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Thursday 31 May 2012

Ryan Moore will be smiling & blowing Kisses on Oaks day

The Oaks is the premier Fillies Classic & takes place at Epsom & Aidan O'Brien looks to be running a hatful as he attempts to keep his English Classic clean sweep going after victories in the 1,000 & 2,000 Guineas, there are some top UK based trainers looking to take him on though & it could be a great race. We're taking a look at the big race plus the Group 3 Diomed Stakes as we look to pick up from last weekend with 3 winning bets from 4 (advised at 13/8, 100/30 & a double at a shade above 5/1).

(If allowed to have a run Kissed could use her stamina & turn of foot to good effect in the Oaks)

With 6 runners declared Aidan O'Brien has nearly half of the field for the Guineas & his leading hopes look to be 1,000 Guineas third Maybe & unbeaten, two time Navan winner Kissed, O'Brien has said that the latter only runs if there is some ease in the ground but if she does then she's our idea of the winner. Kissed only had one run in 2011 but she won her 17 runner maiden in pretty good style & when she turned out at the end of April in the Listed Salsabil stakes she looked some filly, destroying the 5 runner field & looking like she had all the stamina needed for the 12 furlong trip here. Stamina was always unlikely to be an issue for Kissed as she's by Galileo, out of a Darshaan mare (she's actually a 3/4 sister to last year's Derby winner Pour Moi). She did look really at home on the soft ground at Navan though & if it were to get quick here it's understandable if she wasn't to run, however there has been some watering at Epsom & it was a little cooler on Thursday with the chance of some light showers in the night so she could get the tiny bit of cut wanted, if she does then Ryan Moore is the man to have aboard as he'll deliver her charge early enough to get these on the stretch in the tough Epsom straight. 

Maybe was a hot favourite for the Guineas & we were keen on her chances after an outstanding juvenile year but the race didn't turn out as planned with stablemate & outsider Homecoming Queen winning by a record margin, there have to be some doubts about the validity of that form & that was held up by the winner only coming in 4th in a pretty average looking Irish 1,000. Joseph O'Brien gets the mount suggesting she is the first string but we have seen plenty of Ballydoyle second strings win good races & we aren't enthusiastic about the English Guineas form, that means we also don't like the Fugue at the available prices. The Fugue came 4th in the Guineas, a little behind Maybe, but she was impressive in the Musidora at York & beat another O'Brien horse, Twirl, with some authority. Twirl however would be some way down the pecking order at Ballydoyle pecking order having only won a maiden & may just have been running in the Musidora as it looked a weak option. Vow is another unbeaten filly but again looks a little on the short side as she doesn't seem to have beaten anything of note & the Lingfield Oaks Trial win was only on the polytrack, although it was pretty nice how she quickened up & she shad one of today's rivals, Colima, over 3 lengths behind. Godolphin's Kailani looks a very nice type but being by Monsun she may want soft ground even more than Kissed & a Leger tilt later in the year could be on the cards for this stamina laden type. The best odds on offer are for Kissed at 7/1 in general & 15/2 with William Hill, back her & if she does run she should go off a couple of points shorter.

(Side Glance needs to bounce back from a couple of poor runs but can do in the Diomed)

Worthadd looks like being a pretty short priced favourite for the one mile Diomed & with a 2nd place in a Group One (Newbury's 2011 Lockinge stakes) & an easy win in a Group Two in Germany last time it's understandable but that win does mean carrying a penalty & Side Glance could be a tough foe if coming back to last summer's form. Side Glance's seasonal debut run was pretty disappointing, only coming in 5th but the first & second there went on to fill the same places in the Group Two Sandown Mile. On the polytrack last time Side Glance only came 3rd but was the only horse near the front to end up close with both Sri Putra & Saamidd coming from way off the pace. If you go back to 2011 Side Glance won 2 Listed races & then a Group 3 at Salisbury all over this distance in a span of 4 races & he could just be coming into some form now, he was eased a little at Kempton when the hold up horses sped past in the latter stages & it wasn't a bad run really (Sri Putra's previous run had been in the Champion Stakes). At odds of 4/1 with Skybet Side Glance is the value alternative to Worthadd as he gets 3 pounds off that rival.

Selections:
2.50 Epsom - Side Glance to win at 4/1 (Skybet)
4.05 Epsom - Kissed to win at 15/2 (William Hill)

Friday 25 May 2012

Take a Breath of Sea air at Haydock & Goodwood

Saturday sees a very full day of racing in the UK & also a Classic day in Ireland with their 2,000 Guineas - there looks to be some decent bets available on the day & we'll try & give them to you below. If you aren't already you can follow us on Twitter @LikeBuyingMoney by clicking the follow button above or finding us on there, we'll keep you up to date with our latest posts & answer questions you have for us. It's worth checking back here too, we'll soon have Euro 2012 previews up with analysis of each group, team bets, player bets, group bets & our fancies for outright victory. As ever good luck!

(Bated Breath (left) was always the 'nearly horse' last year but can come good in Haydock's Temple Stakes)

Haydock's Group 2 Temple Stakes is the premier early season sprint race before Royal Ascot & we look like having a decent field with 13 runners & plenty of strength in depth, we like the look of Bated Breath, who is a true Group One performer, to take the prize. Roger Charlton's charge finished close 2nds in three Group One's in 2011 & they were some of the best sprints around, finishing up behind Dream Ahead (& giving an age related weight allowance to that rival) twice, in the July Cup & here in the Betfred Sprint stakes in September. That form behind Dream Ahead is excellent as that rival went on to win the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, beating the wonderful Goldikova & Dream Ahead was the joint highest rated two year old in Europe along with Frankel! The worries around Bated Breath are that he only finished 10th on his reappearance last year but that was a very rough race for the colt with him being repeatedly hit by other horses, the other concern was a poor run when going over 5 furlongs for the only time last year. That minimum distance race was at York on softish ground & it may well have been a bit of a freak result with the first 5 home being priced 20/1, 28/1, 12/1, 20/1 & 14/1. Bated Breath looks to have the cruising speed for the distance & with connections sounding pretty bullish he's worth backing at decent odds of 100/30. Last year's winner Sole Power looks like being a strong challenger & he's a previous Group One winner too, when taking the Nunthorpe at odds of 100/1, he's more of a specialist 5 furlong horse but he has only won once in his last 10 & we're happy to stick with our pick.

(Sea Moon is another running in Khalid Abdullah's famous colours)

Similarly to Bated Breath, Sea Moon was a horse that was a little unlucky last year after getting bumped around plenty when favourite for the St Leger & only finding a resurgent St Nicholas Abbey to good in the Breeders Cup Turf, those were races right at the top of the tree though & he should take Goodwood's Tapster Stakes with consumate ease. Running without a penalty Sea Moon has scared off the opposition for this one, plenty were entered earlier in the week but only three rivals take him on here & the closest on ratings, Dandino, is a full 11 pounds behind. The mark of 121 that Sea Moon has avhieved can almost certainly be bettered & this race is just a stepping stone to all of the best middle distance races this year, with the Coronation Cup up next & maybe culminating in a tilt at the Arc. Odds of 4/9 might scare some off of backing Sea Moon but stick it in a double with our first selection Bated Breath & boost the odds up over 5/1, he's as close to a racing certainty as Frankel was last week as far as we're concerned.

