My blog

Just another WordPress site

Three More Trainers To Follow – By High Roller Racing

By Leave a Comment

Amongst the trainers I considered last week Tom George had four winners with Neil Mulholland one winner. The third trainer, Charlie Longsdon, only had three runners throughout the week so it seems all is not well there.

This week I offer three more trainers to follow including Paul Nicholls, Mark Johnston and Anthony Honeyball. Nicholls seems to be in good form on a permanent basis with any lapses soon rectified. A week last Saturday Paul Nicholls had eight winners in one day… eight good winners too. Paul has lots of entries in the coming days and I trust too that he will turn out quite a few winners. Horses I like from the yard who have entries in the coming days are Not A Nail and Christopher Wood both of who can step forwards to the winners enclosure. Keep a watchful eye on the Team Nicholls entries then see where each entry is declared to run. 

Mark Johnston a terrific trainer on the level both over turf and all weather is another trainer to follow. Mark has had 17 winners so far this year with eight of those coming in the last week as I write. The yard is flying and every declaration warrants respectful assessment of its chances. Mark seems to be able to snap his fingers and the horses return to form. Improvers in this yard that should be looked for are Pink Flamingo, Bay of Naples and Red Phoenix with Lord Lamington also able to step forwards soon. These horses are ready to win and should do soon… it may be this week!

Anthony Honeyball hasn’t really had a great year so far but as the Spring approaches he usually comes to the forefront and starts producing winners galore. He normally does very well in bumper races and Lily The Pink and Marilyn Monroe have both caught my attention as winners waiting to happen. Hideaway Vic is rumoured with whispers from stable contact to be ready to win and he has entries this week. Watch for a resurgent turn in form from Team Honeyball.

High Roller has not been in form as far as results go this week with horses getting placed and placed but these spells happen and I have some good news for horses running this week. Don’t give up on a service who won 49 points last month… if you miss a bet you will probably miss a winning bet. Following a winning service like mine doesn’t have many losing spells but you need to stick with us whilst we find the winners again. Over a long term we will all win. Join us free now and let’s make this week a winning one… join and get a maximum of one tip per day for which you pay just £10 when it wins. 

CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR FREE!

Royal Ascot Preview – Day Five

By Leave a Comment

Well it’s fair to say it’s been a frustrating Royal Ascot from a punting perspective so far, with several narrow misses – not least Twilight Payment who got a nice third at 20/1 but got going too late; with an extra half furlong he’d surely have won and looks one to follow for the rest of the season.

Quiet Reflection was very impressive in providing Karl Burke with a first UK Group One victory, whilst it was two Coolmore outsiders in the form of Brave Anna and Sword Fighter who took the honours in the first and last races of the day.

Across The Stars showed what a tough sort he is by winning the King Edward VII whilst Kings Fete hit trouble when attempting to run down Kinema and Elite Army in the Duke Of Edinburgh.

So onto the final day which features a race I simply cannot wait for…

Screen Shot 2016-06-15 at 09.40.29

2:30, Chesham Stakes, 7f, 2yo.

WHO’S THE DADDY? That will be the question from the front 3 in the market as Frankel goes head to head with his dad Galileo in the opener. Galileo sires Churchill for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore. Churchill ran very green on his debut at the Curragh when third to Van Der Decken and Magnification, and was doing his best work at the end. The step up to 7f looks ideal, but it does also for CUNCO, who did everything wrong before his racecourse debut when his price drifted to 7/2 due to his coltish antics. He was then slow away before producing an extremely impressive turn of foot and the length of time it took Robert Havlin to pull him up after was reminiscent of his father. He is very exciting and at a much bigger price than Churchill I think he’s worth chancing.

Frankuus was always prominent at Haydock last week when winning over this trip and only showed his greenness when he started to look around after hitting the front. Mark Johnston’s 2yos tend to take their racing well, hence the quick reappearance, but this grey will have to be on top form to win this. Admiralty Arch also makes interest at a very big price.
Selection: CUNCO

–

3:05, Wolferton Handicap, 1m2f, 4yo+.

Once again Godolphin have a strong hand here with Best Of Times, Maverick Wave, Second Wave and Oceanographer making up a quarter of this field. On jockey bookings Best Of Times and Oceanographer look to be the first string but Adam Kirby is having a fantastic week so Second Wave can’t be ruled out.

However, my first selection is for MALEFICENT QUEEN, a filly who has raced six times and won the last 5 of them. She still looks like she has improvement in her and if she can overcome her draw she must have a chance. I also like Pacify for Ralph Beckett and Fran Berry but my other selection is REVOLUTIONIST for Mark Johnston. He has raced 7 times this year alone but has posted RPRs of 102, 102, 105 and 111 in his last 4 starts and is in the form of his life.
Selection: MALEFICENT QUEEN each way
Alternative: REVOLUTIONIST each way

–

3:40, Hardwicke Stakes, 1m4f, 4yo+.

This renewal looks as competitive as ever, although Exosphere looks to be the clear form pick with a hugely impressive win in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in April. Although Simple Verse was second that day, the favourite Jack Hobbs suffered a stress fracture and was pulled up, meaning Exosphere may – just may – have been flattered by the bare result. Certainly, any juice in his price has long gone.

Simple Verse re-opposes from the Jockey Club on 5lb better terms but she was well beaten at Epsom in the Coronation Cup last time out and will need to improve to win here. Dartmouth could give the Queen a Royal winner this week finally, and Highland Reel is used to running in better company than this, but I fancy EAGLE TOP to go one better than he did in this race last year and take the honours. Although he hasn’t won in almost two years, his nose second to Postponed last July looks better with every run Postponed makes, whilst his 15th in the Arc can be forgiven as there is no shame in not being good enough to win that race. Frankie is riding superbly this week and knows this horse well.
Selection: EAGLE TOP

–

4:20, Diamond Jubilee Stakes, 6f, 4yo+.

The speedsters come to the fore in this feature race and it’s very hard to separate the three main protagonists at the head of the market. The Tin Man is still on an upward curve in terms of his form, posting successive RPRs of 111, 114 and 119 in his last three outings, whilst Twilight Son can be forgiven his seasonal reappearance at York last month when he didn’t run his race.

My preference, however, is for MAGICAL MEMORY, who won that day at York and under the tutelage of Charlie Hills who seems to be specialising in sprinters, Frankie Dettori can post a quickfire double on the card. Undrafted won this last year for Wesley Ward and can’t be ruled out completely.
Selection: MAGICAL MEMORY

–

Screen Shot 2016-06-18 at 10.14.20

5:00, Wokingham Stakes, 6f, 3yo+.

