Preview of February's UK Horse Racing
Sandown opens the month on February 4 with an excellent card and another set of possible Cheltenham clues. In recent seasons the Agfa Diamond Chase has suffered through small and uncompetitive fields but that worrying trend has started to change of late and this year’s renewal is sure to be a competitive one. Alan King’s tough stayer Fork Lightning may well be among the entries for the ‘Agfa’, and given his preference for racing right-handed and his fine run behind Joaaci in a strong heat last time, he is likely to be among the more fancied runners. Some of the season’s smarter novice chasers will be in action in Sandown’s Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase, a contest that was won last year by Henrietta Knight’s El Vaquero and it’ll be interesting to see whether Ms Knight decides to let her rising chase star Racing Demon take his place in the select field. Over at Wetherby on the same day the staying novices strut their stuff in the Grade 2 Totty Construction Towton Novices’ Chase where the accent is firmly upon stamina in what is always a gruelling contest. Northern trainer Sue Smith won this race a couple of years ago with smart stayer Royal Emperor and may have another similar candidate in Rebel Rhythm, who has already won a novices’ event around the West Yorkshire track. A week later sees Newbury stage the totesport Trophy Handicap Hurdle, Europe’s richest handicap over timber, on February 11. On a day of cracking action the pulsating two-mile contest takes pride of place and is always won by a good horse. Finding the winner is never easy but the bookmakers seems to think that Martin Pipe’s talented novice Acambo is the one to beat and he heads the ante-post market with most firms. Pipe has won the race a couple of times in recent years courtesy of Copeland (2002) and Make A Stand (1997) and Acambo is sure to figure highly in Pipe’s plans for Newbury. Local handler, Nicky Henderson, has also been a trainer to watch out for in this valuable event, saddling no less than four of the last ten winners and the stable’s main hope in 2006 looks to be Grand Jete, a one-time Champion Hurdle hope who looked like winning at Aintree last April until he went lame approaching the last. Twelve months ago Ireland’s Essex justified favouritism to give the Emerald Isle its second winner in three seasons. One year later there’s a strong Irish challenge once again with the Jessica Harrington-trained Studmaster bidding to follow Essex’s footsteps by winning at Newbury after landing Ireland’s prestigious Pierse Hurdle one month earlier. Significantly, Mrs Harrington landed this valuable pot with Spirit Leader in 2003. Top weights boast a good record too and Irish trainer John Queally believes his stable star Al Eile will go close to winning the totesport Trophy off 11st 12lb. Queally’s gelding didn’t hurt his Newbury chances by winning at Haydock the other day because he incurs no penalty for that success and has to be on any one’s short-list. The same is true of the Venetia Williams-trained Chief Yeoman, who looks terrific value at 14-1 with most bookmakers. Connections have been pleased with his two runs so far and he has been aimed at this race since returning to action behind Acambo at Windsor before Christmas. Expect hi to step up on what he’s done so far this season. The main attraction on Newbury’s supporting card is the Game Spirit Chase, a two mile and a furlong conditions chase that is often used as a final preparatory race by trainers for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. This year’s race is likely to be won by the current Queen Mother favourite Kauto Star, who will be using the Newbury event as a stepping-stone to Festival glory. Over at Warwick course specialist Voy Por Ustedes will be treading a similar path as he bids to earn a place in the Arkle Trophy line-up at the Festival by running well in the coralpoker.com Kingmaker Chase at Warwick on the same day. On the following weekend – February 18 – all eyes will be on Champion Hurdle aspirants in the Axminster Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. Trainer Alan King may well let Penzance, his Triumph Hurdle hero of 2005, take his place in the line-up at the West Country venue after a series of disappointing efforts so far this season. Who knows, maybe even the elusive Lingo will return to action for Jonjo O’Neill. He won easier than most horses do at Cheltenham in November and following good support for the Champion Hurdle in March would be a fascinating runner. Up at Haydock on the same day Grand National hopefuls will go on trial in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, a punishing test of stamina over Haydock’s big drop fences in a contest that has sometimes exerted a strong influence upon the outcome of the world’s most famous race at Aintree in April. Trainer Ginger McCain, a four-time winner of the Grand National courtesy of Red Rum and Amberleigh House, looks to have another leading Grand National candidate in the guise of Ebony Light, a surprise winner of January’s Peter Marsh Chase from the joint Gold Cup favourite, Kingscliff. McCain plans to run Ebony Light in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup before going to Aintree for a crack at the Grand National. The best of February’s action closes on the weekend of February 25 with Racing Post Handicap Chase day at Sandown Park. The betting is often a strong guide to the outcome of this classiest of chases and well-fancied runners boast a good record. Take