Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
It will not last long, but the Nunthorpe Stakes at York this afternoon promises to be a breathless spectacle, as Irad Ortiz and Acapulco burst away from the stalls and attempt to make the most of the two-year-old’s immense weight concession from the older horses.
There are some compelling subtexts too, as Ortiz was the jockey accused of taking “a dive” by Jamie Spencer earlier this week, a reference to Ortiz’s theatrics in the closing stages of the Beverley D Stakes at Arlington. The interference rules are as tight as a piano wire over in the States, but Ortiz, riding Stephanie’s Kitten, certainly made the most of minimal interference by Spencer’s mount Secret Gesture in the closing stages. Anything similar in today’s race is more likely to prompt laughter and derision from the stands than any benevolence from the officials.
Spencer rides the outsider Windfire today, and Muthmir, an impressive winner at Glorious Goodwood, may be a more potent rival. Paul Hanagan, his jockey, made the point afterwards that a strong gallop brings out the best in William Haggas’s sprinter, and he will get a belter of a pace to aim at today with Acapulco in the field.
There is an inevitable temptation to take on Acapulco (3.40) given her short price in a high-quality field, but sometimes, the obvious and simple answer is the best. Her performance in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot was exceptional and she gets at least 24lb from every opponent. Even Wesley Ward, her trainer, seems to forget from time to time that she is a juvenile rather than a four-year-old, and the weight concession will be extremely difficult even for a top-class sprinter like Muthmir to overcome.
Max Dynamite (2.30) is proven as an excellent hurdler, having finished second in the Galway Hurdle last time out, but he is relatively unexposed on the Flat. He was also the runner-up in the Northumberland Plate, however, a performance that gives him a real chance to start making a mark as a Group-class stayer in today’s Lonsdale Stakes . Talyani (4.55) should extend Haggas’s excellent meeting into another day in the closing handicap, while Very Talented (4.20) is a narrow choice in what is possibly the most competitive maiden of the season.
Tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
Our Boy Jack 7-2
Gowanharry 14-1
Rio Ronaldo 5-2
Tuesday
Chancery 4-1
Outer Space 9-2
Golden Amber 9-1
Wednesday
Storm The Stars 3-1
Arabian Queen 50-1
Heartbreak City 7-1
Thursday
Chil The Kite 20-1
Pleascach 8-1
Mistrusting 5-2
And our leader is ...
Mai11 +14
... moved up from second by the might Pleascach. Other good scores: JahLion +7, Crasivo +5, wimvandervom +3, eddiesgottheblues +3, 16heathermac01 +2, factormax +2, dean055 +2.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.05 York, 3.40 York, 4.55 York.
This week’s prize is based around the Newmarket Open Weekend taking place on the 19th and 20th of September. You can read more about it here. We’re offering two pairs of tickets to the Open Weekend, allowing admission to all Newmarket Open Weekend attractions and sites and including Premier enclosure tickets to the racing on the Saturday at the Rowley Mile. A large number of Newmarket trainers will welcome the public to their yards for the Sunday of the Open Weekend and there will be plenty of other attractions including a Food and Drinks festival.
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 (TODAY!).
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