Another huge field handicap and the week doesn’t get any easier as the meeting draws to a close.

Interception won this race last year, completing an NFL-themed double for punters, and she will appreciate any drying of the ground. She races off just 5lb higher than her mark last year and must be of serious interest. We can’t go into too much detail given the number of runners, but I’m going with two selections here.

Firstly, HUNTSMANS CLOSE, a veteran of these big field handicaps and who was well fancied at last year’s Royal meeting before he decided to demonstrate his hurdling abilities after bolting from the parade ring. Unfortunately his choice of obstacles included fences, tables and cars and he was naturally withdrawn before winning at Windsor a week later. If he behaves himself before the race then he can build on his decent run at Goodwood last time for Roger Charlton and James Doyle.

Another I’m prepared to take a chance on is MUTAWATHEA for Simon Crisford who is proving himself to be a very shrewd trainer. This gelding showed his liking for Ascot when second in the Victoria Cup over 7 furlongs, and this drop back in trip could see his stamina come into play. The excellent young Edward Greatrex takes off what could be a valuable 5lbs. Any further rain would be a concern however.
Selection: HUNTSMANS CLOSE each way
Alternative: MUTAWATHEA each way

–

5:35, Queen Alexandra Stakes, 2m5159y, 4yo+.

Most National Hunt horses would struggle over this distance, let alone standard Flat horses, so we’ll keep it simple and go for two horses which have proven stamina over this sort of distance. The first is last year’s winner ORIENTAL FOX, who although carrying 3lbs more than last year has been aimed at this again, even sacrificing an attempt at the Gold Cup to go for this. At 8yo he probably isn’t open to any improvement but he is a tough sort who should relish this test.

The second selection is CLONDAW WARRIOR who won over 2m4f at last year’s meeting and was last seen over hurdles at Fairyhouse and Ayr. Ryan Moore rides for Willie Mullins and at 5/1 for both our selections we’re getting 2/1 the pair which I think is decent.
Selection: ORIENTAL FOX
Alternative: CLONDAW WARRIOR

That’s it from me and the Royal meeting and I hope you have enjoyed my analysis over the last epic week!

Derek Potter

The Colonel

By Leave a Comment

The strike rate with my service is up to 52% with six of my last twelve bets winning at odds of 7/2, 3/1, 2/1, 7/4, 6/4, 5/4 giving my troops return on investment at around 34%.

The good news is you don’t have to just read about the winners you can be part of it! For a very limited period you can join me on a taster trial by CLICKING HERE! This will get you in on all my selections over the next 28 days for just £9.97! It’s normally £59.00 a month so that’s a huge saving and only available by CLICKING HERE!

The highly regarded Foundation looks the one to be on in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday the last big prize of the flat season before National Hunt racing takes over through the winter months.

Brazilian-born jockey Silvestre de Sousa was crowned the Stobart Champion Flat Jockey on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse last Saturday for the first time in his career.

He collects the winner’s prize of £25,000, the first time the Champion Jockey has been financially rewarded, and receives the Champion Jockey trophy from two legends of the weighing room, Lester Piggott, and last year’s Champion Richard Hughes at 12.15pm in the Parade Ring.

De Sousa is one of only three jockeys to have ridden in over 700 races this season – a testament to his professionalism, popularity and work-rate. This has translated into 132 winners before racing today, at an impressive strike rate of 18%.
Numerically he has ridden most of his winners at Chelmsford City (14); has had most success when partnering with trainer Mark Johnston’s horses and been most successful in contests over six furlongs.

Despite being a 100/1 shot for the title at the beginning of the Championship this year, he might even be considered a lucky charm for punters – placing £1 on each of his rides would currently have delivered almost £50 in profit.

Silvestre de Sousa said of his maiden Championship: “It’s a bit surreal really. I tried to put the idea of winning the Champion Jockey title to the back of my mind while it was still in the balance but now that I will win it, it feels great.”

“I’ve always believed I had the ability to win the Championship and, thanks to the owners and trainers who have supported me this season, I’ve proven I can.”

Former jockeys, including 11-time Champion Lester Piggott, have been quick to praise the Brazilian with the Long Fellow saying: “He’s one of the few that rides every day. He’s looking to ride all the time and he’ll ride anything, anywhere and that is a big thing.”

“So many of them are tied to certain stables or owners, but he can do what he likes. I think that has helped him, he’s got no ties. He can do a low weight and he deserves it really.”

The recently-retired previous Champion Jockey Richard Hughes, who held the title for three consecutive years, said: “At the start of the season, I thought he had a good chance and, from the moment the season began, you could see he was going for it.”

“He is the same Silvestre every day, a real Mr Reliable, and he doesn’t make many mistakes. Now I’m a trainer, I’d be pleased to have him ride for me.”

However, it is Silvestre’s wife, Victoria, and their son eight-year-old Ryan who are proudest of all about the coveted Champion Jockey trophy he receives at Ascot today.

Victoria, a former jockey herself, said of her husband: “I’m just so proud of him. I’ve always thought he could do it but I didn’t know it was going to be this year.”

“He’s just a very positive person and that’s reflected in the way he rides horses. He gives it 100 per cent absolutely every time. He will give your horse the same ride, put the same amount of homework and thought into it, whoever you are and whatever your horse is. He treats everyone the same.”

Shelley Dwyer, De Sousa’s agent for the first time this year, added: “We’d talked about teaming up for a few weeks and then one day he just came round and asked and we decided to give it a go.”

“He’s very easy to deal with, but very competitive, which is a massive plus. He likes to ride winners and when he goes five or six days without one, our phone calls can become a bit shorter. Everyone in racing has to get used to defeat – especially at a small stable like ours (her husband Chris is a trainer in Newmarket) – and Silvestre is no different. He doesn’t like being beaten, but thankfully he’s such a good jockey that he doesn’t usually have to wait too long for the next winner!”

“He gets plenty of support from a huge number of different trainers, which I know he appreciates, but part of the reason for that is as well as being incredibly talented, he’s a very nice guy.”

Having been crowned Champion Apprentice at Sao Paulo’s racecourse, Hipodromo de Cidade Jardim in 2000, De Sousa had setbacks and left Brazil for Europe in 2003 and found himself at Dermot Weld’s stable in Ireland. After a couple of years, he joined trainer David Nicholls’ North Yorkshire yard, picking up a few rides in late 2005.

