Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The Beckford Fillies’ Stakes at Bath, a Listed race over a mile and six furlongs, is the standout event on today’s cards, and a highly competitive event of its type, with every runner bar the 100-1 chance Zubeida going to post with at least an each-way chance.
The fact that Moorside, the runner-up in the Cheshire Oaks earlier in the season, is a 20-1 chance illustrates the overall standard of the field, but the market has settled on Dubka, a commanding winner of a handicap at Newmarket last time out, as the favourite at around 2-1.
Her form is arguably no more impressive than that of Purple Magic (3.40), however, as Michael Bell’s filly also arrives at Bath on the back of an easy success in a handicap. Both fillies should find further improvement for the step up to 14 furlongs, but Purple Magic was staying on noticeably strongly at the end of her latest race, which was over a mile and five, and at the prices, she makes far more appeal at around 5-1 than the favourite.
Beatbybeatbybeat (4.10) won easily in a first-time visor at Brighton last week and is worth backing to follow up under a penalty on the same card, while at Nottingham, Arrowzone (3.50) could go well at a very fair price in a valuable and competitive 10-furlong handicap. Ivan Furtado’s consistent five-year-old is 5lb better off Great Hall for a two-and-a-half length beating at Epsom last time, yet he can be backed at 14-1 while Great Hall is vying for favouritism at around 9-2.
Elsewhere on the same card, Orient Class (4.20) had possible excuses when below form at Ayr last time and is still very fairly weighted on the balance of his form. Monbeg River (5.05) should go well in the handicap chase at Wetherby if he can pick up where he left off in the spring, while Diminutive (5.55) may be the best bet on the all-weather card at Kempton this evening.
We are no longer able to continue with competitions every week, but they will still run in the biggest weeks (Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and maybe one or two others, as well as the Christmas quiz).
We’ll still have a Talking Horses each day for tips, analysis and news, so we very much hope you’ll join us to chew over whatever racing happens to be going on and post your tips or racing-related comments below.
