Tag: Quick Jack

Chester Preview – Wednesday 6th May

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Chester races gets under way on Wednesday with a seven-race card starting at 2.10 with the Lily Agnes Stakes. This race usually sets the tone for the rest of the week with the winner invariably coming from a low draw and I fancy Mark Johnston’s Rah Rah to do exactly that.

She is a speedy daughter of Lonhro and I liked the way she strode clear of Anwar at Kempton on her debut. Silver Wings has the inside berth and is likely to make a race of it while Astley Hall did everything wrong on his debut but still managed to win.

The going has eased with the midweek rain and that could benefit Michael Bell’s filly Banzari in the Cheshire Oaks. She was pulled out of the Pretty Polly Stakes on Sunday due to the fast ground and the move could pay off here. I was impressed with Victoria Pollard’s debut win at Newbury for Andrew Balding but they finished in a bit of a heap so she still has something to prove.

We have previewed the Chester Cup separately and expect a big run from Quick Jack under Richard Hughes. The rain has arrived in time so my biggest concern is whether Hughes will be able to navigate his way through this big field. The horse has run well in a County Hurdle and a Cesarewitch so is battle-hardened and just needs a bit of luck in running.

B Fifty Two will be a popular fancy to make all under Frankie Dettori in the sprint at 3.45. I just felt that he didn’t quite do enough last time out to suggest that he was at his peak and prefer the claims of Blithe Spirit. She is a course winner and ran a fine race against Spinatrix at Nottingham.

Sir Isaac Newton is difficult to oppose in the maiden at 4.20 having been edged out by Derby hope Zawraq on his debut. He is still entered in the Derby and a host of other top races so will need to win this if he is in that class.

Robert Cowell has his usual impressive team of sprinters and he saddles Duke Of Firenze and Normal Equilibrium on the 4.55. The former won the Epsom Dash when trained by Sir Michael Stoute but has been largely frustrating since and I’m siding with the proven recent form of Normal Equilibrium. He’s won around here before and has drawn stall one.

The final race of the card is a fascinating mile and a half handicap for three-year-olds. These races are all about potential at this stage of the season and Not Never has bags of that. He battled on gamely to win his maiden for Hugo Palmer and the stable are in excellent form at present.

Rah Rah 2.10 @4.50 Betfair

Banzari 2.40 @9-1 Boylesports

Quick Jack 3.10 @6-1 Stan James

Blithe Spirit 3.45 @5-1 Paddy Power

Sir Isaac Newton 4.20 @2-5 Betfair

Normal Equilibrium 4.55 @11-4 Betfair

Not Never 5.25 @7-1 Bet365

Chester Cup Preview

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The Chester May meeting will always be one of my favourite festivals of the flat racing season. The tight track always provides thrilling racing along with more than its fair share of hard luck stories. This was the venue for Shergar’s stunning victory which set him on course for the Epsom Derby and his place in history. We will be previewing each day’s racing in detail as the classic trials unfold but the feature race of the week is still the Chester Cup.

A maximum of seventeen runners will embark on the two and a quarter mile trip with the usual mixture of seasoned campaigners and up-and-coming stayers. Last year’s finish was dominated by Dr Marwan Koukash with his horse’s finishing first and second. Jamie Spencer was guilty of playing his hand too soon on Angel Gabrial and was cut down close home by Ryan Moore on Suegioo.

Consolation came in the Northumberland Plate for the runner-up and he has been tried in a higher grade since. He is not a particularly big horse and I can’t see him shouldering his big weight successfully this year. He is 15lbs higher in the handicap while Suegioo enjoys a 10lbs pull for three and half lengths from Newcastle. I certainly wouldn’t rule out Marco Botti’s charge after a gentle warm-up race at Ripon.

The one that catches the eye is Quick Jack, trained by Tony Martin in Ireland. He has been favourite for a string of big handicaps on the flat and over jumps over the past 18 months. His trainer has chosen very carefully and has been rewarded with a victory at Galway and two fine placed efforts at Newmarket and Cheltenham.

He was unlucky not to win the Cesarewitch when beaten only three-quarters of a length into third behind Big Easy. Richard Hughes was on board that day and hit the front with a furlong to run. Don’t expect to see him until very late on here and much will depend on whether Hughes can weave his way through the field. There is a lot of rain forecast over the next couple of days and connections will be hoping that some of it falls on the Roodeye.

