11.25am McCoy is booked for Benvolio in Scottish Grand National
Tony Paley: Tony McCoy will ride in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday for the last time after the champion jockey was snapped up for the ride on Benvolio by the champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
McCoy told the Racing Post: “There weren’t many possibilities for me in the race in terms of weight, but he’s a good ride to get. He went very well in the Welsh National and if he can repeat that performance on Saturday I’m hopeful of a good run.
“It’s my last Scottish National and I’m looking forward to getting to Ayr and meeting fans there for the last time. Everyone has been so good to me at the races since I announced my retirement. They’ve been really kind. I’m just hoping Benvolio can put up a good performance.”
McCoy, who will be retiring after racing at Sandown the following Saturday, rode the well-backed Cantlow [sixth] and Shutthefrontdoor [fifth] in the Irish Grand National and Grand National respectively.
The multiple champion jockey has won the Scottish National only once, on the Nicholls-trained Belmont King at Ayr in 1997, and his final ride in the race had been the subject of speculation, with his retainer JP McManus having no entries fleft in the race.
11.20am Grand National faller Balthazar King on road to recovery
Tony Paley: Trainer Philip Hobbs has issued another upbeat bulletin on Wednesday morning on the progress of Grand National faller Balthazar King. Runner up in 2014, the 11-year-old was left with broken ribs after he fell at the Canal Turn on the first circuit.
Writing on his Facebook page, Hobbs said: “Balthazar King is making slow but good progress and being lead out for a pick of grass now. He will be featuring on Channel 4’s Morning Line on Saturday morning to keep everyone updated. Thank you once again for all the kind messages of support.”
Wednesday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
There may be a few diehard traditionalists who feel that being ripped in two by a wind that arrives from Siberia without stopping wind is all part of the fun of the Craven meeting at Newmarket. I beg to differ, which means that this year’s renewal of one of the most informative and anticipated meetings of the Flat season should truly be one to remember, with at least 15 degrees of blessed heat and a light Ð well, lightish - breeze forecast for both afternoons.
There are so many reasons to adore the Craven meeting. There are the Classic trials, obviously, but also all those maiden events too, at a point in the season when dreams remain undented and a star could, in theory, emerge from pretty much anywhere. The handicaps tend to house a Group horse or three as well, with the 10-furlong event that closes proceedings tomorrow almost invariably a race to follow.
It can throw up the odd surprise too, with the reappearance of Faydhan (3.30) in the CSP European Free Handicap this afternoon being a case in point. In recent years, many winners of the race have faded swiftly into relative obscurity, although Garswood, the winner two years ago, eventually won at Group One level, as did Indian Haven, the subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, in 2003.
In terms of highlighting Guineas winners at Newmarket, though, the last colt to go on to win the 2,000 Guineas after taking the Free Handicap was Mystiko in 1991, while Harayir, the 1,000 Guineas winner in 1995, was the runner-up here a few weeks earlier.
It is many years, though, since a colt as prominent in the ante-post betting as Faydhan turned up to contest it. This is probably an accident of circumstance rather than a sign that the Free Handicap is on the way back as a Classic trial, because the expectation around Faydhan is the result of a single run last year, when he bolted up by six lengths at Haydock in early July from a subsequent Group Three winner. A leg injury then curtailed his juvenile career, but his maiden form looks rock solid and while he has just 8st 13lb to carry today, 8lb below the top weight, Timeform rate him 3lb clear of the field with, presumably, much better to come.
It will be a big disappointment if Faydhan cannot justify his odds-on price this afternoon, but the Nell Gwyn Stakes, the card’s 1,000 Guineas trial, is much more open with Osaila and Lady Correspondent currently the joint-favourites at 4-1. There was some doubt yesterday about whether New Providence (4.05) would line up here or at Newbury later in the week but she remains in the field at present and is a very interesting runner, with her third place in the Rockfel Stakes arguably the pick of the form on offer.
Elsewhere on the card, Spiriting (5.40) is potentially thrown in off a mark of 79 in the concluding handicap, while Peacock (4.40) looks is an interesting runner in the Fielden Stakes. At Cheltenham, Pepite Rose (3.50) and Cloud Creeper (5.00) are both worth close inspection.
Tipping competition - day three
This week’s winners Monday
Squire 5-1
Lear’s Rock 5-1
Lord Brendy 9-2
Tuesday
Courtown Oscar 14-1
Tiger O’Toole 7-2
Thomas Wild 9-2
Kingklynch has taken the lead after finding 14-1 shot Courtown Oscar. Here are the leading quartet: Kingklynch +13.5 Factormax +5.5 Blitzwing +5.5 Shrewdette +5
This week’s prize is a copy of Racing & Football Outlook’s Flat Racing Guide 2015, including tips for the season ahead, profiles of horses to follow, detailed results from last year and trainer interviews among many features. If you don’t win, you can buy it here.
Today we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 3.15 Cheltenham, 3.50 Cheltenham and 4.05 Newmarket.
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.
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.
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Good luck!
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