(Alanza can make a successful return under regular jockey Johnny Murtagh at the Curragh)

After going for a couple of Khalid Abdullah owned horses so far we're going to take on his Group One winning Emulous with John Oxx's nice filly Alanza, she showed some very smart form once stepped up from 6 furlongs last year & receives a couple of pounds from Emulous here. Both Emulous & Alanza are making their seasonal debuts but so do a couple of today's rivals & the only other horse we can see in the race close to their level is Law Of The Range, being sent over from the UK by Marco Botti, it's a smart move from Botti as this would be the day they may be vulnerable but his charge hasn't been too impressive so far this year finishing a distant 6th behind Izzi Top last time. Alanza started at just 4/1 when stepping up to Group One company in the Sun Chariot at the end of last year but we think Murtagh took her to the wrong side of the track that day & she wasn't given too hard a ride in the final furlong once her chance was gone. The way Alanza has to be ridden makes her a tricky type as she seems to need to be delivered late but Murtagh's pretty good at that & she's got a very nice turn of foot, her official rating of 109 probably underrates her slightly as she beat Chachamaidee well enough last year & that one was impressive last time out & is rated 113. Emulous has won plenty of her races (6 of 10) but it was her last in a Group One that stands out a mile from the rest of her form, slamming two good Coolmore horses in Together & Misty For Me. Together went on to finish just behind Alanza at Newmarket so on Emulous's last run she does have an edge on form but the two pounds she gives away could be crucial & that piece of form looks a little out of place to us, she only finished 6th on her comeback last year & we like Alanza more at odds of 5/2.

In the Irish 2,000 Guineas the horse that interests us is another Oxx inmate in Takar at odds of 6/1 but we can't confidently recommend a bet at short enough odds of 6/1, the Oratario colt has only raced three times but showed a nice turn of foot in the final 100 yards last time & could take this if the race sets up nicely for him to be delivered off the pace.

Selections:
3.00 Haydock - Bated Breath to win at 100/30 (William Hill)
4.25 Goodwood - Sea Moon to win at 4/9 in a double with Bated Breath (pays £62.59 to a £10 stake)
3.50 Curragh - Alanza to win at odds of 5/2 (general)

Thursday 24 May 2012

Michelangelo is a Party Dude!

Ahhh a lovely few days break from the blog for us & just as well as Chelsea's dramatic comeback in the Champions League ruined what had, for a few minutes, looked like a winning 90 minutes bet on Bayern. It didn't ruin a good day at Newbury though where we got to see the incomparable Frankel up close in the flesh, his cruising speed & acceleration was incredibly impressive in the Lockinge & for any racing fan he's well worth seeing with your own eyes. We're back looking at this Friday's racing at Goodwood, in suitably glorious weather & the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes in particular.

(Michelangelo's connections won the St Leger with Masked Marvel (above) last year, can he prove to be in that league?)

The Cocked Hat Stakes has seen a name change & a couple of distance changes over time & its fair share of very good horses winning it including Dubai Millennium & Rewilding for Godolphin & last year's St Leger hero Masked Marvel for trainer John Gosden. Gosden has a likely type in the race this year with the once raced Michelangelo who runs in the same colours as the aforementioned Masked Marvel, he's a very nicely bred type with plenty of stamina in his pedigree & is likely to come on a bundle for his hugely promising debut run. Michelangelo was started out at Listed level & ran the twice raced, full brother to Frankel, Noble Mission to about 3 quarters of a length, finishing 3rd even though running very green in the early stages of that Newmarket race. Noble Mission has gone on to show that form to be solid enough by only just failing to give another very well bred inmate of Gosden's 5 pounds in another Listed Newmarket race, with normal improvement Michelangelo is at the least right in the mix for any decent Listed race & is arguably the pick on form already.

Fans of Expense Claim would argue that he has the stronger credentials with three handicap wins on the bounce at Kempton, Salisbury & then impressively off a mark of 85 at Newbury last week & he deserves this step up in class. It might pay to stick with an in form type like Expense Claim & he might prove up to this level & pick up a good race another day but we reckon Michelangelo might just be a couple of cuts above Listed level. Charlie Hills sends Perennial to contest this & this Motivator colt made a very nice start to his career in 2011 winning a 15 runner maiden & then finishing runner up in a Group 3, that Group 3 run didn't look hugely strong at the time but the 3rd, Astrology, came back this year to win Chester's Dee stakes in storming fashion (although it looked a somewhat weak renewal with just 4 runners). Last year's form would put Perennial in the mix here but a poor comeback run when favourite for the Feilden & only finishing a remote 6th tempers enthusiasm, Gosden's other runner here, Jungle Beat, finished 5th that day & looks to be second string to Michelangelo here. Michelangelo could prove very very smart & we wouldn't put a St Leger bid beyond him, this step up to 1 mile 3 furlongs will be in his favour & now with racecourse experience behind him he should power past these rivals & odds of 13/8 look worth taking.

(Frankel in the parade ring at Newbury before his striking Lockinge win)

Selection:
3.45 Goodwood - Michelangelo to win at 13/8 (William Hill)

Friday 18 May 2012

Will Frankel win by Lengths in the Lockinge?

On Saturday we get to see Britain's first Group One race of the year for older horses with the Lockinge & that means the return of the wonder horse Frankel, Sir Henry Cecil's star swept all before him in his classic year  now bids to prove himself over again at 4. We've taken a look at the big race plus the supporting card at Newbury to find some decent bets on a massive day of sport that includes the Champions League final & Championship Playoff final.

(Frankel makes his comeback in the Lockinge & should win, but by how far?)

Frankel returns running over a mile again in the Lockinge & he was imperious at the distance last year, beating top rivals with ease, although the plan is to step in distance later in the year it looks implausible that any of today's rivals will be able to cope with his high cruising speed & impressive turn of foot. There are however a few doubts regarding the Galileo colt as he suffered what was described as a minor setback in training & his reappearance in this race was in doubt for a time. It also remains to be seen whether he's trained on - we've seen classic winners return as 4 year olds a few times over the last decade & often they've not lived up to their 3 year old careers, Frankel isn't a North Light or Workforce though. Excelebration is probably Frankel's chief rival here, with excellent form last year, winning on every occasion he didn't face Frankel but taking a beating 3 times against the monster. Excelebration could potentially have been last year's dominant miler if it hadn't been for Frankel & has now switched from Marco Botti to master trainer Aidan O'Brien & has the benefit of a run under his belt winning at the Curragh in style. Richard Hannon runs two in Strong Suit & Dubawi Gold but he hasn't really had the great start to the season he usually has & they both look up against it, Strong Suit's form with give in the ground really doesn't inspire. With pacemakers for both Frankel & Excelebration the race could be interesting from a tactical perspective & there are some shortish odds around Frankel winning by big distances but we reckon it might be slightly tougher on his seasonal debut & backing Frankel to win by 3 lengths or under with Totesport at 13/8 is the best bet.