Mubaraza was favourite last year but failed to quicken in the home straight and finished fourth. Ed Dunlop also runs Trip To Paris who is on a hat-trick under Graham Lee. He stepped up to two miles for the first time at Ripon and beat Gabrial’s King decisively. The runner-up did not get a clear run up the straight but would not have beaten Trip To Paris. If the going stays on the quick side, he could be worth a saver.

Quick Jack 3.10 Chester Wednesday @6-1 Stan James

Cheltenham blog – McCoy savours Ryanair Chase glory

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Tony McCoy stole the headlines on day 3 of the Cheltenham festival with a pillar-to-post victory aboard 16-1 shot Uxizandre in the Ryanair Chase.

McCoy, soon to be crowned champion jockey for the 20th time, had endured a couple of frustrating days but set out like a man on a mission on the gelding trained by Alan King. Uxizandre was second at this meeting last year and went on to win at Aintree. He had beaten Simply Ned and Dodging Bullets here in November but lost his way since. King fitted a visor for the first time here and it clearly had the desired effect.

McCoy admitted afterwards that he felt Uxizandre had gone to fast to keep up the gallop but he seemed to relax coming down the hill and had plenty in reserve to hold the well-backed Ma Filleule. It was a 31st festival winner for McCoy but he may not be finished just yet. He has five rides on the final day including Hargam (Triumph Hurdle), Carlingford Lough (Gold Cup) and Ned Buntline (AP McCoy Grand Annual).

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A reasonable assessment of the festival so far would be day 1 to the punters, day 2 all square, day 3 to the bookmakers. With the smallest field on offer on Friday being seventeen, I suspect that this will be the toughest day yet for punters.

Any way of gaining a small advantage is welcome and we have kept you updated on various offers throughout the week. Racebets have been making some generous offers to attract new customers all week. If you still haven’t done so, tomorrow they will give you 10-1 about Nicky Henderson training the winner of the Triumph Hurdle (maximum £5 bet).

That gives you the favourite Peace And Co, Tony McCoy’s mount Hargam and Betcirca’s each-way fancy Top Notch. The Mullins pair and Beltor are the most obvious threats to spoil the party but it could give you a very nice £50 balance in your account!

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Quick Jack 2.05 (County Hurdle) 7-1 Stan James

Black Hercules 2.40 (Albert Bartlett) 4-1 Bet365

On The Fringe 4.0 (Foxhunter) 8-1 Paddy Power

Roi Des Francs 4.40 (Martin Pipe) 9-2 Bet365

Ned Buntline 5.20 (AP McCoy Grand Annual) 5-1 William Hill

Boylesports Hurdle Preview

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As well as the top class racing at Cheltenham and Doncaster, there is some excellent sport over in Ireland at Leopardstown this weekend. Hurricane Fly is expected to be back in action on Sunday when he will be expected to consolidate his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle market.

Willie Mullins reported a slight scare in midweek with some minor bruising but all seems well for the defending champion. He will clash with Jezki and Our Conor once again and it will be interesting to see if the younger horse can improve on his last effort. He looked a smart winner of the Triumph Hurdle but little has come out of the race of any consequence.

Saturday’s Boylesports Hurdle looks almost impossible to solve but we shall have a go! We had an each-way bet on Flaxen Flare in the Ladbroke and he slogged on into third place. Gordon Elliott’s gelding won the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last season and is probably just too high in the handicap at the moment.

The favourite is Quick Jack who was heavily backed when beating Deep Trouble at Cheltenham in November. He has only gone up 6lbs but he looks a bit short in the betting for me at around 3-1 in a 24-runner handicap. A case can be made for Sea Light and Blood Cotil. Sea Light has won three on the bounce but has gone up 11lbs for his latest win.

Blood Cotil should have landed the odds at Cork last time but fell after previously finishing second to Diakali in France. Willie Mullins and Paul Townend teamed up to win the Thyestes Chase this week and they look set to feature here. Gilgamboa has only had three races and is up 8lbs for his latest win. Experience counts for a lot in a rough and tumble race like this and that puts me off Gilgamboa and the disappointing Snake Eyes.

Sullane Chief won with any amount in hand last time but the handicapper has come down hard with a big hike in the weights. Conor Walsh takes off 7lbs and he could still run well with only 10st 3lb on his back.

The form that I like best for this race is the Leopardstown Christmas Rated Hurdle won by Dysios from Leah Claire. The runner-up is a tough little mare who was placed twice in Listed company on the flat. She ran well at Leopardstown but was just done for toe by Dysios in the run from the last. She is 2lbs better off for two lengths and it is hard to split them. They are both on offer at good each-way prices so they will do for me.

Leah Claire at 20-1 Coral

Dysios at 25-1 Boylesports