Tag: Volume

Irish Oaks 2014 Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The whole complexion of the race has changed in the Irish Oaks after the late defection of odds-on favourite Taghrooda. Trainer John Gosden will now aim the Epsom winner at the King George & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.

Punters who backed the filly down to 1-2 favourite will feel aggrieved but the decision is that of owner Sheikh Hamdan rather than Gosden’s. He also owns second favourite Tarfasha who has assumed favouritism for Dermot Weld.

There was some question as to whether or not Tarfasha would stay the mile and a half at Epsom and I am not completely convinced after her second place effort. She looked as though she would run into a clear second but was all out to get the verdict over Volume in the final stages. To my mind, Luca Cumani’s filly looks the form horse.

She was kicked on very early by Richard Hughes and all seemed to be going well until she became unbalanced in the home straight. Hughes had voiced his concerns after riding the filly to victory at Newbury and Cumani arranged a special trial run for Volume prior to the Oaks. The much flatter track at the Curragh should suit the filly much better and she looks a solid bet to be in the frame.

Aidan O’Brien provides two of the likeliest dangers in Bracelet and Marvellous, although I am worried by the former. Bracelet wore a hood for the first time at Royal Ascot and held off the late flourish of Lustrous. She had run poorly in the 1000 Guineas and clearly appreciated the mile and a half.

Marvellous looks like a soft ground filly after grinding out an unlikely victory in the Irish 1000 Guineas. Ryan Moore was at her a long way out that day and it was a surprise to me that she started favourite at Epsom. She finished a never dangerous sixth and the going has gone against her this weekend.

It is difficult to see anything else getting into this and I am hoping that Kevin Manning elects to kick on early on Volume. She does not seem to possess much in the way of acceleration but seems to lack nothing in terms of stamina.

Volume 5.45 The Curragh @11-2 Bet365

Nottingham Preview Wednesday 9th October

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

What a spectacular victory by Treve in the Arc! I must admit that I was quite surprised by how easily she destroyed a top quality field but I was disappointed at the lack of pace. You would have thought that horses such as Leading Light and Ocovango would have been driven up to the leaders as soon as their riders realised it was going to turn into a sprint finish. Of course that doesn’t take anything away from the winner and it’s great news that she is to be kept in training at four.

We are treated to far more humble entertainment tomorrow from Nottingham with a distinct “end of season” feel about the majority of the card. Whilst there can be some good bets in maiden races at this time of year, the handicaps tend to be virtually impossible as horses are entered all over the place to try to earn their winter feed. The exception on Wednesday is a very interesting nursery at 4.00 in which Luca Cumani runs easy Newcastle scorer Volume.

I am no expert on the riding skills of Kirsty Milczarek but she looked as though she was trying very hard not to win by too far. The filly by Mount Nelson was sent off at 8-11 at Newcastle after a very promising debut third at Newmarket. She led two furlongs from home and was ridden clear to win by four and a half lengths without Milczarek having to resort to the whip. The form may not have amounted to much but the style of her victory suggests that there is a lot more to come. William Buick takes over tomorrow and is riding at the peak of form after a Monday treble.

The chief threat may come from Gold Trail who won a better looking race at Haydock at the start of September. The odds-on favourite that day was Sir Michael Stoute’s Snow Sky who has since hacked up to give the form a boost. The runner-up Tahadee did not perform quite so well when a well-beaten third at Goodwood but Gold Trail is also capable of improvement.

Top of The Glas and Bureau also have to be considered as previous winners but Volume and Gold Trail look the two with most scope and I’m siding with the Cumani filly. She is a top price of 2-1 early with Paddy Power and will hopefully get us off to a winning start to the week.

Volume 4.00 Nottingham 2-1 Paddy Power