Best bets for the horse racing this weekend in the UK, Ireland and USA
There was a plethora of horses entered up for the weekend that I have either been keeping an eye out for or have backed before; thankfully the not so short shortlist has been whittled down considerably as they don’t all take up their engagements. This might have been the longest post on Triple G ever otherwise!
They race at Doncaster, Haydock, Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon on the Turf here in Blighty and it’s Irish Oaks Day over the Irish Sea at the Curragh. They also go over timber at Cartmel and Market Rasen and there is a race in the USA at Saratoga that I have to bet in.
A quick look at the big race in Ireland at the Curragh. On what we have seen thus far the Group One 1m4f Juddmonte Irish Oaks at 3.25 looks totally at the mercy of Snowfall who looked good winning the G.3 Musidora Stakes before simply destroying the G.1 Oaks field at Epsom. Rated 15lb better than any other filly in the field she is long odds-on for a reason.
Best bet for the horse racing at Newbury
Derab drops into calmer waters have been tried in the Group One 1m2½f Qatar Prix du Jockey Club last time for the Listed 1m2f bet365 Stakes at 1.50. The three-year-old colt of course gets a bundle of weight from the older generation here and though strictly on ratings has a bit to find with the likes of Real World and Solid Stone that advantage and the likelihood of more to come yet after just four starts makes him the one to be on here. I have the 9-2 that was about on Friday.
3.00 6f Group Three bet365 Hackwood Stakes Royal Crusade is one I have talked of before, actually tipped him each-way last month at Newmarket when seventh in the G.3 Criterion Stakes over 7f, but he looks out of salts at the moment and best watched.
Best bet for the horse racing at Newmarket
The 1m4f Listed Ric And Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes is due off at 3.30. Free Wind is two from two as a three-year-old, fourth on sole start at two, and though it’s hard to know what she's beaten so far, but the filly has done it very nicely on both starts this season and is clearly open to improvement yet. By the late great Galileo out of Group performer Alive Alive Oh the 1m4f should suit very nicely, she stayed on well winning at Doncaster last time over 1m2f, and with the 11lb weight-for-age allowance here from her older rivals she might be the answer to this little puzzle being the best three-year-old lining-up to my eye. Only Hills had priced-up as I write so shop around for the best odds.
Best bet for the horse racing at Haydock
I tipped up Albahr on debut at York when third and on his second start at Evens here at Haydock when he opened his account. He goes in the 7.50 British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes over that same 7f track and trip and despite having to give the opposition 7lb has to be shortlisted. The son of Dubawi looks capable of defying the penalty and will be backed provided he is Evens or bigger.
Best bet for the horse racing at Doncaster
Charlie Appleby sends an interesting newcomer to Doncaster in the shape of Summers Day for the 6f British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes. A daughter of Haydock Sprint Cup winner Invincible Spirit out of Policoro a winning mare by high-class sprinter Pivotal she is worth a look on debut. Again, if this one is bigger than Evens I will have an investment.
Best bet for the horse racing at Saratoga
The globetrotting Godolphin owned Charlie Appleby trained greys Althiqa and Summer Romance face off again, raced three times this year already, in the Grade One 1m1f Diana Stakes at Saratoga due off 11.16pm our time. Althiqa just came out on top last time at Belmont Park in the G.1 Just a Game Stakes over a mile but she was getting 2lb from her stablemate that day and has to give that rival 2lb today equalling a 4lb swing in favour of Summer Romance. Summer Romance won the 1m1f Group Two Balanchine out in Dubai at the Carnival with Althiqa third, with their first meeting being the G.2 Cape Verdi over eight furlongs that Althiqa won in January. I have tipped Summer Romance on all three of her starts this year and strongly fancy her to make it 2-2 in the trans-global battle these two fillies are having especially getting the weight and the extra furlong here. Grab the best price you can when they chalk-up.
Be lucky