note too of the winner and placed horses because this influential contest has frequently yielded a winner or two at next month’s Cheltenham Festival. Among the more potent contenders this season are likely to be the well treated Ladalko, who has been talked about as a possible for this prize by his trainer, Paul Nicholls, and Lacdoudal from the Philip Hobbs stable that has sent out three winners of this race in recent years. On the same day at Newcastle there’s the four mile and a furlong Tote Northern National, a marathon chase in which shock winners are a rarity. Stamina is of the essence here and the locally-trained Ossmoses, who relishes racing over long-distances and has long looked a natural for this race and will be a name to note among the entries later in the month. Malcolm Heyhoe is GG.com's resident tipster contributing a daily "Best Bets" column and a weekly feature called "The Weekend File". He is also a tipster for the Racing Post Weekender, contributor to The Guardian and has written on racing for Sporting Life, Racing Post, Irish Examiner and The Independent newspaper Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles at http://www.gg.com/. |
Other Horse Racing Tips Articles
The Kentucky State Fair Loves Horses The state of Kentucky, well-known for its horse breeding holds the World Championship Horse Show at its State Fair held in Louisville. Kentucky is big on horses and it shows with the World Championship held along with the Quarter horse Show and the Miniature Horse Show. The kids will probably love to check that one out to get a look at the cut ...A Trip to San Diego, California If you are considering heading to San Diego for a vacation, you are probably planning on sitting on the beach all day long. Well, there are a few other things you should know about.A Trip to San Diego, CaliforniaWhen most people think of San Diego, they think of beaches and sitting out in the sun. Obviously, that is what our city i ...Breeders' Cup Analysis Judgment day is upon us in the Sport of Kings, as 121 of the top Thoroughbred racehorses in the world were pre-entered to run in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov 5. There will be over $20 million in purse money on the line in the eight championship races, along with potential life-changing opportunities at the bettin ...Horses - Seattle Slew In the short list of triple crown winners, this horse had to be one of the biggest bargains in racing history. We're referring to the puzzle of a wonder, Seattle Slew.The story of this horse is just another reminder of how weird the sport of horse racing can be and how unpredictable it can also be. All over the racing industry millionai ...How to Spend Less and Have a Great Time in Dubai So you want to go to Dubai but have heard how expensive it can be for both vacationers and business travelers alike? If that's what you've heard, then whoever told you hasn't experienced Dubai. Here are some money saving tips that can cut your Dubai budget in half. Shopping in Dubai If shopping is your pleasure, then Dubai i ...Sports Handicapping Articles: Toronto Raptors Early 2006 NBA Season Analysis For a while, Toronto did okay without Vince Carter. It was in 2001-2002 that Toronto won 9 in a row and advanced to the playoffs without Carter. Nowadays it’s hard to tell if they’re better off. Yes, Carter was biding his time in Toronto. But now the Raptors are the worst team in the league and are looking for another franchise player.The ...Discount Motorcycle Helmets Motorcycle helmets are a must. Many helmets are available today in different price ranges. And for our convenience, companies provide helmets at a discount.Different companies make DOT-approved helmets in different sizes, colors and types. Some brands which are particularly popular among motorcyclists include HJC Helmets, Shoei Motorcycle ...Bicycles - Transport At Its Best Imagine walking everywhere in this day and age. I hear you laugh with a degree of decision. Do we walk enough? Medics perhaps would not think so. We rely so heavily on transport in so many varied ways nowadays, walking is no longer a practical option. We tend only to use walking as a form of exercise nowadays rather than a necessary form of ...Churchill Downs and Historic Horse Racing The history of Equestrian Sports in America goes back generations and there is no greater horse racing event then the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. It is horse racing at its finest. The annual running of the Kentucky Derby has a long history of the greatest horse race in human history.The buildings still look like s ...Online Casino - General Legal Issues The increasing growth of online gambling industry surpasses all the expectations when compared with land-based casinos and betting places. From the times when Internet Casinos, Inc., the first virtual online casino started operations back in 1995 until nowadays, not only the effects of online wagering on the established land-based industry came ...Make Sure the Price is Right on Your Residential Letting With so many people entering the Buy to let market in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and other countries it is very important get the rental price competitive. This applies just as much if it is a long-term letting or a self-catering holiday rental.If you have just purchased a residential letting property and have a mortgage you na ...South African Travel Tips when traveling in the Free State Province The Free State Province of South Africa is dry, but far from dull, the Free