His first winner outside of Brazil happened on New Year’s Day, 2006, at Southwell, UK on a horse called Sonic Anthem, who took a maiden race for apprentice riders by 16 lengths.

De Sousa made steady progress from there, with his breakthrough coming when teaming up with another North Yorkshire-based trainer, Mark Johnston, in 2009. He partnered 100 British winners in 2010 and 161 in 2011, finishing just four behind Paul Hanagan in the British jockeys’ championship. He was announced as a Godolphin retained rider on February 22, 2012.

His Godolphin stint, which lasted until mid-2014 included victories on Farhh who gained the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in 2013 and in in the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup in 2014 on African Story. After the partnership with Godolphin fizzled out, De Sousa responded in typical fashion, with hard work, a smile for everyone, and a bucket-load of winners, including landing one of the shocks of this season when defeating the Derby winner, Golden Horn, on 50/1 chance Arabian Queen in York’s Juddmonte International.

Yours in sport.

Back Next Thursday.

Kevan Minter – The Colonel.
http://go.betfan.com/1000/315

Goodwood Preview – Day Four

By Leave a Comment

Onto day four of Glorious Goodwood, and both Tasleet and Quest For More gave our limited selections a chance of a decent return, but Tasleet was well beaten by the impressive Shalaa whilst Quest For More was beaten into a narrow second for the second time this season. Without further ado, we’ll move onto our selections for what looks to be a cracking Friday.

2:00 – Group 3, 1m4f, 4yo+. We begin with the short-priced favourite, The Corsican, and he has one of those profiles I often mention and love to see – consistent improvements in RPRs throughout his career. In this case, The Corsican has progressed from 77 on his 3yo debut to a mark of 118 when 4th at Royal Ascot – and given the three horses in front of him that day were Free Eagle, The Grey Gatsby and Western Hymn, it’s certainly a respectable effort and one that makes him the one to beat today. Connecticut is also fancied to run a big race for the duo of Luca Cumani and Adam Kirby, whilst Al Shaqab Racing are represented by their star from Qatar, Dubday. However, at a slightly bigger price our alternative selection is Mark Johnston’s Watersmeet, who ran a huge race when second to stablemate Notarised at Haydock last time out, having also run well at Royal Ascot.
Selection: THE CORSICAN
Alternative: WATERSMEET

2:35 – Group 3, 1m, 3yo. Godolphin’s Latharnach, for Charlie Appleby and William Buick, is unsurprisingly favourite after his excellent second to Gleneagles in the St James’s Palace Stakes at a huge price of 25/1, which naturally represented easily the best performance of his career. However, the market may well have overreacted to that and I’m happy to leave him at this price. When I looked at this card my eyes were immediately drawn to Convey, who has been in my tracker since his excellent debut victory over 7f at Kempton last October. All-weather maidens might not always be the best guide, but it didn’t do Jack Hobbs any harm this season, and he is obviously well-regarded by connections being plunged straight back into a Group 3. He is without a doubt a risk, but one I’m willing to take. Aktabanay is a decent horse but was well held by Latharnach at Royal Ascot, and tailed off in a hot race at Chantilly last time out. Instead we’ll go for Moheet, who is lightly-raced and looks to have more to come. He clearly wasn’t up to the test when 10th in The Derby, but this looks easier and so he could run well at the price dropped back down in both grade and trip.
Selection: CONVEY
Alternative: MOHEET

3:10 – Class 2 Handicap, 1m, 3yo+. A 20-runner minefield, and whilst GM Hopkins is of obvious appeal following his Royal Hunt Cup victory, Trip To Paris’ narrow defeat yesterday was just one example of where carrying top weight in these competitive fields can prove vital at the finish. Therefore our first selection is the highly-impressive Basem, a full brother to Farhh who has done everything asked of him in his two victories from two starts this season. With top jockey James Doyle on board, he should get a decent position and use his finishing speed to good effect. Right at the bottom of the weights is a horse Mrs Derek Potter is a big fan of, Donncha. Winner of three races this season, including at Goodwood, he ran well to finish third in a similarly competitive handicap at Ascot on Saturday, and is effectively 2lbs well-in for that run here. At the overnight prices he is definitely one to have on our side.
Selection: BASEM
Alternative: DONNCHA

3:45 – Group 2, 5f, 3yo+. Muthmir certainly looks better over this minimum trip than he does over 6f, and if he settles can use his acceleration to devastating effect at the business end of the race. Paul Hanagan knows this gelding well and has ridden him in his two career-best performances, when winning at Chantilly in May and when third in the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot. However, our two selections come from the same race at York a few weeks ago. Out Do won narrowly that day over 5f on the Knavesmire, and whilst he was giving weight to the third-placed horse Cotai Glory, he was receiving 4lbs from Line Of Reason for sprint king Paul Midgley. Out Do is a very consistent horse for a very consistent trainer in David O’Meara, and so I expect both he and Line Of Reason to give a decent running of their races today.
Selection: OUT DO
Alternative: LINE OF REASON

4:20 – Class 2 Nursery, 6f, 2yo. At 6/1 the field, this is a very open race and so I’m going to stick with a method that has proven very profitable for punters this week – start with Mark Johnston. Highly Sprung is 4lb well in here after his victory last week, and whilst I have previously mentioned jockey bookings as a factor, Mark Johnston also likes to keep winning combinations together and as it was Silvestre De Sousa who rode him at Catterick, he keeps the ride here. William Buick’s record when riding for Johnston is remarkable, and so that makes Furiant look a huge price at a best-priced 18s at the time of writing. Belvoir Bay and Wedge both look to have decent chances for the Richard Hannon yard, although Tom Marquand’s 5lb claim could prove vital.
Selection: FURIANT
Alternative: WEDGE

4:55 – Group 3 Fillies and Mares, 7f, 3yo+. Osaila has been a filly I have followed with interest this season, and whilst she didn’t run to her best in the 1000 Guineas, she more than made up for that in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot when giving plenty of weight away but still finding enough to scrape home. She looks set to run another big race here, as does New Providence for Hugo Palmer. Beaten a short head by Osaila in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket in April, she has since found success at 6f but could well find more for this step back up in trip. Kiyoshi and Fadhayyil are the other main market protagonists, and it would be a big surprise if the winner doesn’t come from those four. However, I am happy to chance the first two mentioned at the prices.
Selection: NEW PROVIDENCE
Alternative: OSAILA

