Best bets for the horseracing this weekend
I have risen phoenix like from the clutches of Man Flu (well I am out of bed) and I am at it for the weekend; not going to lie the three winners at Meydan certainly helped lift the spirits yesterday afternoon.
The rain has been pretty relentless across most parts of the country and I am sure it has been all hands to the pumps (literally in some cases) for stable staff and ground staff at the tracks across the UK. We have lost the meeting at Sandown Park to waterlogging whilst Wincanton faced an inspection at 8am and passed. All bar one race time at Newcastle and Wincanton will change to fit in with ITV4 coverage. A BHA statement said: "As a result of the abandonment of Sandown and in order to support ITV coverage, the BHA has agreed to delay the off-times of all races at Newcastle and all races other than the last at Wincanton, subject to both fixtures going ahead. Published race times remain the same, however."
Southwell have been unable to host any meetings for weeks due to previous flood damage but are at least partially open again now as of late November, Owners and Trainers only, and they race on the Tapeta from 4pm with Kempton Park hosting a meeting on their Polytrack starting at 5.15pm.
With ground conditions likely be almost bottomless where they do race over the sticks I am sticking to the All-Weather on Saturday and Southwell racecourse in Nottinghamshire.
At 5.30 we have the 5f Win 2,000,000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap. The form of the Nursery Billy Webster won at Wolverhampton in November is rock solid with three subsequent winners behind him that day. Cotai Vision was second at Dunstall Park and filled that position again last time out. A 9lb rise in the weights means Cotai Vision is 6lb better off here than at Dunstall Park with the George Scott inmate but I see no reason he can reverse the form as he looks handicapped to his limit at the moment. Out Of The Stars has won two of her three career starts but this requires a considerable step-up on those efforts. I fancy Billy Webster can improve again, the yard of trainer George Scott is bang in form whilst Callum Shepherd in the saddle has been amongst the winners, and I am on at 15-8.
In the 7f Bet 10 Get 40 At BetMGM Fillies' Handicap at 7.00 there's one with relatively few miles on the clock that can hopefully gain her first win here. Andrew Balding trained Platinum Jubilee was second over a mile at Kempton last month finding a little trouble in running. That was her handicap debut, she's up 2lb for the effort, but I think the mark of 71 is workable and the drop back in trip and first-time tongue-tie should see the daughter of Oasis Dream to get off the mark here. I have the rouf 4-1. The hat-trick seeking Storymaker is the obvious danger with Sixties Chic likely to be in the mix.
Be lucky
The rain has been pretty relentless across most parts of the country and I am sure it has been all hands to the pumps (literally in some cases) for stable staff and ground staff at the tracks across the UK. We have lost the meeting at Sandown Park to waterlogging whilst Wincanton faced an inspection at 8am and passed. All bar one race time at Newcastle and Wincanton will change to fit in with ITV4 coverage. A BHA statement said: "As a result of the abandonment of Sandown and in order to support ITV coverage, the BHA has agreed to delay the off-times of all races at Newcastle and all races other than the last at Wincanton, subject to both fixtures going ahead. Published race times remain the same, however."
Southwell have been unable to host any meetings for weeks due to previous flood damage but are at least partially open again now as of late November, Owners and Trainers only, and they race on the Tapeta from 4pm with Kempton Park hosting a meeting on their Polytrack starting at 5.15pm.
With ground conditions likely be almost bottomless where they do race over the sticks I am sticking to the All-Weather on Saturday and Southwell racecourse in Nottinghamshire.
Best bets for the horseracing at Southwell
The first race of interest to me is the mile Boost Your Acca At BetMGM Handicap at 5.00. Celphalus was rated as high as 77 back in 2022 and won over the trip at Lingfield Park last month, gambled, having not been in the winners enclosure in nearly two-years! He is up 4lb for that win but a mark of 61 is still well below his best if he has rekindled his love of the game; which he appeared to have down in Surrey. He won on his one try over track and trip here, Tom Queally rides again as he often does for Gary Moore Flat horses, and I took a bit of the 5-4 this morning.At 5.30 we have the 5f Win 2,000,000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap. The form of the Nursery Billy Webster won at Wolverhampton in November is rock solid with three subsequent winners behind him that day. Cotai Vision was second at Dunstall Park and filled that position again last time out. A 9lb rise in the weights means Cotai Vision is 6lb better off here than at Dunstall Park with the George Scott inmate but I see no reason he can reverse the form as he looks handicapped to his limit at the moment. Out Of The Stars has won two of her three career starts but this requires a considerable step-up on those efforts. I fancy Billy Webster can improve again, the yard of trainer George Scott is bang in form whilst Callum Shepherd in the saddle has been amongst the winners, and I am on at 15-8.
In the 7f Bet 10 Get 40 At BetMGM Fillies' Handicap at 7.00 there's one with relatively few miles on the clock that can hopefully gain her first win here. Andrew Balding trained Platinum Jubilee was second over a mile at Kempton last month finding a little trouble in running. That was her handicap debut, she's up 2lb for the effort, but I think the mark of 71 is workable and the drop back in trip and first-time tongue-tie should see the daughter of Oasis Dream to get off the mark here. I have the rouf 4-1. The hat-trick seeking Storymaker is the obvious danger with Sixties Chic likely to be in the mix.
Be lucky