Thursday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes, formerly the Ballymacoll Stud Stakes, is the feature event on an interesting card at Newbury, and Abingdon, who races in the famous pale blue silks carried by the likes of Troy, Sun Princess, Pilsudski and Islington, seems sure to have been pointed towards this target from several months out.
Sir Michael Stoute’s filly has raced just twice to date, and did not look like an imminent Listed race contender when she finished fourth in a maiden event at Kempton in November. The winner of that race, though, was Diamonds Pour Moi, who finished third in the Cheshire Oaks and was a springer in the market for the Oaks last Friday, in which she was pulled up after losing her action.
Abingdon (3.05) duly improved significantly on her first start at three, winning a maiden at Ascot in which Skiffle, the subsequent Height Of Fashion Stakes winner, was third. Thursday’s field is a significant step up, but any further improvement should put take her very close, with Snow Moon, who still holds an entry in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot next week, looking like the obvious danger.
Elsewhere on the card, Exceeding Power (3.40) returned to turf after a three-month break with a win at Newmarket last time out off a mark 9lb below his all-weather rating. He has been raised just 4lb for that success and his new mark of 71 still looks workable given that he was a close second off 75 at Chelmsford back in January.
Pixeleen (3.25) ran well to finished second in a good time at Windsor last week and can go one better on the card at Nottingham, while co-incidence backers will be all over What A Party (3.50) and Sober Up (4.55) at Yarmouth. Both have very solid chances too, with Sober Up in particular looking good value to follow up her win at Chelmsford last time out, when she dropped back to seven furlongs for the first time since making her debut at Newbury in May 2015.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Intisaab 11-4
Dutch Mist 16-1
Moondyne Joe 9-2
Tuesday
White Poppy 2-1
Monarch Maid 10-1
Parnell’s Dream 3-1
Wednesday
Singyoursong 3-1
George William 9-2
Mezmaar 15-2
And our leader is:
Copshaw +31.50
… who is proving a bit of a tearaway, adding to his fine score with Singyoursong and George William yesterday. Titusisashambles (+19.50) is his nearest pursuer.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.25 Nottingham, 3.40 Newbury, 8.15 Haydock.
This week’s prize is offered by the tipster and analyst Marten Julian. Our winner will have access to his ‘Royal Ascot Package’, including his preview books (available as PDFs and in hard copy), an online preview the night before each day’s racing and text messages on race mornings. If you don’t win, you can order it 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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
