Tag: Tony McCoy

Sandown Saturday Preview – Farewell to The Champ

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The day has finally arrived for Tony McCoy to hang up his boots. The twenty times Champion National Hunt jockey will sign off with two rides at Sandown in front of a sell-out crowd on Saturday afternoon. Both are in the colours of his leading long-time patron JP McManus and are certain to carry a vast amount of sentimental support. If McCoy does not use up too much energy on Mr Mole and Box Office, he is still certain to be kept busy by the autograph hunters.

Sandown’s flat race card on Friday produced a couple of turn-ups and left trainer Charles Hills fuming at the state of the ground. He felt that the course officials had over-watered in preparation for Saturday’s jump card and does not intend to support the meeting next year. That will at least be good news for the majority of jump trainers who have produced a very competitive card for the final day of the season.

The opening handicap can go to Alzammaar who looked destined to finish third last time out. He kept finding more for pressure and eventually reeled in the leader to win going away. He is up in the handicap but Sandown’s still finish might suit him.

Al Ferof is the class act in the next, one of three runners for Paul Nicholls. The grey has twice finished third in the King George VI but has never really been convincing over three miles. This two and three-quarter mile trip looks perfect for him. Royal Rebellion ran well in the Grand National for a long way and he could give him most to do, providing his Aintree exertions do not catch up with him.

As well as the inevitable support for Mr Mole in the Celebration Chase, there is also the reappearance of Sprinter Sacre to look forward to. He ran very flat at the festival and Nicky Henderson may be forced to call time on his career if he does not show any sparkle on Saturday. Special Tiara can bounce off this ground and may be difficult to peg back.

The Bet365 Gold Cup, formerly The Whitbread, has attracted a host of Aintree disappointments including the Nicholls pair of Rocky Creek and Unioniste. Both are capable of putting up a bold show here but preference is just for Le Reve who seems better here than anywhere else. He is better off at the weights with Rocky Creek for his defeat in the Racing Post Chase and can give Leighton Aspell another big prize.

Box Office may win the 4.25 for McCoy but he does not look any value at around 7-2. I’m going to take a chance on the improving Wilberdragon while Polly Peachum is well treated in the last. Nicky Henderson’s mare is much better on decent ground and may have most to fear from the consistent Aqalim.

Alzammaar 2.00 @5-1 Coral

Al Ferof 2.35 @11-4 Bet365

Special Tiara 3.15 @7-2 Bet365

Le Reve 3.50 @9-1 Paddy Power

Wilberdragon 4.25 @9-1 Bet365

Polly Peachum 5.35 @15-8 Paddy Power

Ayr Friday Preview

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The Scottish Grand National meeting gets under way at Ayr on Friday with the going officially good to soft. The outlook is for fine weather for the rest of the week so it is unlikely to favour the soft ground horses.

The card begins with a Novices’ Hurdle at 1.25 with Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville teaming up with Different Gravey. He is an imposing son of High Chaparral who has won races at Newbury and Huntingdon this season. He looked in trouble on his most recent start with three to jump but got stronger as they race went on, eventually beating A Vos Gardes by three lengths.

He meets the runner-up on identical terms here and should confirm the form. He did win a point-to-point on good ground in Ireland and should not be too inconvenienced by conditions. Fascino Rustico could be a danger if he can get his jumping together. Dan Skelton enjoyed a tremendous couple of days at Cheltenham this week and this horse was running respectably when falling in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

The staying handicap hurdle at 2.30 looks wide open and Henderson again has a leading contender in Special Agent, racing in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen. He had to work hard to win last time out and was probably flattered by his eight-length winning margin. There are plenty of others with chances here but not all are proven over three miles.

Brian Ellison’s Racing Europe certainly stays, having just been run out of it by Milansbar at Kelso over three miles and three furlongs last month. That looked a very decent contest and followed a fair run in fourth behind the front-running Bygones Sovereign. He is also a winner in excess of three miles at Catterick and has won on good to soft.

He does have ground to make up on Shanroe Santos on Musselburgh form in February but that horse has been well beaten since. Tony McCoy will need to earn his fee aboard Capard King who looks a hard ride while Sir Vinski and Chosen Well are others with chances.

Henderson and De Boinville could be back in the winner’s enclosure at 4.10 with Spartan Angel who ran a good race when third in the valuable mares’ race at Newbury last time. The daughter of Beneficial was coming back after a lay-off that day and looks to have been kept for the better spring ground.

