We’re keen to give Andrew Balding’s Scottish another chance in France today after his excellent second to Highland Reel at Goodwood. The two routed the other runners and quickly pulled five lengths clear at the business end of that encounter. We didn’t fancy the winner at all, but he’s since further proved us wrong…
1pt win Racing History @8/1, Windsor [18:35, Aug 29th]
The mud-loving Fascinating Rock looks tough to oppose in the Group Three Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor. He finished a neck-second to last year’s winner, Al Kazeem, in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup earlier in the season and hasn’t been seen since – presumably due to dry ground. King George…
1pt win Portamento @5/1, Newmarket [15:25, Aug 29th]
Not a great weekend for racing with just the three Group races in the UK this Saturday. Persistent rain has softened the going around the country, meaning field sizes will be small and good-value big prices hard to come by. Godolphin’s Portamento looks a good bet in the Listed Stobart Club And Shop…
1Pt Win Avenir Certain @9/2, Darley Prix Jean Romanet, Deauville 15:10
After a successful week at York’s Ebor meet, where fillies where the flavour of the week, we again turn to another fillies’ Group One in France: the nine-furlong Prix Jean Romanet for four-year-olds and up. The going is soft and eleven have been declared, with last year’s winner, Ribbons, heading the market at…
1Pt EW Arab Dawn @ 20/1 Betfred Ebor Handicap, 15:45 York
Focusing on historical trends for the Ebor could be a misnomer this year with only one winner having won carrying 9-4 or more and winners have generally been rated 88-104 over the last decade. The reality is that 14 runners carry more than 9-4 and perhaps the relative ratings rather…
1Pt Win Convey @13/2, Strensall Stakes York 14:00
We hit the bar today with Mizzou’s second place in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, beaten by a hugely-improved performance from a horse in the punter-friendly silks of Rich Ricci for Willie Mullins, Max Dynamite. There’s more rain forecast overnight, so despite the scorching forecast for the south of England there’s likely…
1Pt EW Music Master @ 33/1, Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, York 15:40
The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes – one of Europe’s elite contests for sprinters – looks extremely competitive and has the potential to result in another one of flat racing’s fairy-tale endings. On the one hand there is Acapulco, without question this is no ordinary two year old filly, built like…
1Pt Win Mizzou @6/1, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, York 14:30
Our strong form continued into Thursday with Pleascach landing the Yorkshire Oaks at 8/1. Turning to Friday, the Group Two Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup has attracted a classy field of stayers, with five or six having great chances. The 4/1 favourite, Clever Cookie, was simply outclassed in the King George and looks awful…
0.5Pts Win General Alexander @80/1, Rantan @20/1, York 13:55
York’s Thursday opener, the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes, looks a punting minefield. Long-odds winners are frequent, including last year’s market leader who ran no race when backed into 5/2. Today’s favourite, Tasleet, is a ridiculous price of 15/8 thanks to his good second behind Shalaa in Group Two company at Goodwood. His worst…
1Pt Win Pleascach @15/2, Yorkshire Oaks, York 15:40
Whilst the racing world wonders how Arabian Queen won the Juddmonte, we’re laughing all the way to the bank. We put her up at 100/1 last night and only a 15% rule four deduction took any shine off what feels like racing’s equivalent of the hole-in-one. We’re playing with the bookies’ money now…