(Bertiewhittle is a horse on the upgrade & can take the 6 furlong handicap)

The 2.30 looks like a really competitive handicap, especially with only 15 runners, one short of most bookmakers paying on 4 places but the trick is to find a horse with the potential to outrun its current mark & Bertiewhittle could be the one to do that here. Most of the runners look thoroughly exposed with only three 4 year olds taking their chance: Bertiewhittle, Whaileyy & Pabusar. Pabusar has competed in Listed or better company on 5 of his 11 runs, including an underwhelming comeback in the Cammidge at Doncaster & his handicap mark is probably staying a little high at the moment for him to win. Whaileyy looks to be fancied according to the betting but we've reservations for a horse that hasn't appeared to act on ground with a bit of juice in it before & with its improved form this year all being on the all weather, he'll need to prove that form is carried across to the turf before we take a chance. Bertiewhittle is by Bahamian Bounty so underfoot give shouldn't pose a problem & he won pretty impressively at Chester on soft ground to confirm that, with 9 finishes in the first 3 places from 15 runs he's pretty consistent. Although Bertiewhittle could only finish 15th of 24 on his comeback that was a pretty hot Newmarket handicap & he wasn't too far away at the end & endured a somewhat troubled passage, it should put the gelding spot on for this race. Mac's Power is relatively short in the market & maybe that's because Kieren Fallon is riding, nearly all his form comes on quicker ground than this & we're happy to swerve this one. Bertiewhittle has had his comeback run, is a young & improving sort & will handle conditions, odds of 7/1 are very reasonable & should be taken.

Selections:
Newbury 2.30 - Bertiewhittle to win at 7/1 (general)
Newbury 3.40 - Frankel to win by 3 lengths & under at 13/8 (Totesport)

Thursday 17 May 2012

Bayern & West Ham to make most of hometown advantage

On Saturday we get a great send off to the club football season with the Champions League final between two of Europe's finest clubs in England's own Chelsea & Bayern Munich in Bayern's own stadium, in England we get the proclaimed 'richest game in football' with the Championship Playoff final with Blackpool & West Ham fighting it out for a lucrative spot in the Premier League. We've previewed both games, taking a look at the strengths & weaknesses of the teams involved & the likely outcomes.

(Ashley Cole will need to be at his best to deal with Bayern's wingers)

Chelsea and Bayern Munich face up in the Champions League final this Saturday at the Allianz Arena after they saw off Spanish super giants Barcelona & Real Madrid respectively in their semi-finals. But the victories came at a price for them as both sides are missing influential players for the show piece event. Chelsea have a number of notable problems in defence with suspensions to captain John Terry & Branislav Ivanovic and the fact that David Luiz & Gary Cahill have missed the end of season games injured. Both players have declared themselves fit but it will is a problem for Roberto Di Matteo have to start both knowing their lack of match practice. Despite all the plaudits for Chelsea's defensive performances in the competition (especially in the Camp Nou) against Barcelona it will be a different & much harder challenge facing them this time. Barcelona played without any real wingers which allowed the Blues to sit back with two banks of four & suck up all the space in the middle of the park as everything was played in-front of the centre halves whilst Bayern will look to use their dynamic wingers in Franck Ribery & Arjen Robben to exploit the wide areas & get behind Chelsea's backline to provide the balls to prolific striker Mario Gomez. Ashley Cole is an excellent fullback but with Jose Bosingwa likely to start on the right Bayern will know that there is a real weakness to be exposed & clearly have the players to do it.

Another major blow for Chelsea is them missing arguably their player of the season in Ramires. His work rate, no stop running & knack of scoring critical goals can't be matched anymore by his likely replacement Michael Essien who has sadly struggled to capture anything like his best form since a number of long term injuries. Frank Lampard's performance is also dragged up by Ramires doing the running that he can no longer do & it would be no surprise to see the Chelsea great age before our eyes with Bayern's midfield swamping him & Bastian Schweinsteiger is definitely a younger & arguably superior version of Lampard.

In striker Didier Drogba though Chelsea have a player who rises to the big occasion & on his day can simply be unplayable. We know this by looking at his Wembley record where he has scored on every occasion he has played with the latest being goal number eight in the FA Cup victory over Liverpool.

Bayern know it's key to their chances of victory to keep Drogba very quiet but like Chelsea are suffering from a number of selection dilemmas with centre half Holger Badstuber & left back David Alaba both suspended, so manager Jupp Heynkes has the choice of Ukrainian Anatoliy Tymoschuk or ex-Premiership Daniel Van Buyten to play at the back, and decide whether to play Rafinha at right back & switch the imperious Philipp Lahm to left back or play Diego Contento in Alaba's position.

(Bastian Schweinsteiger can put in a five star performance)

With this in mind Bayern's best form of defence is attack & they certain have the players to punish Chelsea. The midfield of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Franck Ribery & ex-Chelsea Arjen Robben looks too strong for Chelsea & they will look to pull the strings & striker Mario Gomez is having an outstanding season having scored 41 goals in 51 appearances & 13 in as many games in this season's Champions League. We really rate Schweinsteiger & he could have a great game in this one without Ramires to stop him, he's as short as 6/1 to be Man of the Match so Sportingbet's offer of 10/1 should be backed.

Chelsea have to win it in Bayern's 'backyard' or face the prospect of having no Champions League football to look forward to next season but sadly we expect Bayern to take advantage of Chelsea's suspensions & defensive weaknesses & enable Heynkes to become the fourth man to win the European Cup with two different clubs & can win in 90 minutes at the general price of 5/6.

(Mark Noble is a Hammer through & through & could bag a goal here)

At Wembley, two sides are looking to bounce back to the big time at the first attempt of asking as West Ham United take on Blackpool. This will be the third time the two side have met this season with the Hammers recording two comfortable victories with the impressive score lines of 4-0 & 1-4 but this high pressure encounter could prove a closer affair with the huge prize on offer.

Both sides finished the season strongly with West Ham picking up 17 points & Blackpool 15 points in their last eight league games before their two semi-final victories over Cardiff City & Birmingham City respectively. West Ham go into the match with the favourites tag & on paper they have the big name players with the spine of the team made up of Robert Green, James Tomkins, Kevin Nolan & Carlton Cole. They kept two clean sheets against Cardiff & have been scoring with regular ease lately with two or more goals in all but one of their last eleven games with duo Carlton Cole & Ricardo Vaz Te striking up a profitable partnership.

