Time to hit the jackpot at Ascot with Jonjo’s Jipcot January 14, 2025 MILLIONS are on offer this weekend. Quite literally, as Windsor (Friday and Sunday) and Ascot (Saturday) host the inaugural three-day Berkshire Winter Millions Festival with £1.2 million up for grabs. With a strong card up at Haydock as well, several horses hold multiple entries, so there are some risks with ante-post punting. First on the [...]
Williams’ improving Djelo looks set to fly in the Ryanair January 7, 2025 CHELTENHAM is now little over two months away and in the coming weeks I’m going to begin to build an ante-post portfolio ahead of the Festival. The aim with these bets is to find something at big odds that is likely to go off a much shorter price if lining up in March. While there’s [...]
Charm the Silver Lining to Kempton rain clouds January 7, 2025 RECENT weather has wreaked havoc on the fixture list with wind, rain and snow battering Britain’s racecourses since the turn of the year. With the forecast remaining unsettled this weekend’s fixtures could well be in the balance, and if key meetings at Kempton and Warwick do get the go-ahead, then racing is sure to take [...]
Thoroughbred aftercare programme launched by The Howden Way December 23, 2024 THOROUGHBRED Aftercare Programme’s (TAP) launch at the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot Racecourse is the latest evolution in the significant investment made into eventing by David Howden. Further to the launch of The Howden Way in May 2022, which offers training and opportunities to riders of all ages and abilities, TAP has a clear [...]
Back Christmas cracker Banbridge for King George glory December 17, 2024 CHRISTMAS is nearly upon is, and for racing fans, bar Cheltenham, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. Kempton’s King George on Boxing Day (2.30pm) is undoubtedly the centrepiece of the festive feast which awaits punters, with top quality racing on offer across both sides of the Irish Sea all the way [...]
Squirrel some Christmas cash with help from Victtorino December 17, 2024 SATURDAY’s racing offers up some tasty festive appetisers ahead of next week’s festive bonanza, which begins with a bang on Boxing Day. It’s always nice to attempt to pay for the Christmas turkey before it’s cooked, and Ascot’s card presents a few good chances of doing just that. The Grade One Long Walk Hurdle is [...]
Forward Planning set to pay off for Honeyball at Doncaster December 10, 2024 THERE’S no doubt that Cheltenham’s Saturday action will capture most punters’ attention this weekend, but I think I’ve found a bet on a less heralded card on the same day. Kateira is clearly a mare going in the right direction for the Skelton team, but her price is on the short side for my liking [...]
Fugitif can escape with December’s Gold Cup December 10, 2024 WE’RE back at the home of the Jumps this week as Cheltenham hosts its two-day Christmas Meeting. While there’s some good racing on Friday, Saturday’s card makes more appeal at this stage from an ante-post perspective and the big handicap, the December Gold Cup (1.50pm), is definitely a race to focus on. This is the [...]
I predict a Gaboriot for Greenall and Guerriero in the Becher December 3, 2024 SATURDAY also sees prestigious action up at Aintree in the shape of the Grade Three Becher Handicap Chase (2.07pm). The runners will have to contest 21 famous Grand National fences, so there’s no harm identifying contenders who’ve got experience over the uniquely testing obstacles. King Turgeon immediately comes to mind after his spring-heeled victory on [...]
Edwardstone to lead Jonbon up the creek en route to glory December 3, 2024 SANDOWN’s card this Saturday looks a pre-Christmas cracker, headlined by the Grade One Tingle Creek (3.00pm), where Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon will attempt to win consecutive editions of this coveted two-mile prize. Jonbon is remarkably consistent, and if successful on Saturday, he would take his career record to 16 wins from 19 starts and his earnings [...]