Betfair Hurdle Day at Newbury - Friday and Ascot Chase Day - Saturday

SPRINTER SACRE is a horse I have harped on about for months now and I got on early in the Arkle ante-post market. I fully expect him to rout his opponents in the Game Spirit Chase on this, his last stop before Cheltenham. The race has been good to trainer Nicky Henderson and his winner from last year, French Opera, is also entered although the ground will dictate whether he’ll run or not. Sprinter Sacre is the top rated horse in the line up following his demolition of Peddlers Cross at Kempton. Sprinter Sacre is top class and it’d be no surprise were he a multiple winner of championship races in years to come so, although he will be a short price, follow him on Friday and lump on in the Arkle.

The rescheduled Betfair Hurdle is one of the most exciting races in the national hunt calendar and the Paul Nicholls trained Zarkander is the short priced ante post favourite. He looks the most obvious candidate in this two mile handicap hurdle but the value prices have now gone.

The two mile handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is usually a firm pointer, and four have made the cut, Get Me out of Here and Final Approach, Soldatino and Alarazi, but all are overlooked.

Five year olds have a terrific record in the race, a pointer to the chances of EMPIRE LEVANT and THIRD INTENTION. The Colin Tizzard trained Third Intention finished nine lengths behind Zarkander in the Triumph Hurdle and has the same 9lb in receipt at official weights here. He ran well in the Greatwood at Cheltenham, before an even better second behind leading Triumph contender Ranjaan and the run should have him sport on.

Empire Levant won a handicap by 28 lengths at Taunton, hard held. He then ran two days later and got out-battled by Rock on Ruby, who went onto to finish a narrow second in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, with the third Raya Star winning the Ladbroke. He is up 12lb but the trainer fancies his chances and he could be another with something in hand of the handicapper.

Another horse using this weekend for a prep race is BOBS WORTH for the in-form Nicky Henderson stable, a yard coming back from an impressive treble at Kelso on Wednesday. Bobs Worth will go for the RSA Chase en route from Ascot and has been impressive since switching to chasing. He outstayed Cue Card at Newbury, before finding only Grands Crus too good in the Feltham Chase at Kempton. He is progressing, and sets the obvious standard in a tricky race with plenty quality about it.

SWINCOMBE FLAME is a progressive handicapper who we tipped up here in the Lanzarote Hurdle and we’ll remain loyal here in a Class 2 handicap hurdle at Ascot. Up only 5lb, she should be good value for it.

The highlight at Ascot is the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase, over the extended two and a half miles. A specialist trip, may will look to use this as using this as a pointer towards the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, run over a similar distance. Last year’s winner Riverside Theatre turns out, as does the much hyped Kauto Stone, who carries a large reputation. However the value could lie with MEDERMIT, who comes here on the back of a terrific run in the Cheltenham Handicap Gold Cup in December. The Alan King trained horse won the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase, before finishing third in the Amlin Chase behind Master Minded and Victor Chandler Chase winner Somersby, The form of both looks good, and he should be a very tasty price. The trip looks ideal.

Newbury (Friday) 12.10 – Sprinter Sacre (Nap)
Newbury (Friday) 13.15 – Third Intention (Ew) & Empire Levant (Ew)
Ascot Saturday 1.50 – Bobs Worth
Ascot Saturday 3.00 – Medermit
Ascot Saturday 3.35 – Swincombe Flame

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner @ JJMSports

Weekend Tipping - Betfair Super Saturday at Newbury and Hennessy Gold Cup Day at Leopardstown

Newbury on Saturday is being billed as ‘Super Saturday’ and it looks like it might live up to its name with the Denman Chase and the Game Spirit Chase featuring. On top of this last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkander goes for the Betfair Hurdle, where he is a hot favourite. Ireland goes toe-to-toe on the class front with a whopping four Grade Ones at Leopardstown on Sunday.

SPRINTER SACRE is a horse I have harped on about for months now and I got on early in the Arkle ante-post market. I fully expect him to rout his opponents in the Game Spirit Chase on this, his last stop before Cheltenham. The race has been good to trainer Nicky Henderson and his winner from last year, French Opera, is also entered although the ground will dictate whether he’ll run or not. Sprinter Sacre is the top rated horse in the line up following his demolition of Peddlers Cross at Kempton. Cue Card will make the running and will put up a good fight but Sprinter Sacre is an top class and it’d be no surprise were he a multiple winner of championship races in years to come.

They say always forgive a horse one bad run and I’m happy to apply this tenet to EDUCATED EVANS (2.20 Warwick). He tipped up last time out when seeking the hatrick but had run in the most bizarre fashion. He would barely start and had to be really got after by Sam Twiston-Davies to get going. He then badly blundered at both the first two fences before being pulled up. If that was a hiccup and he runs to the form of the previous two runs I think he will give a good account of himself here.

The Betfair Hurdle is one of the most exciting races in the national hunt calendar and the Paul Nicholls trained Zarkander is the short priced ante post favourite. He looks the most obvious candidate in this two mile handicap hurdle but the value prices have now gone.

The two mile handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is usually a firm pointer, and four have made the cut, Get Me out of Here and Final Approach, Soldatino and Alarazi, but all are overlooked.

Five year olds have a terrific record in the race, a pointer to the chances of EMPIRE LEVANT and THIRD INTENTION. The Colin Tizzard trained Third Intention finished nine lengths behind Zarkander in the Triumph Hurdle and has the same 9lb in receipt at official weights here. He ran well in the Greatwood at Cheltenham, before an even better second behind leading Triumph contender Ranjaan and the run should have him sport on.

