Thursday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
Royal Ascot is round the corner. Got your outfit sorted yet? Spaghetti straps are off the menu, apparently. “This year’s winners in the style stakes will be sleeved,” according to Karen Dacre the Evening Standard. I don’t mention this to adopt a condescending tone, I hasten to add. For the vast bulk of people going to Ascot next Tuesday and the four days that follow the clothes are what matter.
Of course, the dresses and the suits hired at Moss Bros need to be paid for. Even those more interested in the action off the track will want to find winners. I had a brief chat with our in-form tipster, Chris Cook, last night and he concurred with me about the outstanding chances of Round Two (3.10) in the Coventry Stakes on the opening day. “He looks a beast,” were Cook’s words. There is 5-2 available in the high street with Coral bookmakers. I doubt “the beast” will be backable at those odds next week.
On to today. Those of a literary bent will have pricked up their ears at the name of the No6 horse, Stephen Hero (1.40), in the opener at Worcester. Trainer Dan Skelton clearly did not waste his time when assistant to Paul Nicholls, such has been his success since he set up on his own and he should add another winner via this Celtic Swing gelding, who made an encouraging start to his chasing career last week.
On the Flat, Newera (7.20) at Haydock catches the eye for the Tom Dascombe yard. The trainer has a good record at the track and his runner looks capable of improvement on what he has shown so far, especially as he failed to settle before winning in good style last time out.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Tiger Jim 15-2
Dawn’s Early Light 9-1
Foxtrot Knight 7-2
Tuesday
Maybelater 6-1
Perfect Bounty 7-2
Cyflymder 11-4
Wednesday
Express Himself 11-8
Maid In Rio 6-1
Munfallet 11-4
And our leader is ...
yasmin11 +18.63
... who had Express Himself and now has a handy lead over budgie27.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.25 Newbury, 3.40 Nottingham, 4.30 Newbury.
This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to Cartmel for Sunday 28 June, which, I’m told by the course, is their first ever Sunday fixture! So you’ll witness a bit of history, as every other British track has already raced on a Sunday at some point. The day has been billed as Big Top Racing because there’s a circus on the site that weekend offering free performances for racegoers before and after racing. Those of you who don’t win can buy tickets 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 -9.
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.
