Latest news with #MorebattleHurdle
The Independent
28-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tips for Saturday's racing: Best bets for Doncaster, Kelso and Newbury
Slugger (Kelso, 3:30pm) has been a revelation since being switched to the Newbury yard of Harry Derham and the six-year-old could deliver the knockout blow to his rivals in a competitive renewal of the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle. There is little doubt Derham, who recently smashed through the one million pounds UK prize money barrier in just his third season as a trainer, has swiftly earned a knack of improving horses from other yards. That has certainly been the case with Slugger, who has rattled up a hat-trick for his new handler, exploiting a mark of 112 in the hands of Paul O'Brien at Carlisle, before smoothly following up under Alice Stevens at Doncaster and Musselburgh. The handicapper has wreaked a little revenge, raising Slugger to 130, but the selection could still be well treated as he rarely does a great deal when he hits the front, and he already boasts a course and distance victory on his CV. He looks worth taking a chance with at the 14/1 on offer with several betting sites. The highlight on the Doncaster card is the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase and it could be worth taking a two-pronged approach in trying to locate the winner. Some Scope (Doncaster, 3:15pm) simply wasn't quick enough to take a hand in a two-and-a-half mile event on Cheltenham Trials Day but this trip and track should be much more to his liking and he is worth supporting on horse racing betting sites to bounce back to the level of form which saw him impress at Wetherby on Boxing Day. The Kniphand (Doncaster, 3:15pm) has won three of his four starts on Town Moor and ran a nice audition for this race behind Monbeg Genius at Uttoxeter three weeks ago. He makes some appeal at the double figure odds on betting apps. Others that take the eye on the card include World Of Fortunes (Doncaster, 2:05pm) in the Mares Listed Novices' Hurdle and Norn Iron (Doncaster, 5:07pm) in the closing handicap. The former was noted keeping on gamely at the Dublin Racing Festival and should relish the chance to compete against her own sex once more, while inexperience probably contributed to Norn Iron being beaten at Newbury last time when the winner, Bucephalus (a winner for this column last week), simply exhibited too much nous in the closing stages. Newbury tips: Watch out for Williams pair At Newbury, Venetia Williams has bright prospects of a pre-Cheltenham double courtesy of recent Kempton scorer Epinephrine (Newbury, 1:55pm) and Zertakt (Newbury, 2:30pm) who could bring the winning run of Jasmin De Grugy to a halt in the BetVictor Novices' Limited Handicap Chase. The latter ran well at the Berkshire venue on his penultimate start before failing to handle the sharp turns of Windsor last time. This test should be ideal, and he remains very attractively handicapped. Please gamble responsibly Bettors should always follow responsible gambling practices. Even the most knowledgeable punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. It's particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive. Approach any promotions with caution and read the terms and conditions before embarking on any offers. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
The Guardian
28-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Favor And Fortune can take leg one in £100,000 Cheltenham festival bonus
The £100,000 bonus on offer if the winner of Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso can follow up in any race at the Cheltenham festival has turned what is already the richest handicap hurdle in Scotland into one of the most interesting and competitive events in the immediate run-up to National Hunt's showpiece meeting, and several of the sharpest trainers in the business have runners towards the head of the market for Saturday's renewal. Foremost among those is Emmet Mullins, who announced himself as one of the shrewdest handlers around – and well in advance of his Grand National success with Noble Yeats in 2022 – when The Shunter took the Morebattle in 2021 and then followed up in the Plate, one of the festival's most competitive handicap chases, less than a fortnight later. Mullins relies this year on the mare Vischio, who joined the yard after winning a competitive race at Punchestown in November and followed up on her first start for her new trainer in a stronger race at the Dublin Racing Festival. She showed an abrupt turn of foot to go five lengths clear at Leopardstown and given her trainer's well-earned reputation for priming a handicapper, it is no surprise to see her installed as the favourite in the early betting, not least as Mullins has gone to the trouble of entering her in three handicap hurdles at the festival. Her last two runs were off 111 and 119, however, and Vischio is a stone higher in the ratings on Saturday. She might yet prove to be thrown in even off 133, but this is an intensely competitive heat and there is little value in a price of around 5-1. Tellherthename and Alnilam have similar profiles at better odds but both are potential front-runners Chae Favour And Fortune (3.30), who is entered in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, could be the one to benefit if the leaders go off too fast. He ran an eye-catching race to finish fourth in Newbury's ultra-competitive William Hill Hurdle last time, will race off the same mark on Saturday and had enough class to finish sixth in last year's Supreme Novice Hurdle. Kelso 1.10 A wind op since his chase debut could make the difference for Kidman, who travelled like the best horse last time but faded in the closing stages. Newbury 1.20 Quick Wave has gone well fresh in the past and is an interesting debutant in veterans' events returning from another extended break. Kelso 1.45 Dan Skelton's Grey Dawning is the percentage call over Iroko, a leading Grand National contender, to bounce back from a disappointing showing in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day. Doncaster 2.05 Grade One company was a step too far for World Of Fortunes at Leopardstown last time but she will be tough to beat dropping back to Listed level. Kelso 2.20 Young Jack goes well at this track, William Maggs is well worth his 5lb claim and early offers of around 20-1 are worth an each-way interest. Kelso: 1.10 Kidman 1.45 Grey Dawning 2.20 Young Jack 2.55 Laganhill 3.30 Favour And Fortune (nap) 4.04 Maple 4.39 Leader In The Park. Newbury: 1.20 Quick Wave 1.55 Epinephrine 2.30 Jasmin De Grugy 3.05 Kel Raffles 3.45 Prince Quali 4.15 Ninth Loch 4.50 There Runs Mary. Doncaster: 1.30 Doctor Kildare 2.05 World Of Fortunes 2.40 Tommy's Oscar 3.15 Twig (nb) 3.55 Patriotik 4.31 Muzaafar 5.07 Norn Iron. Newcastle: 4.10 Carrados 4.45 Sharon Curly 5.15 Mighty Nebula 5.45 Three Beauz 6.15 Pop Favorite 6.45 Tomorrow Day 7.15 Hartswood. Southwell: 4.25 Moulin Booj 5.00 Fast Fred 5.30 Sid's Annie 6.00 Man Of La Mancha 6.30 Match Anthem 7.00 Mickey Mongoose 7.30 Dash Power 8.00 Horus 8.30 Ustath. Doncaster 2.40 It has been stop-start for Tommy's Oscar since has last win in April 2024, but even under top weight he could still have enough ability to be competitive over a track and trip where he was a convincing winner off just a 3lb lower mark earlier the same season. Kelso 2.55 Half the field are unbeaten over hurdles and Laganhill, a seven-year-old who did not see a track until December 2024, could continue to make up for lost time. Doncaster 3.15 Twig, runner-up in the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham last year, reverts to chasing for the first time this season with Beau Morgan taking off a useful 5lb. Newbury 3.45 A chance for Prince Quali, who looks overpriced at around 16-1, to bounce back after an uncharacteristic fall last time out.