(Can the evergreen Kevin Phillips have yet another day in the sun?)

Blackpool under the guidance of the charismatic Ian Holloway won many friends last season with their brand of football in the top league & have a strong team spirit, they carried on playing an attacking & open game upon relegation & it's served them pretty well. Their team has a good blend of experienced campaigners in Ian Evatt, Barry Ferguson & Gary Taylor-Fletcher mixed with highflying youngsters of Matt Phillips & Tom Ince. Also let's not forget that if Blackpool need a goal then they have the perfect option in the evergreen Kevin Phillips (17 goals this season) sat on the bench ready. Stephen Dobbie has made quite an impact for Blackpool since joining on loan from Swansea in March & if the Seasiders are to succeed they might require him to have a stormer.

There's no doubt in our minds that with the money they've spent & the players that they have that West Ham should've got automatic promotion & probably the Championship title this season, it would be a crushing disappointment if they couldn't succeed here & with the good memories they have of their two impressive wins over the opposition so far this year the Hammers should be backed to win the game at a very reasonable price of Evens. West Ham will have the bulk of the support in the stadium with many of the neutrals unlikely to be that neutral & that will help, Blackpool's defence hasn't been good enough on their travels & they are running into West Ham at the wrong time as they look to have stepped up a couple of gears once the prize was in sight. An interesting extra bet can be had by backing Mark Noble to score at anytime at tasty odds of 5/1, he's West Ham's penalty taker & with things likely to get nervy for players & officials a spot kick could be on the cards, 16/1 for him to be first scorer also looks overpriced so back it.

Selections:
Bayern Munich to beat Chelsea in 90 minutes at 5/6 (various)
Bastian Schweinsteiger to be Man of the Match at 10/1 (Sportingbet)
West Ham United to beat Blackpool in 90 minutes at Evens (general)
Mark Noble to score first at 16/1 & at anytime at 5/1 (Ladbrokes)

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Trials & Cape Tribulation at York

Thursday sees York's Dante meeting's signature race & it has traditionally been a great trial for the Derby & there are a few likely types this time around, we're taking a look at the big race & some of the supporting card to find the value on offer.

(Fencing can prove the 2,000 Guineas form to be the strongest around & take the Dante)

Fencing finished 6th in the 2,000 Guineas behind this year's leading Derby contender Camelot & travelled really well in that race before fading late on & that can be excused as it was his seasonal debut. We've been impressed with Fencing ever since catching our eye on his maiden race & that impression was confirmed with an impressive Listed race win on just its second start, after that the Racing Post Trophy & 2,000 Guineas were top races & there's little shame in failing behind Camelot. Fencing has a nice American pedigree & will appreciate the drying ground at the track. Trainer John Gosden knows how to place a horse & has already had a great start to the meeting with his two runners winning on Wednesday (Gatewood & The Fugue), it looks like Gosden has always thought this distance should suit as he's never competed over less than 7 furlongs even as a juvenile. Aidan O'Brien's runners always have to be respected, especially with the form they are in at the moment & the once raced Ernest Hemingway is a danger, having won his maiden by 10 lengths & being out of a very good racemare in Cassydora. Mandaean was a Group One winner in France with Andre Fabre & now joins the Godolphin operation but these conditions are much quicker & that could prove tough on his first race of the season. Bonfire has only raced twice, winning impressively on debut & then coming 3rd in a French Group One close up behind 2,000 Guineas runner up French Fifteen, there's little value in the current odds available on Bonfire though & we'd rather stick with ones that have had a run in 2012. Odds of 6/1 for Fencing look good for a horse that has twice finished close to Camelot & should find these conditions to suit - get on.

(Cape Tribulation has been competing over hurdles but can make a successful return to the flat)

Trainer Malcolm Jefferson had a great end to the jumps season & hurdler Cape Tribulation was a major part of that, winning the always ultra competitive Pertemps final at Cheltenham & then off a high mark of 150 in a Grade 3 handicap at Aintree. Cape Tribulation returns to the flat off a mark 5 pounds lower than when last competing under the code but is right at the top of its game at the moment. We've been impressed with the way Cape Tribulation has travelled in its hurdle races & that will be a key attribute here, going that little bit quicker on the flat, although he'll be running off of top weight of 9-12 that is a full two stone less than when winning at Aintree & if he can cope carrying that kind of weight, 28 pounds less will help him travel even better. Cloudy Spirit is another nice hurdler & connections were confident enough to send her in against the outstanding Quevega at Cheltenham, where she finished 6th, she's a danger but we're happy to stick with Cape Tribulation at decent odds of 4/1.

Selections:
2.30 York - Fencing to win at 6/1 (various)
4.45 York - Cape Tribulation to win at 4/1 (various)

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Hoof It can be Grand Old Duke of York

York's Dante meeting is upon us & it looks to be as competitive & classy as usual, Wednesday sees the Group Two Duke of York stakes as the major race & we've taken a look at it & the following race on the card to come up with a couple of likely money making picks. If you aren't already you can follow us on Twitter @LikeBuyingMoney by finding us on there or clicking the Follow button at the top of the page - it's a great way to keep up with our latest posts & join in with the sports & betting conversations.

(Hoof It - one of the most popular horses in training & could take some stopping in the Duke of York)

The Group Two 6 furlong Duke of York Stakes is one of the best sprint races this side of Royal Ascot & some high class sorts have taken it in the past so we're looking for a proven pattern race performer here & the one fitting the bill is Mick Easterby's Hoof It. Last seen finishing a close up & somewhat unlucky 3rd in the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock, Hoof It is a three time winner here & won at the meeting on his seasonal debut last year, taking a 20 runner handicap off a mark of 99. Hoof It continued to improve through the season, winning twice more, again at York & then following up under a penalty in the ultra competitive Stewards Cup. Hoof It's only failures seemed slightly unfortunate with him being taken to the front slightly too soon in the Wokingham & then racing too far away from the favoured ground in the Nunthorpe & was carried left at Haydock. Most of Hoof It's form has come on better ground but he is by Monsieur Bond who sires plenty of mud lovers & he also took this race back in 2004, Hoof It can follow in his hoof steps & odds of 7/2 look value for a true Group One horse. Mayson is improving rapidly & is aiming to make the step up after winning a Listed & then Group 3 race in his last two, although this is considerably stronger & The Cheka easily beat him in the Cammidge at the end of March. Society Rock goes unpenalised for a Group One success in the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot but was behind Hoof It at Haydock last year & we reckon the big horse will confirm that form.

