Best Of Bets

Tag: racing tips

  • Cheltenham Day 2: Selections and Naps

    Cheltenham Day 2: Selections and Naps

    Best of Bets’ Oliver Holmes has his selections primed for Day Two’s offerings of Cheltenham Festival.

    Yesterday’s racing provided some incredible jump racing including Constitution Hill, who more than lived up to the pre-race hype, and cemented his status as one of jump racing’s greats by maintaining his unbeaten record in the Champion Hurdle. Impressively, his odds of 4/11 has made Constitution Hill the shortest priced winner in the history of the race.

    Away from Constitution Hill, much of the pre-race talk surrounded Honeysuckle and her chance to round of an incredible career by claiming a win of the Mares’ Chance. The nine-year-old mare and her pilot, Rachael Blackmore, showed the roaring audience at Cheltenham how it was done as the mare showed off her incredible stamina and talent one final time.

    Cheltenham Day 2: Selections and Naps 

    NAP: EDWARDSTONE – Queen Mother Champion Chase – 6/4 General

    Edwardstone was the one to take out of the Clarence House Chase. Despite that being on the New Course, his win in the Arkle was absolutely fantastic over on the Old Course. I think that Energumene will still be a threat, but Edwardstone is a class act.

    E/W BET:  Ramilies – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – 22/1 General

    I already had an antepost bet at 12/1 in late February. And, despite the demotion last time out, he can stay on really well and was entered for the National Hunt Chase. Soft ground is a big plus, and came sixth in last year’s Albert Bartlett, which is good guide for this race.

    Handicap Best: HMS Seahorse – Coral Cup – 11/1 William Hill

    Fourth in last year’s Fred Winter, it was the only time he finished outside the top three on hurdles starts. He’s been handicapped well after winning last time out at Navan. Double figure price might just be a little too big for him.

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    Selections:

    13:30 – Hermes Allen

    14:10 – Galia Des Liteaux (RAMILIES E/W)

    14:50 – HMS SEAHORSE (San Salvador e/w)

    15:30 – EDWARDSTONE (NAP)

    16:10 – Delta Work (No Bet)

    16:50 – Dinoblue (Thyme White e/w)

    17:30 – Fun Fun Fun (Captain Cody e/w)

    The very best of luck!

  • Cheltenham Festival Day 1: Selections and Naps

    Cheltenham Festival Day 1: Selections and Naps

    Best of Bets’ Oliver Holmes has his selections and naps ready for the Cheltenham Festival roar on Day One.

    NAP: IL ETAIT TEMPS – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – 9/2 William Hill

    Il Etait Temps is improving all the time. His win in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle was fantastic, even with Facile Vega’s blowout. Hurdles experience at Cheltenham helps him enormously and should kick-off the Festival in style for the Closutton brigade.

    E/W BET:  SHEWEARSITWELL – Mares’ Hurdle – 25/1 Betfred, Boylessports

    The rain is going to make a huge difference throughout the Cheltenham Festival, which will benefit Shewearsitwell massively. Her best win came last time out winning four-and-a-half lengths on deep ground at Leopardstown. The ground has come for her, and could make it a double for Danny Mullins.

    Handicap Best: PERSEUS WAY – Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – 12/1 William Hill, BetUK

    He’s never finished outside the top three on all of his career starts. Despite the ground is to be testing, he should be able to handle it. It’ll be his first time to run over that sort of ground, but the form he has behind him is excellent and looks overpriced.

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    Selections:

    13:30 – IL ETAIT TEMPS (NAP)

    14:10 – Jonbon

    14:50 – Oscar Elite (The Big Breakaway e/w)

    15:30 – Constitution Hill (No Bet)

    16:10 – Love Envoi (SHEWEARSITWELL E/W)

    16:50 – PERSEUS WAY (Ludus e/w)

    17:30 – Mahler Mission

    The very best of luck!

  • Cheltenham Countdown: Ones to watch at Kelso, Newbury and Doncaster

    Cheltenham Countdown: Ones to watch at Kelso, Newbury and Doncaster

    Not that we’re counting or anything, but just two weekends remain on the countdown to Cheltenham 2023.

    Though some have already plotted and planned their journey to Gloucestershire later this month, for others, this weekend holds the earlier priority.

    Saturday in particular sees action at Kelso, Newbury and Doncaster.

    However, so close to the festival will anything be learnt from Saturday’s three cards?

    We’ve picked out one name to watch from each meeting.

     

    13:50, Kelso, Morebattle Hurdle (Group 2, 4yo+, 2m)

    There is a strong Cheltenham presence on hand in our pick from Kelso, the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.

    Teddy Blue is our punt in Scotland.

    A sixth run of the season for Gary Moore’s ride since wind surgery, the 5yo was third at 10/1 over the same distance at Newbury last time out.

    Finishing behind Aucunrisque and Filey Bay last month in the Betfair Hurdle however, Jamie Moore rode Teddy Blue to victory in January at Lincoln.

    Moore could jump back into the saddle in favour of Caolin Quinn here and will be looking to impress with his current steep price in the SkyBet Supreme next up.

    Could a 6/1 shot with Ladbrokes and Coral be a tidy earner for punters? We believe it can.

     

    14:45, Newbury, BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup (Group 1, 5yo+, 2m4f)

    Saturday’s sole Group 1 contest in Berkshire comes from the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase and we are turning to Zanza to make it three wins in-a-row at Newbury.

    At the time of writing, none of the seven-strong field are making the trip to Cheltenham but this is nonetheless very competitive.

    In the case of Zanza, the mount of Tom O’Brien came home a hefty 16/1 winner by seven lengths on this very course less than a month back.

    A prior win in front of the Berkshire Stand came in late November, sandwiched by a seventh at Wetherby exactly a month later – won by Ultima Handicap favourite, Into Overdrive.

    To say Zanza has form at Newbury is an understatement and at 11/4 for 5 places with William Hill, has to be worth a decent stake.

     

    15:15, Doncaster, Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (Group 2, 5yo+, 3m2f)

    Our third punt of the weekend comes from South Yorkshire and the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster.

    Here at BestofBets we prefer to veer from the favourites and look for better value, but Cooper’s Cross does look the choice here.

    The father-son duo of Stuart and Sam Coltherd are currently with two options for Cheltenham: The Ultima or the Magners Plate.

    The latter could carry greater hopes for the Irish 8yo but the trip here could be revealing.

    The journey here is just 1f longer than the Ultima so if the gelding does impress, an about turn could yet be on the cards.

    Cooper’s Cross has happy memories of Doncaster with victory last time out and in total has won half of his contests this term.

    In the last seven outings the horse has come at worst third – with the exception of being pulled up at Sedgefield last January.

    Races in the region of 3m suit Cooper’s Cross and having beaten Cap Du Nord just over a month ago, has the pedigree to come on top.

    And, if we consider a price of 9/4 with PaddyPower for the current pundit’s pick, Cooper’s Cross can deliver.