Today's best bets, by Will Hayler
Who says that journalists aren't worth listening to? Although I didn't have space to insert it into my report of Sunday's victory for Dancing Rain in the German Oaks, trainer William Haggas wanted to make it clear that substantial credit for the success ought to go to systems and stats expert Nick Mordin.
After Dancing Rain's Epsom victory, Mordin wrote on his website: "If she were mine I'd be thinking long and hard about supplementing Dancing Rain for the Preis der Diana [German Oaks] at Dusseldorf on 7 August. The race is a Group One Classic worth a total of €400,000 (€230,000 to the winner) and there isn't a single entry from outside Germany.
"Dancing Rain would have a far easier time winning the German race than she would trying to beat Galikova and the older fillies and mares in the Prix Vermeille – or in the Yorkshire Oaks. Watch the Youtube video of Night Magic winning the Preis Der Diana and you'll see that it's a race that can very well be won from the front just like Dancing Rain won the Oaks."
The guy I felt sorry for on Sunday was Richard Kingscote, who attempted to give Brown Panther a virtually identical ride in the German Derby, but who came in for a lot of entirely unwarranted criticism from armchair experts when it didn't come off because the horse didn't repeat the form of his Royal Ascot victory.
Paul Hanagan is out to make hay while Silvestre de Sousa is suspended this week and the reigning champion jockey has several live chances at Thirsk evening. Dutch Heritage (6.00) hadn't shown much on his first couple of starts but stepped up at York last time and holds On The Hoof on that run. Anticipated further progression will make him hard to beat.
Uptown Guy (7.30) could be another winner for Hanagan later on the card, while Neptune Equester (8.30) finally gets another chance to prove his mettle as a stayer on the Flat having been pulled out when I napped him at Carlisle last week. Don't forget he stays three and a half miles-plus over jumps and so there must be a real chance he will be outpaced – even at this lowly level – over just two miles tonight. But he'll be coming home stronger than anything and if he's still in touch with half a mile to run I fancy him to get there.
Tipping competition – a new week
Congratulations to zizkov123, who held on to win last week's competition on a final score of +28, despite picking three losers on Friday. Orso had Valmina (4-1) on the final day but still finished five points adrift. Zizkov wins tickets to Sandown's Variety Club Day a week on Saturday.
This week's prize is a copy of Kiwis, Canaries and Monkeys: 500 Extraordinary Racing Stories, the latest volume from Graham Sharpe, with entertaining tales of racing-related oddities and calamities.
To kick things off, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 5.00 Lingfield, 5.15 Wolves, 6.10 Windsor.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
Post your racing-related comments below
