Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood
The state of the jockeys as they returned to unsaddle after races at Brighton yesterday was pitiful and conditions for punters were not much better, with three odds-on chances in the seven races, all of which failed to oblige.
The weather has been kinder at the other end of the country, however, and Musselburgh is the only track racing in Britain or Ireland today without “soft” – or something softer – in the going description. Fortunately, it has the best of the racing too, and Compton Heights (3.00) looks like the one to back in the feature event, a five-furlong sprint handicap.
Keith Dalglish’s six-year-old, who was previously trained by Jim Goldie, spent 21 months on the sidelines before making his debut for the yard at Ayr last month, but has recorded a quick double off marks of 62 and 67, looking well ahead of the handicapper on both occasions. He is up another 9lb to 76, but remains as well handicapped as any horse in the race with, very probably, more improvement to come.
Dark Crystal (4.00) is also rising in the weights, having won two of her last three starts, but put up the best performance of her career last time and is another with solid prospects of extending her good run.
Bosham (4.10) and Thames Knight (6.05) are the best options on the cards at Catterick and Bath respectively, while Showtime Star (3.20), a useful performer on artificial surfaces, is a fair price for the six-furlong sprint at Lingfield, following its switch from turf to Polytrack.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Aussie Andre 8-1
Bimbo 3-1
Unilit 10-1
Tuesday
Doc Charm 7-4
Sahreej 5-2
Gold Prince 6-1
And our leader is …
AndieAndson +9
… who had a winnerless Tuesday and is now just barely ahead of Carl Jones (+8.50), who has had three of the six winners – not a bad haul for someone playing for the first time since 2013.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.00 Musselburgh, 3.40 Catterick, 8.25 Kempton.
This week’s prize is a copy of Value Seeker by Anthony Gibson, in which the author offers his system for identifying value bets from “statistics allied with form”, leading to picks that are “overlooked by the general betting population”. It’s the sort of book which may have insights to offer that could help your own strategy, although we certainly don’t recommend adopting anyone else’s system blindly. If you don’t win this competition, you can read more about the book and 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 -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.
