Evening all. Will miss the racing tmz as at football so will have to watch replays. Anyways early thoughts on the action. Hoping Frankel wins at Ascot. Best of luck all 1.50 Ascot – FAME AND GLORY 7/2 (NAP) A good race over 2m to start a belting card at Ascot tomorrow. Looking at this race for me the stand out value is FAME AND GLORY who is available at 7/2 with Ladbrokes at the moment. He was well below par in the Irish Leger and a defeat at the Curragh prior to this is enough for people to be thinking his facile Ascot Gold Cup win has finished him. However I have a contrasting opinion, I am willing to accept there were no excuses for his defeat by Fictional Account but I have seen him defeated at these odds before and bounce back, the form of that race is far from poor anyways as Fictional Account is a nice sort on his day and the unlucky 3rd that day Saddlers Rock went on to slam tomorrows current fav Opinion Poll next time out. For me his Irish Leger performance had nothing to do with him being over the top and in my opinion something must have been wrong. This is a high class horse and he was beaten a full 5f from home. The 2m trip tomorrow should suit and I expect a performance that will be good enough to keep him in training next season with the obvious target being the defence of the Ascot Gold Cup. Opinion Poll is a nice sort but was put in his place by the selection in the Gold Cup and I expect nothing but the same again tomorrow. I do fear Times Up a little bit as he is a big improver and seemed to relish this trip when winning on the bridle at Newmarket last month. 2.25 Ascot – WIZZ KID 12/1 E.W BOG A really good competitive group 2 sprint here for which Deacon Blues heads the market. He is a progressive type and a horse I have plenty of respect for but I just don’t see him winning this race tomorrow, therefore at 3-1 he has to be passed over. I am a big fan of the French filly Moonlight Cloud, after running 7th in the Guineas at Newmarket she went on to run the high class Saphresa close at Longchamp before winning her latest two starts under Thierry Janet (2-2 on her). She looked very impressive last time out when smashing a decent field (Society Rock 2nd, Genki 3rd), there should be more to come and she has leading claims of winning this heat. However a chance is taken on WIZZ KID, since getting the better of Prohibit at Chantilly Wizz Kid has looked very unlucky in two subsequent starts. She had no luck in running in the Nunthorpe at York when finishing 5th and there was a similar story when she again finished 5th in L’Abbaye at Longchamp, she looked to finish full of running that day. The step up to 6f will certainly suit and at 12/1 she rates as a cracking E.W bet. The slight doubt with this filly is that she would prefer some ease in the ground but I think this reflects in her price and for me she is worth chancing. 3.00 Ascot – CRYSTAL CAPELLA 8-1 BOG What a race this one is and only the top three on the card can be ruled out with confidence. I will get straight to the point with my selection CRYSTAL CAPELLA, she has won for me plenty of times in the past and I know that she is capable of running a blinder against this field if returning to her best form. She looked unbelievable when hacking up at Newmarket earlier in the season but unfortunately has fell short in two subsequent starts. She has work to do to reverse form with the likes of Ferdoos and Vita Nova but she has been given a 58 day break since and I am hopeful that she can bounce back here with Ryan Moore back on board. I feel she offers some good value at around the 8/1 mark and this is her final chance for me. However this is a wide open race and I am only having a small bet. 4.10 Ascot - SO YOU THINK 5-2 BOG An obvious one here but I get the feeling that SO YOU THINK will not get beat tomorrow. At Chelts I am backing the following CATCHERINSCRATCHER 2.05 - I think this one has the best form in the race and is a 9-2 shot, cracking bet imo TONIC MELLYSSE 3.15 - Held in high regard by Paul Nicholls. Sent off fav for the Adonis hurdle on his first start for champion trainer (won by Zarkander). Won at 1-10 at Ayr next time out. Has a big chance here. ZAYNAR 4.55 2-1 - Can't wait to see Zaynar over fences. Hopefully will bring him back to form. Even if not at his best should be too good here
Can't wait for Champions Day. I'll be there enjoying every minute of it. I just hope it lives up to expectations and that the whip controversy does not overshadow what should be a brilliant days racing. Thoughts here.
plenty plenty money around for Dubai Prince 4.10 tomorrow i'm thinking that hes so unexposed and really could be anything the money may be telling a story here...i wouldnt put it past this being a surprise winner at the expense of some of the more proven campaigners..
Dubai Prince could be anything but he will need to be very very good to take this. He's looked decent but still has a heap to find. I think he's terrible value at 7/1 now. If he was 14/1 he might be worth an EW nibble but not for me at 7s.
I'll be having a few quid on Fame and Glory at 7/2. Agree with RV's analysis. The main bet tomorrow, and it'll be quite lumpy is Ladies are Forever in the sprint each way. Good draw, good collateral form, weight allowance, excellent jockey and I've taken 25' s from will hill on thursday and 20's tonight. I don't usually bet in sprints so it could all go horribly wrong. Alsohad money on dubai prince at 9's whenever it was I put it up the other day as the reappearance form got a massive boost the other day with the 2nd winning by 9 l's. Good luck and lets hoped the day isn't marred by whip controversy .
