Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Alan King, who has been in the news this week through his association with the retiring jump jockey Robert Thornton, is actually doing quite well with his Flat horses just now. He’s had three winners from 10 runners on the Flat in the past fortnight, taking him to 11 for the year and one more will give him his best season since 2008.
That one more may come as soon as the opener at Goodwood, where soft ground will play a major part in outcomes today. Inn The Bull (2.00) is a 16-1 shot as I type, having been beaten by more than 10 lengths on his Brighton debut, but those odds look generous in what is not a strong contest.
He was slowly away at Brighton but finished well and should be significantly straighter here. The slower ground will give him time to get into the argument and sons of Lope De Vega can reasonably be expected to cope well with soft.
The mud may also make a difference for Popeswood (4.55), who has been on fast surfaces all year. His two best efforts of 2014 came on autumn soft, including when he won at this track off a mark 1lb higher than the one he has now.
He has had a little break since July, during which time the Mick Channon horses have hit form of a kind. It’s possible that this six furlong course will be on the sharp side for him but he is interesting at 12-1.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Hero’s Story 7-2
Midlander 5-1
Return Ace 6-1
Tuesday
Dursey Sound 7-1
Gone Too Far 3-1
Fly 6-4
And our leader is ...
Crasivo +10.50
… who has so far had Midlander, Dursey Sound and Fly. Manni (+8), 72luca (+7.50) and slackdad38 (+7) provide hot pursuit.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.45 Goodwood, 4.20 Goodwood, 7.55 Kempton.
This week, we’re offering you a second chance to win a copy of Paul Ferguson’s newly published Jumpers To Follow 2015-16, since we’re approaching the core jumps season. Now in its ninth year, the annual focuses on Ferguson’s 40 best prospects, with many additional features and a foreward from the trainer Jamie Snowden. 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 -6.
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.