Empire Levant won a handicap by 28 lengths at Taunton, hard held. He then ran two days later, and got out battled by Rock on Ruby, who went onto to finish a narrow second in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, with the third Raya Star winning the Ladbroke. He is up 12lb, but the trainer fancies his chances and he could be another with something in hand of the handicapper.

2.20 Warwick – Educated Evans
3.10 Newbury – Sprinter Sacre (Nap)
3.45 Newbury – Empire Levant (Ew) & Third Intention (Ew)

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner - @JJMSports

Saturday Tipping - Saturday 17th September, Ayr and Newbury

The showpiece race of Ayr's autumn three day festival is the Ayr Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious sprint handicap races of the flat season with a first prize of £74,000, and it invariably attracts some of the best speedsters in the country. Trainer Dandy Nicholls usually arrives in Scotland mob handed and had five runners last year, including the winner, Redford. This year he has chances with Regal Parade, Tajneed and Evens and Odds, but I’m going to look elsewhere.

Jim Goldie’s Hawkeyethenoo is a tough, consistent sort who finished down the field last year, but has been in good form this year, winning the Victoria Cup at Ascot. Pepper Lane has been a talisman for trainer David O' Meara and completed a hatrick when winning The Great St Wilfred at Thirsk, but has gone up 22lb since the start of his winning sequence. Eton Rifles was impressive when landing a massive gamble under the incomparable K Fallon in the second leg of the Betfair Summer Double.

However, the leading prospect here may be MACS POWER, for the James Fanshawe stable. He has been running well in good quality handicaps this season, and seems to thrive on good ground. He didn't seem to enjoy soft ground in a listed race at Newmarket, but before that ran well behind subsequent narrow Sprint Cup third Hoof It. He is yet to get that slice of luck that is often needed in these big sprint races, and off a decent weight, with the ground possibly in his favour, I am expecting another big win for the successful Fanshawe and Cosgrave partnership.

Aside from Ayr there is an excellent card at Newbury, including the Arc Trial, won last year by the subsequent Breeders Cup Turf winner Dangerous Midge. This tough colt looks to defend his crown, after winning this race in impressive style last year against a good field, including Group One winners Rainbow Peak and Campanologist. His last run was at Meydan in the Sheema Classic where he appeared not to handle the surface and finished last. From his runs last year he sets a good standard, Green Destiny steps up in trip and it is unknown whether he will stay.

Caspar Netcher is a juvenile who has gradually been stepped up in class after a maiden win and a second in a conditions race. From there, he finished second, third and fourth in listed races, including a third to Frederick Engels in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. A third in a Group 3 race behind current ante post 2000 Guineas favourite Harbour Watch was then topped by a Group 2 win last time out in the Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2) at York. The form was franked from Burwaaz who finished second next time out, and Reply winning the big sales race last weekend for Ballydoyle. As a final plus, that man Fallon is booked.

2.30 Newbury - Caspar Netcher (Nap)

2.00 Newbury - Dangerous Midge

3.20 Ayr - Macs Power (Ew)

The Yorkshireman - Jack Milner

Saturday Tips - 16th April 2011

After the hype and hoopla surrounding the Grand National, there is usually an anti-climatic lull in the National Hunt season before a final crescendo at the Punchestown festival, which will bring the season to a close. However before then we have the Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr Saturday, with a bumper field that includes last years winner Merigo, as well as strong chances from the Tim Vaughan, Gordon Elliot and David Pipe yards. There is also extremely competitive flat racing from both Doncaster and Newbury, and we are fortunate to be at that time of the year, where both codes are working in harmony!

We start off our selections at Newbury, and in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes, and the Sir Michael Stoute trained VERDANT. He was billed as a possible Derby horse last year after winning a good maiden and then a tough handicap race, but instead went down the handicapping route. He ran on Derby day finishing third behind the tough Dandino, before ending the season with good wins at Sandown and Goodwood. The Khalid Abdullah owned 4 year old will have the best jockey in the business on board in Ryan Moore and is clearly on the upgrade. There could be a threat in the Clive Cox/Adam Kirby partnership that has Poet, the top rated horse in the race also involved, and could fill out the 1-2.

We stay at Newbury for the next race for Fred Darling stakes, which is now called the Dubai Duty Free Stakes, a listed contest for fillies. There is a line up of 14 contending this group 3 race, with lots of well respected horses, with the top stables all represented. Cape Dollar, winner of the Rockfel Stakes last year is respected and will likely go off the warm favourite for Sir Michael Stoute. However a chance should be taken on RIMTH, the horse who set tongues wagging with an impressive facile maiden win last year, before being ultra consistent in big races last year. She followed her maiden win with places in the Lowther Stakes, Dick Poole stakes and Chevely Park stakes, twice finishing behind Champion 2 year old filly Hooray. There is an eyecatching booking with Cristophe Soumillion on board, who is returning from a very successful stint in Meydan for Mike De Kock.

The focal point of Ayr’s season is the Scottish Grand National, a gruelling 4 mile race, won last year by Merigo, who lines up to defend his crown. There are 30 runners, and the ground is likely to be good or good to firm, which should suit perfectly recent Cheltenham National Hunt Chase winner CHICAGO GREY for the fantastic trainer Gordon Elliot. His victory at Cheltenham shows he stays the trip perfectly, and there will be no issues over the ground. He has a very good handicap mark, thanks to Neptune Collognes running taking top weight. The trainer is in exceptional form, having winners at the highest level at both the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals. The major threats come from Merigo, who clearly loves the course and trip, and Beshabar, second to Chicago Grey last time out, but in receipt of 5lb on their reappearance.

Selections:

2.05 Newbury – Verdant

2.40 Newbury – Rimth

3.25 Ayr – Chicago Grey NAP

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner