The market is speaking in favour of Monbeg Notorious, who has a fine chance in the annual slog around Gowran ParkThere’s no handicap trappier than an Irish handicap and today’s running of the Thyestes at Gowran Park looks well up to standard in the number of puzzles it sets for the hard-working punter. But I think I’ve cracked it and indeed I’m just wishing I’d had a good look at it when the market opened yesterday and 12-1 was available about Monbeg Notorious (3.00). Related: Doubts over L’Ami Serge emerge after Daryl Jacob switch to Cheltenham Kelso 12.45 Un Guet Apens 1.15 Seldom Inn (nb) 1.45 Whitsundays 2.20 Very First Time 2.55 Cool Mix 3.30 Hitman Fred 4.05 Shantaluze Continue...
Australian mare has a limited pool of rivals to beat but a visit to Ascot could elevate her rating to the level she deservesThe annual World’s Best Racehorse lunch is an occasion for looking back rather than forward, and rarely one that serves up any real suspense. The “finishing order” yesterday – Arrogate ahead of Winx, with Gun Runner and Cracksman joint-third – was almost identical to the rankings that had been available for inspection online since the middle of November, and the only real puzzle is why it is still called the “World’s Best Racehorse” when the “World’s Best Performance by a Racehorse” would be a good deal closer to the truth. Related: Talking Horses: Arrogate tops the world...
The American runner was given a rating of 134 following his three-year-old season in 2016 and was again allotted the same mark for his 2017 campaignArrogate, the winner of the Dubai World Cup in March, was named as the World’s Best Racehorse in 2017 at a Longines-sponsored ceremony in London on Tuesday, despite having finished fourth, second and fifth on his three subsequent starts last year. Related: BHA warns of risk to racing if roulette stake is cut to £2 maximum Leicester 1.00 Don Des Fosses 1.30 Optimus Prime 2.05 Arian 2.40 Antartica De Thaix 3.15 Dontminddboys 3.50 Georgieshore 4.20 Shroughmore Lass Continue reading...
The excellent teenage jockey rode out his 5lb claim at Ascot on Saturday but still gets to use it at Fakenham todayJames Bowen, the 16-year-old jockey who has plundered several big prizes in the past month – including the Welsh Grand National and the Lanzarote Hurdle – maintained his winning momentum at Fontwell on Sunday. He was successful on a 6-4 favourite, Atlantic Roller, for trainer Chris Gordon, following victory on the 5-1 chance Jenkins at Ascot on Saturday for Nicky Henderson, and has prospects of stretching that to a three-day winning sequence when he heads to Fakenham today. Related: ‘Minimum bet’ rule could prove a winner for punters and horse racing FakenhamFakenham 1.25 Hurricane Rita 1.55 Rio Quinto 2.25...
Improving novice chaser Tintern Theatre can land the day’s nap bet in the competitive Peter Marsh ChaseThe most valuable race of the day, the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, will have an odds-on favourite on Saturday for the third time in the last four years but the bookmakers are going 5-1 the field in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase at Haydock Park and that makes the contest a much more attractive proposition for the average punter.A strong case can be made for half a dozen of the 13 runners, including Rock The Kasbah and Hainan, who both have winning form on heavy ground and proven stamina beyond three miles. Marginal preference, though, is for the novice Tintern Theatre (3.15), who...