Tag: Lady Cecil

Chelmsford Wednesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The new flat turf season may have started on Saturday but the summer festivals seem a long way off with Britain being battered by storms this week. Flat racing fans have to content themselves with all-weather action for the time being but there is a good card at Chelmsford on Wednesday.

The feature race is the Totepool Handicap over a mile and three-quarters at 4.00 with five last-time-out winners in the field of seven. Lady Cecil saddles top weight Tacticus who has bolted up in two minor races at Southwell but the handicapper has punished him accordingly. He was never off the bridle to defy a 6lbs penalty last time but is now up a further 13lbs.

His rivals include the promising Wakea with Dubai World Cup winning rider William Buick in the saddle. The son of Cape Cross looks like a useful stayer in the making but Ryan Moore had to get after him to win on his seasonal debut. Jeremy Noseda has a high opinion of this one while Fergall made a belated start on the flat, winning by nine lengths at Lingfield. He has already won three times over hurdles so could be fairly treated on a mark of 87. I am reluctant to oppose a horse in such good form as Tacticus so he just gets the vote.

The action gets under way at 2.0 with a maiden race over a mile and a quarter. Marco Botti’s Giantouch has the best form in the book and looks sure to improve for this step up in trip but I like the filly Nawaasy. She raced very wide on her debut and was still beaten only a length at the finish. If she has made natural progress through the winter for Charles Hills, a race like this could be an ideal starting point.

Luke Morris can win the sprint at 3.00 on top weight Middle East Pearl for James Tate. He tried to cover her up in behind at Kempton last time when third to Zebs Lad, a fair effort on her first start since December. The danger may be the former Sir Mark Prescott-trained Vejovis. He has won over seven furlongs but is dropping back to the minimum trip after nearly making all over six last time.

Tate and Morris can complete a double on the card with Kempton winner Clampdown in the last race at 5.00. He carries a 6lbs penalty but this looks a much easier contest with the main threat likely to come from Three Gracez.

Nawaasy 2.00 @7-4 Bet365

Middle East Pearl 2.00 @2-1 SkyBet

Tacticus 4.00 @7-2 William Hill

Clampdown 5.00 @13-8 Betfair

Haydock Wednesday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Derby meeting at Epsom proved a real money-spinner for Betcirca followers with seven winners from nine races covered over the two days. After forecasting four out of five winners on Oaks day, we followed up with wins for Baitha Alga and Cirrus des Aigles plus each-way profits on Kingston Hill and Romsdal in the big race.

There is hardly time to blink before Royal Ascot is upon us but there is an interesting card at Haydock on Wednesday. Lady Cecil does not have strength in depth at her yard but she does have quality and is sending four runners up north tomorrow.

Button Down runs in the opening maiden race and must have claims following her second to Hidden Dream at Salisbury. The winner hardly advertised the form this week but this promising filly by Oasis Dream is still improving and the extra two furlongs should help. The most interesting rival is the seven-year-old Montbazon, a classy hurdler trained by Alan King. He is having his first flat race a little late in life but King always felt he was Champion Hurdle class so it will be fascinating to see how he runs.

Magic Of Reality should go close in the one-mile handicap at 3.40 with only 9st 2lb on her back. The Galileo filly won twice last season at Salisbury over a mile and was second to Zurigha at Kempton on her comeback.

Lady Cecil and Richard Hughes team up again with Morning Watch in the 4.10 race. He was having only his second race when getting off the mark over a mile and a half at Lingfield and he should relish the extra two furlongs. The big threat is likely to come from Ryan Moore on Sandown winner Vent De Force. He beat habitual runner-up Tarabela by two lengths at Sandown over this distance and may still confirm the form despite a 9lbs rise.

Sea Meets Sky completes the Lady Cecil raid in the 4.40 race and this filly by Dansili also looks to have a winning chance. She won on her debut at Ascot last May and has been second on both of her subsequent outings. She should strip fitter for her seasonal reappearance at Doncaster last month and could round off a very successful day for the Warren Place yard.

Button Down 2.10 Haydock

Magic Of Reality 3.40 Haydock at 5-2 Coral

Morning Watch 4.10 Haydock at 7-2 Coral

Sea Meets Sky 4.40 Haydock at 5-2 Bet365

Horse Racing Preview 31st October

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Lingfield stages a decent card on Thursday featuring two well-contested Listed races. The second of these at 3.20 has attracted a field that wouldn’t be out of place in a Group 3 on turf with many familiar names on show.

Banoffee was a popular choice for the Epsom Oaks after she had cut through the field to win the Cheshire Oaks under Kieren Fallon in May. She was only seventh in the classic and has since lost her way with a couple of woeful efforts.

Phiz put up a cracking effort to finish second to The Lark in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and I fancied her to go one better next time at Newmarket. Unfortunately she ran a lifeless race and trailed home eighteen lengths behind Astonishing! It wouldn’t surprise me to see her pop up here at a big price but I cannot support her after that lack-lustre effort.

Astonishing had previously been touched off in the dying strides by Lady Cecil’s Phaenomena and this is the filly that interests me most tomorrow. That was her first run over a mile and a half and she needed every yard of it to get to Sir Michael Stoute’s filly. The fifth home that day was Zipp who just failed to land a gamble in a handicap on Saturday. Whilst it would be a mistake to take her victory over Astonishing too literally, it was still a fine effort and she has a handy draw in stall 2. That should enable Paul Hanagan to keep her handy and kick on round the final bend.

