Today's best bets, by Tony Paley
All eyes will be on the Queen's Free Agent at 3.25 in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood this afternoon as the colt attempts to book his spot for the Derby two weeks on Saturday. Her majesty will be at Epsom anyway of course but I expect she will get a couple of extra owner's badges if she has a runner.
Free Agent looks the likeliest winner but he has had a well-publicised foot problem that has held up his progress this spring and with Godolphin runner Chock A Block something of an unknown quantity this looks a race to avoid for betting purposes.
The nap today runs at Lingfield where Wizard Looking (2.35) can make a bold show to regain the winning thread under Jimmy Quinn. He has been running well of late on the all-weather and will appreciate professional handling this time round. The selection is on an attractive handicap mark switched to turf today and can run off a lower mark than when successful at Folkestone last year. He has been fragile in the past and the recent rain has come at an ideal time for his return to running on grass.
Over the sticks Shut The Bar (6.20) should go well when racing returns after a long break at Worcester tonight. Few can be seriously fancied in this novice hurdle and the dual National Hunt Flat race winner made a good start to his career over timber, finishing third at Exeter before opening his account over hurdles at Bangor last weekend. His preference for fast ground and his fluid hurdling technique will stand him in good stead here.
Tipping competition, day three
Today, we'd like your tips please for these races: 3.25 Goodwood, 4.45 Kelso, 4.55 Lingfield.
This week's prize is Patrick Veitch's book Enemy Number One – The Secrets of the UK's Most Feared Professional Punter. This promises to be a terrific read and has been earning glowing reviews.
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.
New entrants are welcome today, but you must start on -6. Good luck!
Standings after day two
WalthamstowLad +5.91
JDK1 +5.50
econo22 +4.91
socialwanderer +3
Smidster +1
sangfroid -1.50
15244 -1.50
Suckzinclee -4.09
Johnny909 -4.09
Goofs -4.09
stee33 -4.09
MillieJ -4.09
BoneyMcCoy -4.09
fleety3001 -4.09
johne5knuckle -4.09
progolfer -4.09
Keepitdusty -4.09
robmct -4.09
DrKelso -4.09
Rivercity -4.09
Racebets -6
Gashead1105 -6
TheVic -6
mike65ie -6
garynic -6
Xwireman -6
Millreef -6
Beeftodd -6
Urfe -6
slackdad38 -6
Moscow08 -6
paddyconsidine -6
Ceulemans -6
Harrytheactor -6
tiznow -6
Doctoroncall -6
Hawkling -6
Jockthecock -6
paulusthewoodgnome -6
Renzofan -6
cavelino -6
23skidoo -6
Mai11 -6
Live updates, by Chris Cook
2.05pm Hi gashead
Lots of people take picnics to places like Ascot and Goodwood, and then eat them in the grassy car parks before racing starts.
2.35pm The Thinker
3.45pm No Royal Derby winner
Last seen almost a year ago, winning he Chesham at Royal Ascot, Free Agent settled well behind Godolphin's Chock A Block and went into the lead in the straight. But he couldn't quicken clear and was readily passed by Alwaary (5-1), trained by John Gosden for Hamdan Al Maktoum. Beauchamp Xerxes ran on to be second. The Henry Cecil-trained Sight Unseen was disappointing in third, finishing alongside Free Agent.
The immediate reaction of the market appears to be that this was an insignificant trial. Alwaary, who had been fourth behind Age Of Aquarius in the Lingfield Derby Trial, is available at 41-1 on Betfair, while Free Agent is 109-1.
The winner was successfully picked by xwireman, MillieJ, jockthecock, Mai11 and Rivercity.
5.10pm Cathy Gannon
Ms Gannon appears to have a few fans, from the comments below. I remember years ago, when she was on her way to being champion apprentice in Ireland, David Ashforth often used to sing her praises in the Racing Post.
Since she came over here, she's been struggling along on a strike-rate of between 5% and 6%, largely through lack of opportunity. I went to Bath one day last year to ask her, Hayley Turner and Kirsty Milczarek if they felt there was any discrimination against female jockeys – they all said no, but it would be difficult for them to say anything else.
By the looks of things, Gannon is getting noticed. She's already had seven winners this month, more than she had from January to April, and at a rate of 14% for a very healthy level-stakes profit. Good on her.
5.15pm Doubles all round
Corkage (5-1) won at Kelso, bringing up doubles for xwireman and MillieJ, while gashead1105 had both Corkage and I Confess, a 6-1 winner for the in-from David Evans at Lingfield.
Updated standings and three more aces in tomorrow's edition of Talking Horses.
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