Sport is made for betting

Posts

York Dante Meeting - Thursday preview

YORK Thursday Well Day 1 was a rather trying day. Track of Time ran stone motherless last, Hispanic tragically broke a leg and has gone to the big horse paddock in the sky, Showalong drifted heavily and tired out accordingly, Classical Song looked fat in the parade ring and could only finish third behind a couple of longshots, then Ziggy's Condor looked home for all money to save the day... and then got nutted on the line at 10/1. So close, yet so far... As Yazz used to sing, the only way is up... 1415 Lindum York Handicap JM Jungle won a decent race in Bahrain in February but was disqualified for some reason (nothing in the stewards report!) so we're guessing whether it was for interference, a drug infraction or the jockey weighed in light. Last time out, he ran a decent fourth at Musselburgh after 60 days off so he'll be fitter for this. Generally runs well here, slight doubt on the form of jockey Jason Hart, winning only twice from his last 52 rides. He's much bette

York Dante meeting Day 1 preview

YORK Wednesday Ah, what a glorious meeting. The finest track in the country - spacious, flat, quality racing and punters don't get ripped off at the gate! Previewing the ITV races with more detailed emphasis on the opening race... 1415 Jorvik Hcp Klondike - handy colt with Magnier and Tabor in the ownership group. After an impressive win on debut last season, he subsequently ran in pattern company, only failing in his last start, when he was soon despatched for wind surgery and a break. Holds an entry in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot so they've obviously got a high opinion of him. Haggas has a great record here (18% Win SR) and Haggas/Marquand strike here at 15.6%, and 22.5% overall. Track of Time - interesting runner making his debut for Ian Williams and Fitri Hay. Formerly trained in France, he's won at Longchamp, Lion d'Angers (gorgeous little track in central France - worth a visit!) and Chantilly (AW), so he's no slouch. Wintered in Dubai, finishing in the fron

Kentucky Derby preview 2024

KENTUCKY DERBY 2024 With the eternally rubbish weather in Britain this year, I've been paying more attention to US racing lately, especially with the advent of the excellent Racing App with all the race replays for free. So why not have a look at the Derby... ====================== The 150th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve Grade 1, US$5,000,000, for three-year-olds. One mile and a quarter (~2000m). Sat 1857 local time, 2357 BST, Sun 0857 AEST 1. Dornoch - Trainer Danny Gargan, Jockey Luis Saez. Brother to the winner of last year's race, Mage. Often leads so the inside gate should be an asset, however none of these horses have raced in a 20-runner field before. So there'll be a lot more pressure from the gates, missing the kick by half-a-length isn't an issue in a small field, it can be a curse from the inside rail in the Derby. Had run only first or second in his first five starts before being blown away by Sierra Leone in the G1 Blue Grass. 20/1 in the M

Cheltenham Day 4 preview

Well done if you've lasted this long. A couple of decent results yesterday could have been a lot better if I was simply boxing my selections in trifectas. The tide might be turning... Anyhow onto the preview! TRIUMPH HURDLE Bunting - one of the seven runners for Willie Mullins. Won a maiden then ran fourth in a Mullins 1-2-3-4 in the Dublin Racing Festival G1 Juvenile Hurdle, which was where he ranked from the stable (and all of those run here). Can't see any reason to promote him. Ethical Diamond - was further behind the aforementioned quartet at Leopardstown and 50/1 that day. It's only "trained by W.Mullins" preventing him from being that price here. Highwind - beat Boodles winner Lark In the Mornin in January, but blotted his copybook in the G1 Juvenile Hurdle, running eighth and last of the six Mullins runners, with a few mistakes thrown in. Not reliable enough to put any faith in. Ithacas Arrow - 33L behind Sir Gino at Kempton over Xmas, won a C3 hurdle

Cheltenham Thursday preview

CHELTENHAM THURSDAY Interesting card today as they switch to the New course. A few races I quite like, and others I'll be happy to skip right over... TURNERS NOVICES Colonel Harry - had been running OK in small-field novice chases until last time at Sandown, finishing 29L behind the winner in the G1 Scilly Isles, in a race where the odds-on fav was ever in it. Perhaps the unseasonal good ground caught him out? Loves the wet. Djelo - second in the Scilly Isles, achieving a career best in the process. Did well to get within 7L after the tearaway leader simply didn't come back to the field and the other jockeys banked on the odds-on fav carting them back into it (he didn't). Has had a progressive novice chasing campaign, winning three, then getting taken out at the first fence in a G2 at Lingfield. Could yet be more to come. Facile Vega - obvious favourite simply because he has started fav every start except his last one. The hype has been on this one right from the start

Cheltenham Wednesday preview

CHELT WED Here we go again for day two, hopefully with a drying track. GALLAGHER Ballyburn is a machine and wins this in a canter, hence the price. Won his maiden on soft/heavy by 25L, and last time won a G1 at the Dublin Racing Festival ahead of Slade Steel who won the Supreme. A battle for the minors as they say... Handstands has been flying for Ben Pauling, winning four from four, but is the British form good enough? Ile Atlantique bolted in on heavy going back in November, ran second in the G1 Lawlor's in mid-January, beaten just a neck. Has class, obvious second choice. In the top five speed ratings performances of horses in this race, he is the only one that's not the favourite. Jimmy Du Seuil is another Mullins runner (he supplies five of the octet who accepted), coming straight out of maiden class. Will have talent but doubt it's G1 level, at least at this stage. Jingko Blue - has started fav at all three starts under Rules, and carried topweight to an easy wi

Cheltenham preview - Day 1

CHELTENHAM TUESDAY SUPREME NOVICES' A weak-looking edition, where the field is simply dominated by the Mullins stable. This race rarely goes beyond the first few in the market so don't overthink it (10 of last 11 winners in single figures, but only two outright favs in last 19 runnings). Asian Master - an unusual runner for Mullins, a small family-owned horse retaining an amateur jockey (the son?) who would be entitled to claim 7lb if it wasn't a Grade 1. So none of the regular Mullins jockeys could take the ride anyway, so we are only guessing at his rank in the stable. He thumped Better Days Ahead last time out, but was ridden out to the line, and that runner-up is a formline for Slade Steel. Interesting side note, he ran second on debut in a P2P against one of the hottest favourites of the festival, Fact To File, two years ago. Judging by the Mullis stable tour reports, they don't yet know how good he is. Favour And Fortune - consistent gelding in lower class (with