Tag: Spirit Quartz

Haydock And Curragh Ante-Post Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

This weekend’s racing at Haydock features two top quality betting races in the Temple Stakes and the Betfred Silver Bowl. Over at the Curragh there is classic action with the Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday and the 1000 Guineas on Sunday.

Last year’s Temple Stakes was won in a course record time by Roger Charlton’s Bated Breath from the fast finishing Sole Power. The latter is hoping to go one place better this year after winning impressively at Newmarket last time out. Not surprisingly he has been put up the 7-2 ante-post favourite and he is expected to be hard to beat. His latest victory followed two solid efforts at Meydan. He had several of Saturday’s rivals behind him at Newmarket including the Robert Cowell-trained pair Kingsgate Native (2nd) and Spirit Quartz (5th). There did not seem to be any real excuse for either that day although Spirit Quartz may have been slightly inconvenienced by the draw.

The Silver Bowl has been won by some cracking good three-year-olds down the years and another strong field is set to turn out this weekend. Whatever the result on Saturday, this race is usually a good guide to the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and the form is always worth following. The one to be on early in the week here is Andrew Balding’s Here Comes When who did us a favour when winning at Chester recently. He beat Breton Rock with a little up his sleeve and can beat the same horse on only 2lb worse terms. Richard Hannon’s Baltic Knight could be a danger if allowed to take his chance after chasing home the smart Dundonnell last Saturday. He beat Here Comes When at Newbury by a neck and is 7lb better off at the weights.

The Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday looks wide open with several of the also-rans from the Newmarket Guineas set to turn out again. It will be interesting to see how the form of those beaten so convincingly by Dawn Approach stands up. With Aidan O’Brien having eight of the nineteen runners it is unwise to have a bet until running plans are made known.

O’Brien has also thrown a spanner in the works for the 1000 Guineas on Sunday by declaring one-time Oaks favourite Moth. However, I am prepared to stick with the Charlie Hills-trained Just The Judge to gain compensation. She looked to have done everything right at Newmarket and was unlucky to be run out of it close home. The Guineas form is not always confirmed at the Curragh but I’m prepared to take a chance at the opening quote of 100-30. Those odds can only shorten if Moth is diverted to Epsom.

Sole Power 7-2 Skybet
Here Comes When 7-1 Bet365
Just The Judge 100-30 Bet Victor

April 10th Nottingham Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The flat racing turf season has started, albeit with a bit of a whimper. The Lincoln Handicap was postponed and then provided a 20-1 winner to kick-off the so-called “Spring Double” completed by Aurora’s Encore at 66-1 in the Grand National! I don’t think even Mystic Meg will have come up with those two!

The National Hunt season still has Punchestown and the Betfred Gold Cup to come but the big flat stables are starting to roll out some quality animals this week. A midweek Nottingham card wouldn’t normally provide much excitement but there are some genuine group class horses in action on Wednesday.

The first of them is Spirit Quartz in the 3.10. The five-year-old son of Invincible Spirit was second to Aussie raider Ortensia in both the Group 2 King George Stakes and the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes last summer. On the latter occasion he had Humidor only a length and a half behind him and that horse re-opposes tomorrow. Spirit Quartz finished his season when stuck in the mud at Longchamp, this time with Humidor in front of him. I am prepared to overlook that as being a race too many. What is slightly worrying is that Robert Cowell’s horse has already been unplaced twice at Meydan in March behind Shea Shea. Hopefully the surface just didn’t suit him and he can return to his best now he is back on turf.

Another horse that I have been looking forward to is Mark Johnston’s Sir Graham Wade who is unleashed in the 3.40. He won six races last season, winning his first handicap off a mark of 80 and closing his campaign with victory in a Listed race in France. He won on everything from firm to heavy, including the Mallard Stakes at Doncaster. Kieren Fallon rode him that day and somehow managed to win cleverly in a slowly run race where four lengths covered all 12 runners at the finish. Usually that is the sign of a poor race but Sir Graham Wade won despite the slow pace and has already proved that he is better than a handicapper. Not surprisingly, Johnston is thinking along the lines of the Cup races this year so it will be a disappointment if he can’t win tomorrow.

In the 4.40 race, the word from Ed Dunlop’s stable is that Singersongwriter is better than a handicapper. Bet365 went 7-4 briefly on Tuesday but that was taken before the ink had dried and he is now showing at 10-11. That might seem a bit skinny for his first run of the season under top weight but only time will tell.

The meeting should begin with an odds-on win for Cumani and Fallon with Elhaarne and jockey Ryan Moore has an interesting book of rides. Andrew Balding also has a couple of interesting runners in handicaps with Benzanno (4.10) and Debdebdeb (5.10). It looks a well above average card for Nottingham and will be worth studying as a source of future winners.

Spirit Quartz Evens Bet365
Sir Graham Wade 6-4 William Hill
Singersongwriter 10-11 Bet365