Tag: Coral Eclipse

Sandown 5th July Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Eclipse card is fast approaching but there is a decent appetiser on Friday with some good quality racing. Prior to Royal Ascot I had not taken much notice of the two-year-olds but some fine performances by Rizeena and War Command have re-ignited my interest and there is an intriguing little race at the Esher course tomorrow.

Royal Ascot form cannot always be taken at face value but the Queen Mary is starting to look particularly hot. Fig Roll (4th) and Ventura Mist (8th) came out and filled the first two places in a decent race at Newmarket whilst Bye Bye Birdie (12th) picked up a good contest in Ireland.

That suggests that William Haggas has every chance with Survived who battled on well to be a close sixth. I prefer her to the colt, Mick Channon’s Ambiance. He was fourth to No Nay Never but Coach House hasn’t done much for the form since and I just feel that may have been a weaker race.

However, I feel that Tom Dascombe’s eight-length Chester winner Fine ‘n Dandy could beat them both. He had his field beaten at half-way on the Roodeye and his trainer things highly enough of him to enter him for the Nunthorpe. He looks generously priced at 9-2.

The Listed Ambant Gala Stakes has attracted a really good field and I’m hoping that there will be just enough give in the ground for Mandour to take this. He is clearly still improving judged by his latest effort when a closing third to Maxios in a Group 1.

Afsare’s antics have been well documented and he has been singled out by Mr Fallon as the reason behind his recent sacking from riding for the owner. James Doyle may no longer be on the magic carpet that swept him to a treble at the Royal meeting but it will be fascinating to see if he can galvanise this talented gelding.

Van Der Neer is an interesting rival having run a fine race at the Royal meeting behind Remote. He had run well in the Guineas before flopping in Ireland but this looks more his trip and he rates as the main danger.

Al Saham completes my treble for the meeting in a tricky little handicap. He had been entered for the Old Newton Cup but Godolphin send him here instead. He looked a big long-striding sort when he won at Haydock, overcoming interference in the process. Hopefully Silvestre De Sousa can get him out in plenty of time to gallop his rivals into the ground.

Sandown Friday
2.50 Fine ‘n Dandy 9-2 Coral
4.00 Mandour 5-2 Coral
4.35 Al Saham 4-1 William Hill

Sandown July 6th Ante-Post Preview

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There is some terrific racing lined for Sandown and Haydock this weekend and prices have been chalked up for five races. However, there are two very good reasons to hold fire at this stage. Firstly, the good old British summer!

I am told that a heatwave is approaching that could last for several weeks. At the moment it is bucketing down with rain and the going in the back garden is more suited to the Welsh National than the Coral Eclipse! The second reason is the appalling lack of information over running plans that has so far been relayed to us hapless punters.

I have already taken a chance on Mars (20-1) and The Fugue (5-1) for the Eclipse and both have made it into the final eight. Ballydoyle are keeping us on the edge of our seats waiting to find out whether Camelot will run or be retired. I personally haven’t seen enough zip in his performances since Epsom last June to suggest he can win an Eclipse.

He has also confused everyone by leaving Declaration Of War as a possible runner. I don’t think anyone had considered him anything other than a miler but he would certainly make things interesting. Coral have topped up their sponsorship for the card and there are ante-post markets on the Coral Charge and the Coral Challenge.

The Charge could see Epsom Dash winner Duke of Firenze in action after his defeat in the Wokingham. He was only eighth there but he didn’t run badly at all. A few weeks ago you wouldn’t have had him alongside the likes of Kingsgate Native and Spirit Quartz but they ran miserable races at Ascot.

I am also keen on Moviesta and I’m convinced we didn’t see the best of him at York. He did not settle through the early stages and may just have burned off too much energy to hold off the late challenge of Body And Soul. On the figures he has a bit to find in this grade but he’s certainly in with an each-way shout if taking his chance.

Both horses are “jocked up” but I have no information as to whether or not they can be regarded as definite runners. Keiren Fallon has been booked to ride Opinion for Sir Michael Stoute at Haydock so it seems reasonable to assume that Ryan Moore is going to Sandown for Duke of Firenze among others.

The Coral Challenge is a one mile handicap and the sponsors are running scared of Richard Hannon’s Wentworth. This horse has been unlucky in both of his recent starts at Goodwood and Ascot and is a worthy ante-post favourite.

To be fair to Richard Hughes, he was trying to overcome what was generally perceived to be an impossible draw in stall 20 in the Britannia Stakes and he finished up behind a wall of horses with a couple of furlongs to travel. The horse knuckled down and finished better than anything in fourth and may well have won had he been able to get out sooner. The 100-30 won’t last long with Bet365.

