Best bets for the horse racing this weekend
Once again there is plenty to tempt you this weekend and I am happy to be able to say just about all the races have decent field numbers. Annoyingly one I had pencilled in all week is odds-on and as such no bet but I do have a few fancies to hopefully pay for a Light Ale or two over the weekend. I am on overnight on all of them so there will be a cheeky lay-in to be had at Triple G Towers on Saturday.
Best bets for the horse racing at Haydock
William Buick is up at Haydock which suggests the team from Moulton Paddocks must fancy their chances with the ones they’ve sent for the trip. They get underway with the Listed mile Ascendant Stakes at 1.15. The first of Buick’s rides for his boss is the unbeaten juvenile Naval Power in this and he is clearly the one to beat with Charlie Appleby saying recently “We are hoping that the extra distance will help negate his penalty for winning at Ascot and he looks the one to beat.” He is odds-on and unbackable though. The Group One Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes over 6f at 3.30 is the main event of the day in the UK. I could make a case for several including Naval Crown, Minzaal, Rohaan and last year's winner Emaraaty Ana but it is best left alone I feel as a betting race as you can't back them all!
The Group Three Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile Stakes at 1.45 doesn't look the best G.3 you'll see all season I have taken a chance Bayside Boy can get back to winning ways. Highly tried early this season in the G.1 French 2000 and G.1 St James's Palace Stakes he didn't seem to get on with the twists and turns of Goodwood in a slightly messy G.3 Thoroughbred Stakes in July. The blinkers go on and with the yard in form and William Buick doing the steering he is the selection at 5-1 overnight with Hills. He beat Reach For The Moon in the G2 Champagne at Doncaster last year and with that one appearing to have lost his way somewhat can beat the Gosden trained colt again.
Best bets for the horse racing at Kempton Park
On the Polytrack at Kempton they have a couple of Group races and the race of interest to me is the Group Three 6f Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Sirenia Stakes at 3.15. It’s that man Charlie Appleby again as the one to be on here is Mischief Magic. Another that was a winner for me on day one at Glorious Goodwood he followed that up with a win at HQ and has the entries that suggest those at Moulton Paddocks like him a lot. I have the 5-2 that Power went Friday lunchtime as I thought that was big.
Best bets for the horse racing at Ascot
Ascot has a card with a fair looking Novice Stakes and plenty of decent handicaps – you know the handicaps are worth winning when Godolphin have ten entered on the card. There’s several I could talk about here today but will keep it to just the ones I have bet on.
Ryan Moore rides a couple for Charlie Appleby today, which is quite the rarity, and you have to take note especially as both have big chances. The first is Courageous Knight in the 7f Victoria Racing Club Nursery at 2.35. The son of Dubawi has just the one win to his name but has run well on every start hence has top weight in this off a mark of 95. That is a slight concern but the gelding clearly has talent and his third at York last time was a better effort than the bare facts suggest. The danger is probably Rose Prick but with respect to Saffie Osbourne if this comes down to a battle between the pair, I know which jockey I would rather have on-board. 3-1 is available with Hills Friday evening.
The fact Ryan Moore was booked for First Ruler jumped off the page at me looking at the entries earlier this week for the 1m4f Lavazza Stakes at 3.45. Beaten by Mighty Ulysses on debut back in May over a mile he won at Doncaster over the 8f after that before coming second, beaten a head, at HQ again over a mile. Won here at Ascot over 1m2f in July getting up late suggesting this step-up in trip again should suit. Open to improvement after just four runs the son of Dubawi is the pick for me at 7-2 overnight with Power for a double on the day for the unusual partnership of Appleby and Moore. Frantastic, a full-brother to Cracksman has to be considered a danger at a trip that should suit. Of the rest the other Appleby runners, all that I have talked of before, have to be shortlisted; full-brother to Ghaiyyath Al Nafir is another that should relish the step-up in trip, Wild Crusade off top-weight and Blue Trail.
I tipped Crystal Caprice on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood when she won on her handicap debut and I am convinced there is more to come for the Sir Michael Stoute trained filly yet. She heads the market of mile War Horse Memorial British EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap at 4.20 and should be backed. She has risen 6lb for that win but a mark of 93 still looks very workable for a filly that is likely to be Pattern class. Of those chalked-up the 7-4 with Hills is the best as I write on Friday afternoon.