State with its vast open spaces and cloudless blue skies offers those who like to explore, literally and figuratively, the ideal canvas.Here outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy birding, game viewing, trophy hunting, hiking, horse riding, biking, 4x4 off-road driving, ri ...To the Learning Bank We Go As a former teacher of high school mathematics, I understand the day-to-day frustrations that any teacher might experience, particularly when trying to teach a subject like mathematics. The first day of class was always interesting. As teacher, I felt like the enemy who was bringing messages of death and despair to the students. I could see i ...Bicycle Rims Review The first bicycle wheels were from a horse drawn cart, made of wood with a metal band round the bicycle rim, very hard and very uncomfortable to ride. Then a man called Dunlop (Scottish) invented the pneumatic tire, this along with Macadam (another Scot) inventing the tar road surface made cycling a lot more comfortable.The bicycle rim, l ...A Preview of May's UK Horse Racing May ushers in the first Classics of the current turf Flat season, beginning with the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6. All eyes will be upon the short-priced favourite George Washington as he bids to bring trainer Aidan O’Brien back-to-back victories in the colts’ Classic following Footstepsinthesands smart success twelve months ago.In ...Motorcycle Helmets Almost 3,000 motorcyclists are killed each year in accidents, with head injuries being a major cause of death. Safety helmets successfully reduce the chances of head injury to a great extent. They are a must for all motorcyclists.Helmets are of different types, sizes, colors, and designs. They may be full-face or open-face, but have to co ...The American Quarter Horse It is thought, by some, that the foundation American Quarter Horse stock has at its roots Arabian, Turk, and Barb breeds. Others believe that the breed began with the acquisition of Chickasaw horses which were likely of Spanish extraction. Their history seems to begin around 1690, when horses exported from England were bred with native horses ...Horse Wagering Options There’s nothing more exciting, to many, that spending a day at the track. Even if you don’t have access to a racetrack or a way to watch horse racing on TV, horse wagering can yield some great profits. Many horse-wagering individuals have hit the big score with a bet of just $1. Before you can place your bets and start winning, you need to ...Public Relations for Horse Racetracks Sports betting is an issue, which some residents near racetracks feel brings in a bad element. With alcohol sales also some say it is just asking for problems and that it brings in crime. However, on the flip side it brings in money and folks from other areas to spend money on food, services and products. Horse Racetracks also bring in revenues ...Hialeah Park Hialeah is a unique city in many respects. For starters, the city ranks number one on the list of American cities where Spanish is most spoken – as a matter of fact, 92% of the residents of Hialeah speak Spanish as a first language (so if you want to practice your Spanish, it isn’t a bad place to go). The high Hispanic population means there a ...All You Need To Know About Motorcycle Spark Plugs Motorcycle spark plugs have already caused several misfires. It can also tend to break into two when you try to remove them. These are instances when you are wasting money over low quality and non-durable spark plugs.There has been a lot of puffing going out in the motorcycle market. Some are talking about horse power advantages. Nonethel ...Be a Sharp Gambler The gambling world is full of people who just throw down hard earned money without thinking about what they are doing. Are you one of those people who will just go with the flow? If so, you are most likely a losing gambler or you are not winning as much money as you could be. There are three main factors that make up every successful gambler ...New Hampshire State Fair has Many Agricultural Shows Contocook, New Hampshire hosts the state fair each year as a Labor Day weekend tradition from Aug 31st to Sept. 4th and you'll find that make it an annual tradition of your own is fun and easy. The New Hampshire State Fair is also known as the Hopkinton State Fair so do remember not to get too confused if you find directions for this fair when ...Choosing Birthday and Christmas Gifts for Horse Lovers One of the best ways to choose a gift that will please a recipient, is to consider their greatest interests and loves. Whether it is for Christmas or a birthday, a hobby or interest related gift is likely to be particularly well received, especially if you choose with care, and do your homework. Often, though, the person you are buying for will ...Success: Beware The Arrival Syndrome There is a saying that goes something like this: Getting to the top is easy, the hard thing is staying there.There's a reason this is so true. It has to do with this interesting little quirk we humans have:Our belief in finish lines.Deep within our brains we harbor this belief that once we arrive, we can relax.There a ...The New Billionaires In its annual report on the biggest billionaires of our time, the authoritative Forbes magazine once again named Bill Gates as the richest man in the world with a net worth of $50 billion. This is the twelfth straight year that Gates has been accorded this honor. It may be true that Gates is less active in Microsoft these days, but the founding ...
|
