Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Heavy localised showers can cause no end of problems for trainers, clerks of the course and punters alike, but Ayr seems to have escaped any significant rain overnight and the going is now good (from good, good to soft in places) after just 0.5mm.
There might be more later, but hopefully not enough to affect the chance of Lexington Place (5.05), who has completed a hat-trick at the minimum trip since winning at Nottingham in May off a mark of 73. Ruth Carr’s gelding recorded his latest win over today’s course and distance off 82 and, while he is another 2lb higher in the weights today, he was forced to switch to find running room before getting up to win by a nose. Today’s race has a bigger field but Lexington Place should be able to cope.
Silver Rime (3.35) returns for a contest which he won last year off a 3lb higher mark and ran his race of the season last time out to suggest he has been primed for a repeat.
At Ripon, Swaheen (7.35) has been running well without getting much luck and has a solid chance in the 12-furlong handicap, while, at Windsor, Lady Kyllar (7.25), a course-and-distance winner, ran well at this track last time out, given the way the race developed, and has an obvious chance from a 1lb higher mark.
Marie Des Anges (2.50) and Royal Skies (4.50) look best on the jumps card at Worcester.
Tipping competition – a new week
Congratulations to BearRides, who picked Kalk Bay (8-1) on Friday to finish on a winning score of +17.25. Ormrod76 (+13.57) finished second after finding Sweeping Up (5-1).
This week’s prize is a copy of The Bluffers Guide to Horseracing, which none of you will exactly need, of course, but which you are all likely to find entertaining, since it has been written by David Ashforth, one of the best and funniest writers ever to grace racing’s press room. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
To kick things off, we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 5.05 Ayr, 7.25 Windsor, 8.05 Ripon.
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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