Coral Charge
Duke of Firenze 6-1 Bet365

Coral Challenge
Wentworth 100-30 Bet365

Coral Eclipse Ante-Post Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

It was great to get back to winning ways on Saturday courtesy of Lost In The Moment (11-2) and Nabucco (4-1). What a gallant effort by the Godolphin horse to get up and win after being clouted by the whips of rival jockeys! Don’t ask me how Barzalona managed to get himself boxed in with four runners at Newmarket but he got away with it.

Nabucco landed some big bets to return 9-4 favourite and he looks one to follow. As I mentioned on Friday, he is pencilled in for the Magnet Cup but it will depend how much the handicapper clobbers him. Gosden’s headline maker of the day was the debut performance of Remote’s half-brother Kingman.

The hot favourite was Man Amongst Men following his excellent run in the Newbury maiden in which Berkshire finished third. Ridden by Spencer and sporting the colours of Qatar Racing, he ran a race eerily similar to that of Beldale Memory at Ascot. That should not be allowed to distract from the six-length victory of Kingman who got better the further he went. Bookmakers have slashed his odds to 14-1 second favourite for the 2000 Guineas.

I must be getting old but that doesn’t sound a bad price to me? Up until War Command blitzed the Coventry field I had a healthy cynicism about quotes for the Guineas. Now here I am with two colts and still 9 months to go until the race! Perhaps next year will be a vintage classic season!

The Irish Derby seems to have confirmed initial impressions that this season’s crop are a modest bunch. I had expected far better from Ruler Of The World who was beaten with half a mile to travel and Godolphin will not be amused by the desperate performance of Libertarian. Galileo Rock emerged as the only one with his reputation intact and is justifiably 6-1 favourite for the St Leger. I think he will be even better with a bit of give in the ground and he looks the one to beat at this stage.

Our ante-post wager on Mars at 20-1 for the Eclipse looks ok with the horse quoted as low as 5-1 but there is still no confirmation from Ballydoyle that he will run. It does seem the most logical target but you couldn’t be too confident about the three-year-olds beating their elders.

Al Kazeem is too short at 6-4 after his hard race at Ascot. Roger Charlton may regret his decision to take this route rather than his first instinct to go for the King George. Mukhadram will be expected to adopt similar tactics that nearly paid off at the Royal meeting, forcing the pace from the outset. The Fugue finished well in third that day and Gosden has declared his intention to run. I think she is the most likely to improve from that race and is almost certain to be in the frame. I will take her at 5-1 and hope that the rain stays away.

Ante-Post Eclipse

Mars 20-1 Betfair

The Fugue 5-1 Coral

Ante-Post 2000 Guineas
Kingman 14-1 Coral

Ante-Post St Leger
Galileo Rock 6-1 Skybet

Tipsy Tipster Tuesdays Horse Racing Tips

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

And we’ve just re-started the midweek racing bottom of the barrel racing, and i’m already getting aroused over a potentially wonderful antepost bet on the Coral Eclipse.

Next Saturday Al Kazeem lines up in the Coral Eclipse and the market is slightly incorrect, Al Kazeem is rightly favourite, but should be much shorter than the 2-1 currently on offer with Coral. Ruler of The World is still in the betting at 6-1 and won’t run. He’s down to run in Irish Derby this weekend (currently an evens favourite). Surely he wont head over to Sandown the week after that to contest in the Eclipse? Unless he wins really easily i guess.. doubtful however. The Fugue and Toronado are the current joint 2nd favourites with Mars. Toronado being in the betting is slightly confusing also, do the owners expect the horse to improve and land the 1m4f prize are racing at a mile the last twice?

Al Kazeem is versatile regarding distances. He beat Dunaden, Meandre and Fiorente in the Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) at Newmarket this time last year, and has since beaten the ill-fated Thomas Chippendale in a group 1, Camelot in a group 1 and Mukhandram, The Fugure, Camelot, Maxios and a host of other proven performers in the Prince Of Wale’s Stakes last week at Royal Ascot.

Sir* Roger Charlton has come out and said Al Kazeem’s ultimate target is the Arc De Triomphe. How exciting.

I can’t bring myself to tip anything on Tuesday. If there is one thing you do today, get stuck in to Al Kazeem for the Coral Eclipse. 2-1 is a decent enough price, he’ll go off way WAY shorter.

*As Coral’s PR women announced on ATR during Royal Ascot… 😉