UK Horse Racing Tips

Archive for the ‘Racing Festivals’ Category

The legendary Frankie Dettori stole the show at Ascot once again on Saturday as he won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Champion Stakes in quick succession. Persuasive was an impressive winner in the former, but it was Cracksman in the latter that really set the pulses racing. It was by far and away the best performance from a colt all season as he finished seven lengths clear of Poet’s Word. It completed a 23/1 double for a jubilant Dettori, and ensured he upstaged Aiden O’Brien on a blustery day at Ascot. The Irish trainer equalled a world record on Saturday by recording his 25th Group 1 victory of the season, but his thunder was well and truly stolen by Dettori. It was also a day to remember for Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom, who landed one of the gambles of the season as Librisa Breeze won the Champions Sprint – Bloom’s first ever Group 1 winner – after his team had beaten West Ham 3-0 in the Premiership.

But this glorious day belonged to Detorri, who rode his first ever Group 1 winner when he was victorious in the 1990 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. O’Brien had not even gained his licence back then, and it was fitting that Detorri won the race again on Saturday, 27 years after his inaugural success. Ribchester, the leading miler in Europe this season, started as the 2-1 favourite, but Persuasive was too strong in the desperate conditions. Ribchester led the race two furlongs out, but Persuasive loved the ground and found a change of gear to surge past him, winning by a length as Detorri eased her up towards the end. O’Brien’s Churchill was third in a very strong field, and Detorri was delighted with the win. He performed his trademark flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure and praised Persuasive’s “exceptional turn of foot”.

But the best was yet to come as Detorri rode Cracksman to an astonishingly dominant victory. His performance conjured up memories of his sire, Frankel, but even that great horse did not win this race with the level of dominance displayed by Cracksman on this blustery day. He is the first son of Frankel to win a Group 1 race and it banished memories of his near miss in the Epsom Derby. Cracksman has improved greatly over the course of the year and was rampant on Saturday. He destroyed Poet’s Word and finished well clear of multiple G1 winner Highland Reel, leading Detorri to call it a “fantastic feeling” as he claimed his first ever Champion Stakes.

On that showing, the only three-year-old middle distance horse in the business that could stop Cracksman would be stablemate Enable, who won the Arc de Triomphe in similarly sensational fashion. Enable is the favourite to win it next year, but Cracksman has now been installed as second favourite and Detorri will be faced with the most difficult decision of his career should these two race against one another next year. Who to ride, Enable or Cracksman? A month ago the answer would have been obvious, but now there is little to split them.

At SportingIndex.com Cracksman and Enable will be the ones to watch next season as they have both killed spread betting winning distances wagers in the Champions Stakes and the Arc.

Their trainer, John Gosden, has nine wins at G1 this season and he has had a great year, which puts O’Brien’s achievement in context. The Ballydoyle maestro equalled the world record set by Bobby Frankel in the USA in 2003 after Hydrangea battled through the slop to win the Fillies And Mares Stakes, O’Brien’s 25th G1 winner of the year. The Irish trainer was visibly delighted, but he may have been even happier to see favourite Order of St George snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as he made up a four-length deficit to win the G2 Long Distance Cup by half a length from Torcedor in dramatic fashion.

Order of St George was the heavily backed favourite, and that win along with Detorri’s double will have made it a profitable day for many punters. The other big winner on the day was Librisa Breeze, who got the better of several big names to claim the British Champions Sprint. Harry Angel was sent off as favourite and The Tin Man, Caravaggio and Quiet Reflection all lined up in a terrifyingly competitive field, but Librisa Breeze relished the heavy going, put in a commanding performance and came in at 10-1. “This is my first Group 1 so that is very special,” said Bloom, who completed a hat-trick after Brighton won and Withhold took the Cesarewithch. “It has been an incredible eight days.”

Author bio

Martin Green is an experienced horseracing correspondent and tipster and has covered the sport of kings for many years.

The Qipco British Champions day takes place at Ascot in October in which many of the top European and overseas horses take the turf. It is the richest day in the racing calendar in the UK so is targeted by connections of many of the top race horses. This year there is an amazing £4.26 million in prize money on offer and will be the biggest day in British flat racing. Qipco British Champions day is Racing’s big finale of the flat season and is the culmination of the European flat season where champions are crowded over their respective distances. Here we look at the main horses expected to be running in each championship race.

QIPCO LONG DISTANCE CUP

The Long distance cup is a group 2 flat race over 1m 7f 209y. It has prize money of £450,000 for the field to content for. This year’s race looks set to be a clash between Royal Ascot Gold cup 1-2 Order of St George and Big Orange. Order of St George will be the favourite after his fairly luckless run in the Gold cup and will be expected to take revenge on his rival. His chances can be further backed up following his solid run to finish third in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe. Betfair horse racing odds currently make Order of St George the 5/4 favourite with Big Orange at 9/2.

