Today's tips: Racing preview and best bets
Our daily duo of Rory Delargy and David Massey are back with a look ahead to today's quality racing.
Racing betting tips: Friday April 19
0.5pts e.w Phantomofthepoints in the 1.20 Ayr at 6/1 (Sky Bet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5 - take no lower)
0.5pts e.w Bosh in the 2.12 Newbury at 16/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5 - min 14/1)
1pt win Educator in the 3.45 Newbury at 16/1 (bet365 - min 14/1)
2:12 Newbury
The going stick reading suggests the going is testing at Newbury, but that is exacerbated by the track being “verti-drained” which leads to lower readings and a drying breeze can see conditions quicken up over the next day or so. I’d expect it to ride on the dead side of good and selections are based on that assumption.
It’s BOSH (there should be an exclamation mark after that, surely) that catches the eye for this 6f handicap, as he’s been in good form this winter and I’m pretty hopeful he can carry that improvement over to turf now. Richard Hannon’s gelding had some classy form as a juvenile, the highlight probably his second to Sacred Bridge in the Ballyhane (Auction) Stakes at Naas, before predictably proving hard to place the following year.
Bosh has bounced back to form on the all-weather this winter, showing steady improvement on each start. This ground asks something of a question but as long as it continues to dry, good to soft ought not be a problem, with that Ballyhane effort the only time he’s raced on such a surface, and there’s even a chance he will be better for the return to easy ground. His record on good or softer reads 2124, based on Timeform going descriptions, for what it’s worth.
3:45 Newbury
EDUCATOR has yet to win at two miles but there’s no doubting that he gets the trip, having caught the eye staying on both times he’s tried it in the last six months, and even the Southwell stewards had a word with the pilot as to his ride there last time when keeping on under tender handling behind Spartan Fighter; the jockey’s explanation was that he had to “consider his options” after worrying he may have become isolated from the main pack of runners. I shall leave it to your imagination, dear reader, as to what those options might have been.
Here’s the bottom line with Educator - rated in the 90s with William Haggas, he’s now 8lb lower than when a close fourth to Oceanline at Ascot last October, he has shaped better than the bare result more than once in a short stint with his current yard, and he’s going to pop up at some point. It might well be here and with the ground drying, conditions ought not be a problem.
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1:20 Ayr
Needless to say, after the ride he gave El Jefe last week (why we didn’t make that a full bet is still causing me sleepless nights a week on) we are watching the excellent Ben Smith with interest, and his mount Dance Thief has to be on the shortlist here. His C&D win last time out received a boost when third home Atlantic Dancer won at Kelso earlier in the week and although this is tougher, we’d not be discounting him.
PHANTOMOFTHEPOINTS looks laid out for this. Just denied in a maiden hurdle here in December (that has worked out well), he dotted up at Chepstow last time once main rival Ballee departed early on. An opening mark of 127 isn’t a gimme by any means, but he’s open to plenty of improvement and as we say, given his powerful Scottish connections, this does look to have been the plan all along.
Posted at 1010 BST on 19/04/24
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