UK Horse Racing Tips

Tapeta is a synthetic racing surface invented by former National Hunt Champion Trainer Michael Dickinson. Tapeta is not unlike Polytrack, insofar as it consists of a mixture of sand, rubber and fibres coated with hot wax, but is specifically designed to simulate the fibrous root structure of grass. The end result is a forgiving, cushioned surface, which is not only safer for horses and jockeys, but also handles inclement weather, including heavy rainfall, or even snowfall, extremely well.

Furthermore, the racing surface can be harrowed to create the desired going, ranging from firm to soft, and the going remains consistent across the width of the track, thereby eliminating any draw bias. The lack of kickback on Tapeta compared with, say, Fibresand has been welcomed by jockeys, while punters can place bets safe in the knowledge that the surface effectively creates a ‘level playing field’, with no unfair advantage one way or the other.

In Britain, the first racecourse to adopt Tapeta was Wolverhampton, which had previously raced on Fibresand and Polytrack, in 2014. It was closely followed by Newcastle, which replaced its turf course with Tapeta during the winter of 2015/16. In April, 2021, Southwell – which, like Wolverhampton and Newcastle, is owned by Arena Racing Company (ARC) – was granted planning permission to replace its existing Fibresand with Tapeta, with the first fixture on the new surface scheduled for November, 2021.

FREE WIND connections were delighted with the three-year-old’s first overseas trip ahead of her appearance at Ascot in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes in October.

The high-class filly boasted a record of two wins and a second this year ahead of her trip to Deauville, where she proved too good for her French opponents as well as the Charlie Appleby-trained Sayyida.

Sayyida finished half a length behind Save A Forest at Newmarket last time out, and the British-trained pair went into the race hopeful of following in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Wonderful Tonight, who is vying for favouritism for this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

And it was Free Wind, trained by John and Thady Gosden, who prevailed, winning by a length and a half from favourite Burgarita, who had previously been beaten only three-quarters of a length behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Joan Of Arc when third in the Prix de Diane, reports UK Horse Racing Tips and UK Horse Bet.

Thady Gosden was keeping her options open for the daughter of Galileo ahead of British Champions Day, including looking at potentially testing her stamina at 1m6f later in the year.

She said: “She tries her heart out every time and has progressed well through the year. She was a close second in a Listed race at Newmarket last time and has improved again.

“Frankie (Dettori) gave her a brilliant ride and is on flying form, which always helps. She stays a mile and a half well and we definitely wouldn’t be afraid of stepping her up to a mile and six (furlongs) later on in the year. There’s races back here (Deauville) over a mile and a half and one at the end of the year over a mile and six, so we’ll speak to Mr Strawbridge (owner) and see what he wants to do.”

Her only defeat came at the hands of Golden Pass in the Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket, but she bounced back at Deauville, and may welcome at least one more run before Ascot Champions Day, where she was cut to a general 16-1 (from 33s) for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. BBC Sport

The opposition at Ascot will be far better than anything she’s experienced before, with dual Oaks winner Snowfall and Tarnawa leading the betting.

Snowfall followed up her 16-length success at Epsom with an eight-and-a-half win in the Irish Oaks, the two classics following on from her win in the Musidora Stakes in May.

Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable campaign after effectively flunking her two-year-old season. A run of one win in her first seven starts culminated in an eighth-placed finish in the bet365 Fillies mile at Newmarket in October last year – she went off at 50/1 finishing 12 lengths behind the winner, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Pretty Gorgeous,

But Aidan O’Brien refused to give up and seven months later she won the Group Three Musidora, before back-to-back Oaks wins in England and Ireland.

As well as Snowfall, Aidan O’Brien has entered Love and Joan of Arc in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, with the English challenge led by Wonderful Tonight and Alpanista. Wonderful Tonight’s campaign has been aimed at the Arc, and whether she lines up for the Ascot event will depend on how much her efforts at Longchamp take out of her.

EBRO River has been installed as joint-third favourite for the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket after impressing in his recent Group One win at the Curragh.

Trainer Hugh Palmer was delighted after the two-year-old claimed the Keeneland Stakes in Ireland, a race that was billed as an opportunity for Royal Ascot winner, Quick Suzy, to take on the boys.

But the Gavin Cromwell-trained filly bypassed the Curragh, instead opting for a tilt at the Prix Morny, with Ebro River taking full advantage to win the six-furlong race comfortably from Dr Zempf. It was the Al Shaqab-owned colt’s seventh race of the campaign, with Palmer keen to give him a rest before his next assignment.

The target now is the Middle Park Stakes, the six-furlong dash down the Rowley Mile which was formerly part of the Breeders Cup Challenge Series, and is seen by many as a potential warm-up for the 2000 Guineas. However, Palmer has reiterated his concerns that a mile may prove too far for Ebro River, despite horse betting apps offering odds of 20/1 for the first classic of next year.

Key to his win at the Curragh appears to have been a change in tactics, with the horse ridden from behind in his previous races, reports UK Horse Racing Tips. In the Keeneland, however, a decision was made to let him effectively travel at his own pace, with Palmer seeing it as crucial to the success.

“I think the key thing we have done today is ride him differently,” said Palmer, who didn’t make the trip to Ireland from Newmarket due to problems with travel schedules. “I’ve been telling James Doyle to hold him up, get him to settle, ride him to finish and I think – it’s taken me five times to work it out – but I think those were duff instructions really!

“I always thought he would (get further) but as he gets on, gets heavier and stronger, he looks a bit more like a sprinter. I just don’t know – he finished off best of all today.

“He’s come back (from Ireland) great; you wouldn’t know he’s had a run to be honest. I would have thought the Middle Park will be Ebro River’s next target. He’s had seven races by August 8, so he’s allowed a little bit of time.”

This season has seen a novice win in a 5f affair at Doncaster, before following that up with victory over the minimum again in a Listed race at Sandown. Connections then decided on the big step up to Group Two level, with a commendable fifth-placed finish in the six-furlong Coventry Stakes; two more good runs over six furlongs followed at Newmarket and Goodwood before a successful first attempt in a Group One race, so BBC Sport

It will be a tough assignment in the Middle Park for Ebro River (8/1), with fellow Al Shaqab Racing colt Armor (9/2) installed as favourite after his win in the Markel Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. The Richard Hannon-trained son of No Nay Never will be tackling six furlongs for the first time, but his pedigree suggests he has the stamina to take on at least a mile.

Also likely to start in the Middle Park are Keeneland Stakes runner-up Dy Zempf (6/1), and Coventry Stakes winner Berkshire Shadow (10/1).