Best Of Bets

Tag: bet365 Gold Cup

  • Four To Follow – Jumps Finale

    Four To Follow – Jumps Finale

    The finale to the jumps season is here, as permutations may happen over the course of seven races. Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton are neck and neck in the trainers championship with the Irishman sending a battalion over to retain the crown. Who will emerge victorious after a long and enduring jumps season?

    The First Warrior

    2:25 – Oaksey Chase (Grade Two) – Gaelic Warrior @ 5/4 (Betfred)

    If you have a Grade One horse, who’s still full of running at the end of the jumps season, why not utilise him? Gaelic Warrior was a bit hit and miss over the Winter, but when stepping up to three miles he relished every inch of ground to win the Aintree Bowl. This trip may be a little shorter, but that won’t be to any consequence as he seems to get any trip Mullins throws at him. The title by this point will be halfway across the Irish Sea.

    Jumps Fitz

    3:00 – Select Hurdle (Grade Two) – Kitzbuhel @ 6/4 (Betfred)

    Kitzbuhel looked awesome on Irish debut and then followed up in a Grade Three before markedly stepping up in trip and finishing fifth in the Liverpool Hurdle three weeks back. The hood is applied for the first time and stepping back in trip will be more suitable, but will take on a Dan Skelton mare who is more used to these sorts of trip. But Mullins horses can do incredible things when asked.

    Just The Usual

    3:35 – Celebration Chase (Grade One) – Jonbon @ 4/7 (William Hill)

    The mad statistic that will forever follow Jonbon around is that he has won at every track outside of Cheltenham. And Sandown is more than just a happy hunting ground for him after scoring here five times and landing two Celebration Chases. This time he’ll be partnered with Mark Walsh, who is a multiple Grade One winner and a revered name in jockeys in Ireland. Not a bad way to try and go for a hat-trick of Celebration Chases.

    Dancing For Gold

    4:10 – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier H’cap) – Dancing City @ 7/1 (William Hill)

    Willie Mullins has 10 runners in this race. TEN. Half The Field. If that doesn’t tell you that he wants to win the trainers championship again, nothing will. So who has his best chance. Is it Paul Townend on High Class Hero? Rachael Blackmore on Lombron? Klarc Kent going one better than his Scottish National second?

    Dancing City, I believe, is his best chance and the horse that fits the bill out of all the others. He’s a Grade One winner, and makes handicap debut too so will bring a mountain of form into this race. He was last seen falling behind Caldwell Potter and made a bit of a mess to the race to leave the Nicholls’ horse out in front. There’s no doubting he will have been schooled for this jumping test of epic proportions. And if he gets it right, there might not be any stopping him.

    The Brits can’t be discounted too rightly. Handicapper extraordinaire Victorrino makes a first appearance since the Cheltenham Festival, when pulling up in the Ultima Chase. However, he loves going right-handed on a track given his heroics at Ascot in the early part of the season. Surprisingly, this is a first visit to Esher btu will enjoy it’s jumping test and it’s good ground, which is of high importance. 14/1 (Betfred).

    Good old Monbeg Genius has put a decent shift in this season. Second in the mud at Haydock at the start of the season, fourth in the foggiest of Welsh Grand Nationals and blitzing the field in the Midlands Grand National. He pulled up at Aintree and didn’t particularly like to jump the unique fences. Back to normality, he’s down to a nice mark of 145, within the handicap, and will enjoy a marathon trip. 33/1 (General).

    The very best of luck!

  • Four To Follow Sandown Jumps Final Day

    Four To Follow Sandown Jumps Final Day

    It’s the final jumps fixture of the season, and what a day it could turn out to be. Kitty’s Light reappears in the bet365 Gold Cup, Hewick aims to end his season on a high and Jonbon makes an appearance too. Here are four to look out for on a smashing Sandown card.

    1:05 – Novices’ Championship Hurdle Final – Killaloan @ 5/1 (William Hill)

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    Killaloan has rather fallen under the radar for the Paul Nicholls brigade, but looks like a progressive young horse. Winning his last three, impressing last time out winning off top weight. It’s a big step up in grade, but the way Killaloan is going, he should be able to handle it. Plus, winning ground on soft is a big plus today.

    Holetown Hero also have to be given a shout for the Nicholls team. Second to Inneston last time out, he’s finished in the top four in all starts this season. He should perform on the ground after his performance at Newton Abbot, only losing by a length.

    Kansas Du Berlais is also worth a shout, after progressing through his last two runs. He turns out quickly after winning at Fontwell last week by 16 lengths. A good win on heavy ground shows this Gary Moore horse is versatile and should handle the track well.

