Hi all,
Inside today's main piece there's a free tip from Newmarket.
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the fine weather this week. Not so good if you’re stuck at work or dislike the heat. I’ve been splitting my time getting out and about, and tackling household jobs. Well, “tackling” might be a stretch — I’ve put off a few, blaming the weather or my racing work.
Funny thing, forgetting about betting midweek gets easier these days, especially with the football season starting. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the midweek racing product, but the old excitement has dipped. Big meetings like York’s Ebor Festival still give me that tingle though. Once the five-day declarations are out for York, I’ll be straight into the form.
I’m heading to York on Wednesday for the Juddmonte International. This year I’m taking a friend who bets on football but has never been racing. If you’re thinking of going, Clocktower Enclosure tickets are £15, Paddock and Grandstand are £45, and the County Stand is £80. I’ll be in the County Stand hoping to catch up with Tony Calvin and Anthony Kaminskas (AK Bets). However, value-wise, £45 for the Paddock is a lot better than £80 for the County.
Fingers crossed for cooler weather — the forecast looks promising. I’ll make sure my friend sees the horses in the paddock before racing. In my view, you can have all the data in the world, but nothing beats seeing horses in the flesh before they run.
Fingers crossed for cooler weather — the forecast looks promising. I’ll make sure my friend sees the horses in the paddock before racing. In my view, nothing beats the eye test and seeing them in the flesh before they run.
York Ebor Festival Countdown: What to Watch for at the Races
Here are some of my key reminders as to what you should be looking out for when you go to the races:
Parade ring:
Look for calm horses who seem focused and walk well. Avoid those sweating heavily or showing signs of agitation.
Going down to the start:
A smooth, relaxed canter is ideal. Be wary of horses that look too keen and avoid those reluctant to move off.
At the post:
A composed horse is usually a focused one. Signs like restlessness, rearing, or sweating are often red flags.
Friday Racing
Anyway, onto Friday’s action. The best of it is at Dundalk, Newbury, and Newmarket.
At Newbury, the feature is the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes (4:45) for 2-year-old fillies.
Dundalk’s Red God Handicap (5:10), worth £26,549 to the winner, is the day’s most valuable race.
My focus is Newmarket’s Class 2 handicap (7:00) for today’s free tip.
Bopedro won this race in 2023 but is winless since. He ran below par on soft ground at Goodwood last time, but his third in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot shows he still has ability to win a race like this on a going day.
Dark Tornado won a Leicester maiden on his second start for his new yard. He improved again when taking a Class 3 handicap (7f) on the Rowley Course. Outclassed in a Group 2 at Ascot last time, this is more suitable and he’s only 4lb higher than for his last success. At around 8/1 he’s Friday's free tip.
Newmarket (7:00) – Dark Tornado – 8/1 @ Bet365 & William Hill.
I am out an about today so there’s won’t be column tomorrow. If you want my Saturday picks and for York’s Ebor Festival, you can get them here.
I’ll be back on Monday to look back at the weekend’s racing.
Good luck with your Friday bets.
John