(Granston goes exceptionally well fresh & is making his seasonal debut in the 3.35)

The open betting in the 3.35 suggests a really tricky betting event but we reckon Granston at odds of 20/1 is a solid proposition as he looks to continue a fine run of seasonal debuts. James Bethell's grey is now an 11 year old but he continues to perform at a high level & last year hit his joint highest handicap rating so looks to still be enjoying things. From 2006 Granston's seasonal turf debut from reads 2-12-1-2-2-1 & although he looks to be slightly better on faster ground he was only just touched off in a class 3 at Haydock off a 3 pound higher mark on good to soft ground last June, he's only tackled class 4 opposition in two of his last 23 runs & has a win & a 2nd to show for it, the current odds on offer are underrating his chances. Vasily & The Fun Crusher are wholly unexposed & with improvement could prove big dangers whilst Eagle Rock has turned into a decent hurdler, finishing 4th in the Grade One novice race at Aintree, & if transferring that back to the flat could run a nice race. There are plenty of ifs & maybes in the race but we've seen year after year that Granston is a top performer on his first race back & is running off a reasonable mark, time may catch up with the old boy at some point but until we see it we'll stay by his side.

Selections:
York 3.00 - Hoof It to win at 7/2 (general)
York 3.35 - Granston each way at 20/1 (various)

Saturday 12 May 2012

Watch out Europe there's a Toon Army trying to get you!

Another thrilling Premier League season is coming to an end this Sunday & there's plenty to play for with the title still to be decided, any of three teams can finish 3rd, 4th & 5th plus Bolton & QPR try to avoid joining Wolves & Blackburn in being relegated. There's still plenty of football to look forward to this summer with the European Championships & we'll be finding the best bets in that competition too, for the time being though check out our final picks for this season below.

(Victor Moses has been in fine form along with his Wigan teammates in recent weeks)

In the Premiership, Wigan Athletic will look to end the season on a high against already relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers at the DW Stadium. Wigan looked doomed at the turn of 2012 but under the impressive leadership of Roberto Martinez they have gone on a fantastic run to guarantee Premiership survival for another year. They have won six of their last eight league games with victories over Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal & in their last home game dished out a 4-0 hammering of Newcastle. It would have been easy for Martinez to abandon his passing principles when results weren't going for his side but by sticking with them it's allowed attacking trio Victor Moses, Franco Di Santo & Shaun Maloney to reap the benefits & put the points on the board. With goals flowing they have also improved defensively with skipper Gary Caldwell & the underrated keeper Ali Al-Habsi putting in a number of strong performances. Visitors Wolves will be glad for the final whistle to finish a thoroughly miserable season as they embark on a summer of rebuilding under the new guidance of Stale Solbakken - current interim manager Terry O'Connor has a record of no wins & eight defeats in his twelve games & will revert back to his old role after his ill fated spell. Away from home Wolves haven't won in their last six & have conceded on average two goals per game, Wigan will look to put on a show for their fans in their final home fixture & bag the three points at the best price of 8/13 with William Hill.

(Newcastle need to win & get Champions League football to hold on to stars such as these)

At Goodison Everton host their final home game against Champions League chasing Newcastle United & it looks like any value to be had in this one lies with the Magpies. Everton have had their customary good finish to the season with the squad bolstered by the signings of Jelavic & Gibson plus Pienaar & you have to go back to the 21st March for their last league loss but they have only one of their last 5 in all competitions. That recent run includes the disappointing defeat to city rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup semi final & draws with Stoke & last week Wolves, it also includes the remarkable 4-4 at Old Trafford & demolishing Fulham here at Goodison. Newcastle went on a splendid run of 6 straight victories after a dodgy spell in February & the beginning of March, the freakishly good Papiss Cisse scored in all of those wins before the run came to an abrupt halt when taking a spanking from resurgent Wigan. It seemed that some Newcastle players had taken their foot off the gas in the Wigan game but they bounced straight back to beat Chelsea & simultaneously end the London club's chances of Champions League qualification in the league (& probably at all!). Losing to Man City last week was no disgrace & up until conceding late on they looked pretty solid with players committed to the cause throughout the team & they'll all be focused for this one. Cisse seems to be able to score every type of goal & will cause the Everton defence problems at all times & Ben Arfa has hit some fine form too, with his runs & Yohan Cabaye's pinpoint passing they should create chances. At the other end the defence seems good whoever plays & it helps that they are backed up by goalkeeping star Tim Krul, he's not missed a beat this season & will be desperate to showcase his skills in Europe's top comp. Everton have shown qualities going forward & in defence in recent weeks but have also had some more disappointing efforts allowing to argue for & against their chances but Newcastle present a stronger case in this one & at 12/5 must be backed.

Selections:
Wigan Athletic to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at 8/13 (William Hill)
Newcastle United to beat Everton at 12/5 (BetVictor)

Rrrrrolling our R's with Rougemont & Red Jazz

Saturday sees an atypical day's racing with Listed or higher grade races at four separate tracks & Ascot having arguably the least interesting of the cards & the all-weather at Lingfield having some crackers. We've looked through the cards to find some of the best bets in the day's top races.

(Red Jazz can show his class in Haydock's 4.15)

In the 4.15 at Haydock we like the chances of the highly tried & high class Red Jazz as Charlie Hills charge looks to repel the challenge of last year's winner Beacon Lodge & the improving Firebeam. Red Jazz really did competed at a high level in 2011 & rightly so after an impressive Group 2 victory in October 2010 over this 7 furlong distance in similar conditions at Newmarket. Red Jazz has competed in the Lockinge & twice finished 3rd in the Godolphin Mile at Meydan against Godolphin horses that we really like in Skysurfers & this year's exciting winner African Story, although not winning since 2010 that form is hot for this contest & he had Beacon Lodge in behind on one occasion last year. Beacon Lodge has switched to Dandy Nicholls stable after seeing success with Clive Cox & took this easily enough last year, underfoot conditions seem to not bother this one too much but a disappointing reappearance when 2nd favourite in a race at the Curragh needs to be overcome. Firebeam threw in some visually impressive performances at the end of last year but they were in much lower grade races than this, the positive is that he's unexposed & improving but we think he'll have to go some to match Red Jazz off of level weights, this is the one to be on at 2/1.

(Rougemont (right) lines up in the Lingfield Derby Trial)

In Lingfield's Derby Trial at 3.10 we can't believe that Richard Hannon's Rougemont isn't favourite as he's got the form in the book already having beaten subsequent Chester Vase winner Mickdaam at Newmarket in April. Rougemont looks a proper middle distance colt & will appreciate stepping up a further 2 furlongs to a mile & a half & the loss to the impressive Imperial Monarch at Sandown in desperate ground can be discounted, the only worry for us is that the heavy ground there could have taken a lot out of him but Ryan Moore didn't ask too much once the horse started to tire. John Gosden's Shantaram has only raced twice so could improve but finished behind Model Pupil last time & that one finished behind Mickdaam at Chester so Rougemont holds that one on a line of form. Main Sequence is unbeaten with three wins but a maiden, nursery & handicap aren't that impressive & Ted Durcan gave the colt a very nice ride on its seasonable debut at Newmarket, that was run on the same day & at the same distance that Rougemont won but was nearly 3 seconds slower. You won't go far wrong backing Rougemont at 9/2, this one has the form whilst the others have potential, we'd rather go with what we've already seen rather than what may come in the future.

