We now have runners, riders, likely going and the draw for Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, which kicks off the flat season proper. All the main protagonists have received fairly favourable draws except Master Of The Seas (2), so there’s not too much to say there unless you fancy the…
1pt win Epatante @11/2, 17:25 Punchestown, Friday
2m Paddy Power Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) Call me stubborn but good ground around this track should really suit EPATANTE and she’s a bet at 11/2 against Honeysuckle, particularly as the De Bromhead yard isn’t firing at the moment. The softest ground of the week was on the Tuesday at Cheltenham…
2pts win Telmesomethinggirl @13/2, 17:20 Punchestown, Wednesday
3m Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo+) I was expecting TELMESOMETHINGGIRL to be a lot shorter than 13/2 for this after her really impressive Cheltenham Festival win. It’s surprising to see her over three miles but she hit the line incredibly strongly at Cheltenham and Rachael Blackmore had a hard time…
1pt each-way Soldier Of Love @15/2, 1pt each-way Chapel Stile @18/1, 15:35 Ayr, Sunday
We have hit the crossbar in both the Irish and English Grand National with three places from four tips over the last couple of weeks. SOLDIER OF LOVE is our first stab at the Scottish edition. A classy-sort who made strong progress over fences on good ground earlier in the…
1pt win Zaajirah @9/1, 14:10 Newbury, Sunday
7f (Str) Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Registered As The Fred Darling Stakes) (Group 3) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo) This is very competitive and it’s hard to pick a winner with confidence, but the most eye-catching last time out was Roger Varian’s ZAAJIRAH who won with an impressive turn of foot at Kempton. This is…
1pt win Mehmento @22/1, 14:45 Newbury, Sunday
7f (Str) Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes (Group 3) (Colts & Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) I’m a big Chindit fan and would love to see him win this well and go on to the Guineas. However, he’s a very short price and I don’t mind taking a Hannon horse on first…
1pt each-way Pipesmoker @18/1, 0.5pts each-way Striking A Pose @50/1, 14:25 Aintree, Saturday
2m4f Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) This is very competitive but My Drogo is a very strong favourite. He’s been the UK’s best novice hurdler this season and should go very close. I think the value is in the each-way markets as there are a couple of…
1pt each-way Burrows Saint @9/1, 1pt each-way Any Second Now @10/1, 17:15 Aintree, Saturday
4m2½f (Grand National) Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) We were robbed of this great steeplechase last year by the pandemic and there are a number of runners that arguably would have had a better chance contesting it last year than this, however plenty have kept their handicap marks…
Aintree Friday tips: Monte Cristo (8/1 ew), Master Debonair (16/1), Master Tommytucker (9/1), Midnight River (11/1 ew)
2m4f Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) MONTE CRISTO has to go up after looking booked for a place in the Coral Cup and being hampered badly by a faller at the last. He possibly could have been second or third in the race despite not looking like…
Aintree Thursday tips: Fusil Raffles (3/1), Eldorado Allen (7/1), Mister Fisher (8/1), Millers Bank (50/1ew)
2m4f (2m3f200y) (Mildmay) SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) I think FUSIL RAFFLES has the best form and 3/1 really underestimates him off level weights on the good ground he loves, so there’s no reason not to have him onside – for all I like one of his…