Best bets for the horse racing this weekend around the globe

It is another busy weekend of action here in the UK with Ayr and Newbury the main meetings with a few fiendishly difficult handicaps to get your head around along with some Pattern action to enjoy as well. There are big races around the globe again and I am getting involved out in the Great White North of Canada Saturday evening as well as a few here in Blightly Saturday afternoon. 

Best bet for the horse racing at Newmarket  

Sense Of Power is surely under rated off a mark of 85 as will surely prove better than that eventually so should be backed for the 7f Turners Handicap at 2.41. I tipped him when he won at HQ in July and mentioned him, but didn’t back him as odds-on, last time when he was second under a penalty at Kempton. The form of his one run at two, was second then as well, was pretty strong and this 330,000 Euro purchase should have plenty to offer yet after just three runs. Harry Davies takes off 3lb as well and I am on at the 11-4.

Best bets for the horse racing at Newbury

I have talked of and tipped all three Godolphin runners in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup Stakes at 1.40 before and also quite like Solid Stone and Lysander so have decided to sit this one out.  

The main race of the day is the Group Two 6f Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at 2.50. Sadly, a couple of the big names that were entered are missing including Persian Force who is now being aimed at the G.1 Middle Park instead. Sakheer is the short-priced jolly after two runs, a second at Windsor on debut and a six-length victory at Haydock that looked impressive. The thing for me is the form of both races is poor, nothing he has run against has won a race since. I think he is too short. Shouldvebeenaring on the other hand is three wins from four starts showing a good attitude in his last two victories and I think the grey can turn over the jolly here and get his fourth straight victory. He has beaten a number of subsequent winners in achieving his hat-trick and was too strong for a decent field in a Listed heat at Ripon last time including the 107 rated Al Karrar. I am on the Richard Hannon trained grey at ?-1. “Other than getting left in the stalls on debut, he has done nothing wrong,” said Tim Palin, director of racing for owner Middleham Park Racing. "He deserves the place in this line-up and we supplemented him for £5,000 on Monday morning."

The Dubai Duty Free Handicap over 1m2f at 3.25 is, as you would expect, a fiercely competitive affair. I have talked of the three Godolphin owned runners at one time or another but the one I have had most interest in is Warren Point. I tipped him when he won at Goodwood last time and the gelding is three from four now, his only defeat being by stablemate Wild Crusade at Ascot over 1m4f in July. This is clearly his trip and even though he has crept up to a mark of 103 he is the most likely Pattern Class horse in a handicap here. Adam Kirby rides with William Buick in Canada to ride a couple for boss Charlie Appleby at Woodbine and I am on at 11-4. Hamaki off a low-weight may give the selection the most to think about.  

Best bet for the horse racing at Ayr

The race of interest to me at Ayr is the Group Three 6f Virgin Bet Firth Of Clyde Fillies' Stakes at 3.05. Queen Me ran a stormer in the G.2 Lowther a month ago at York and can take this prize. She had won on debut at Haydock before that and with the form of the Lowther looking pretty solid, she should have too much for this field. I took 11-8 with Power on Friday morning.

Best bets for the horse racing at Woodbine Canada

I mentioned Charlie Appleby had sent a couple across the pond to race at Woodbine earlier in the article and both should be backed even though short; the fact Champion elect William Buick travels over rather than racing in the UK to add to his lead in the Championship tells you they must have big chances. It should be remembered the track here isn’t the usual perfect oval we see in north America. The E.P. Taylor Turf Course, to give it its full title, is 1-1/2 miles with a 1-1/8 mile chute and it boasts the longest home stretch of any turf course in North America

At 9.22 our time it is the Grade One mile Pattison Summer Stakes for the two-year-olds. Mysterious Night has been fairly busy this season and won the 7f G.3 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville last time having placed in the 6f G.2 July Stakes and 7f G.2 Vintage Stakes before that run. Has the experience advantage on the opposition and should be more than capable of winning a race such as this. Charlie Appleby added: “I think the step up to a mile could suit Mysterious Night and he brings some strong European form to the table. He should be a live contender.” The master of Moulton Paddocks won this last year with Albahr so knows what is needed and this colt is a half-brother to dual US G.1 scorer Althiqa being out of Mistrusting so you’d hope a trip across the pond will suit. I have 4-5 this morning. 

The mile Grade One Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes is at 10.35 our time for the three-year-olds and older. Having won the G.1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains Modern Games has run well in defeat on his three subsequent starts. Third in the 1m2f G.1 Prix du Jockey Club behind Vandeni he was then fifth in the 7f G.1 Prix Jean Prat behind Tenebrisim and last time second to Baaeed back over a mile in the G.1 Sussex Stakes; no disgrace in that. I have tipped him possibly every time he has run and I am not about to miss him here as this should be a pretty straight forward assignment for him. I am on at the 4-5 early. Charlie Appleby said: “Modern Games has always been a very professional horse, who has travelled to similar tracks in the past. His versatility has stood him in good stead and he has stepped up to every challenge we have given him. He has a nice draw in stall five and looks the one they all have to beat.”

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