Sport is made for betting

BRITANNIA Another candidate for toughest race of the week and hence the reason bookies donate all profits to charity for this one. Starlore was desperately unlucky at Goodwood recently behind Qirat, everyone saw it which means he's probably a little shorter than he should be, but it's ok for now around 8/1.  I don't really know how the Irish handicap form measures up against the UK races but Follow Me's last win needs to be seen to be believed. He squeezed up the rail bouncing off a couple of checks and blocks to win his second Irish race on the bounce, having been bought over the winter out of France. Might still have more scope to improve from a small stable. Dashing Darcey looked a very good type winning at Haydock recently, he must be seriously considered. Volterra and Skukuza come out of the same race at Newmarket in early May. Skukuza ran second but has since won and gets the services of William Buick today, while Volterra won nicely and looks to have scope for pl

ROYAL ASCOT THURSDAY A much better day on day 2, back in the black after backing Leovanni, Doha and Aviation Time. Short summaries for most of the card... NORFOLK STAKES Looks very hard to beat Whistlejacket here. A full brother to Little Big Bear, he left Arizona Blaze for dead last time in the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh, afer a nice second on debut behind Cowardofthecounty. The latter went OK on Tuesday, not really franking the form or dismissing it. Saturday Flirt won very impressively for Wesley Ward on debut at Keeneland, coming from back in the pack, which is unusual for a hypercharged US juvenile. Shareholder might be the better one on the Wathnan Racing pair, he only scraped in against Moving Force with a 7lb weight advantage but bear in mind they got James Doyle to go to Beverley on a Saturday to ride this one on debut - there must be something in the tank for the €460k recent breeze-up purchase. Alternatively Moving Force is a big price in comparison with the we

ROYAL HUNT CUP Bloody impossible, read 20 previews and you're likely to get 20 different selections. Beshtani went very close at Epsom in a big handicap, denying Hamad Al-Jehani his first British winner with a horse bought out of France where he'd won three of his five 3yo starts (second in the others). His stable is firing at the moment, just missing with Haunted Dream yesterday. This is one of the hardest races of the year to win but fitness and ability won't be the factors that stop him. Sonny Liston went very close in this race last year, he's up 11lbs since then but performances have justified that. And if that horse is expected to be in the finish, then we can't overlook Talis Evolvere. He has finished third behind Metal Merchant and Sonny Liston in successive handicaps at Newbury this campaign. In the latter one, he received 5lb from Sonny Liston, beten 3.25L. This time that gap is 16lb, a combination of the winner going up and switching from Ryan Moore to ap

The first half of the card (full preview in another post for Queen's Vase) QUEEN MARY Tough race (repeat for most of the week!) Leovanni might be the one to bring up the first Wathnan Racing win of the week. They hit the crossbar a few times on day one, they'll land one shortly, especially in a juvenile race. Englemere looks a likely type for George Boughey, a yard in red-hot form and with Billy Loughnane (rode a 80/1 winner yesterday), she'll go close although gate 1 is a concern (no track bias, just getting locked away). Ultima Grace for Wesley Ward will no doubt be wound up for this, and Flicka's Girl might be one to put value into the exotics. She won on debut then has performed admirably but under a penalty since. Back to level weights, she will be better suited. LEOVANNI, Englemere, Ultima Grace, Flicka's Girl ----------- DUKE of CAMBRIDGE Royal Dress should have won at Epsom last time, the wide open spaces should make her task a bit easier. Rogue Millenium wa

A much lighter schedule of previews as got back very late from the track last night. Brief summary of other races coming later. QUEEN'S VASE Group 2, 1m6f, for 3yo £265,000 1505 local, 0005 Thurs AEST 1.Birdman Lightly-raced gelding in the hands of Jessica Harrington, winning both starts to date. First time out he beat the well-regarded Highbury (both on debut) in a Cork maiden, then went to a Listed race at Navan and won just as comfortably. He’d probably have gone to a Derby if he hadn’t been snipped already. Genuine contender here. 3.Highbury Finished behind Birdman on debut at Cork, then went to Leopardstown and trounced the runner-up, Himalayan Heights, from the start before (5L further than Birdman beat him on debut). On RPRs, that win matches Birdman’s second race. Stable no.2 on jockey bookings but all in new territory so don’t be surprised if progress isn’t linear across the stable string. 4.Illinois Galileo half-brother to Arc winner Danedream. After winning on debut, he

ASCOT STAKES I won't go through all the runners here but one horse I've always liked in Nathanael Greene. He ran fourth in the Northumberland Plate last year, was sold out of the Haggas yard to go jumping, then bled and was pulled up on debut in a maiden hurdle. Back to the flat with an unconventional trainer, he's a massive price if retaining his flat ability. Pledgeofallegiance has been coming through the ranks for Sir Mark Prescott but has drawn the despised inside barrier in a field of 20. For third I'll go with the Irish raider Boher Road. Jarlath Fahey doesn't bring them over often but this one looks well suited. NATHANAEL GREENE ew, Pledgeofallegiance, Boher Road, Kyle of Lochalsh ------------------ COPPER HORSE A Piece Of Heaven has moved into the Joseph O'Brien yard and looks the right type for this. Never worse than fourth in seven starts, he could still be untapped.  Fox Journey bolted in at Newmarket last time, only rising 9lbs for that. There's

The Wolferton Stakes is a race which traditionally earmarks several horses for a one-way trip to Australia. Let's see if any end up pointed at Flemington in early November this year. There are some decent young middle distance/stayers that could clean up in Aus. WOLFERTON STAKES Listed, 1m2f, 4yo+ £120,000 1740 local, 0240 Wed AEST 1. Ancient Rome Since moving from Ande Fabre to Charlie Hills last season, he has won a Cl2 handicap at Goodwood, the G3 Mint Millions Stakes at Keeneland and then run fourth in a G2 at Longchamp. Has earned his high mark, and will sit and stalk with Spencer aboard. Inside barriers over the longer courses at Ascot have a poor record, but at least he'll be a decent price if prepared to risk that. 2. Bold Discovery Handy Irish runner but has a Group race winner penalty to deal with after his last run at Leopardstown. Don't really see him in the finish here. 3. Checkandchallenge A bit of a cliff horse for me, has promised so much since his early day

ROYAL ASCOT TUESDAY Ah, a proper festival without any twigs in the way. And possibly, just possibly, the sun will be out. It baffles me why this day isn't always sold out - it's the best card of the week, by a long way. This year's edition of the St James' Palace has the English, French and Irish 2000 Guineas winners in it so it's potentially the crowning of the best 3yo miler colt.  ST JAMES' PALACE STAKES Group 1, One Mile,  3yo Colts £687,875 1625 local, 0125 Wed AEST 1. Almaqam Rapidly improving, just three starts under his belt but has won both runs this season. After winning at Yarmouth, he made a huge step forward in winning the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown. Similar improvement might put him in the mix. Ed Walker is having a great year and Tom Marquand is always top class. Respect. 2. Alyanaabi Second to City Of Troy in Dewhurst last October, and then first-up in the 2000 Guineas, ran fifth behind Notable Speech, Rosallion and Haatem. Won't be far a