We deliberately kept our powder dry over the weekend in anticipation of a big week’s punting at Royal Ascot, which kicks off tomorrow in hot summer weather. As with every year, three Group One races punctuate the Tuesday card, starting with the Queen Anne Stakes in which Richard Fahey’s top-class…
Two ante-post tips for Royal Ascot's Prince of Wales's Stakes
Royal Ascot starts a week today and we’re keen to play a couple of cards early, starting with a couple of French raiders in Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’ Stakes. Christophe Ferland’s four-year-old HESHEM is 14/1 non-runner-no-bet with SkyBet at the time of writing, which on the strength of his fine Group One-second in…
1pt win Al Qahwa @5/1, 1pt win Scorching Heat @7/1, 15:05 Newmarket, Saturday
There are a few horses coming in to this handicap on the upgrade, and several will be competing in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot in a few weeks time. The favourite is currently Godolphin’s Culturati, who has been off the track for over 600 days having not raced since he…
Our selection Wings Of Eagles wins the Derby at 40/1
Scenes yesterday as our three tips for the Epsom Derby finished 1st, 2nd and 5th, with the winner, Wings Of Eagles, drifting to a whopping starting price of 40/1. We were expecting Aidan O’Brien’s Cliffs Of Moher to be the one to beat, and he put up a mighty performance…
2017 Epsom Derby selections
The Epsom Derby looks a tough nut to crack this year with 19 runners and no stand-out favourite. That said, this is the type of betting heat that makes me love the flat, as you could make a case for more than most. Luck will be a factor with so…
0.75pt each-way Kimberella @10/1, 0.5pt each-way Excessable @12/1, 15:45 Epsom Downs, Saturday
The fastest five furlong sprint in UK racing is held at Epsom on Derby Day. The ‘Dash’ always proves to be a spectacle and with twenty runners lined-up, it looks extremely competitive. The highly drawn horses have historically had an advantage, indeed last year the top four places were filled…
0.5pt each-way Sobetsu @9/1, 16:30 Epsom Downs, Friday
As final declarations were made for the Epsom Oaks on Friday, we learned that there would be a field of nine who will try to contest what looks to be a mighty challenge from Rhododendron. The O’Brien filly is yet to tackle the mile-and-a-half trip, but there seems to be…
0.75pt each-way Intricately @16/1, 15:25 Curragh, Sunday
I’m backing Joseph O’Brien’s and INTRICATELY to land the Irish 1000 Guineas today at Curragh. He’s a Group One winner at the track and the form of that Moyglare Stud Stakes win gives him a big shout in this, particularly as the rain has come. He’s by Fastnet Rock, whose progeny appreciate…
1pt win Desert Encounter @3/1, 15:45 Goodwood, Saturday
It’s a tough day for punting with conditions anyone’s guess; heavy rain is forecast for most of the country yet the ground is firm at most tracks after a hot week. As such I can’t touch the big sprint at Haydock, but there might be a bet in the Listed…
2pts win Hawkbill @4/1, 13:50 Newbury, Saturday
It’s soft ground for Newbury’s big Saturday card and the first race looks a cracker, with a mixture of tall reputations and Group One winners. Midterm trades favourite from his stablemate Across The Stars – both horses put up by these pages in the past year. Having had our fingers…