11.30am Bookmakers on alert over planned betting coup
Tony Paley: Bookmakers are on alert over a possible four-horse betting coup after a gamble emerged on horses trained by Sheena West and owned by Daniel Steele.
Two of the horses are due to run at Wincanton and two at Lingfield. Fintan, in the 1.20 at Wincanton, will be the first of the quartet to run, while in the following race at 1.50, Landscape has been well backed from 20s into 5-2.
Then over at Lingfield Tee It Up Tommo has been well backed in the 3.20 while Well Painted is the fourth and final leg of the accumulator at 3.50.
Steele admits to having backed them at small amounts in various combinations. “They [bookmakers] are definitely all running scared,” he told At The Races.
“At the prices they were all at last night, they were all huge double-figure prices. I think everyone has followed on, but I can assure you there is no big money laid down.
“They all have each-way chances, but they are all competitive races, so I’d be delighted if I come back with one winner, never mind four. These are purely the right races for them - that’s all it comes down to.
“They all look to be on good handicap marks, but there are probably other owners and trainers in those races thinking the same thing. It wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world [if they did win].
“They are all on good marks, but, at the same time, to have four winners in one day, I will be shocked if it does happen.
“We’ve got them in doubles, trebles, Lucky 15s. At the prices they were last night you haven’t to be laying out huge money. I don’t know what the accumulator would come to, but I’m sure it would be a fairly big liability for the bookmakers, seeing as they are all running for cover. Our horses are all coming from lay-offs. They are as fit as they can be.”
Bookmakers Betfair are watching the events unfold with “nervous anticipation”.
Spokesman Barry Orr said: “In Wincanton we have laid Fintan at 14-1, he’s now 2-1, and Landscape at 20-1, now 5-2. At Lingfield Tee It Up Tommo in the 3.20pm will be looking to join the club at 14-1, now 5-2, while the gallery will be watching Well Painted in nervous anticipation should any combination of the previous three win. He was available at 20-1 and is now just 2-1.”
Thursday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
Everyone will be following the fate of Thursday’s “coup horses” in the early races at Wincanton. The first two, Fintan (424 days) in the 1.50 and Landscape (246 days) in the 2.20, are both coming back from long lay-offs and with the owner, Daniel Steel, stating that Fintan will be better for the run the man behind the gamble might know his fate early on.
The best bet of the day is at Wincanton where Alder Mairi (2.25) looks to have obvious prospects in the Mostly Media Handicap Chase. The opposition don’t look strong to a chaser who is best caught fresh. Harry Cobden looks a decent young jockey to follow and he can add to his recent successes with Hope’s Wishes (4.00) in the concluding amateur riders’ handicap hurdle. The selection improved signifcantly on her first run for Barry Brennan when winning last week and still looks on a winning mark despiet being hiked up 8lb in the ratings.
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
Ashcott Boy 11-2
Sir Valentino 4-1
Maria’s Choice 9-2
Tuesday
Nebula Storm 15-2
Marky Bob 9-2
Pithivier 11-4
Wednesday
Big Society 7-1
Arthamint 13-8
Moonrise Landing 10-1
And our leader is …
moidadem +14.38
… who continued his run of winners with Arthamint. The cavalry are closing, however, in the shape of Stephen Peter Phillips (+11), orso (+10.13) and Ormrod76 (+10).
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.05 Market Rasen, 4.00 Wincanton, 6.05 Chelmsford.
This week’s prize is a copy of At The Festival (Racing To Glory At Cheltenham in March) by the Racing Post’s excellent Spotlight writer Richard Austen. A history of some of the great Festival moments from 1981 to 1991, this new book has drawn the following praise from Racing UK’s Lydia Hislop, who has written for this parish in the past: “He writes with rare skill, combining poetry and precision. This book has the power to delight racing fans and inform others of the richness of experience they are missing.” If you don’t win, you can buy a copy 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.
Good luck!
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