Goodwood Celebration Mile Ante-Post bet

Benbatl is a horse I have talked of a lot down the years and the six-year-old is due to make his UK debut for 2020 in the Group Two Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday. He claimed an easy success in the G.2 Singspiel Stakes at Meydan in January when heavy odds-on, and followed up on his dirt debut in the G.2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2. Subsequently a very respectable third in valuable Saudi Cup at Riyadh in late February. I am taking the plunge with an ante-post punt for the weekend as I think Paddy Power have ballsed up. Paddy has gone 11-4 ante-post with everyone else 9-4 best. Saeed bin Suroor said in the week “He’s training well, he worked well on the Limekilns the other day and he’s ready now for a race. We’re looking forward to seeing him run, but he will only run if the ground is not soft. York just came a little soon and we thought it might be too soft as well. We’ve tried him on it before, he doesn’t handle soft.” The weather forecast is for rain down there Thursday evening but pretty clear Friday and the sun shining Saturday. It drains pretty quick and I would be amazed if it is any worse than on the soft side of good come race time. He is at least 8lb better in the ratings than any of the opposition left in the possible line-up at Wednesday lunchtime and I could not resist at the price. Get on, sit back and wait for 3.35 Saturday!  

Be lucky