5:30 – Class 3 Handicap, 1m3f, 3yo. This race sees that rare beast – a lightly-raced Mark Johnston horse. Rhythmical has raced just once in her career to date, winning at Leicester on debut two weeks ago. It is no surprise to see her turned out again this month, but this looks another challenge altogether and at a general 7/1 she doesn’t make a huge amount of appeal. Tashaar tops the betting for Richard Hannon and Frankie Dettori, but his weight penalty for a colt considered too weak to race as a 2yo might just prove too much here. Instead we’ll go for a couple of double-figure priced horses in the hope we can get some value. Master Zephyr, under Richard Hughes for Roger Charlton, and Newera, for the Tom Dascombe / Richard Kingscote combination, both won last time out and whilst both have gone up in the weights, the experience they have could prove vital in this race.
Selection: NEWERA
Alternative: MASTER ZEPHYR

Goodwood Preview – Day Three

By Leave a Comment

Firstly, we can’t comment on any racing without paying tribute to Sir Peter O’Sullevan. A voice – indeed the voice – that will never be forgotten by anybody who watched or listened to this great sport. Secondly, he loved his racing so let’s get on to today’s action.

Due to time restrictions today’s preview is rather limited, and we’ve only got time for a fuller analysis of the two Group 2 races on the card. As ever, we’ll start with a quick recap of yesterday’s results, which included a couple of nice 1-2s:

2:00 – William Of Orange 3rd @ 5/1;          Wordiness 7th
2:35 – Highland Reel 1st @ 7/4;                   Scottish 2nd @ 7/1
3:10 – Solow 1st @ 2/5;                                   Arod 2nd @ 6/1
3:45 – King Of Rooks 2nd @ Evs;                 Muhadathat 4th
4:20 – Silent Dreamer 7th;                             Alamode 1st @ 7/1
4:55 – Imshivalla 7th;                                      Hala Madrid 6th
5:25 – Mutawathea 2nd;                                 Assault On Rome IF SEEN PLEASE CONTACT DEREK POTTER

2:35 – Group 2, 6f, 2yo. Another big group race, and another high-profile non-runner for Ballydoyle. Given how few hard-luck stories there have been so far at Goodwood, and no complaints about the ground, and given the fact Highland Reel dug in so well yesterday to win his race, it is a shame not to see Air Force Blue but it does open the door for others.

Shalaa, for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori in the colours of Al Shaqab racing, showed virtually no promise whatsoever on his debut, when he trailed in last of 8, but two wins (including a Group race last time out) since then have seen him propelled to short-price favouritism here. Steady Pace for Godolphin and The Doyler will certainly pose a threat, as will the runner for the other stable jockey William Buick in the form of Log Out Island. It is fair to say Log Out Island’s form wasn’t boosted by King Of Rooks yesterday, regardless of whether you believe Frankie gave him a good ride or not.

Kachy was a deserved winner and so my eyes are turned elsewhere, and on to Tasleet. Hamdan Al Maktoum owns two in this race, the other being Elronaq, and it is Tasleet whom Paul Hanagan has chosen to ride. Winner of his last two races, and for a fine trainer in William Haggas, Tasleet looks open to improvement and one I am happy to side with.

Adventurous and Riflescope are the Mark Johnston entries, and in spite of Joe Fanning riding Adventurous, it is Riflescope who catches the eye if he handles the step back up to 6f. He previously flopped at the trip but to me has the class to overcome that, and particularly as the race was over 2 months ago – a long time in the career of a Mark Johnston horse.

To summarise, Shalaa is a hot favourite and I can certainly see him winning – but my selections will hopefully provide some value and a run for the money.
Selection: TASLEET
Alternative: RIFLESCOPE

3:10 – Group 2, 2m, 3yo+. The obvious place to start here is with the top weight Trip To Paris. This is a horse who started out the season in handicap company and progressed to win an Ascot Gold Cup whilst seemingly going unnoticed by the punters and bookmakers alike, with his last three victories coming at 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1.

That is not the case today, however, and whilst I am a huge admirer of this gelding, he may find carrying top weight in another gruelling test of stamina just one step too far. I would love to see him win, but I won’t be selecting him for today’s pick. Next up is a horse I put in a strong word for in the Northumberland Plate, and Quest For More certainly delivered there.

He is the first runner of the week for the Beckhampton stable under Roger Charlton’s always excellent stewardship, and if he continues to improve like he suggests he will then he will surely come close. Big Orange for Michael Bell and Jamie Spencer has a great chance based on his winning form, but hasn’t tried this trip since an unsuccessful attempt on heavy ground in October 2014. If he stays then his price will look small, but he’s also one I’m willing to pass over. When Blue Wave won on the first day of Goodwood for the Mark Johnston team, his wife said that Oriental Fox would be the best result of the week for them – and with his marathon victory at Ascot in the bag you know this horse will stay all day, and probably sleep on the couch just to make sure.

Another runner for the Johnston team that catches the eye at a ridiculously low weight is Vive Ma Fille, who runs as a 3yo with 18lbs in hand on most of the field. Silvestre De Sousa could well give her a smart run to outrun her price. Whilst Scotland and Pallasator both pose threats, the final word goes to Simenon for Willie Mullins and Frankie Dettori. 4th to Trip To Paris in the Ascot Gold Cup, I fancy him to turn the tables here and take the honours. He has been lightly raced this past calendar year and that could be the key advantage for him here.
Selection: SIMENON
Alternative: QUEST FOR MORE

Goodwood Preview – Day Two

By 2 Comments

The highlight of Day Two is always the Sussex Stakes, and we have seen some top drawer winners in recent years – Canford Cliffs, Frankel (twice), Toronado and Kingman shows you the quality on offer. That list also demonstrates how a top quality 3yo will almost always beat a top quality older horse, ceteris paribus, due to the weight-for-age allowance. Only Frankel has broken that trend, and I would have fancied Gleneagles to beat Solow if the Duel on the Downs (Part 733) had come to fruition. Alas, it was not to be, but we should still have a great day’s racing ahead.