QIPCO CHAMPION SPRINT STAKES

The Champion sprint stakes is the second race set to take place on this star studded card. The race is a group 1 over the speedy 6f Ascot straight. The prize money for the race is £600,000 and was won by The Tin Man last year and he will be back to defend his crown. The three year old July cup winner Harry Angel will be one of the shortest priced favourites on the day and will take all the beating. The biggest dangers will most like be provided by the rejuvenated Brando and Caravaggio. Betfair make Harry Angel the 13/8 favourite with Caravaggio at 4/1 and The Tin Man in at 13/2.

QIPCO CHAMPION FILLIES AND MARES STAKES

The next race on the card is the British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes that is a group 1 over 1m 3f 211y. The prize money for the event is £600,000 as last year’s winner Journey will be returning to defend her crown. Her key rival will be Bateel who is on a roll having won her last three races including beating Journey by two and a half lengths in the Qatar Prix Vermeille at Chantilly. Betfair make Journey there 7/2 favourite with Bateel in at 9/2.

QIPCO QUEEN ELIZABETH II STAKES

The penultimate race on the card is a group 1 over 1m with whopping prize money of £1,100,000. Unfortunately last year’s winner and superstar Minding has been retired due to injury so will not be defending her crown. Minding became the last horse since the legend Frankel to win four QIPCO British Champions series races in one season. This year now has a more open look to it with last year’s runner up Ribchester the favourite at 11/4. He is followed in by Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes winner Churchill at 4/1 and the rapidly improving 3 year old Beat the Bank at 9/2. Beat the Bank has only been beaten once in his six race career including demolishing a high class field most recently by 5 lengths.

QIPCO CHAMPION STAKES

The final race on the card is the big one with prize money of £1,300,000. It is a group 1 over 1m 1f 212y in which last year’s champion will again not be there to defend its crown. Champion three year old of last year Almanzor cemented himself as the best in Europe when storming clear to win last year’s race. However this year has a very open look to it with Cracksman heading the betting at 5/2 for Gosden and Dettori. He side stepped the Arc with Stable star Enable winning so will be expected to go close. His potential dangers will be headed by multiple group 1 winning star filly Winter at 5/1 and the St James’s Palace Stakes winner in Barney Roy at 6/1.

(GODOLPHIN’S HARRY ANGEL STORMS CLEAR TO WIN THE DARLEY JULY CUP)

York opens its doors on Wednesday for one of the most celebrated and excited events in the calendar as the Ebor Festival gets underway. Highlights of the four-day event include the Group 1 Juddmonte International, the Nunthorpe Stakes, the Great Voltigeur, the Yorkshire Oaks and of course the Ebor Handicap. A total prize pot of £4.4 million has been stumped up for the festival and it has attracted some of the leading horses from across the UK and beyond. It will be one of the biggest betting events of the year and there are certain stats and trends that punters might like to keep in mind before placing wagers, so we have rounded up some key points to take into consideration:

Calibre is crucial in the Juddmonte

The Juddmonte is the standout race of the festival, with a £540,000 prize purse and leading runners Barney Roy, Churchill, Ulysses and Shutter Speed on the card. Thirteen of the last 15 winners of this race had already won at Group 1 level, and 12 of 15 went off at odds of 9/2 or shorter. That suggests that experience is imperative here and the favourites typically perform strongly. Four of the last 15 winners were from the Aiden O’Brien and stable and he trains the second favourite, Churchill, who is 11/4 in the racing odds and looks a great shout after winning two Group 1 races already this year.

Going should be good

Showers are expected in York on Wednesday, which will soften the track, but for the majority of the festival dry, sunny conditions are anticipated. Horses that respond well to good or good to firm going are likely to thrive at the Ebor this week.

No American-trained horse has ever won the Nunthorpe

That spells bad news for favourite Lady Aurelia, who is 13/8 with Sun Bets. She will be travelling over the Atlantic for the second time this year and that could take its toll on her. The last time a non-European horse won this race was in 2012 when Australian runner Ortensia seized glory, so history is against Lady Aurelia. Battaash, the 7/4 second favourite, has a great chance, coming into the Nunthorpe on the back of a three-race winning streak. A third of the previous 15 Nunthorpe winners had won their previous race, while two-thirds were previous Group race winners. The classy Battaash ticks all the boxes, and Marsha (10/1) looks a good each-way shot after habitually placing throughout the season.

Sir Michael Stoute rules the Great Voltigeur

The legendary trainer has won this race no fewer than seven times, most recently in 2013. This year he is responsible for the second favourite, Mirage Dancer, a promising three-year-old bay colt who recently placed in the Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot. At odds of 6/1 Mirage Dancer looks a great each way option as he has always been there or thereabouts in his fledgling career and Stoute knows how to get the job done in this race. Thirteen previous winners of the Great Voltigeur have gone on to win the St Leger, so it is an extremely prestigious race and one worth keeping a close eye on.

