Author: Joel Roberts

I like the chances of the four-year-old STYLE DE GARDE in the Grade 1 novices’ hurdle on Aintree’s Friday card. He ran a blinder under nearly top-weight in the Fred Winter, finishing second behind Veneer Of Charm. Unfortunately, the form of that race isn’t working out so well with the winner flopping…

Aintree’s Grand National meeting kicks off on Thursday and, as ever, that means we have four consecutive Grade 1s to get stuck into. 13:45: Big Buck’s Celebration Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) CYRNAME missed the Cheltenham Festival – where his form with JLT second Terrefort was firmly franked – and he…

I really fancy the Japanese to play a big hand on World Cup night in Dubai, and having already advised Crocosmia to land the Dubai Turf earlier on the card, I can’t not fancy the chances of MOZU KATCHAN – who narrowly beat her in Group One company in their native Japan…

Japan have an excellent record in the Dubai Turf having won it three times in the past four years, and they look to have a strong hand to continue that dominance in today’s renewal. Two of those winners re-oppose this year and both have had their issues since their respective…

We’ve a couple of weeks before the marathon Grand National, and there’s still plenty of jumps season left to go, but today our attentions turn away from soggy Britain and Ireland and towards the desert, where Dubai hosts its World Cup card. Nearly four miles shorter than the Grand National,…

Unusually for a Triumph Hurdle, we’ve only got a field of nine declared for this renewal and there must be a bet given we can rule out four of them with fair confidence. Apple’s Shakira flies the flag for England and she’s oh-so short in the betting at a shade…

The first thing to say about this season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is it’s going to be a thorough test in every department, given the prevalent heavy ground places a huge emphasis on stamina, and the guaranteed strong pace will put jumping under the microscope. In 2015, the last time the…

We made a fairly firm antepost play on YANWORTH reverting to hurdles from a scrappy novice chasing campaign to win an open renewal of the Stayers’ Hurdle. The 9/1 has disappeared and he’s been yo-yoing around the 5/1-6/1 mark ever since this became his confirmed festival target, and I’m still very confident…

The Coral Cup is one of my favourite betting races of the year and our 20/1 antepost pick TOPOFTHEGAME has pleasingly lined up with close to his ideal soft ground conditions. He’s nearly halved in the price since being advised and, after a game handicap success at Sandown last month, he’s also…

This looks a vintage renewal of the Champion Chase with the big showdown between ALTIOR and Douvan finally materialising – not to mention Altior and Min clashing for the first time since they finished 1-2 in an equally-vintage renewal of the Supreme Novices’ in 2016. Throw in reigning champ Special Tiara, Tingle…