Here’s a quick recap of how our selections did on Day One (prices for placed horses are SPs). As predicted, it was a tough day, with two 20/1 winners and a 14/1 winner:

2:00 Mount Logan – 1st @ 8/1;                   Zand – still running
2:35 Galileo Gold – 1st @ 9/2;                     Ibn Malik – 2nd @ 5/1
3:10 Dutch Connection – 2nd @ 9/4;         Tupi – 7th
3:45 Battersea – 8th;                                      Notarised – 6th
4:20 Double Up – 2nd @ 5/2;                      Top Boy – 3rd @ 6/1
4:55 Goodwood Zodiac – 12th;                     Sir Roger Moore – 8th
5:30 Strong Steps – 3rd @ 9/2;                    Hannington – 13th

2:00 Class 2 Handicap, 2m5f, 3yo+. A marathon to get us going on the second day, and a 20-runner marathon at that. The favourite is William Of Orange, trained by Sir Mark Prescott Bt, and anybody who saw him finish his last race at York over an extended 2m when given a lot to do would surely be anticipating him stepping up in trip. He has also managed to improve his RPR with every race in his career (albeit from a rather low starting point of 39), finally hitting the three-figure mark at York. If he handles the new trip he will surely take some beating. A horse in fantastic form at the moment is Wordiness, readily completing his hat-trick last time out, and all three of those wins have come in at 2m or longer. This horse showed his toughness when turning out just 4 days after a win at Chester in June, so the 2m race on good-to-firm ground at Newbury just 10 days ago shouldn’t be a concern. The main dangers look to be Teak and Sands Of Fortune.
Selection: WILLIAM OF ORANGE
Alternative: WORDINESS

2:35 Group 3, 1m4f, 3yo. This race, on class alone, looks to be Highland Reel’s for the taking. Whilst his 3yo season has not quite lived up to promise of his juvenile campaign, and his Irish Derby run left plenty to be desired, his second in the Prix du Jockey Club represents by far the best form in the race. We know this horse can handle the undulations of Goodwood, and if you’re prepared to ignore his most recent run, then he must rate a decent bet if only because he appears to be the only horse from the Ballydoyle battalions they actually trust to run here this week given the amount of withdrawals. Whether that is indicative of something amiss with Aidan O’Brien’s horses is open to speculation. Medrano looks to have good credentials, and given his St Leger must be rated at home, but at a slightly bigger price it might be worth having a look at Scottish for Andrew Balding and Jim Crowley.
Selection: HIGHLAND REEL
Alternative: SCOTTISH

3:10 Group 1, 1m, 3yo+. As noted in the introduction, we have been denied a mouthwatering clash between Solow and Gleneagles, but that should allow everyone to step back and simply admire the top class horse Solow has become. Up until the May of his 4yo season, Solow was campaigned over distances his pedigree suggested he would thrive on, but after a heavy defeat over 15.5 furlongs at Longchamp, he was dropped back to first 9 furlongs and then a mile. Quite frankly, he has never looked back, and whilst he proved at Meydan and Longchamp he can still win over 9f+, his performance at Royal Ascot showed what a top class miler he is. He has 7 consecutive wins, and it is very hard to see any of his rivals preventing him making that 8. Of the remainder, Arod comes here in great form with a Group 3 and a Group 2 victory in his last two outings and just might cause an upset, whilst Toormore’s brave victory must give hope to the connections of Night Of Thunder.
Selection: SOLOW
Alternative: AROD

3:45 Group 3, 5f, 2yo. King Of Rooks was one of a pair of Richard Hannon trained horses who could consider themselves a shade unlucky in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, as he and Log Out Island took each other on from a long way out, and seemed to miss Waterloo Bridge appearing from behind them to take a half-length victory. Frankie Dettori will surely ride King Of Rooks more steadily this time, whilst the withdrawal of yet another Ballydoyle runner in Washington DC on Tuesday evening surely makes his task easier. It would be a big surprise if he was to get turned over. Of the rest, Muhadathat can put her experience to good use, but she will need to if she’s going to overturn the form with Kachy, who won well at Chester on her only start to date.
Selection: KING OF ROOKS
Alternative: MUHADATHAT

4:20 Class 2 Fillies’ Maiden, 6f, 2yo. With very little in the way of form to go on (the 13 fillies have just 15 runs between them) combined with the general unpredictability of 2yos and this looks one of the trickiest races on today’s card. Winter Rose is the obvious place to start for Hannon and Hughes, with her third at Newmarket looking promising. The Hannon yard’s 2yos have tended to improve for a run more so than in previous seasons (when they were often primed first time out), which certainly places Winter Rose above Forgotten Wish in the pecking order. Given that I appear to have selected four consecutive likely favourites so far, we’re going to swerve Winter Rose for selection purposes here, but I wouldn’t dissuade readers from having a punt. Instead we’ll take a couple of chances on two other fillies. First up is Silent Dreamer for Mark Johnston, a Dream Ahead filly who looks to have plenty of speed in her pedigree. Marcus Tregoning saddles two here and it’s the one with racecourse experience we’ll go with, and it’s the progeny of Sir Percy going by the name of Alamode, who came fourth on her debut.
Selection: SILENT DREAMER
Alternative: ALAMODE

4:55 Class 3 Fillies’ Handicap, 1m1f, 3yo+. This one looks to be an open race, and Imshivalla looks to have the best chance for Richard Fahey and Paul Hanagan. Although she hasn’t won since October, she has been running well this month and is now back on her last winning mark, and looks to be well weighted. Sonnetation is an extremely consistent filly, with form figures this year of 22241132, and whilst she may not be as open to progress as some other more lightly raced fillies, she should give punters a decent run for their money. Right at the bottom of the weights is an interesting sort for Andrew Balding and Edward Greatrex. She finally got off the mark a fortnight ago when a well backed 1/2 shot, and although there are obvious questions about her ability to handle this step up in class, she could use both her weight-for-age allowance and the 5lb claim for young Edward to good effect. Forest Maiden is the favourite for Godolphin and the in-form William Buick, and whilst she certainly has a better shot at victory than her Forest footballing namesakes, at the prices I’m willing to overlook her.
Selection: IMSHIVALLA
Alternative: HALA MADRID

5:25 Class 3 Handicap, 7f, 3yo+. In another very open handicap it’s probably easier to try and narrow down the field by looking at trainers first and horses second. Simon Crisford has made an excellent transition from Godolphin guru to trainer and his Mutawathea is certainly of interest. A few of his winning horses this year have been the subject of sustained gambles on the day, so the market will be of great interest here as well. After overlooking Blue Wave for Mark Johnston yesterday, I certainly won’t be making the same mistake with Assault On Rome, another horse who has run a quite extraordinary number of times this year. She has won over this distance on both good ground and good-to-soft, and Johnston’s horses have a tendency to suddenly snap out of losing runs, so let’s hope this is another example. Mime Dance for the aforementioned Balding and Greatrex combination is another with a good chance.
Selection: MUTAWATHEA
Alternative: ASSAULT ON ROME

