Tag: Wentworth

European Tour: BMW PGA Championship Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The European Tour’s biggest event (on English soil) gets underway this week on the prestigious and famed Wentworth West Course.  The BMW PGA Championship always attracts a quality field and 2015 is no different.  Plenty of Race to Dubai points on offer, plenty of money, and plenty of peer adulation if players can get a win here.  Especially with Rory in the field.

The Course

Opened in 1926, the Harry Colt designed Wentworth West Course is a 7302 yard, par 73 classic. Set in healthy woodland it is one of the most beautiful natural settings of a golf course, mixing pine; oak and birch to create an attractive and tricky course in all seasons.

Despite being modernised by Ernie Eels in 2005 and 2012 the course has give up two course record 62s in recent times.  Robert Karlsson achieved the feat in the 3rd round of the BMW PGA Championship in 2010, and Thomas Bjorn went equally low in the first round last year.

The Sound Bites

“I practiced a lot in February and March, just to prepare for the Masters, and I probably did a little too much” – A novel excuse from Martin Kaymer to explain his disappointing recent form.

“This would be very special for me to add this one – call it a bucket-list tournament. Outside of the Major Championships, I can’t think of a tournament I’d like to win more than this one” – Justin Rose is putting a wee bit of pressure on himself to win this week.

The Defending Champion

Rory McIlroy stunned the field last year with a final round 66 to win by a single stroke from friend Shane Lowry.  Rory’s 14-under par total was particularly surprising not because of his standing in world golf, but because of his emotional standing after splitting from finance Caroline Wozniaki just days before the tournament.

McIlroy removed any doubts with his final round comeback win, in easily his best performance on the Wentworth West course.

The Contenders*

Rory McIlroy – Hasn’t finished outside the top ten in any Race to Dubai qualifying events this year.  Won last week with a devastating performance at Quail Hollow.  Oh, and he’s the defending champion – $4.00

Justin Rose – Enjoys a solid ranking in the Race to Dubai (currently 3rd) on the back of his tie for 2nd in the Masters.  Consistent ball striker who minimises mistakes and learns golf courses quicker than most.  Almost always in contention – $9.00

Martin Kaymer – 24th in Race to Dubai.  Two top fives in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Abu Dhabi HSBS Golf Championship on the European Tour this season.  A little shaky of late bit could come good –   $26.00

Jaime Donaldson – Only 49th in Race to Dubai but tied for 8th in his last start at The Players Championship.  The big Welshman could surprise – $26.00

Brooks Koepka – Koepka’s an interesting case.  Very few Americans split their schedule between the tours but a measure of his determination to improve his game sees him regularly compete in Europe to increase his exposure to new courses and conditions.  He’s 39th in Race to Dubai on the back of a win in the Turkish Airlines Open in November, which he then backed up with a win on American soil at the Waste Management Phoenix Open – $51.00

*Odds taken from Betstar

The Winner

It seems foolish to tip against Rory, but he hasn’t always played this course well and is due a week off from the winners circle.   We haven’t included him in our contenders but we like the look of Danny Willet and Brooks Koepka.

Sandown 18th September Preview

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The highlight of Wednesday’s action is the Listed Fortune Stakes at Sandown with Richard Hannon’s Wentworth bidding to step up from handicap company for the first time. The son of Acclamation has always shown the potential to make it at Group level and it was no surprise when he lifted the Golden Mile at Goodwood after near-misses at Ascot and Sandown.

After winning two of his three races as a juvenile, he reappeared at Goodwood over six furlongs in May where he put in his entry for the unluckiest loser of the season. With only six rivals, Richard Hughes contrived to get himself completely boxed in and the colt never saw an inch of daylight until it was too late. He was eventually beaten only a quarter of a length in third but should certainly have won convincingly.

On the strength of that run, he was a heavily backed 7-2 favourite for the one-mile Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was again held up towards the rear before weaving his way through traffic to finish a never-nearer fourth, under two lengths behind Roca Tumu. Punters kept the faith when he went to Sandown for the Coral Challenge.

Hughes, possibly mindful of the criticism he had received for his riding of the colt on his previous two starts, had him close up from a poor draw but he could not repel the late challenge of Prince Of Johanne and had to settle for third. He finally came good on his most recent start when holding off the useful Cape Peron at Goodwood to win off a handicap mark of 99. An official rise of 7lbs for that success still leaves him some way behind Penitent but there are reasons for believing that he can bridge the gap.

Hughes is adamant that the fast ground the reason for his defeats at Ascot and Sandown and believes that he will prove a much better colt with give in the ground. A heavy shower prior to racing was just sufficient for him to let himself down at Goodwood last time and the Irishman is confident that there is more to come.

By contrast, Penitent was well below his best last time although he definitely sets the standard on last year’s form behind Gordon Lord Byron at Longchamp. He was beaten only a length and a half in the Group 1 Prix de La Foret and would take some beating on that form. The best of the rest could be Andrew Balding’s Bana Wu but it will be disappointing if Hannon’s colt cannot take this on the way to better things.

Wentworth 13-8 BetVictor

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