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 recent years the 2,000 Guineas has been the personal preserve of the Flat’s big battalions with Sir Michael Stoute, Saeed Bin Suroor and Aidan O’Brien dominating the race year after year with a succession of expensive blue-bloods. This time around it’s the tight-lipped O’Brien who seems to hold all the aces courtesy of the aforementioned George Washington, a brilliant, if at times temperamental, colt who swept all before him as a juvenile and sets out this season to prove he’s not just a two-year-old wonder but can mix it with the best and come out on top as a three-year-old. Only Barry Hills and Dermot Weld have broken the big boys’ monopoly of the 2,000 and this year it’s Marcus Tregoning who has been cast in the role of party-pooper as he bids interrupt the top guns by training Sir Percy to land the opening Classic. Regarded as the best horse that he’s ever trained by his astute handler, last season’s Dewhurst winner is sure to go close in a race that will be run to suit his talents. On the same day Newmarket stages the Palace House Stakes, a Group 3 for up-and-coming sprinters and the fast-improving Reverence well be an intresting runner while over at Haydock, the jumps stages a last hurrah with the valuable William Hill Swinton Handicap Hurdle, and Philip Hobbs could hold a strong hand here courtesy of Wellbeing and Motorway, two progressive and late-blossoming timber-toppers. On Sunday May 7, it’s the fillies’ turn to strut their stuff in the 1,000 Guineas where Gololphin’s Silca’s Sister, Ballydoyle’s Rumplestiltskin and Race For the Stars will do battle with John Gosden’s Nanina for the fillies’ Blue Riband. On the same day Breeders’ Cup hero Shirocco is likely to come up against Sir Michael Stoute’s late-developer Hard Top and the evergreen John Porter winner, Mubtaker, in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. Spring gallop s reports have singled out the Stoute horse for top honours. Chester’s prestigious three-day meeting follows hot on the heels of Newmarket and the Derby hopefuls will be on show in the MBNA Europe Bank Chester Vase (May 11), with the fillies taking centre stage in the Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks on May 10. Barry Hills has a superb record on this turning track and any horse he runs in the previous two races will be worth close inspection. On Wednesday May 10 the totesport Chester Cup is the meeting’s big betting race and recent Newmarket winner Mikao set down an early marker for this big staying prize. Four-year-olds often run well here and trainer Barry Hills boasts an excellent record. Friday, May 12, closes the Chester meeting and the feature race for the older horses is the Blue Square Ormonde Stakes landed last year by Day Flight. The run of Classic trials continues at Lingfield on May 13 with the Letheby and Christopher Derby Trial and the totesport.com Oaks Trials respectively for the real things at Epsom the following month. It isn’t just the Classic colts and fillies that are in the firing-line at Lingfield because the Surrey course also stages the totesport Victoria Cup, a closely fought and always influential 7f handicap that frequently throws up a Royal Ascot winner or two. Over in France the following day, May 14, the European Flat season raises the volume with the Poule de’Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) and the Poulai d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) on the same card at Longchamp. Ballydoyle and Godolphin have begun to target these two important races in recent seasons and their runners should be respected, but Criquette Head-Maarek’s Quiet Royale will be fancied for the ‘Pouliches’ after a satisfactory spin in second at Longchmap the other day. Flat racing’s domestic caravan rolls on to York for their three-day Dante meeting and the potential Oaks fillies will run in the Musidora Stakes on May 17, the meeting’s opening salvo which is now a Wednesday on account of the fixture moving forward by a single day. On May 18 the Derby hopefuls will run in the Dante Stakes and it’s worth recalling that in recent times, North Light and Motivator, the last two winners of this race, have gone on to glory at Epsom in just over three weeks’ time, while looking a little further back in the race’s illustrious history, it’s worth noting that Shahrastani, Reference point, Erhaab and Benny The Dip all went on from the Dante to Derby success. This mile and a quarter Group 2 contest has clearly become a key Classic trial in recent seasons and mustn’t be missed. There’s sure to be a host of top-class performers in contention on the Knavesmire and Sir Michael Stoute has the best contemporary Dante record with two winners and three placed horses. On the same day as the Dante keep a close eye upon the outcome of the Hambleton Stakes, a valuable mile handicap that has a habit of throwing up the winner of the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot the following month especially if the Hambleton winner is trained by Sir Michael Stoute. The final day of the Dante meeting sees the stayers take centre stage in the Yorkshire Cup, a useful pointer to the rest of the campaign’s leading staying races. Alan Swinbank’s stable star Collier Hill, a winner of the Irish St Leger last season, is a likely runner and may well be capable of surprising more fancied horses. On May 20 it’s the turn of the season’s crack milers to unleash their firepower in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and this has been a good race for Saeed Bin Suroor and the boys in blue in recent seasons, and it would be no surprise to see them land this Group1 event with Proclamation, who is surely heading for the top after joining Godolphin on the back of a brilliant three-year-old season. In France the following day Longchamp’s Prix d’Ispahan always draws the top mile and mile and a quarter horses and this a race that mustn’t be missed as a key pointer to some of the season’s top races over this classic ten furlongs. The month of May rounds off with the Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 27 followed by the Irish 1,000 Guineas on the following day. Both these valuable races tend to go to horses that have raced in the equivalent events at Newmarket and inevitably British trainers hold an excellent record in both races. Finally, Sandown’s two-day fixture at the very end of the month is always informative with the Henry 11 Stakes for top-notch staying horses on May 29 followed on May 30 by the Temple Stakes for sprinters over the minimum trip and the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes in which trainer Sir Michael Stoute boats a useful record. Any runner from his yard should be noted carefully.