Goodwood Day One Preview

By Leave a Comment

As I start this blog on a Sunday evening, the skies are leaden with rain, only one cricket match in the country came to any sort of conclusion today, and quite frankly it’s cold. Not the normal circumstances one would associate with Glorious Goodwood (or, to give the festival it’s proper name, the Qatar Goodwood Festival), but the more familiar and reassuring sight of an army of entries from Mark Johnston means we’re certainly in the right place. Although the references to the weather and the sponsors are slightly tongue-in-cheek, they are nevertheless important factors – the Goodwood ground turned soft after 40mm of rain over the weekend, and the significant increase in prize money means many trainers will have placed more importance on this meeting than they might have done previously. As I update this on Monday, we have our first high profile defections of the week, with Gleneagles not being declared for the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday, followed by Limato and Air Vice Marshal being withdrawn from their engagements on the Tuesday. It means day one is looking tricky and until we know exactly how the ground is going to play out, it’s worth keeping the stakes small today…

2:00 – Class 2 Handicap, 1m1f192y, 4yo+. In what is sure to be a recurring theme throughout the week, the ubiquitous Mark Johnston saddles three here, and all look to have decent chances. So much like when Coolmore arrive at races mob-handed, the biggest clue is to be found in jockey bookings. Zand is the favoured mount of Joe Fanning, and is making his debut for the Johnston yard having come over from the continent. He is lightly raced, certainly compared to his stablemates Fire Fighting (14 races in 2015) and Sennockian Star (13 races in 2015), and so may go under the radar in terms of his price. He is not without risk but may be worth an ew punt. Luca Cumani’s Mount Logan has posted RPRs of 107 the last twice he has raced, and looks likely to put up another big performance, whilst Adam Kirby will want to prove his worth to his boss after being taken off Postponed recently. If there’s one person who’s going to be desperate for winners this week it’s Richard Hughes as he bows out from race riding and focusses on training instead. He rides Master The World for David Elsworth, and is another consistent sort – his 5 races this year have seen just 8lbs difference between his best and worst performances.
Selection: MOUNT LOGAN
Alternative: ZAND

2:35 – Group 2, 7f, 2yo. This race was won in impressive fashion last year by Highland Reel, and Aidan O’Brien would have been confident Air Vice Marshal can turn the tables on his Newmarket form with Birchwood and repeat the trick. He was my selection before his withdrawal, so bearing in mind the penalty Birchwood picks up in a race that has just 8 runners but looks high on quality, there are numerous threats, not least Galileo Gold for Hugo Palmer, whose red-hot stable must fancy their charge to handle this step up in class with aplomb. Galileo Gold also has crucial experience on good to soft. Those of you who managed to read my Royal Ascot previews will know you cannot bet on a 2yo race without at least considering the Mark Johnston entries, who seem to take their racing well and often make their extra experience tell. In this case, Beaverbrook and Welford have 11 starts between them (compared to 17 for the rest of the field combined) but it is the latter who seems to have the more progressive profile, and is Joe Fanning’s chosen ride – so Welford may be worth chancing at the prices. However, the bookies can’t split them and nor can I. Strong Challenge may be Godolphin’s second string here but he has crucial winning course experience, and his beating of Gutaifan looks better by the week. He looks to have a great chance.
Selection: GALILEO GOLD
Alternative: IBN MALIK

3:10 – Group 2, 7f, 3yo+. In this race last year Toormore was a beaten odds-on favourite, and as he hasn’t won since the Craven Stakes in April 2014, it’s hard to fancy him as favourite here in spite of several commendable performances in defeats over the past 12 months. At this stage of the season, as the 3yos mature properly into their bodies, the weight-for-age allowance becomes a vitally important feature of races like this, and so it is with that in mind we focus on the key chances here, and principally Dutch Connection. This horse was excellent in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, before following that up with a fine effort when finishing second to Territories at Chantilly. Both his defeats this season have come over a mile and 7 furlongs looks to be the perfect trip for this colt. Limato’s withdrawal makes the second pick a bit more straightforward, with preference given to Tupi, whose 4th placed finish behind Dutch Connection at Royal Ascot was sandwiched by two decent Newmarket victories. His draw may just help him run into the places…
Selection: DUTCH CONNECTION
Alternative: TUPI

3:45 – Class 2 Handicap, 1m6f, 3yo+. A handicap for those with stamina in abundance, and we begin with Battersea, a horse who was highly-progressive in his 3yo season until an inexplicably bad run at Newmarket in October. He then wasn’t seen again until this month, when he finished 8th of 14 runners over 1m4f; however, he is entitled to come on for that reappearance and the step up in trip could suit him. Ajman Bridge is another who is trying this distance for the first time, his most recent being over an extended 1m2f at York two weeks ago. Combining his career-high mark with his first attempt over this distance makes him too short for me to consider, although a good run from Mount Logan in the first might change my mind on the day… Notarised, for that man Mark Johnston, could lead them all a merry dance if he’s allowed to dictate as he did at Haydock, but his run at Newcastle wasn’t quite so impressive. His form figures read 319101, so it could be that he’ll struggle to follow up as is often the case. However, Johnston’s horses are trained to race (sounds ridiculous when you say it but some horses appear to save all their best work for the gallops) and so I’m willing to take a punt on him again. At the prices it might be worth chancing Forgotten Voice for Nicky Henderson; he is sure to get the trip regardless of the ground and certainly has the ability.
Selection: BATTERSEA
Alternative: NOTARISED

4:20 – Class 2 Handicap, 5f, 4yo+. Double Up is the clear favourite and seems to have found his niche at 5 furlongs, winning three times and placing once in four starts since dropping back to this distance as a 4yo. He certainly warrants his position at the top of the book and so the task then is to find decent value elsewhere. The old boy Humidor seems to be enjoying his racing still, and his last victory also had James Doyle in the saddle. At a lower weight, however, Top Boy might just get his nose in front for a change. The winner of only one turf race from 31 starts, his last four starts read 2342 and so we’ll take a chance on this one as well.
Selection: DOUBLE UP
Alternative: TOP BOY