Selections:
Lingfield 3.10 - Rougemont to win at 9/2
Haydock 4.15 - Red Jazz to win at 2/1

Friday 11 May 2012

@likebuyingmoney Twitter followers’ tips week 28

After week 26 our followers were making a £53.18 loss after a very poor week, could they improve their form in week 27? Here's a reminder of what was tipped up last week and a roundup of the results:

Follower
Selection
Result
@CliveMallon
Sheffield Wed & Chelsea
Chelsea won the FA Cup 2-1 & Sheff Weds gained automatic promotion beating Wycombe 2-0 (@ 2.28/1)
WINNER
@grayslufc
BTTS – Blackpool/Birmingham, Newcastle/Man City, Blackburn/Wigan and St Mirren/Inverness C
Only Blackpool, Man City, Wigan & Inverness scored but the others failed

LOSER
@grayslufc
Port Vale (win), Notts County (win) & Rotherham/Northampton (BTTS)
Port Vale & Notts County both won & Rotherham/Northampton finished 1-1 (@ 17/2)
WINNER
@GHorsfall
Jermaine Grandison (Shrews) to score 2 or more
Shrews lost 3-1 & Grandison failed to score
LOSER
@kdear57
Trap 6 Bit View Micko in 9:30pm Wimbledon
Bit View came 3rd
LOSER
@jspennington
Liverpool to win +/ or Suarez scoring
Chelsea won the FA Cup 2-1 & Suarez failed to find the net
LOSER
@rigger60
MK Dons & Bolton
MK Dons lost 1-0 & Bolton threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with WBA
LOSER

Our followers’ had a profitable week 27 & decreased their overall loss to -£47.40, from £1 stakes.
Detailed below are the selections for the weekend of the 12th May / 13th May:

@CMcKenna81 picks a double of Stoke (6/4) & Wigan (8/13)...perhaps both ht/ft. The 90 minute double pays 3/1 & the ht/ft double pays just over 9/1.

@grahamandre goes for Spurs, Norwich & Wigan in a treble. Spurs need a victory over Fulham to guarantee a top four finish, Norwich face Aston Villa & Wigan host relegated Wolves. The treble pays just over 4/1.

@AlexClarke91 as it’s the last day of the season; WBA, Blackburn, Sunderland, Swansea, Fulham to win and QPR to draw @ 65,000/1. It would be a great way to end the Premiership season wouldn’t it.

@AlexClarke91 also likes the look of Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea are 15/2 to all win with Skybet.

@rigger60 has a Premiership double of Everton (5/4) to beat Newcastle & Chelsea (1/3) to hammer relegated Blackburn. The double pays 2/1.

@Jugador1984 our best follower tipster goes for Bolton to win at Stoke. Bolton have to win to give themselves any chance of Premiership survival & they are the best price of 19/10 to gain the vital three points.

@grayslufc looking to build on his 17/2 winner last weekend selects Crewe (win) & MK Dons/Huddersfield (draw) double. Crewe (6/4) to win the 1st leg against Southend in League Two & the double with MK Dons/Huddersfield draw (23/10) is over 7/1.

@grayslufc second tip is Liverpool (win), Aston Villa (win) & Cheltenham/Torquay (BTTS) treble. In the Premiership Liverpool travel to Swansea & Aston Villa are away at Norwich. The treble pays a massive 15/1.

Thanks again to all those who submitted their suggestions this weekend & throughout the last 28 weeks. We will start again in August for a full season of twitter followers’ tips!

But we still want to hear from you so tweet us at @likebuyingmoney with general sport chat & betting selections.

Thursday 10 May 2012

We're going to Graceland, Graceland - Memphis Tennessee

Chester's May meeting is always well attended & gets some good horses running at it, especially considering the individual nature of the Roodee track with horses constantly running counter clockwise bends. Friday is the final day of the meeting & sees Group 3 races the Dee & Ormonde stakes with the races bringing together horses from some of the top trainers including last weekend's dual Guineas winner Aidan O'Brien. We're going to duck out of having a look at the Dee stakes as it looks a tough one & value may be thin on the ground but we like the look of one for the Ormonde & what looks a competitive little handicap in the later 7 furlong race.

(Memphis Tennessee (dark colours) coming 3rd in the Irish Derby)

In the 1m5f Ormonde stakes it looks like being a straight shootout between footballer Michael Owen's Brown Panther & O'Brien's Memphis Tennessee, both horses have some excellent form from 2011 & now have to prove that they are able to compete in top races as older horses this year. Brown Panther was runner up in the St Leger on good to firm ground & has only encountered soft ground the once in his career but won a top handicap easily on that occasion & on pedigree, being by Shirocco, he should handle the heavy ground here at Chester. Memphis Tennessee also has top class form though after finishing 4th in the English Derby & then 3rd in the Irish equivalent, he hasn't been seen since but O'Brien's string look in top form & he should have this one ready for the race. An 11 month break is slightly concerning but Brown Panther is also making his seasonal debut after 8 months off & you'd be hard pressed to argue that Tom Dascombe is better at getting one ready than O'Brien. Brown Panther probably has more chance of going on the prevailing ground but Memphis Tennessee is by Hurricane Run so it shouldn't prove too problematic & we'd rather take the odds of 6/5 on the Irish raider than Evens about the local horse, getting so close in both the English & Irish Derby suggests he was near the top of the tree of 3 year olds & if progressing this year could pick up some nice prizes.

In the 3.40 race we find it hard to get away from the chances of April Fool - a horse in the form of its life at the grand old age of 8. Now in his second spell with trainer Ron Harris this Pivotal gelding has always been a winning sort with 15 successes from 56 runs & every single one of those wins have come when making all - the perfect tactic at this racetrack & his jockey today has the perfect inside draw to work with. Soft ground may have been a worry as he's rarely encountered it but last time at Brighton (another difficult track to handle) he seemed to cope with the ground well when winning. Although the Brighton race was only a 4 runner affair the handicapper seems to have taken that into consideration & raised him just one pound higher, 83 will be the highest mark he's run off but with a win off marks of 81 & 82 it's definitely possible. The draw at Chester really is a massive factor & more so than any other track in the country, being drawn low is a big advantage due to having to make up less ground on the constantly turning course & will suit April Fool down to the ground, at odds of 9/1 this one is crying out to be backed.