I also like the look of Horsted Keynes in the handicap at 2.20. He was given a good lead throughout by Invisible Hunter last time and picked him off at his leisure in the home straight. He sneaks in off bottom weight and has most to fear from wide-margin Chepstow winner Favourite Treat.

Nursery races have proved quite difficult to pick this season but there seems no reason to desert Spiritual Flame in the 6.00 at Kempton. He battled on to beat Hiking here last time, a horse that is quite highly regarded at home. He is only up 4lbs in the handicap for that success and should go well again.

Horsted Keynes 2.20 Lingfield 13-8 Bet365

Phaenomena 3.20 Lingfield 4-1 Bet365

Spiritual Flame 6.00 Kempton 3-1 Bet365

Lingfield Preview 24th September

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Wins for Coral Mist (7-1) and Supplicant (5-1) gave us a tidy profit on a busy Saturday. The highlight this week is the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket but we’ll start the week with a look at Lingfield on Tuesday.

I’m not a great fan of the all-weather but the big Newmarket stables seem to be happy to run their maidens at Lingfield and there are a couple that catch my eye. The first is Sir Michael Stoute’s Alex Vino in the 3.00 race.

He finished third on his debut behind 33-1 shot Learaig at Newmarket when ridden by Kieren Fallon. As a son of High Chaparral, he’s bred for a mile and a half in time so the seven furlongs was barely enough to get him going. Fallon was noticeably easy on him, pushing out with hands and heels. Ryan Moore steps in for the ride tomorrow and has one significant opponent in Alpine Retreat. The Godolphin colt finished second on his debut at Kempton so will handle the surface and rates a live danger. I’m just hoping that Alex Vino has more scope and I expect him to be ridden more prominently here.

My second bet of the day is in the closing race at 5.30. If any Lingfield regulars are thinking of leaving early to beat the traffic, they may want to hold on for an interesting maiden. Squire Osbaldeston is the selection, running for Lady Cecil who has just confirmed her intention to remain in charge at Warren Place next season.

This colt has always been held in some regard but has only managed three racecourse appearances. The most recent was back in May when he saw no daylight at all behind Eshtiaal at Goodwood. There are some useful sorts in opposition, notably Godolphin’s Hawker, but I’m hoping that Lady C has her charge fully wound up for this. By the way, Squire Osbaldeston himself once won a 200-mile endurance race by completing it in ten hours. Hopefully his namesake will come home a lot quicker tomorrow!

Alex Vino 3.00 15-8 Skybet

Squire Osbaldeston 5.30 5-2 Bet Victor

Northumberland Plate Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Horses that run well at Royal Ascot are often an automatic choice for punters in the following weeks. It is true that they were competing at the best quality flat racing meeting of the year but that does not necessarily mean they will be successful next time out.

Bookmakers price these horses up shorter because they know they are going to be popular. In other words, their Ascot form is built into their price so value can be hard to find. Another factor to consider is whether or not they have had a hard race and how quickly will they recover?

Tiger Cliff was well touted for the Ascot Stakes last week and received extra coverage as everyone was hoping to see Lady Cecil’s horse win. Sent off the 4-1 favourite, he was held up towards the rear by Tom Queally and ran on strongly up the straight to finish second to Well Sharp. The jockey has since come in for plenty of criticism for giving his mount too much to do but it is debatable whether he could have beaten the winner.

He is now set to renew rivalry with Lieutenant Miller (3rd), Mubaraza (4th) and Blue Bajan (6th) on the virtually the same weights in Saturday’s Northumberland Plate. On the face of it he would he should come out on top. It is worth remembering that the Plate is half a mile shorter but it is difficult to see how that might benefit any of those that were behind him at Ascot.

Tiger Cliff is a top-priced 9-2 on Saturday and could even be shorter when the 48 hour declarations are made. Second favourite is Montaser, an impressive winner at York last time and raised 5lbs for the length that be beat Clive Brittain’s Quixote. He was progressive last season with his only poor run coming in the Cesarewitch when virtually pulled up. The softer ground was blamed for that effort and he is expected to improve for his seasonal debut. He has won over this trip at Ascot last season but is now on a stone higher mark.

Richard Fahey had his team in fine form at Ascot, saddling four seconds. He has had this race in mind for his Chester Cup duo of Address Unknown and Ingleby Spirit for some time. I felt that Address Unknown was a shade fortunate to win at Chester whilst several of his rivals met trouble in running. Ingleby Spirit was ridden by 5lb claimer George Chaloner that day and may well have won in another few strides.

Tominator was also going on at the finish at Chester and now represents Well Sharp’s trainer Jonjo O’Neill. He won this race back in 2011 for the late Reg Hollinshead but is now on a 12lbs higher mark and a career high of 102. Last year’s winner Ile de Re is another that appears to have been handicapped to the hilt whilst David Lanigan’s Biographer will need some give in the ground if he is to take part. He was a springer in the Ascot Gold Cup market last week but his trainer elected to pull him out due to the fast ground.

The shape of the race will become clearer on Thursday but Ingleby Spirit rates the logical choice at this stage at 16-1. Although Montaser quickened past Quixote impressively at York, the disparity in their prices is insulting to Clive Brittain’s gelding who had previously run well in defeat at Sandown. He can also be supported at 40-1.

Ingleby Spirit 16-1 Coral

Quixote 40-1 Bet365