Tuesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
How depressing to start the day with the news that Any Currency is to lose his Cheltenham Festival success after a failed dope test. The British Horseracing Authority has said this morning that he tested positive for an anti-inflammatory.
No word has yet been offered by the trainer, Martin Keighley, but on the face of it this looks like another of those cases where a horse has recycled a drug in his system for longer than the expected withdrawal time. The substance found in this case is allowed for use on a horse in training but must not be present in its system on racedays.
Any Currency has been racing for more than eight years and was a popular winner of the cross-country race at the Festival in March at the age of 13. He was a first Festival winner for Keighley, who trains just a few miles from Cheltenham.
Hey, remember Oeil De Tigre (5.45)? I tipped him at a big price last week for a race at the Leicester card that was abandoned after an early runner slipped up.
Well, he’s entered in the last at Salisbury and catches my attention again at 16-1. He hasn’t won since leaving France but hasn’t had all that many runs for Tony Carroll and has dropped 22lb. There was some promise from his Newmarket third on his penultimate start and he needed the run when last seen a month ago.
In the preceding handicap, I like 9-2 about Bahamian Boy (5.15), who scored on his final start as a juvenile and rather let the winner get first run on him on his reappearance. He should be sharper this time and a likely stronger pace can help.
The nap is Saumur (7.50) on Lingfield’s Polytrack tonight. A progressive filly, she is in fine form this year, having won on turf here last time and before that been beaten only by Indira, who won her next two.
Already a winner on Kempton’s version of Polytrack, Saumur is available at 11-2 behind a favourite who is winless in eight since her maiden debut.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Intisaab 11-4
Dutch Mist 16-1
Moondyne Joe 9-2
And our leader is:
GForce1 +19.50
… who fairly bolted out of the gates by picking Dutch Mist and Moondyne Joe. Ten other fans of Dutch Mist are on +14.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 4.15 Salisbury, 5.45 Salisbury, 7.50 Lingfield
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 -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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
