It’s difficult to pass up the chance to back Royal Ascot winner ARDAD at 5/2 in the 16:35 at York, given the soft ground is no negative and on official ratings he is right at the weights even with his 5lb penalty for winning a Group Two at Doncaster last season. Race fitness…
1pt win The Black Princess @7/1, 14:55 York, Thursday
A deluge of rain has followed a bone-dry spring in Britain, degrading the going at York’s Dante meeting to soft. As always, that throws a spanner in the form book and I can see John Gosden’s THE BLACK PRINCESS taking full advantage of conditions in the 14:55. It’s a top-class race with…
Ante-post: Benbatl to win the Dante (8/1) and Derby (33/1)
The first round of English and French Classics are wrapped up with the usual suspects, Aidan O’Brien and French champion trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, landing the majority of spoils. We had one of the winners today with a brilliant performance from Brametot in the French 2000 Guineas, and he and the…
1pt win Brametot @7/2, 15:15 Deauville, Sunday
There’s Group One flat racing in France today with Deauville hosting the French 2000 Guineas over its straight mile. Whilst it’s been bone dry for the start of the British flat season, it’s very soft in France, and that hurts a few chances. Aidan O’Brien won this last year with…
1pt win Winning Story @9/1, 15:35 Chester, Friday
Godolphin’s WINNING STORY looks a decent price to chance in the staying race on Chester’s Friday card after breaking the track record on the all-weather at Lingfield. Very unexposed on turf, he has race fitness and recent form in the book so might be overpriced. Track records at Lingfield hardly…
1000 Guineas bets: the Aidan O'Brien 1-2-3 and Unforgettably Filly each-way
6/4-favourite Churchill winning yesterday’s 2000 Guineas was a bit of a slap in the face and suddenly reasons to take on his stablemate Rhododendron in today’s 1000 Guineas are weak. She isn’t Churchill, though, and she’s been beaten twice already in five starts so lacks a shade of his star quality.…
1pt win Priceless @8/1, 14:20 Newmarket, Saturday
Earlier on the Guineas card the five-furlong sprinters are out in force in a top-class race that would be befitting of a Group One. Marsha carries a Group One penalty for her win at Longchamp and will be aimed for bigger and better things than this so is easy enough…
2000 Guineas selections: 1.5pt win Eminent @15/2, 0.5pt win Dream Castle @16/1
The jumps are over until autumn but this season sees the flat back in earnest with the opening Classic of the season, the 2000 Guineas, the feature of Saturday’s big card at Newmarket. It’s a great race with a stellar role of honour – and despite this year’s renewal attracting…
Saturday tips for Sandown: Menorah, The Druids Nephew and Beat That
Sandown brings the jumps season to a close on Saturday, and while there’s not so much at stake in the trainers’ championship like last season, Nicky Henderson is out in force to get himself over the line. Title rival Paul Nicholls is also pulling no punches with plenty of runners,…
1pt win Death Duty @4/1, 18:05 Punchestown, Friday
Such is the esteem Gordon Elliott holds DEATH DUTY I’m tempted to give him another chance now back down in trip from three miles. He was touted as the best hurdler he has trained and his best chance of a winner at Cheltenham, however he flopped badly and you’d suspect…