Different Gravey 1.25 @11-10 Ladbrokes

Racing Europe 2.30 @8-1 Bet365

Spartan Angel 4.10 @3-1 BetVictor

Might Bite can strike for Henderson at Cheltenham

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The National Hunt season is in its final stages and the clock is running down on Tony McCoy’s magnificent career. The twenty times Champion jockey produced a power-packed finish to win on Un Ace at Ascot recently and he has a chance to repeat the dose on Wednesday.

Kim Bailey’s gelding looked well beaten until Royal Regatta began to tie up in front of him. This is a very quick return to action for Un Ace but he only has three rivals. The pick of them looks to be Cloud Creeper who was very impressive last time out at Leicester on softer ground.

The feature race is the Teenage Cancer Trust Silver Trophy at 3.50.  There are three course winners in the field and preference is for Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Caid Du Berlais. He can be forgiven his pulled up next time as he slithered to a halt after jumping the water. He is better judged on his big race form and the Nicholls team are ending the season in fine form.

The best bet of the day could be Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite in the opening novices’ hurdle. He won very easily at Newbury last time over a similar trip and looks one to follow. Financial Climate doesn’t know how to run a bad race and represents the Grand National winning trainer Oliver Sherwood in the 2.40.

Sean Bowen enjoyed his first Grand National ride aboard Mon Parrain for Nicholls on Saturday and he has a winning opportunity on San Benedeto in the 5.30. He was long odds-on when getting off the mark last time out and this is a lot more competitive but he seems to have got in on a lenient weight.

Bowen qualified to ride in the National with only days to spare but rode two trebles to show that he is a young rider going places. He can enhance his reputation with a Cheltenham winner here.

Races don’t come much tougher to sort out than the twenty-runner Novices’ Hurdle at 4.25. The bookmakers were going 8-1 the field on Tuesday evening and that says it all. New Horizons stuck on well last time out for Henderson and is a tentative selection while Polamco would not be out of it if you forget his poor run last time.

Might Bite 2.05 @11-8 Ladbrokes

Financial Climate 2.40 @6-1 BetVictor

Greybougg 3.15 @13-2 BetVictor

Caid Du Berlais 3.50 @6-1 Ladbrokes

New Horizons 4.25 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Un Ace 5.00 @5-4 Bet365

San Benedeto @7-4 Coral

Many Clouds battles to Grand National glory

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The Grand National produced another thrilling finish with Many Clouds holding off Saint Are. Monbeg Dude managed to salvage some each-way money from our ante-post portfolio in third with Alvarado in fourth for a second consecutive year.

The main story was Leighton Aspell winning back-to-back Grand Nationals after Pineau De Re in 2014. The winner carried 11st 9lbs and was making a quick reappearance after finishing a disappointing sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Most pundits shared the trainer’s view that perhaps he was past his peak for the season but owner Trevor Hemmings stuck to his guns and was rewarded with a third National triumph.

Alvarado’s effort in finishing fourth under Paul Moloney was maintaining a remarkable record of the Rucker family. They have now finished placed in the last seven Grand Nationals through State Of Play, Cappa Bleu and Alvarado. When you consider how easily things can go wrong, it is quite astonishing that Moloney has managed to weave his way around Aintree seven years in a row.

The fairytale ending for Tony McCoy looked a possibility at one stage but the champion jockey was sending out distress signals as soon as Aspell committed for home. The best news of all was that all horses and jockeys returned safely, although Balthazar King did suffer some painful injuries. I’m afraid that our Irish duo of Cause Of Causes and Spring Heeled never got into the race and did not look like Aintree naturals.

The horse which caught my eye for next year was definitely The Druids Nephew. His fall was desperately unlucky, just failing to get his under-carriage in place and slithering along the deck. That usually happens when horses are travelling so well that they over-jump. It was bad luck for Aidan Coleman who must have been starting to believe he was going to taste National glory having given  up the ride on Mon Mome in 2009.

Of course the weights are key to the National but we’ve seen horses like West Tip and Hedgehunter come back a year older and wiser. I wouldn’t be surprised if The Druids Nephew is trained for the race again in 2016 and 25-1 does not look too bad. If Many Clouds returns he is almost certain to be carrying top weight. His National run suggests that he has a leading chance in next year’s Gold Cup.