Selections:
2.35 Chester - Memphis Tennessee to win at 6/5 (general)
3.40 Chester - April Fool each way at 9/1 (Stan James)

Saturday 5 May 2012

Maybe we'll be dancing a little Samba on 1,000 Guineas day

(Aidan & Joseph O'Brien can double up in the English Guineas, this time the 1,000 with Maybe)

Saturday saw an impressive performance from Camelot in the 2,000 Guineas to overcome all sorts of statistics against him & a distance that will surely prove an insufficient stamina test in the future, it was a triumph of the impressive Coolmore operation that has the best breeding, buying, facilities & trainers & they can taste more success in the 1,000 Guineas with Maybe. Although there were reasons to oppose Camelot in the 2,000 at some originally prohibitive odds (5/4 was being quoted on Friday) it is impossible to find holes in anything that Maybe has done. The Galileo filly won all five of her two year old races progressing perfectly up the grading ladder by winning her maiden, then a listed & then Group 3 to Group One in order & doing it with the minimum of fuss for the most part & over every type of ground other than really firm. She's never won over the mile distance having won her last four races all over a furlong shorter but the step up shouldn't be an issue as she's shown plenty of stamina by taking races by the scruff of the neck plenty early enough. The other Group One winners here are Lightening Pearl & Lyric Of Light but Lightening Pearl's wins last year were coming over 6 furlongs on quick ground & was put in her place by Maybe when encountering yielding going - this looks the wrong race for her & it's strange that connections haven't changed their plans. Lyric Of Light has great connections being from the Godolphin operation & Frankie Dettori has selected her ahead of stablemate Discourse, she's unbeaten but those last two wins were only by a neck & a head respectively & she'd need to improve a fair few pounds to trouble the selection here. The biggest challenge could come from French challenger Mashoora who has the services of Christophe Soumillon on her back & trainer Jean-Claude Rouget wouldn't be sending her without a good chance. We don't buy into Moonstone Magic at all even though connections have paid to supplement her entry, she only made her debut in April & although she'll like the ground we're doubtful she's a future Group One winner. Stick with Maybe to deliver up an easy victory at odds of 6/4, she should get a tow into the race from an ideal central draw & expect to see her take it up around two furlongs out & put it to bed quickly.

(Hazel Lavery (white cap) can use her experience to take the Pretty Polly stakes)

In the Pretty Polly stakes we reckon that Hazel Lavery can defy giving her rivals three pounds to win the race at odds of around 5/1. Charlie Hills filly has already won in softish conditions & placed second in a very valuable sales race at the end of last year & that is by far the best form on offer in this field of 11. Salford Art actually has a higher rating courtesy of a 4th in the Group One Fillies Mile but she was some way back from Samitar that day & that rival was only just over a length in front of Hazel Lavery in the Tattersalls Millions so through that line she's held. Godolphin run two in the race & Lacily looks likely to be the favourite but she's only had the one run, winning a decent Doncaster maiden - the positives with that race are that it was over a mile (a furlong further than Hazel Lavery has contested) & it was soft enough that day. The only one to have raced this season that looks up to this level at the moment is probably Arsaadi who came third over course & distance in another mega money sales race two & a half weeks back, she was a little way off the first two though & has Ahmed Ajtebi on board - we are not fans. With a little bit of big race experience (18 runners in her sales race) & two runs at the track we're pretty sweet on Hazel Lavery & at odds of 5/1 she can be backed each way as a bet to nothing, she'll surely finish in the first three if tuned up & if it comes down to a battle we're confident she'll win.

(Samba King - he loves the soft ground)

In the final race of the day we can't get away from the top weight, Godolphin's Samba King, having seen him win easily at Yarmouth (beating a fancied stablemate) & then again at Sandown off a mark of 84 we don't think his improvement has finished & he'll deal with a 9 pound rise in the weights. He's a big type with a lovely round action that helps in this ground, he won 9-6 last time & doesn't seem to mind carrying the weight & Dettori seems to only be on the other Godolphin horse because Mikael Barzalona has struck up a good partnership with this one. There are probably improvers in this field but they'll have to go some to beat this race fit gelding who looks plenty tough enough & seems to relish these testing conditions, back Samba King at odds of 9/2.

Selections:
Newmarket 3.15 - Maybe to win at 6/4
Newmarket 5.00 - Hazel Lavery each way at 5/1
Newmarket 5.35 - Samba King to win at 9/2

Reliable Charlton set to hang Northern primates

Middlesbrough's defeat at Vicarage Road last weekend robbed of us a nice treble (our other selections, Everton and Yeovil eased home). We're back today with a couple of picks for you to get stuck into. Today is the final day of the regular season in both League One and Two, it should prove an exciting day for many teams and fans alike up and down the country.
(Chris Powell era is in full flow with the Championship awaiting)
In League One, there will be a festival atmosphere at The Valley for Charlton Athletic against Hartlepool. With promotion & the league title in the bag it just leaves Charlton with one final target of gaining three points & achieving 100+ league points for the season. A 90th minute equaliser from Preston's retiring Gary Alexander prevented Charlton chalking up a six consecutive victory last weekend. At home they have won their last four in a row & have won 14 of 20 in total but even more impressively they have only once failed to score in one of these games all season which doesn't bode well for a Hartlepool side who have failed to score in 40% of their matches this season. Even at the other end they have only scored 48 goals in 45 matches & the lack of craft in front of goals has meant an in-consistent season & mid table finish. Chris Powell & his players couldn't ask for a better opportunity to thank the fans & finish their perfect season with a comfortable home victory at the best odds of 8/13 with BetVictor & William Hill.

(Leader scorer Rene Howe will hope to be celebrating promotion to League One)
The final round of fixtures in League Two puts together a massive game at Edgar Street between Hereford United and Torquay. The game has consequences at both ends but unfortunately a win for either side may not be enough for them. Torquay need three points & hope Crawley fail to win at Accrington Stanley to gain automatic promotion whilst Hereford need the win & hope Barnet don't beat Burton Albion to avoid relegation to the Conference. Torquay will be relying on their excellent away record (2nd best in the league) of 11 victories & only conceding 24 goals in 22 matches to continue. What will also give confidence to Torquay fans is the fact that Hereford have the worst home record in the league where they have suffered 13 defeats in 22 matches. They have only won one of their last nine fixtures with a surprising away win at Crawley & have suffered five defeats. Torquay at the attractive price of 13/10 will pick up the three points & consign Hereford to the Conference but still have their fingers crossed that results go their away to gain automatic promotion.

Selections:

Charlton Athletic to beat Hartlepool at 8/13 (BetVictor & William Hill)
Torquay to beat Hereford United at 13/10 (BetVictor & William Hill)

Friday 4 May 2012

2000 Guineas - Caspar to Spook more fancied rivals

Well this is what the flat aficionados have been waiting for with the first Classic of the season upon us with the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where we have a red-hot favourite in the form of Aidan O'Brien's Camelot.

