Best Of Bets

Tag: ripon

  • Four To Follow: Rare Visit To Ripon

    Four To Follow: Rare Visit To Ripon

    We’re setting up camp in North Yorkshire this week. With the Ebor Festival next week, we head to the dales to visit Ripon for their premier meeting. The Great St. Wilfred handicap is full of your favourite sprinters, whilst down at Newbury there’s group action and the Irish St. Leger Trial at the Curragh.

     

    Ripon

    A Queen Classic

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    3:20 – William Hill Great St. Wilfrid Handicap – Radio Goo Goo @ 10/1 (General)

    There’s been a lot to like about Radio Goo Goo this season. She had her first win of the season at Ripon over C&D, then won at Chester before two close finishes at Newmarket and in the Racing League at Chepstow last time out. She should overturn that result with Manila Scouse and she’s drawn in the paciest part of the field. Firmer ground tends to favour stand side horses, but those drawn low have pace to latch on to today.

    Almarada Prince is either on it or off it, and hopefully today he’s on it. He was impressive finishing in behind the well finishing James’s Delight in the Macmillan Sprint but didn’t go one better next time out on the all-weather. However he’s on a competitive mark and likes to get a good toe into the race. Another positive for him is that Ripon on a dry day suits front runners. 16/1 (General).

    Emperor Spirit has been running at five furlongs this season, but has always ran at six furlongs for much of his career. Last year he finished seventh off a mark of 92 and is three pounds lower this time around. Going on evidence this season, he can be hot and cold and needs a repeat performance of his performance at Ascot when beaten a head by Albasheer. Definitely eye-catching at the price, 18/1 (William Hill, BetVictor).

     

    Newbury

    Freer Gear

    1:50 – BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes (Group Three) – Al Qareem @ 7/2 (William Hill)

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    It’s really a race between the top two, as Sumo Sam needs soft ground, Roberto Escobarr’s best days are behind him and it’s Go Daddy’s first time in a British Group race.

    So why Al Qareem over a highly impressive Al Aasy? Well, Al Aasy hasn’t raced at this trip since winning the Bahrain Trophy, whilst Al Qraeem is an out and out stayer. Al Qareem was also unlucky here at the start of the season, but did give Hamish a run for his money. This looks to be a race that will really suit him.

     

    Hunger-y For More

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    3:35 – BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (Group Two) – Kikkuli @ 11/4 (William Hill, Boylesports)

    Kikkuli was really disappointing in the Group One Prix Jean Prat, but maybe he wasn’t ready for the top level, just yet. Ignore that race and look to his great battle with Haatem in the Jersey Stakes. He battled hard and just needed that little bit more to pass. English Oak seemed to struggle in his foray into Group company, and is worth opposing again.

    Folgaria also is a fancy at the prices. She won the Fred Darling Stakes, often used as a trial for a 1000 Guineas, but didn’t find her feet in the two requisite Group Ones, but she could not have fallen into a better form race if she tried when racing in the Coronation Stakes. She may need a bit more dig in the ground come post time, but I like her chances at 14/1 (BetVictor).

     

    Curragh

    Crazy Horse

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    4:35 – Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes (Group Three) – Absurde @ 3/1 (William Hill)

    Willie’s in the bumper, anyone? Absurde is a high class horse in both disciplines, and after his victory in last year’s Ebor he ticks every box for a stayer on the flat. Grosvenor Square ran a hearty race against his elders in the Curragh Cup, but was second string that day. Absurde, despite giving weight away, will handle pretty much anything in his way and his price makes appeal.

    The very best of luck!

     

  • Four To Follow: Rare Visit to Ripon

    Four To Follow: Rare Visit to Ripon

    It wasn’t a great week, but we maintain high spirits as we build our Ebor week pot today. And there are some competitive races on offer across the country. The Hungerford and Geoffrey Freer are two challenging group races, we visit Ripon for the Great St. Wilfrid Handicap and a couple of juveniles takes the eye over in Ireland to make up our Four to Follow this week.

