6-1 after the race but that quickly disappeared and the best price now is 4-1 with Sporting Bet. I would be very surprised if anything puts in a better display than that before Epsom and believe that she would be 7-4 if she was trained at one of the bigger yards. It could be argued that the opposition did not amount to much but she could have won by 20 lengths if she had been asked to do so and I think there is still some value left at 4’s.

Tuesday’s other feature race is the Duke of York Stakes with top sprinters Mince and Tickled Pink expected to fight out the finish over six furlongs. They have plenty of opposition, most notably from Society Rock and Hawkeyethenoo. I thought that the latter shaped very encouragingly first time out and will improve on that effort and could be worth each-way support at 16-1.

The meeting opens with a tricky looking handicap but I’m interested in Prompter who switches back to the flat after competing in hurdle races for Jonjo O’Neill. He won at Bangor-on-Dee with his head in his chest before being beaten at odds-on at Worcester recently. He was useful on the flat for Michael Bell and ran a good race here when close up behind Crackentorp. Ryan Moore has been booked and that could be significant. The 12-1 on offer with William Hill looks worth taking.

In the 2.15 Nocturn goes for a quick hat-trick after two victories at Windsor. He hung badly left-handed last time under Graham Lee but a good draw in three should enable him to grab the far rail. If he settles well he could be up to defying a 6lb penalty and it is worth taking the risk at odds of around 7-1.

Secret Gesture 4-1 Oaks Sportingbet
Prompter 12-1 (each-way) William Hill
Nocturn 7-1 Ladbrokes
Hawkeyethenoo 16-1 (each-way) Ladbrokes