Hello Lads. Ardent,Hills have some 8's about Dubai Prince at the moment. I haven't gone through the card fully but will be having a small e.w. dabble on Bible Belt in the Fillies and Mares event. This is a good G2,no doubt about that,but is reasonably open imo. BB has been improving all year but her last run was disappointing when she was expected to continue her upward curve,at this G2 level.That run is a major negative and the ground,which will be on the fast side,has to be taken on trust as well,although her full brother has form on it. The positives are her relatively lightly raced profile and her potential,not to mention her trainer who would not run her here if she had any doubt about her wellbeing or ability to be competitive. Inferior ratings for improving 3-y-o's against older fillies don't really deter me tbh.She has a bit to find but there is a chance she will.She has ,on form,an equal if not better chance than the teak tough Banimpire,who is less than half the price. A win does seem less likely than a place,although far from impossible,but there are enough doubts about her rivals to suggest a few shekels e.w.,at the 20/1 currently on offer from Laddies,could be worth a fun bet.
Anyone else think excelebration will give frankel a race or is it just me? Think he has improved enormously from his first race this season and i think he is a viable contender tomorrow
Hard to see anything troubling Frankel Hardy...He has had only one outing in four months and will have been trained to the moment for this.Logically he will have improved as he has aged and strengthened.I hope you are right though. Really enjoyed the racing from Dundalk tonight with the riding professionals showing their skills unfettered form our ridiculous restrictions.Drat,those beastly and cruel Irish,how dare operate outside the "rules"...
Just a couple so far for me tonight... Dubawi Gold was 50s ew 1/4 odds with PP in Queen Elizabeth Stakes... will be run for the place... Also in the same race Excelebration was 13/2 ew 1/4 odds with Boyles should get a place... Can't see Frankel being beaten but I hope Excel and Dubawi can make up the places... Gone for Motrice in the first... 14s ew seems ok... and Deacon will do me in the 2nd... Backed Saptapadi for the Caulfield Cup... got to take on the Aussies over 1m4f... would have won the ebor with a better draw...
Don't be beastly Hardy...who wouldn't want a spotty little bugger 0-100 h'cap to round off champions day...bet everyone stays for that little corker...hope it's a hands and heels event...just like the previous five (well four of those,frankie won't need much air cushioned persuasion) races...Dear God I'm starting to sound like QM or the sadly missed Relentless Force!!
Ascot 2.25: Moonlight Cloud 10/3- Her fantastic win in the Prix Maurice Du Gheest must surely rate as one of the best sprint performances of the year. She beat some top class animals that day, including Society Rock, Zoffany, and of course Dream Ahead. The slow start cost her in the 1000 Guinea at Newmarket but it is readily apparant that she is better at 6/7f than a mile. Deacon Blues is up in class and on quicker ground, and I think that might be crucial. Ascot 3.00- Banimpire 10/1- This filly has had the most remarkable season. I hope this is not one race too far. Ferdoos still has it all to prove in a hot race like is, Dancing Rain is only dangerous if allowed to dictate, whilst Vita Nova is untried at Ascot. Crystal Capella is hit and miss, although very smart, and for that reason I am hopeful Banimpires consistency, and course form, can prevail. Ascot 4.10- Dubai Prince 7/1 (NAP)- I have been championing his case all week and the money is beginning to roll in. Dermot Weld says he is the best flat horse he has ever trained. He came back after a year off to beat Jet Away, a subsequent 9 LENGTHS condition stakes winner, with an awful lot of petrol still remaining (at best he was only kept up to work). He is absolutely Group 1 material in my eyes and only a world class performance by So You Think can deny this fellow over what seems to be an ideal trip. I believe Godolphin have targeted this race form him and I am very hopeful of a bold showing.
Nice write ups toppy. If Weld said that about DP,that is praise indeed and were he still stabled at Rosewell House,then it would resonate even more. He has,obviously,had problems and although fresh,it is a huge ask to beat this lot,despite the fact they will be race weary.Will he be at peak fitness for a contest like this after beating a decent,110's at best field? The horse,like Casamento,should have stayed where he was after last season. I love him though and his sire is going to the very top. Such a shame tomorrows meeting finishes with such a ridiculous contest.
Incredibly late but like Expert Witness I've backed Saptapadi at 33s Every interview I've seen with Brian Ellison has him rating Saptapadi higher than Moyenne Corniche, despite the latter finishing ahead of him on his last two occassions. LTO in the Herbert Power Group 2, he ran an encouraging race despite being trapped wide for most of it after being drawn wide. He has a much better draw in stall 6 and with Ellison earmarking this as a Melbourne Cup horse from the day Koo Racing bought him, he's going to need to put up a big showing, which I think he is more than capable of doing, to make the big one.
