Racing betting tips for the weekend: Ripon and Newbury antepost picks
Chris Day's Weekend View remains considerably in front for the year and our man has two selections for Saturday's action at Ripon and Newbury.
Antepost racing betting tips: Saturday August 14
1pt win Laneqash in 3.30 Newbury at 14/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt win Staxton in 3.45 Ripon at 14/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
The return of National Hunt racing reminds us that we’re well and truly into the second half of the Flat season now with some of the biggest prizes still to be played for, and Saturday’s Group Two BetVictor Hungerford Stakes could be a launchpad for a number of such events this autumn.
Charlie Appleby will have a say in plenty of them and provides the current favourite, Space Blues, who should improve for his return to action when fourth in the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. He travelled strongly out the back from a tricky draw but was easily outpaced by the winner Kinross, and he’ll need to leave that behind if he’s to take this prize. He is already a Group One winner though and sets a pretty decent standard here.
The stable also have the seven-year-old, D’bai, entered and he’s usually needed a run to put him right following his exertions in Meydan over the winter so he’s readily passed over.
Godolphin have another interesting potential runner in Al Suhail, representing Saeed Bin Suroor, and he’s threatened to be top class on a couple of occasions, notably when taking the Listed Henry Cecil Stakes by six lengths last year having disappointed on his seasonal debut behind Kameko in the 2000 Guineas. He stuck on well enough on his return to action in the Summer Mile at Ascot but I’m not sure this drop in trip will be in his favour although he did go off favourite for the Dubai Turf in March.
Dreamloper is clearly a filly going places after a comfortable win at Ascot in a Group Three last time although running against her male counterparts will require another giant leap and William Haggas’ three-year-old, Sacred, could be the best of the fillies after weakening into seventh late on in the 1000 Guineas. The return to seven furlongs on decent ground could show the Nell Gwynn winner in a better light albeit the form of that race hasn't really stood up.
Shadwell have entered a couple of their older flag bearers, Danyah and Motakhayyel, each having already won a major handicap already this season, the former following up his second in the red hot Buckingham Palace while the latter put up one of the handicap performances of the year in winning the Bunbury Cup.
A good run from either would not surprise although there’s very little juice in their prices and Charlie Hills’ Mutasaabeq, who ran in the 200 Guineas and got back on track at Haydock last time, could be a bigger danger with presumably plenty to come in terms of improvement.
The one who could be the most interesting is another three-year-old trained by the red hot Roger Varian, LANEQASH.
He was sent off the 7/4 favourite for last year’s Horris Hill on the back of a couple of very good performances, most notably when finishing in front of subsequent Group One runner, One Ruler, at Doncaster in September. New Mandate, who seemed to outstay him there to win by a head, went on to win the Royal Lodge and Laneqash travelled like a top-class horse that day against some very good rivals.
Unfortunately the ground had turned heavy at this track in October and he finished a distant last of the 12 runners but his trainer clearly holds him in high regard having mentioned the Guineas and Royal Ascot as potential targets in early-season stable tours.
The yard have won with eight of their last 12 runners at the time of writing and are clearly in blinding form, so with this horse already having Jim Crowley jocked up, it’s easy to see the 14/1 disappearing.
Repeat trick in Great St Wilfrid?
The other race with a decent shape to it from a betting perspective to it is the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap over six furlongs at Ripon.
There are any number of in-form horses here but quite a few have entries elsewhere this weekend whereas we know that the Tim Easterby trained STAXTON loves this undulating track having won the race last year from just a 4lb lower mark.
He looked to be coming to the boil nicely at Hamilton two runs ago, form which was franked in the strongest possible way at Goodwood, and has clearly been aimed at the race since winning here on seasonal debut. Take the standout 14s and expect him to go off a fair bit shorter on the day.
Posted at 1945 BST on 09/08/21
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