Other Sport Betting Articles
World Cup 2006 Preview - Germany Outright Odds: 8/1 Group A Winners: 4/9Former national favourite and Tottenham Hotspur diving enthusiast Jurgen Klinsmann takes control over the next generation of German players who are keen to end 16 years of hurt and win the World Cup for a fourth time on their own soil.Klinsmann has thrown the traditional playing style manu ...World Cup 2006 Review - Last 16 The World Cup has been reduced from 32 to 16 participating nations as the knockout stages begin. This is how the last 16 faired as they battled for a place in the quarter finals.Argentina were firm favourites to see off Mexico but Ricardo La Volpe’s side were not there to simply make up the numbers. Captain Rafael Marquez gave Mexico a sh ...Soccer Team Strategy With 5-5 Positional Set Up 5-5,Defense;5, defenders,The soccer team has new positional dynamics with this formation.The addition to this defensive style is a central defender who can control the play from the back line.This defender could also be an attacking player who will feed through balls to the striker. In addi ...Vegas Bettors Yawn at WBC Can you imagine Bowie Kuhn -- who confronted boycotts, expansion and other big-time labor issues during his 15 tumultuous years as Major League Baseball's commissioner -- dealing with something like this?New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is still alive and he's spinning in his grave over it.The first World Baseball Classic ...League Two Season Preview 2006/07 - Grimsby Town Grimsby TownOdds: 14/1Last Five Seasons 2005/06 - 4 (League Two), 2004/05 - 18 (League Two), 2003/04 - 21 (League One, Relegated), 2002/03 - 24 (Championship, Relegated), 2001/02 - 19 (Championship).2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup First Round vs Bristol Rovers (h) - lost 2-1 Carling Cup Third Round vs Newcastle Unite ...Premiership Season Preview 2006/07 - Everton EvertonOdds: 500/1Last Five Seasons 2005/06 - 11 (Premiership), 2004/05 - 4 (Premiership), 2003/04 - 17 (Premiership), 2002/03 - 7 (Premiership), 2001/02 - 15 (Premiership).2005/06 Cup Progress Champions League Third Qualifying Round vs Villarreal - lost 4-2 on aggregate. UEFA Cup First Round vs Dinamo Bucharest ...Martial Arts - Muay Thai Kickboxing Muay Thai Kickboxing is often referred to as the science of 8 limbs. The reason for this title is the fact that you use nearly every body part as a weapon. You can strike with your forehead, elbows, fists, Knees, Shins and feet. Muay Thai Kickboxing was invented over 2000 years ago and is recognized as one of the oldest martial arts known to ...Horsing Around with Replay The early mornings at Churchill Downs have been very busy as preparations for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships are well underway. Most of the contenders are already on the grounds putting in their final preparations with a few preferring to stay home in New York and California until the last possible minute. Not all horses take to certain r ...League One Season Preview 2006/07 - Northampton Town Northampton TownOdds: 33/1Last Five Seasons 2005/06 - 2 (League Two, Promoted), 2004/05 - 7 (League Two), 2003/04 - 6 (League Two), 2002/03 - 24 (League One - Relegated), 2001/02 - 20 (League One).2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup Third Round vs Crystal Palace (a) - lost 4-1. Carling Cup Second Round vs Norwich City (a ...League One Season Preview 2006/07 - Brentford BrentfordOdds: 25/1Last Five Seasons 2005/06 - 3 (League One), 2004/05 - 4 (League One), 2003/04 - 17 (League One), 2002/03 - 16 (League One), 2001/02 - 3 (League One).2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup Fifth Round vs Charlton Athletic (a) - lost 3-1. Carling Cup First Round vs Cheltenham Town (a) - lost 5-0. Footba ...The Best Reserve 11 of FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany Goal Keeper – Oliver Kahn (Germany)The Golden Ball winner of last edition has to sit ignominiously on bench due to Lehmann choice as number 1 goalkeeper by coach Klinsmann. The performance against Portugal did prove that he is the most talented under bars to sit on bench.Left Back - Da Sa Gilberto ( Brazil) He ...The Dubious Immorality of Online Gambling The recent back-door legislation which outlawed online gambling in the USA has been championed as a moral cause. This is in direct opposition to a Gallup Poll taken earlier this year which found that 60 percent of adults believe gambling is morally acceptable.Chief sponsor Jim Leach (R-Iowa) has called it one of the most important pieces ...Run, Pony, Run - Pony Express “Away across the endless prairie a black speck appears against the sky. It is plain that it moves. Well, I should think so! ” wrote Mark Twain in 1860 as a stagecoach traveler.