(Camelot a deserving favourite? Yes. A deserving 5/4 favourite? Probably not)

Clearly Camelot deserves all the respect in the world with top connections & a very visually impressive win in a top two year old trial when taking the Racing Post Trophy over the same distance at Doncaster in just his second ever race. We have a feeling that the current odds being offered (7/4 tops right now but 5/4 elsewhere) can't really be justified though, this is no Frankel (went off 1/2 last year) & the horses in behind that day at Doncaster weren't necessarily world beaters. It was a small field of just 5 runners, the runner up had only won it's maiden before running in behind in two Group 3's, one rival was a stablemate, the horse finishing last was having it's 7th run of the year & although having won a Group 3 had also already finished stone last in the 9 runner Group 1 Goffs National. We did like the horse that finished 3rd, Fencing who is a rival today but also have a sneaking suspicion that Gosden's charge might be a tricky one to win with as he looks a horse with just one potent thrust & 7 furlongs might suit better. All of that being said Camelot did beat them all easily enough & soft ground at Newmarket shouldn't be a problem pedigree wise with Montjeus tending to like give, it might also help make this a bit more of a stamina test & that should suit as Montjeu really has a very poor record with milers & that also tempers enthusiasm at the likely odds. We've seen it so many times before where a fancied horse gets placed here before going on to glory at Epsom in the Derby & we think that could be the case once again with Camelot who could find one or two better suited to the mile here.

(Caspar Netscher left his rivals in the shade this day, can he do it in the 2,000 Guineas?)

We want things in our favour when betting & here there are a lot of unknowns with so many horses yet to race this season & prove they've trained on, plus many haven't encountered soft ground either, therefore we're happy to take a chance on Caspar Netscher whose win in the Greenham at Newbury a couple of weeks back entitles him to respect. It isn't just this year's win but also last year's form that is worthy of consideration, with Group 2 wins in the Gimcrack & Mill Reef stakes, they were both wins over 6 furlongs & the Greenham was over 7 & he looks quick enough but might just be able to last it out here with a bit of cover. Trainer Alan McCabe could seemingly hardly believe his luck to end up with such a good horse & ended up running his star 10 times in his two year old season, including a trip to the states where he started at just 8/1 to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf race. That juvenile campaign should mean he's battle hardened & although unusual for European horses to run that often American trainers like to get plenty of runs into their horses, it doesn't appear to have emptied Caspar Netscher as he looked pretty good on his comeback in the Greenham, putting his rivals to the sword. We also think he was unlucky not to add a Group One when slowly away & finding enough trouble in the Middle Park before finishing a close up 5th, slow starts & traffic problems were a recurring theme last year but Newmarket's wide open spaces should help & they must have trained him plenty on the starting by now. At very big odds of 28/1 Caspar Netscher has to be the value each way selection here, he's very quick & stamina could fail coming towards the end but it's worth the risk, at least he's proven himself repeatedly unlike some others at much shorter prices based on pedigree alone (Born To Sea), the French raiders Abtaal & French Fifteen are also worthy of maximum respect.

(Temple Meads will be looking to send the mud flying on his belated return)

In the 3.45 Group 3 Palace House stakes we're going to go for another Mill Reef winner with Ed Mcmahon's returning Temple Meads, a smart novice who also finished 4th in 2010's Gimcrack. This race is over the minimum distance which tends to be the more traditional route for horses competing in the aforementioned races, rather than the Guineas like Caspar Netscher, Temple Meads showed some real quickness & won his first two races where soft was in the going description plus ran in the Middle Park (again like Caspar Netscher) when it was soft. The Middle Park was a disaster however with the saddle unfortunately slipping soon after the start & ruining his chances, it won't be easy after a break of 18 months but if coming back with the same talent intact then he's a great chance. There are other nice horses in the race with the consistent Hamish McGonagal, Eton rifles & the improving Mayson but they are all short enough & the value lies with Temple Meads with odds of 16/1 available at Ladbrokes who are also offering quarter the odds for each way bets on the race.
Selections:
Newmarket 3.10 - Caspar Netscher each way at 28/1 (SportingBet & BetVictor)
Newmarket 3.45 - Temple Meads each way at 16/1 (Ladbrokes)

Thursday 3 May 2012

@likebuyingmoney Twitter followers’ tips week 27

After week 25 our followers were making a £43.18 loss after a poor week, could they improve their form in week 26? Here's a reminder of what was tipped up last week and a roundup of the results:

Follower
Selection
Result
@DanRS2000
Moto2 & Moto3 (Jerez) – S Redding, D Kent & Ant West
Moto 2 – S Redding 4th & Ant West 16th. Moto 3 – D Kent 13th
LOSERS
@conormc1972
Blackburn to beat Spurs
No attempts at goal by Blackburn meant a 2-0 defeat
LOSER
@grayslufc
Newcastle
Wigan hammered Newcastle 4-0
LOSER
@rahulm3
Newcastle DNB vs Wigan
Wigan hammered Newcastle 4-0
LOSER
@NicoHillkenberg
Newcastle, Huddersfield & Man Utd
Two defeats & a draw puts pay to this treble
LOSER
@toddycounago
Crewe and Watford DNB
Watford beat Boro but Crewe drew at Torquay
VOID
@Jugador1984
Cardiff to draw & Boro to win
Cardiff made the play-offs with a victory over Crystal Palace & Boro defeated at Watford
LOSER
@agilebeast
Newcastle
Wigan hammered Newcastle 4-0
LOSER
@rigger60
Shrewsbury & Swansea
Shrews won against Dag & Red but Swansea let slip a 3-1 lead to draw with Wolves
LOSER

Our followers’ had a shocking week 26 (mainly thanks to Newcastle's defeat) & increased their overall loss to -£53.18, from £1 stakes.
Detailed below are the selections for the weekend of the 5th May / 6th May:

@CliveMallon picks a double of Sheffield Wed & Chelsea. Chelsea face Liverpool in the FA Cup Final & a victory for Sheffield Wed will see promotion to the Championship. The double pays 2.28/1.

@grayslufc BTTS – Blackpool/Birmingham, Newcastle/Man City, Blackburn/Wigan and St Mirren/Inverness C. The four fold BTTS pays 17/2 but remember the play-off 1st leg between Blackpool/Birmingham is tonight at 7:45pm.

@grayslufc also has a treble of Port Vale (win), Notts County (win) & Rotherham/Northampton (BTTS). Port Vale host play-off chasing Oxford & Notts County have to beat Colchester to have any chance of making the League One play-offs. The treble pays just under 17/2.

@GHorsfall the lower leagues expert fancies Jermaine Grandison (Shrews) to score 2 or more @ 125/1.

@kdear57 tonight’s’ best greyhound bet is Trap 6 Bit View Micko in 9:30pm Wimbledon take 7/2 will start shorter.

@jspennington with Chelsea running out of defenders, Liverpool to win +/ or Suarez scoring has to be worth a punt or two. Liverpool are 2/1 to win their second cup of the season & Suarez is best price of 8/1 to open the scoring.

@rigger60 has a cheeky double of MK Dons (4/6) to beat Walsall & Bolton (20/19) to get a massive three points against WBA. The double pays just under 5/2.

Thanks again to all those who submitted their suggestions, we'll round up the results at the beginning of next week’s post.

To enter next week please send a tweet and include #likebuyingmoney with your best bet.