The Druids Nephew 2016 Grand National @25-1 Skybet

Grand National Blog – Shutthefrontdoor 8-1 top price

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Day 2 of Aintree was safely negotiated with a small profit courtesy of Theinval (tipped at 11-1) and Saphir Du Rheu (7-4). Hopes of a third winner bit the dust when Alpha Des Obeaux (18-1) crashed at the final flight in the 4.40 race.

The feature race was the Melling Chase at 3.25 but it turned into a procession as Don Cossack stormed clear to win by 26 lengths from Cue Card and Johns Spirit. AP has now collected a major prize on the first two days but the one he really wants is the National itself at 4.15 on Saturday.

The Bookmakers are bracing themselves for a predicted flood of sentimental support for McCoy on Saturday. Various figures have been floated between £30million and £50million, should Shutthefrontdoor give McCoy the fairytale send-off to his career. On Friday evening, some bookmakers had eased the favourite out to 8-1 but I would expect his SP to be closer to 5-1.

It was slightly worrying to see the general mayhem in the Topham Chase with only ten of the thirty runners completing the course. I am not sure whether the quick ground has anything to do with it but I am not yet aware of any fatalities. Bless The Wings made a mistake at the eighth fence which knocked him out of contention but that was a rare setback in a terrific week for Gordon Elliott. Hopefully his good fortune will continue with our 33-1 ante-post tip on Cause Of Causes.

Paul Nicholls will also be feeling full of confidence about his four runners after Saphir Du Rheu finally got his act together over fences. The talented grey was runner-up in the World Hurdle last time out but Nicholls has always believed that he has the potential to win a Gold Cup. He should be an exciting prospect to look forward to next season when he takes on the Mullins battalions.

Carlito Brigante was a late withdrawal from the National due to lameness, unfortunately just too late for a reserve to take his place. 9am was the official deadline and you have to wonder whether this could be extended next year.

The bookmakers are rolling out the Grand National offers but here is our ante-post book and the current best prices available.

Shutthefrontdoor 20-1 Best price now 8-1 Ladbrokes

Monbeg Dude 33-1 Best price now 50-1 Bet365

Spring Heeled 33-1 Best price now 25-1 William Hill

Cause Of Causes 33-1 Best price now 20-1 William Hill

Grand National Blog – Déjà vu for Punters at Aintree

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Aintree Day 1 Report

The last flight fall of Arctic Fire in the Aintree Hurdle was strangely reminiscent of last month’s demise of odds-on favourite Annie Power at Cheltenham. Once again it was the Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh combination seemingly set to strike a blow for the punters before disaster struck at the last hurdle.

His departure left the race at the mercy of Jezki and Tony McCoy but the best news was that both horse and rider escaped unscathed. McCoy would later be in the wars himself when Ned Buntline came down in the sixth race. The champion jockey was immediately back up on his feet and able to fling his helmet to the ground in disgust.

It was a day of mixed fortunes for punters with Nina Carberry never giving her supporters an anxious moment when taking the Fox Hunter Chase with On The Fringe. Silviniaco Conti was preferred in the market to Holywell and duly reversed the Cheltenham Gold Cup under Noel Fehily. Punters could have ended the day in profit had Call The Cops held off the late thrust of Taglietelle in the closing handicap hurdle. Bookmakers had little to complain about in the other races with Clarcam (5-1), All Yours (16-1) and Surf And Turf (33-1).

Grand National Latest

There has been little activity worthy of note in the Grand National market with Shutthefrontdoor a general 7-1 favourite ahead of Rocky Creek and Balthazar King at 10-1 and The Druids Nephew at 14-1. Gordon Elliott will certainly be growing in confidence ahead of Cause Of Causes run in Saturday’s race after a first day double courtesy of Clarcam and Taglietelle.

A few late jockey bookings for the National include Brian Hughes on Ely Brown, Brendan Powell on Royale Knight, Tom Cannon on Wyck Hill and Liam Treadwell on Monbeg Dude. The four reserves have only until 9am tomorrow for any of the top forty to come out.

Special Offers

The best Grand National offers at present are each-way down to sixth place from BetVictor and half of your stake back as a free bet for Bet365 customers (applies to all each-way bets on the National up to a maximum of £125 per customer). If you are intending opening a Coral account, they will pay out on the Grand National winner at treble the odds for new customers. Full details on their respective websites.