Newbury hosts the Group 1 Lockinge Stage today. A race that has brought out the best in some fantastic milers over the years with the likes of Frankel, Canford Cliffs and Farhh all having tasted success. The clerks of the course spoke of a change in the going on Friday…
1pt win Foundation @7/1, 0.5pt win Choreographer @20/1, 15:15 York, Thursday
The Dante Stakes at York is probably the best trial for next month’s Derby at Epsom. Last year it produced the eventual winner in Golden Horn and, with the middle-distance three-year-olds division so far failing to sparkle, we hope this year’s renewal of the Dante can put forward another. Top of…
0.75pt each-way Dick Whittington @16/1, 15:15 York, Wednesday
Haydock Sprint Cup winner Twilight Son is arguably the class horse in this six-furlong Group Two at York. That Group One success saddles him with a 5lb penalty which, also considering this is his first run of the season, is asking an awful lot. The favourite is therefore Magical Memory,…
1pt EW Hold Tight @14/1, 0.5pt EW Mullionheir @20/1, 16:15 Ascot, Victoria Cup (UPDATE)
The weather has turned across the UK this week, and that means we are set to have an extremely quick Victoria Cup, where one of the first major big-field handicap prizes of the season is set to be won. There isn’t a huge draw bias at Ascot, but most of…
1pt win Ch'tibello @5/1, 14:10 Haydock, Saturday
We backed CH’TIBELLO for his 8/1 Scottish Champion Hurdle success last month and I’ve no interest in abandoning him in this two-mile Haydock handicap hurdle. His success at Ayr came after a winter break, so he might have been lacking in match fitness and I reckon he can improve for the run.…
1pt each-way Massaat @14/1, 15:45 Newmarket, Saturday
On the same day Punchestown rounds off a stellar jumps season, Newmarket kicks off the flat season proper with the first Classic and first Group One, the 2000 Guineas. In case you don’t know, it’s the mile version of the Derby and open only to three-year-olds, the Classic generation. Horses only…
1pt win My Tent Or Yours @2/1, 17:30 Punchestown
The highlight of Friday’s Punchestown Festival card is the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Hurdle, where six go to post in an interesting renewal. Due to injury and fatigue, there’s no Faugheen or Annie Power, who have dominated the division the past two seasons, so Rich Ricci and Willie Mullins have rerouted…
0.75pt each-way Baden @16/1, 16:20 Punchestown, Wednesday
Zabana continued our fine recent form when scoring at 5/1 on Tuesday’s Punchestown card to go along with recent winners Ch’tibello (8/1), Wolf Of Windlesham (9/1) and Up For Review (9/2). The theme of Tuesday was short-priced Willie Mullins favourites getting turned over, with the unbeaten Yorkhill not even placing,…
Brain Power, 16:20 Punchestown, Tuesday
Day one of Punchestown Festival 2016 sees Neptune and Mersey winner Yorkhill attempt to score a rare hat-trick of spring Festival wins in this Grade 1 novices’ hurdle. He was awesome in the Tolworth at Christmas, even more so at Cheltenham when turning over a supposed dead-cert in Yanworth, and…
1pt win Zabana @5/1, 18:40 Punchestown, Tuesday
Willie Mullins’s Outlander has got to be taken on on the opening day of this year’s Punchestown Festival. He’s 11/4 for this Grade 1 staying chase after falling at the Cheltenham Festival and, ten days later, having come second in Grade 1 company to Kylemore Lough at Fairyhouse. Visually, I’ve…