Haggas loves York

William Haggas is easily the most successful trainer at this track, with a record of 42 wins and 79 places from 178 rides. That is a win rate of 23.6% and a place record of 44.4%, putting him well ahead of the second most successful trainer, Richard Fahey. It is worth following Haggas’ runners closely at the Ebor Festival as he knows the course inside out and relishes a battle on it.

Ebor Handicap suits five-year-olds

Fourteen of the last 15 winners were aged six or less. Last year Heartbreak City claimed victory, but younger horses have been the dominant force over the past decade. Eleven of the last 15 winners have been aged four or five, so that could be something to consider, while 12 of the last 15 have come from a double-figure stall. There is a huge number of runners in this race, so that could help you rule out a large chunk. Eight of the last 15 favourites have finished out of the places, and there has been just one winning favourite since 1999, so backing a longer shot could pay dividends. The four-year-old Wild Hacked fits the bill at 20/1 as he has enjoyed a strong career and is in great shape.

Author bio

Martin Green is an experienced tipster and horse racing correspondent.

A local racing’s calendar year in Australia will never be complete without the Melbourne Cup. One of the biggest in the country, it attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees annually with many coming from Victoria, Melbourne, and other parts of the world. There are also thousands more tuning on their TV. In this article, you’ll find out why you should never miss this yourself, and why you’re at it, don’t forget to use your Melbourne Cup free bets.

A Grand Throwback

There’s a good reason why the Melbourne Cup is called the race that stops a nation. The race, which happens every first Tuesday of the eleventh month (it’s scheduled on November 7, 2017), is a public holiday in the city. But it is also rich in history and has created a culture that helped shape and define Australia’s horse racing.

The Melbourne Cup began in 1861 as part of the city’s spring racing carnival. It is a competition among Thoroughbred racehorses. Earlier, it used to be that only local horses competed. Today, it’s not unusual to have foreigners run. Nevertheless, the basic rule remains unchanged: only those that are three years old and above can join.

The race was supposed to be a two-mile handicap, which is about 3.22 in distance. However, in the 1970s, the distance decreased by almost 19 metres when the country shifted from English to metric system. Today, the horses run a distance of only 3,200 metres.

Like a lot of local events, the annual horse race started with small races until it moved to Flemington and two clubs, racing and jockey, combined to become the Victoria Racing Club.

Gaming Process

As a handicap event, the riding gear and the jockey weight are taken into consideration. The weight is also adjusted depending on the age of the horse. Either way, the minimum weight for the handicap is no less than 50 kilograms.

Although many horses – as many as 300 of them – try to join the event, only 24 of them will get to race. The fee to join is $600, which is charged per hours, and it’s usually paid during the month of August. Horses that are qualified to race would have to accept before paying the fee. The acceptance fee differs on when it was done. The first acceptance is the cheapest at $960. If it’s done a Saturday before the actual event, the fee can rise to as much as $1,450. To determine who qualifies, judges used different factors such as the weight of the handicap allotted as well as the prize money of the horse over the last two years.

Winners and Frontrunners

As in any other race, the star isn’t the jock but the horse, and for the many years the Melbourne Cup has been around, it has already produced icons.

Archer holds the distinction of the first horse to ever win the race. He’s also the first among the few who bagged two major wins in two consecutive years. By 2017, he became part of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Besides winning the Melbourne Cup, he also earned major wins in All-Aged Stakes, among others.

Phar Lap is one of the most celebrated thoroughbred horses to ever grace the Melbourne Cup. Not only its achievements but also its journey captured the attention and hearts of both fans and non-fans of the race. Although he didn’t win his first few races, he competed and won in others until he moved up in class. He survived threats to life. From 1930 to 1931, he won fourteen consecutive races such as the Melbourne Cup.

In 2016, the winner is Almandin, but can he still hold his victory this year? To help you out, here are a few statistics to remember to increase the odds.

One, barriers 5 and 11 have the most number of wins. Only gate 18 remains to have zero winnings. The colour bay tends to be the lucky colour among the bunch followed by brown and chestnut. Male horses still dominate the female ones while in the field. For the past few years, horses coming from Japan, Germany, Ireland, and New Zealand also joined, but those that grew in Australia remained the likeliest to win.

Punters would have to wait until the middle of September, in which the order of entry will be released. By then, you will have a clearer idea on who’s the best bet. However, as early as now, bookmakers are putting their money on Almandin for 20/1 who’s in a tie with Vazirabad. These betting odds are right over at Bet365.

In other words, you can start placing your bets and changing your strategy as more information comes in. To see to it you have the funds to play, use these Melbourne Cup free bets now.