4:55 – Class 2 Maiden, 6f, 2yo. A race for two year olds that haven’t yet won. Wow. Richard Hannon is the place to start seeing as he saddles five of the entrants, and Richard Hughes takes the seemingly prize ride of Papa Luigi. However, this will be his fourth start and whilst his chances are obvious, there is little value in backing a horse that hasn’t yet shown he can get in front at the line. Inland Sea, who will be ridden by Harry Bentley, has only had one start whilst Dyllan has had two – the sum of their combined three starts is three fourth places. Whilst none of Hannon’s runners should be ignored, attention is instead drawn to Goodwood Zodiac, an unlucky second at Epsom last time out, and Sir Roger Moore, who has a series of eyecatching entries and I’m always willing to forgive 2yos a bad run in the heady confines of Royal Ascot.
Selection: GOODWOOD ZODIAC
Alternative: SIR ROGER MOORE

5:30 – Class 3 Handicap, 1m, 3yo+. Having already fancied one Hugo Palmer horse on the card, it’s hard to resist another, especially with a jockey as good as James Doyle on board. Strong Steps looks to have every chance if he takes to the ground well (his only victory has come on the all weather and he’s not encountered ground softer than good yet), but his 10f second at Ayr last month shows stamina shouldn’t be a problem for him. Ifwecan has hit the crossbar the last twice, and three of his last four runs have seen him post RPRs in the mid-90s, whilst Kieran Shoemark claims 5lbs on board Hannington for Andrew Balding, and steered him to victory last time out – some claimers are not worth the weight they take off, but I don’t think this is the case here.
Selection: STRONG STEPS
Alternative: HANNINGTON

Royal Ascot – Day One Preview

By Leave a Comment

Royal Ascot. Synonymous with pageantry, pomp, circumstance but most important of all, top drawer racing across all five days. The ceremonies combine a mixture of the old – with the royal horse-drawn carriage – with the new, and Qipco’s vast partnership deal that extends to many more facets of British racing. And the racing matches that mixture, with the exciting two year old horses being primed for this week above all, matched by the brilliant older horses from across the globe. Here we’ll have a look at some of the highlights of day one – it’s impossible to cover every horse but fear not, our team of tipsters will let you know which ones to back throughout the week!

Tuesday, Day One. 2:30 – The meeting gets off to an absolute cracker with the Queen Anne Stakes (although surely nothing can top the spectacle of Frankel’s glorious destruction of the field in 2012), as the best of British take on some proper global challengers. Solow is the favourite – he has been victorious in his last six races since being dropped back in distance, and was particularly impressive in his demolition of The Grey Gatsby at Meydan in March, although the much-anticipated clash between Solow and Cirrus des Aigles at Longchamp was somewhat ruined by the problems Cirrus met in-running. Able Friend is the star of Hong Kong, and has also won his last six races – if he has taken the long journey well, then the ground conditions should certainly suit him. He is also ranked higher than Solow in the current world rankings, only behind American Pharoah. Night Of Thunder appears to have an unfair reputation as being a lucky winner of last year’s 2000 Guineas, but has never been out of the first three home when racing at a mile or less. As the only horse to beat the brilliant Kingman, he remains the best British hope for the race, although his stable companion Toormore has started to show his old 2yo spark in recent efforts. It is 16/1 bar those…

3:05 – The first 2yo race, the Coventry Stakes, sees Round Two at the head of the market. Just watching Jim Bolger’s face when talking about this horse tells you everything you need to know. Buratino is the most experienced horse in the field for Mark Johnston, and this will be his sixth start of his fledgling career; that experience could prove vital in the heady atmosphere of the Ascot enclosures. Buratino has also been bought by Godolphin this week, becoming MJ’s first runner for the boys in blue. Finnegan is the first of Wesley Ward’s strong American contingent, and anybody who recalls Hootenanny’s coruscating performance at last year’s meeting would do well to watch this juvenile in the market. Log Out Island, Air Force Blue and War Department represent Richard Hannon, Aidan O’Brien and William Haggas respectively, and each have won their sole start to date. Hannon has a strong 2yo team for Royal Ascot, as ever, and he also saddles Eltezam (Frankie Dettori takes the ride) and Age of Empire (with Richard Hughes).

3:40 – Following that it’s the turn of the speed freaks, with Sole Power looking to take this race for what would be a quite incredible third year in a row. He has been less consistent since his win at York last August, but on his day and given luck in-running he still remains hard to beat. Muthmir won well at Chantilly two weeks ago and is sure to be in peak condition, whilst Mecca’s Angel looks to have fantastic speed and is an interesting filly for this race. Ryan Moore has been booked to take the ride on the Australian challenger Shamal Wind, which is certainly a bonus for connections, whilst Tiggy Wiggy will probably go for the 3yo sprint race instead. Brazen Beau is the other wonder from down under, but will race on Saturday instead. One of the best things about sprinters is that they tend to have the longevity the milers and above don’t get, and other familiar names to take the field include Pearl Secret, Hot Streak, G Force and Steps.

4:20 – Perhaps disappointingly, the St James’s Palace Stakes has been made less interesting by the absence of Territories, who came closest of all to Gleneagles in the 2000 Guineas. Ignoring the disqualification in France on Arc day in his final 2yo race, Gleneagles has won his last 7 career starts. The fact that even though Coolmore evidently didn’t have a really strong Derby horse this year, yet still resisted the temptation to run this colt, must mean he is a brilliant miler and will be ready for this engagement. Make Believe runs for Andre Fabre in lieu of Territories, and he looks a genuine threat to Gleneagles, particularly following his defeat of New Bay in the French Guineas when New Bay subsequently won the French Derby. Also looking a threat is Consort for Michael Stoute. By some distance the least exposed horse in the field, his progressive profile makes him a potential big player as he steps up to the big stage. Ivawood has been redirected to the Jersey Stakes, and Belardo at 20/1 doesn’t make much appeal; only two other runners mean ew value is scarce.