“In a second or two it becomes a horse and rider, rising and falling, rising and falling – sweeping toward us nearer and nearer. The flutter of hoofs comes faintly ...Would Chelsea Become a New Real Madrid? Lately in the press in increasing frequency we can hear about the great Chelsea’s tansfers. Topstars Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko had already joined the team, but there’re constant rumors surrounding Chelsea about the other big purchases like Philipp Lahm and Sergio Ramos.The purpose of Jose Mourinho is quite clear. He wants to m ...Championship Betting Review - 7 August 2006 Burnley are the early pace setters after defeating Queens Park Rangers 2-0. New signing Steve Jones scored a brace after 59 and 69 minutes for the even money Clarets.Even though the influential Steve Howard and Kevin Nicholls moved elsewhere during the summer, Luton Town won their opening match against Leicester City. Leon Barnett broke ...We All Won With the World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic proved all of us that were at the expectation that it can be a true spectacle. Japan defeated Cuba with a 10-6, in the last match of 29 games on Monday in San Diego. But more important than who won and who lost was the launching of the international competition itself.I think we can say that this was really a wo ...Championship Season Preview 2006/07 - Southend United Southend UnitedOdds: 200/1Last Five Seasons2005/06 - 1 (League One, Promoted), 2004/05 - 4 (League Two, Promoted), 2003/04 - 17 (League Two), 2002/03 - 17 (League Two), 2001/02 - 12 (League Two).2005/06 Cup ProgressFA Cup Second Round vs MK Dons (h) - lost 2-1. Carling Cup First Round vs Southampton (h) - lost ...Differences Between Canadian and American Football American and Canadian football both descended from rugby and began in Canada as a game played between British soldiers garrisoned in Montreal. The soldiers played a series of games against students at McGill University. McGill played several games against Harvard in 1874 and a tradition was born. Despite their mutual origins, the Canadian and th ...Cute Soccer Chick One of my favorite shoot-downs came during the summer I signed up to play in a city adult recreation soccer league. I had heard the soccer league was a lot of fun, but it had been many years since I've ever played soccer back in school, so I also signed up to take the 3 hour refresher course they offered right before the season started. Right af ...Northern Giants to End Bavarian Dominance The Bundesliga season of 2006/07 is seeing the slow change of power from Bavaria to Bremen.For the last decade Bayern Munchen have dominated the Bundesliga, claiming the title 7 times and coming runnners-up once, making them the dominant force in German football.Giovanni Trapattoni set the ball-rolling for Bayern's dominance when h ...Baseball Tailgating When you think of tailgating what sport do you usually think of? More than likely your answer is football. The fact of the matter is that most people tailgate before football games; this is just tradition for fans all over the country. But have you ever thought about tailgating for a baseball game? If not, you should look into it the next time y ...A Medaieval Football match Ever thought of football as an extreme sport?Welcome to the world of Royal Ashbourne Shrovetide Football (Shrovetide)!I was introduced to Shrovetide when I met my then-to-be husband, a determined Shrovetider, and asked him how he’d broken his nose!Shrovetide football is played in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, on Shrove Tue ...Horse Racing Horse racing has thrived as a popular sport for thousands of years. It is in fact one of the oldest sports known to mankind. From the time historical records were maintained one can see that horse racing was an organized sport all over the world. In fact, horse racing events were part of the Greek Olympics as far back as 638 BC.The origi ...Why Casinos Give Out Poker Bonuses With poker being such a popular sport, it can be a little confusing as to how and why casinos would offer poker bonuses. There is a wide variety of people that enjoy the game, both from home, playing poker on the internet, and at casinos in luxurious cities such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas. But there are actually a number of reasons as to w ...Cashing In: The (Over?) Abundance of New Poker Books Since 2000 (a number somewhat arbitrarily chosen) there has been a plethora of poker books released. There are, in a nutshell, two different categories that all of these books can be categorized under. These categories being strategy and 'non-fiction'. Obviously strategy books are 'non-fiction', but I am describing books that either tell a st ...
|
