Whilst the return to form of established favourites Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy along with the promise of Willie Mullins’s Un De Sceaux has created plenty of hullabaloo around the two-mile chasing division, besides Douvan – an impressive winner yesterday at Leopardstown – there’s one rising star in the novices’ division that’s flown slightly…
Author: Joel Roberts
1pt win Open Eagle @7/2, Kempton 12:50
Altior, the favourite for the 12:50 Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton, is crying out to be taken on as the form of his recent Cheltenham win over the since-retired Maputo looks a shade lucky. He did have Paul Nicholls’s Simon Squirrel well held on the day and there’s little reason to…
1pt win Net D'ecosse @20/1, Kempton 14:00
It’s the King George later on the card that’s supposed to tee up the Gold Cup winner, but last season it was the Grade-1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase that Coneygree navigated on his way to Festival glory. This year’s renewal looks a competitive one with five of the seven entered…
1pt win Thistlecrack @3/1, 0.25pts ew Karazak @50/1, Ascot 14:25
Reve De Sivola has won the last three renewals of this Grade 1 staying hurdle, though this looks a much tougher renewal than last year, where he looked fortunate to beat the idling Zarkandar. At a glance, it looks a two-horse race this season, with World Hurdle second Saphir Du…
1pt win Esoterique @16/1, Sha Tin 07:50
Andre Fabre has sent his star mare Esoterique over to Hong Kong to renew rivalries with Able Friend, this time on his home track of Sha Tin where he has been peerless in Hong Kong racing’s history. The fact remains he was well-beaten at Royal Ascot and has eight lengths…
0.5pts win Lucky Nine @33/1, 0.5pts win Charles The Great @50/1, Sha Tin 06:40
Hong Kong hosts four Group One flat races on Sunday morning, with Europe represented in all. The sprint, in particular, is full of value and looks the perfect punting race with a short-priced favourite seemingly there for the taking. At 15/8, Gold-Fun is a hot favourite after being dropped back…
1pt win West Approach @16/1, Cheltenham 14:25
Caspian Caviar Gold Cup aside, good punting opportunities are few and far between today but there may be some value about the Grade-2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Raced over just shy of three miles, today’s soft ground and Cheltenham’s hill will make this a proper test of stamina, which…
1pt win Private Malone @14/1, Cheltenham 12:00
At 14/1, Private Malone stands out as the value bet in this three-mile novice chase. Never outside the top two in his five career starts, he looks to have been dismissed by the bookies despite an impressive seasonal début at Haydock. He travelled like the best horse, jumped well and got…
1pt win Camping Ground @9/1, Huntington 14:00
Five go to post for this 19-furlong Sunday Grade 2. Hurricane Desmond seems to have let the Huntingdon area off lightly, so the going remains good to soft, soft in places. Despite being the grand old age of 12, last year’s winner Wishful Thinking arrives in really good form, having finished…
1pt win Clarcam @14/1, Punchestown 13:50
A really tricky Grade 1 to call, though the weather may have the final say with an inspection due at 8am. Heavy rain has led to heavy going and, despite the two-and-a-half-mile trip, it’ll be a real test of stamina. That won’t help Shark Hanlon’s Hidden Cyclone, who arrives in good form…