UK Horse Racing Tips

Cavendish Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk, is the home to one of the most colourful characters in racing – Alan Bailey. With a long and successful career in the training ranks, he has often been described by racing press as a shrewd, straight-talking man with a choice use of vocabulary to the point of being quoted as not being able to string a sentence together without it containing an expletive or two. Whatever his turn of phrase, Bailey knows how to train a winner – a fact proven by the talented filly Aspen Darlin who competed at the highest level at Newmarket’s 1000 Guineas meeting.

As a two-year-old trainer, he features a limited number of runners and general win rate of 7% and 28% win and place. Over the last five years, his juveniles have won total prize money of almost £190,000. Racing from April onwards, youngsters are predominantly cheap purchases and have limited ability. It is noticeable that a number of his best prospects have run early season. Most juveniles are unfancied in the betting (20/1 – 33/1) and more nursery types. The key to finding Bailey’s precocious juveniles can be identified by following stable money. Connections seem keen to take advantage of betting opportunities with their talented juveniles on debut. Gambles are a significant factor to the fortunes of this stable. If a gamble ensues, two-year-olds hold good win and place prospects when priced 8/1 & less.

Bailey is a capable trainer who generally lacks the class of juvenile to register against the larger Newmarket stables. Aspen Darlin, a truly determined character, must have given her trainer a whole new vocabulary as this bay filly by Indian Haven progressed from maiden winner – claiming Group success along the way – to compete at Classic race level. Her career was concluded on the 3rd May 2009, at Newmarket’s 1000 Guineas meeting, where she sustained a tendon injury. Thankfully her condition wasn’t fatal and although her future as a racehorse was cut short, connections will be hoping her breeding career produces offspring that exemplify such battling qualities.

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