Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The scratching of Mizzou, the favourite, from Friday’s Doncaster Cup has left Quest For More (3.40) as the new market leader at a top price of 7-2, and that looks like a very fair price now that the only horse in the field with a higher rating is out of the running.
Roger Charlton’s runner was not known as a front-runner before his victory in the Lonsdale Stakes at York last month, but the new approach seemed to coax some further improvement from the six-year-old, who recorded a comfortable three-and-a-half length success.
Similar tactics today will lack the element of surprise, but George Baker should still have the lead to himself, and then get a chance to make Quest For More’s class tell in the closing stages.
Two horses from Mark Johnston’s yard who seem to have two ways of running pose problems for punters in the first two races on the card.
Lumiere (1.55) finished last in the 1,000 Guineas, then bolted up in a Listed race at Newmarket’s July meeting before finishing ninth of 10 in the Prix Rothschild last time out. That race came 24 days after her Newmarket outing and she has had 40 to recover from her run at Deauville, and at the prices on offer, it may be worth taking the chance that this will be one of her good days.
Yalta, one of Johnston’s runners in the Flying Childers Stakes, was last of the 19 runners in the Nunthorpe Stakes, three weeks after breaking the track record to win the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. He is better than his York form suggests, but also faces a very useful opponent in Tis Marvellous (2.30), who could not live with Lady Aurelia in the Prix Morny last time out but has every chance here on the form of his win in the Prix Robert Papin in in July.
Wall Of Fire (3.05) is improving fast and will take all the beating in the Mallard Handicap, while Cloudberry (4.40) and Chocala (5.00) both have outstanding chances in handicaps at Sandown and Chester respectively.
Tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
Green Zone 5-1
Purple Party 9-2
Fast Act 10-1
Tuesday
Heir To A Throne 13-2
Noble Peace 8-1
Baysbrown 13-8
Wednesday
Priceless 4-1
Phosphorescence 7-1
Singeur 14-1
Thursday
Simple Verse 3-1
Mubtasim 4-1
Handsome Dude 25-1
Standings after Day Four
jakebuckfast +45.63
Crasivo +21.50
Bacciodilupo +19
BearRides +14.50
wiggy12 +14.50
Copshaw +12.50
lcprestes +9.13
sandiuk +8.50
wemeanyounoharm +4.50
FinsburyPark +3.50
titusisashambles +3
GandT123 +3
AshleyBrook +2
yasmin11 +2
GForce1 +1
orso +0.13
slackdad38 +0
cerises -1
LansonUproar -1.37
Harrytheactor -1.50
diegosigod -3
melonk -3
joehow -3
ID3814422 -3
Toptrapper -3
Goldkid999 -4
Rivercity -4.50
Esherhammer -4.50
MrWinnersSonInLaw -4.50
ubikubik -6
jamesstod -6
72luca -6
DrKelso -6.50
Mulldog -6.50
moidadem -6.50
elliot45 -6.50
Ormrod76 -7
chris1623 -7
ps4999 -7
TheVic -7
PHILYERBOOTS -7
jaxfahy -8
23skidoo -9.37
johne5knuckle -9.37
William36 -9.37
Perry Tang -9.37
Fixxxer -9.37
AndieAndson -9.37
robertkeen -9.37
GipsyHiller -12
millreef -12
Geoff Staddon -12
Renzofan -12
BatmanKaisers -12
donlewis -12
kingklynch -12
Ellandback -12
JahLion -12
slowhandray -12
gregcwb -12
waltersobchak -12
TL127 -12
LexLondon -12
ID0228872 -12
kmill68 -12
Blitzwing -12
16heathermac01 -12
maghazi -12
Ben Leo -12
Bonzodrongo -12
spudpt -12
goodfellow1 -12
Bigboozer -12
Lindsey6677 Ê-12
Sportingbest -12
scarletdragon -12
dean055 -12
Cairo -12
jessie69 -12
The last of our every-week competitions needed an impressive winning performance and, whatever happens now, we’ll certainly end up with that. Jakebuckfast had all three Thursday winners, including a 25-1 shot that only one other tipster had on here. That outsider pick was the more impressive because Jake was already a handy fourth and had no need to seek a big-priced winner. He’s got a lead of more than 20 points and looks in great shape but who can say there’s not another rag waiting to win today and catapult someone else to the top …
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.05 Doncaster, 3.30 Sandown, 3.40 Doncaster.
The prize for our final competition of 2016 is a copy of the new volume of Chasers & Hurdlers, to be published next month by Timeform. Running to 1,100 pages and retailing at £75, it is a big, beautiful record of the last jumps season, including many of the famous Timeform essays discussing the major performers and the issues raised during the winter. Evidently one of the essays suggests that some stewards are “blind ... to non-triers”! If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
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. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -12.
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.
Alas, we’re not going to be able to continue with these competitions every week and this one will be the last until the new year. A reorganisation of duties has meant we no longer have the time needed to keep scores while also obtaining and distributing prizes.
We will still have competitions in the biggest weeks (Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and maybe one or two others, as well as the Christmas quiz). And 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, especially those of you who have been in the habit of sharing winning tips at good prices.
It’s been almost eight years since DrKelso won our very first competition, which is not a bad length of time to sustain something like this. Congratulations to all our winners since then, commiserations if you never quite got your nose in front; there will be fewer chances to break your duck now but there will still be chances, so stay with us.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