     

    Newbury

    Half and Half Alike

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    1:50 – BetVictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes (Group Three) – Klondike @ 4/1 (General)

    It’s a little known fact that Klondike and Kemari are half-siblings, out of the same mare Koora. And I’ve settled with the latter for this contest. Only three runs to his name he won on his debut here and then has ran into quality horses on his next two starts.

    The firm ground could be an amicable excuse for his run in the Bahrain Trophy, and has it good-to-soft today. He’s rather unexposed, stepping into open company for the first time and recives a big weight allowance for the in-form William Haggas and Tom Marqaund combination.

     

    Maarbye he’ll Chin’em

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    3:35 – BetVictor Hungerford Stakes (Group Two) – Chindit @ 11/4 (General)

    Last year Chindit produced a rare performance over his favourite Newbury straight track. But this year he has shown his quality and, dare I say, Group One ability. Second in the Lockinge was his career-best performance, and his run at Ascot wasn’t that bad when he weakened up the hill. Dropping down in distance is a positive, having won the Greenham over C&D, and he won’t mind the ground either, unlike some in the field.

    Marbaan shouldn’t be discounted in this race. He ran a great race into third, when Kinross and Isaac Shelby went far clear in the Lennox. He’s been racing over six furlongs, and it hasn’t suited him at all, and the step up to seven will be much better. And without the two top class performers over the unique distance, he has room to progress and run a big race at 8/1 (General)

     

    Ripon

    Windy St. Wilfrid

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    3:15 – William Hill Great St. Wilfrid H’cap – Bay Breeze @ 14/1 (BetUK)

    This is one of the best handicaps in season. It’s at one of my favorutie courses, Ripon, and has the best name (Just who was Wilfrid?). And it’s a Northern race, won by Northern trainers. The last Southerner to win this race was Henry Candy in 2009 with Markab. And Tim Easterby has won this race three times, notably with Staxton in 2020 for favourite backers.

    The ground will be on the softer side of good, so winners usually come down the far side rail. Bay Breeze is drawn in five, and comes off the back of a narrow win over C&D and similar ground. His record at Ripon is phenomenal; six runs, four wins, one place. That record, and the trainer, and his recent run, should put him up there.

    Another Ripon returnee is Twelfth Knight, making his stable debut for Paul Midgley. He’s been moved from Ruth Carr’s stable, and has performed very well for her this season. His record at Ripon is two wins (both on soft ground), two seconds and two thirds. He finished behind Bay Breeze, but only by a half-a-length in a bunch finish. Drawn in stall nine, he’s nearer to the centre, but can still have the advantage if he breaks well. 16/1 (William Hill, BetVictor) is a great each-way price.

    One more for the big handicap just takes time. It Just Takes Time, looks like he doesn’t have the right draw, but he’s on the right handicap with Jonny Peate claiming three pounds. He’s ground versatile, but he might in too high a class. That aside, he has things in his favour to give him a squeak at 16/1 (William Hill, BetVictor)

     

    The Curragh

    Snell Snell Snell

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    4:00 – Debutante Stakes (Group Two) – Snellen @ 4/1 (BetVictor)

    A Royal Ascot winner, and unbeaten. There’s not much that Snellen has done wrong this season. She managed to hold off Pearls And Rubies in the Chesham and has been given a break by Gavin Cromwell. The one thing that may let her down is the ground, given that she’s won both her races on good-to-firm. But she’s out Illumined who handled the soft very well, and it doesn’t discount Snellen getting it too.

    But I think that Dollerina is the wrong price. She finished second to Ylang Ylang on debut, and the form from that race is one to keep an eye on. Three winners and two places next time out from the twelve runners can’t be looked past. She’s by Terretories, who handled soft ground and should be backed in from 8/1 (BetVictor, Unibet, Boylesports)

    The very best of luck!