    1:40 – Celebration Chase (Grade One) – Captain Guinness (W/O Jonbon)

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    No prices are out yet on the without market, but Captain Guinness has to finish either behind, or in front, of Jonbon. It’s the first time Jonbon is stepping into open company, but this is the time to do it. He obliterated the field at Aintree and this is going to be a tougher test against seasoned chasers. Captain Guinness has improved no end this season. Second behind Energumene in the Champion Chase and second at the Dublin Racing Festival. Soft ground won’t be a problem and may just get the better of Greaneteen into second.

    2:15 – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase – Kitty’s Light @ 7/2 (General)

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    I’ve seen the light. Kitty’s Light is one of the best handicap horses, possibly, of the season. Winning the Eider and the Scottish National aren’t easy feats, and a slight drop in distance will not trouble him. And if Christian Williams is happy turning him out in the space of a week, then he must be trusted. He also races off the same mark of 140, five pounds lower than last year (he finished third), and a pound bigger than the 2021 run (he finished a narrow second). Escaping the penalty is a massive plus.

    Nicholls has been rather bullish about Enrilo. He says that he’s back to his best, after four poor performances, but he’s had a layoff and he could come back with a bang. He was rated 145 last year, and pulled up, but was first past the post in 2021 off 143. This time he’s way down to 137, and if Nicholls is to be trusted, he may go and beat Kitty’s Light.

    2:50 – Oaksey Chase (Grade Two) – Solo @ 7/2 (BetUK)

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    Solo, in terms of the prices, is the pick of the race. Hewick is far too short and looks at tad too unreliable after falling at Cheltenham. He had a great win at Sandown last year in the bet365 Gold Cup, but with the unseat at Listowel and the fall at Cheltenham. He’s just a tad to unreialbe to be as short as he is. Solo has had a great season after winning at Kempton last time out, but he started his campaign at the Esher track, on similar conditions. Nicholls always aims and places his horses well, and loves this meeting, which draws me in to back him at a more respectable price than Hewick’s.

    The very best of luck!

  • Racing at Sandown: BestBets

    Racing at Sandown: BestBets

    As the Punchestown Festival rounds off in County Kildare, so on Saturday sees one of the final National Hunt racecards of the season at Sandown.

    Headlined by the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, the Oaksey Chase and another Grade 1 contest are on the menu in the suburbs of the capital.

    With some recent big performers in town looking for a big win to cap the term, who should punters look to?

    So with seven races over the jumps, here are our picks.

     

    13:40: Editeur Du Gite: Celebration Chase, (1m7½f)

    As the first of two Grade 1 races on Saturday, the Celebration Chase kicks off 75 minutes of elite competition as the irrepressible Jonbon will go off the strong favourite.

    However, we can’t but help go back to the appeal of Editeur Du Gite.

    A horse who likes the suburban London tracks, the 9yo’s win at Kempton over Christmas in the Desert Orchid still shines like a beacon.

    Jonbon won here at Sandown on this trip back in December by eight lengths, but will be more sorely tested in a bigger field of better racers – unlike his 43-length romp at Aintree.

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    This looks a really competitive contest with both Rachael Blackmore and Harry Cobden in the field; that should propel Editeur Du Gite to a big race.

    The gelding who toppled both Edwardstone and Energumene on Cheltenham Trials weekend, Niall Houlihan usually gets the best from his mount in a stellar field.

    We feel that should occur again and at 11/2 with Betfred carries ample value.

     

    14:15: Certainly Red: Gold Cup Handicap Chase, (3m4½f)

    In the main event of Saturday, Kittys Light is the understandable favourite after winning the Scottish National at Ayr last weekend.

    However, over the modified trip here, the 7yo of Christian Williams is untested at this distance.

    Instead, for a little more value, Certainly Red‘s more recent form is worthy of merit.

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    Having won three of the last four contests, the Venetian Lad-owned runner was less than impressive last time out at Ascot, but has a win at Sandown this term.

    Though, like Kittys Light, there may be concerns – this time over a few furlongs greater – but has form figures of 241111 over Chase starts.

    Hovering in the region of 10/1 with BoyleSports, Certainly Red and Caoilin Quinn can put on a definitive big-race showing this weekend.

     

    14:50: Hewick: Oaksey Chase, (2m6½f)

    Looking to win on Sandown Gold Cup Day for the second year running, Hewick looks a good bet for the Oaksey.

    Winner of last year’s Gold Cup at 16/1, having sidestepped the Punchestown Gold Cup won sensationally by 28/1 shot Fastorslow, the focus of trainer JJ Hanlon is all on this.

    Also pulled out of Cheltenham due to the ground, this will be Hewick’s first outing since an impressive trip in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

    On that day back in March, despite falling late on was prominent and looked set for a top-three finish at another big price.

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    His win in the US National beforehand saw entry for the big one in Gloucestershire and the Irish gelding will be champing at the bit.

    A far shorter shorter price this time around though, could a certain ms. Blackmore get the best from him?

    Hewick is currently 6/5 with BetVictor.