Best bets for the horse racing this weekend

It’s a busy weekend of action across the horse racing world with a number of big races taking place across the globe. We do have a few small number fields again, understandably, and a few odds-on shots which is annoying as I had three pencilled in for bets, but we’ve got some top-class action with a few big names running none the less to enjoy.  

I've had four seconds from four bets this week - the lucks has to turn in my favour soon. 

Best bets for the horse racing at Newbury Saturday

At 1.55 the promising Charlie Appleby trained two-year-old Victory Dance looks to capitalise on a drop in class in the 7f Listed Denford Stakes. The son of Dubawi has put in two fine efforts over the same distance at Newmarket’s July Course, winning on debut before going down by just a head in the G.2 Superlative Stakes. Charlie Appleby said: “Victory Dance has done well since the Superlative Stakes, when he put up a good performance, and he looks a sharper model going into this. He has progressed with both of his starts and we will be disappointed if he doesn’t win.” He is odds-on though and unbackable at the price.  

The Group Two 7f BetVictor Hungerford Stakes at 3.35 looks a decent renewal with a few in with chances. Chindit drops back in trip and would be a solid each-way punt if a little bigger in the market. This intermediate trip seems to suit Pogo and he ran a decent race in the G.2 Lennox Stakes when third last month. Three-year-old Tiber Flow steps back up in trip having run in the G.1 6f Commonwealth Cup last time where he was a staying on eighth. Getting a lump of weight form the main dangers I think he can nick this and took carpet 3-1 on Friday about him doing so.  

Horse racing at Newmarket Saturday

Mischief Magic won for me on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood and is fully expected to follow-up in the 6f JenningsBet British EBF Novice Stakes at 2.45. The colt has the penalty so gives the field weight but the form of his two runs thus far is top-drawer; sadly he is another unbackable at the price.  

Best bet for the Horse racing at the Curragh Saturday

Three-year-old colt Luxembourg is set to return to action in the Group Three 1m2f Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh, having missed the Derby following his third-place finish in the 2,000 Guineas back in May. On paper he has 10lb+ on his rivals and unsurprisingly will be odds-on and sadly another that is unbackable – unless you perhaps fancy trebling him up with Victory Dance and Mischief Magic.

Search For A Song seems to blossom on late summer earlier autumn and the dual-Irish Leger winner trained by Dermot Weld goes in the 1m6f Group Three Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes at 4.40. It won’t surprise me if that old rascal Weld has her primed and ready to go with another tilt at the Irish Leger in mind and I am on at the 7-4 that is available. Raise You is the danger but has to give the mare 3lb.  

All being well it will be a blue Sunday as I am all about Godolphin in races on the continent. Most of the Bookies aint price-up at the time I am writing so I will be sniffing around for the best prices I can get over the weekend.  

Best bet for the horse racing at Hoppegarten Sunday

The big race in Germany is the Group One 1m4f Westminster 132nd Grosser Preis von Berlin due off at 1.00 our time. Charlie Appleby has sent Rebel’s Romance for this one with James Doyle riding as the four-year-old bids for a third straight win on turf. I didn’t back him when he won at Newmarket as he was coming off the back of a poor Carnival at Meydan but I was on for the G.3 Group Three L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Glorious Stakes at Goodwood. The gelding is certainly worth a go at this level, won the G.2 UAE Derby as a three-year-old and Charlie Appleby said earlier this week “This is a big step up for Rebel’s Romance but he brings a nice progressive profile into the race, having won both his turf starts. We felt this was a nice opportunity to test the waters at this level and we are confident that he won’t disgrace himself.”  

Best bet for the horse racing at Deauville Sunday  

Charlie Appleby and William Buick have three that have crossed the Channel for the racing at Deauville and I think all three should be backed provided the prices are odds-against. 

The 7f Group Three Circus Maximus Prix Francois Boutin Stakes gets the card underway at 12.58. Mysterious Night takes a slight drop in grade having finished third in a couple of G.2’s already this year including the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last month. This looks a great chance for the son of Darl Angel to get back in the Winners Enclosure.  

Due off at 2.55 the Group One one-mile Prix Jacques le Marois is the race of the day Sunday, in fact of the weekend. Maljoom has been ruled out trainer William Haggas said on Thursday "He's out of Deauville with a dirty scope. Hopefully it should be a short spell on the sidelines for him." Godolphin have won the race five times with the likes of Dubai Millennium and Dubawi to name but two and they have a big player in the running again. The 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Coroebus will be in town having missed a couple of potential engagements including the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last month with an abscess in his left hind pastern. This race was selected immediately as the target when missing Goodwood and with the chance of improvement still to come from the con of Dubawi he looks a fair bet to me. He has won on good-firm so the drought conditions are of little concern and as Paddy Power were biggest at 15-8 on Thursday, I took a bit of that. State Of Rest will be in here rather than lining up in the Juddmonte International at York next week, Joseph O’Brien confirming the globetrotting colt will drop back in trip earlier this week. Inspiral will fly the flag for the fillies on a recovery mission following her surprise defeat at long odds-on in the G.1 Falmouth Stakes last time. With the sex-allowance she has a chance but might this a tough ask on her first run against the boys bearing in mind just how good some of these colts are.  

Later on the card at 4.05 Eternal Pearl looks to have a good opportunity in the Group Three Prix Minerve Stakes over 1m4f. The daughter of Frankel has been progressing and won her last two taking the Listed 1m4f Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes at HQ last month. I have talked of her breeding before, she is out of a Listed winner in France Pearly Steph her grandparents' will need little introduction being Galileo and Kind on the top line and Oasis Dream on the bottom line. One you may not know is the granddam Pearl Banks on the dam side, she as a G.3 winner over 1m3f in Germany and has produced four foals to run, all winners – she should keep progressing.  

Be lucky