Best bets for the horse racing this weekend
It is a strange weekend of action with plenty of horse racing across the UK but not that much to actually get involved with in my opinion with a number of short-priced ones in the decent races and a smattering of low-grade handicap stuff. ITV are at Ascot and Haydock for the big races, but I am concentrating elsewhere. Spoiler alert if you’re a Jumps fan, I am all about the All-Weather on Saturday.
Best bet for the horse racing at Lingfield Park
It’s an early start in Surrey with the first off at 11.05. The race I am betting in on the Polytrack is the 7f Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Handicap at 11.35. It’s a competitive heat but I am on Come On Girl for this in the hope her stamina holds out. She has won here four times over the six and has perhaps been a little unlucky on her four attempts at this distance in the past. Mick Appleby's filly has the assistance of Adam Kirby in the saddle and hopefully he can get her in a nice position and rhythm early before holding off any challenges late. I am on at 3-1 BPG this morning.
I can only assume Charlie Appleby and the team have something planned for Noble Dynasty and that his run in the 7f Spreadex Sports Bet 10 Get 100 Conditions Stakes at Lingfield is a warm-up for a run somewhere – he will be long odds-on in this. A 3,600,000 Guineas yearling and a half-brother to dual G.1 winner Barney Roy a run in Pattern class somewhere is surely the plan after this.
Best bets for the horse racing at Wolverhampton
Having started early I am them playing the waiting game until the evening meeting at Wolverhampton on the Tapeta. The frist race I am involved with is the talkSPORT Download The App EBF Novice Stakes over 1m½f at 7.00. Charlie Appleby trained debutant Tagabawa is the one that interests me. A son of multiple G.1 winner at two and three New Approach he is out of Group winner Tasaday who herself was unbeaten in three starts at two in France. She has already produced two winning foals, both 110+ rated, so there is every reason to assume this one should be above average. James Doyle is in the saddle, and I am on at Evens BPG.
It is Charlie Appleby, James Doyle and New Approach again in Division II at 7.30. Isle Of Jura is the colt in question here this one out of Falls Of Lora who also won as a two-year-old and took the G.3 UAE Oaks in her career. All four of her foals to run to date have won and all are rated 100+, the best being full-brother Cascadian a multiple winner in France and Australia. I am on this one at BPG early 5-2.
The horse racing at Ascot and Haydock
As nice as it is to see the likes of Constitution Hill and L'homme Presse both running they are such long odds-on shots even a double on the pair is somewhat pointless. A Plus Tard is the star attraction up at Haydock but is another odds-on with the Grade One Betfair Chase at his mercy if anywhere near fit on seasonal reappearance – he has over a stone in hand on the field on OR’s. Tipped as an ante-post each-way punt runaway Cesaerwitch winner Run For Oscar reverts to Hurdling in the three-mile Betfair Exchange Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at 2.25 up on Merseyside. This is the furthest he has ever been tried over and he is on an all-time high mark of 147 over the sticks so I am prepared to take a watching brief with him today; he could trot-in as he did at Newmarket, or he could get beaten half the track. Might I also runs in the race and he is one I have also been keeping an eye on being by G.1 Ascot Gold Cup winner Fame & Glory out of an unraced dual Derby winner Old Vic mare called Our Honey.
Be lucky