5:00 – The penultimate race on the card is always an interesting one, because this marathon over 2m 4f pits the big guns from the National Hunt game against the high flyers from the Flat. There are not many occasions when you see Ryan Moore booked to ride for Willie Mullins, but that is exactly what will happen here as Clondaw Warrior, a recent third over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival, comes back to the flat turf where he has previously won three races. Lycidas was a decent recent winner at York, although the Champagne that flowed after that 8/1 success means it is hard to recall the exact details of his performance, but he certainly looked like the step up in trip wouldn’t inconvenience him. Ray Ward, at the top of the market, completed this distance in last year’s race (and then went a furlong further at Goodwood for good measure), but the same cannot be said for Fun Mac, the mount of Richard Hughes who has not yet ventured beyond 1m6f. Nicky Henderson has several entries, with Broxbourne leading the way, whilst those who were impressed with Warren Greatrex’s training performance at Cheltenham might take notice of Boite.

5:35 – The close of day one sees the Windsor Castle Stakes, a listed race over the minimum 5 furlong distance, again for 2yo who perhaps aren’t quite the class of their compatriots in the Coventry Stakes. Areen was extremely impressive first time out York when winning convincingly, but not so good next time out at Sandown – the market may be indicative here. Ravenhoe, much like Buratino, has run 5 times for Mark Johnston already and again that extra experience could prove telling, but he are also unlikely to surprise us like some of the less experienced horses. Washington DC for Ballydoyle has posted an improved RPR in each of his three starts, and has been redirected to here from the Coventry Stakes, whilst Soapy Aitken for Clive Cox and Adam Kirby should not go unnoticed.

Derek Potter

Betting Opportunity Eye-Catchers

By Leave a Comment

What a disaster for the England cricket team in the World Cup as they were finally dumped out of the tournament by the might Bangladesh.

I think Geof Boycott must be right if some of them had a brain they would be dangerous. What the hell were Broad and Anderson thinking? We needed 16 off the last two overs and they both tried to smack the ball out the ground when the sensible thing was to take a single and let Woakes take the strike who is a far better batsman than either of them.

The phrase can’t bat, can’t bowl, can’t field just about sums them up.

Monday night I watched the Man Utd v Arsenal cup tie and it was an entertaining match and the result pleased me being a Gooner however I thought the standard was very average compared to when I watch the continentals.

Just consider Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League early doors, Man City and Arsenal look to need miracles to qualify and Chelsea are the best of a bad bunch.

I’m not sure why as the top teams all spend bundles on the transfer market but don’t seem to be able to compete with the Germans or the Spanish outfits.

Swiftly moving on to Cheltenham what an amazing day yesterday was with Ruby winning on 3 of his hot pots and then Annie Power tripping up with the race in the bag.

I wonder which tipsters will be crowing about selecting Ruby’s 3 winners as to be perfectly honest nobody needs pay for that type of info as any fool could have picked them. Mind you having said that I did draw a blank at the Festival yesterday and my only winner was at Southwell.

We managed to find a winner last week for Howies Hottie so lets see if we can find another one to take the gold medal today.

The racing at Cheltenham is fantastic and I’m looking forward to the Champion Chase but there is no way I can bet in the race with so many imponderables. Lets be honest we dont have to bet in every race and this race is to be savoured and enjoyed rather than bet in.

I just hope they all come back safe and the best horse wins on the day.

So for Howies Hottie I’m deserting Cheltenham for the Sand at Southwells 1.55. It’s a one mile handicap and I’m going with the Mark Johnston trained Tizlove Regardless.

The colt has winning form on polytrack but his breeding says he should be suited to the fibresand. He has been running over further but I think the return to this trip and his front running style should see him in the mix in this ordinary handicap.

Mark has not had that many runners this Winter but I have been told to watch out for his two year olds once the flat season gets under way.

EYECATCHERS

ARTIFICIAL SURFACES

Berrahari trainer J.Best – Never got the run of the race at Wolverhampton but still hit the frame. The yard are in good form and this one can go in again.

Al Thakhira trainer M.Botti – Needed the run when 3rd to Sovereign Debt and will come on for the race.

Diamond Joel trainer M.Channon – Split a very useful pair in a maiden last week and can only improve.

Coach Bombay trainer A.B.Joyce – Ran well on the sand at Dundalk where he only found one to good. He is on a decent mark and a step up in trip might help.

JUMPERS

Throthehatch trainer Lucinda Russell – He put up a prominant show at Ayr before fading and might prefer better ground.

Sgt Reckless trainer M.Channon – A bit disappointing yesterday in the Arkle but they did water the track and he must have good fast ground. If the ground is quicker at Aintree he could surprise.

Back next Wednesday have a good week and be lucky.

Howard Davis-Shaw
Betting Opportunity
http://go.betfan.com/1000/317

The Gambling Don

By Leave a Comment

Another great week on the private service as The Don’s profit train rolls on smashing through the 500 point profit marker this week. Special thanks to all who have been with me for the full year it was great to see so many of you resubscribe this week. Heres to the next 500 points!!!

The only way to seriously win at this game is to have info and to know your way round the form book, if you only have one of the two you are going to struggle and this game will see you off. I have some of the best contacts on the Flat and over the sticks including Trainers themselves but guess what, I never take what they tell me at face value even the ones I completely trust. That’s the only way to be in this game, get all the info there is but ultimately trust your judgement built up over years at the coalface.

On course there is always stuff flying around, this is a monster, this one is not trying, Andy Bell just got a round in (some rumours are so outlandish you know they must be false) now of course firstly you look at the source and whether they have been right before then make your judgement. If you join up with The Don I do all your info gathering and form study and you trust my judgement, is it right all the time? certainly not we have our crossbar hitting patches believe me. What it does do though is give you a vital edge over other punters and the Bookmakers so my advice is trust in the Don and play the long game because I’m not going anywhere!

I’ve really been looking forward to today at Newmarket for weeks we have a mix of top group races and quality handicaps, that equals punting heaven. For our Saturday selection we are taking on a hot pot fave Berkshire in the first. Berkshire was stunningly impressive at Ascot but I treat Ascot form with suspicion because many a runaway Ascot winner gets turned over next time. The horse we need to be on is the Mark Johnston trained Somewhat ridden by the French Master Gerald Mosse. Last time out Somewhat trounced what many believe is Godolphin’s best 2 year old Be Ready at Newbury by 4 and a half lengths. This left the Godolphin boys scratching their heads and next time out Be Ready was awesome at Doncaster boosting the form with a vengeance.

Somewhat won’t hang about today and I fancy him to gallop to victory. Take the 15/8 with Bet365 as I’m sure he will be punted.

Have a great days racing and I hope you can join me on the private service. The next twelve months should certainly be as exciting as the last.

Back next Saturday

The Gambling Don
http://go.betfan.com/1000/119