11am Karakontie misses Lockinge Stakes with foot injury
The second favourite for Saturday’s Group One Lockinge Stakes, Karakontie, will miss the race at Newbury owing to a foot injury. Last season’s Breeders’ Cup Mile winner, who was a best-priced 9-2 shot, was scheduled to make his seasonal reappearance for trainer Jonathan Pease but the handler reported on Tuesday that he has had to pull the colt out of the event.
“He worked yesterday [Monday] morning and everything went well but unfortunately the foot problem came to light yesterday afternoon and Karakontie won’t be going to Newbury,” reported Niarchos Family racing manager Alan Cooper to the Racing Post on Tuesday morning.
“He’d been training really well and we were looking forward to running. It’s not a serious problem, it’s just come at an inconvenient time.”
11am Jack Hobbs heads classy field for Dante Stakes at York
Jack Hobbs, ante-post favourite for the Investec Derby, is one of several highly-rated horses putting their claims for the premier Classic on the line in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York on Thursday. John Gosden’s colt is taking a big leap in grade, having won a maiden and a handicap in convincing fashion, and faces seven rivals.
The Newmarket handler has a second string to his bow in Golden Horn, who is also unbeaten, having made a winning reappearance in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last month. Jack Hobbs heads the market for the Grade Two trial on the Knavesmire ahead of Elm Park, winner of the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October. He missed the Qipco 2,000 Guineas because the ground was deemed to be too fast and was switched by trainer Andrew Balding to this race instead.
Both of Aidan O’Brien’s two runners, John F Kennedy and Ol’ Man River, must redeem their reputations. Ol’ Man River was tailed off in the 2000 Guineas, won by his stable companion Gleneagles, after being heavily eased down by Joseph O’Brien. John F Kennedy was deposed as Derby favourite after he became stuck in the testing conditions when a well-beaten last of three to Success Days in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown.
The Barry Hills-trained Nafaqa waited for the Dante after being a late withdrawal from last week’s Dee Stakes at Chester because of the rain-softened ground. Chester Vase third Medrano and Lord Ben Sack make up a field of eight.
Betfred Dante Stakes - sponsors bet: 5-2 Jack Hobbs, 3-1 Elm Park, 7-2 John F Kennedy, 5-1 Golden Horn, 8-1 Ol’ Man River, 14-1 Nafaqa, 33-1 Medrano, 50-1 Lord Ben Stack. PA
Tuesday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Just one Flat meeting on turf this afternoon as the focus is about to shift to York’s Dante meeting over the last three days of the week, but there are several interesting contests and a couple of sprinters drawn by the rail at Beverley that deserve close inspection.
Point North (3.25) is now eight but produced one of his best runs for a long time when second at Wolverhampton off 67 on his last start back in March. His turf mark of 69 is 2lb higher, but still well below the mid-80s level he has operated at in the past, suggesting that victory today from the ideal stall is not beyond him.
Amenable (2.55) got lucky in the draw too, and while he is turned out quickly having finished a good second at Thirsk on Saturday, he will take all the beating if capable of reaching anything like the same level of form three days later.
The most valuable race on the card is also the most competitive, but Dark Ocean (3.55) goes well over this course and distance and also on this going and looks the value to beat the Ice Slice at nearly three times the price of the favourite.
Over jumps the best bet of the day is at Sedgefield in the shape of the progressive Sharp Rise (4.15), who is on a very handy mark now switched back to fences after a success last week over hurdles.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Twin Appeal 11-1
Shifting Power 10-11
Divine Law 20-1
And our leaders are …
Steve Ellis +10.91
paragoncup +10.91
… who had the first two winners of the week, while nobody had the third. Sharing next place on +9 are RickyVillasBeard, Topspeedspurs and wiggy12.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.05 Wincanton, 3.55 Beverley, 8.35 Chelmsford.
This week’s prize is a pair of tickets to Sandown for Britain’s best evening at the races on Thursday 28 May, featuring the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, the Henry II and the National Stakes. If you don’t win, you 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 -3.
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.
