Today’s best bets
Predictably thin pickings for punters this afternoon, with Cheltenham in the form book and the Flat preparing for the start of turf racing next week. There is a salvation of sorts at Chelmsford City, however, where the Class 3 sprint handicap has a decent purse and a reasonable field, although it is admittedly one short of the dead-eight runners that would make it an each-way proposition.
Six of the seven runners have a shout on their best form but in the expectation that Oriental Relation (4.30) has recovered from his outing in the Listed Hever Sprint Stakes at Lingfield two days ago, he is well worth an interest at around 7-2. The grey beat only one home at the Surrey track but ran quite well until the rise in class started to tell in the final furlong and had previously been putting in performances in handicaps, which give him an outstanding chance here.
Gowanauthat (3.40) is the pick of the prices on the card at Southwell as he moves into handicap company on an attractive mark and a jockey who takes another 10lb off his back, while at Taunton The Chuckmeister (4.20) has a similar profile and makes a quick switch to handicaps for Paul Nicholls after two promising runs in novice events.
Tipping competition – a new week
Congratulations to our four winners of last week’s Festival tipping competitions: MrWinnersSonInLaw, fatdeano, spudpwt and Ellandback, who won Friday’s competition on a final score of +17 by picking Next Sensation and On The Fringe. Copshaw had the same double but posted it 10 minutes later than Ellandback, losing out on our familiar tie-breaking rule. Congratulations, winners! We’ll be in touch by email. Thanks to all who took part in a fun week.
And thanks again to Paragoncup, for not only running the MillieJ but offering updates during the week.
This week’s prize is a copy of How To Find The Crabbies Grand National Winner, a 32-page guide by Paul Jones, to be published by Aintree at the end of next week. It will be largely trends-based but will also included profiles and interviews aimed at illuminating the famous race on 11 April.
To kick things off, we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 3.40 Southwell, 4.30 Chelmsford, 4.50 Taunton.
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!
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
