The Punter

  • Don’t risk Big Buck’s on World Champion
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON’S WORLD HURDLE...
    RUBY Walsh and Big Buck’s are a brilliant partnership – they have won eight of their nine races together and all six over hurdles. Andy Stewart’s seven-year-old has been a revelation since reverting to the smaller obstacles and that’s why William Hill are offering just 4/7 that he wins back-to-back World Hurdles this afternoon. However, there’s also no doubt that he’s a complicated ride. Ruby has mastered the stalking approach with him and you had to feel for Barry Geraghty and Punchestowns last season when they were outgunned twice up the Cheltenham hill. Yet, I have the niggling feeling... [Read more]

  • IN-RUNNING TRADING HINTS
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    Betdaq are only charging 2% commission on all winning bets placed in-running during all UK and Irish races, so make sure you log on and trade your positions during this week’s Cheltenham Festival. A... [Read more]
  • Nicholls to land double with Alfie and Poquelin
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON’S OTHER RACES…
    PHILIP Hobbs has his string in rude health and I’ll be taking a chance on his COPPER BLEU in the opener at 16/1 with William Hill. The eight-year-old was only narrowly touched off at Aintree last... [Read more]
  • Barbers Shop is no match for Nicholls’ Poquelin in Ryanair
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    AGAIN, it’s certainly worth taking advantage of one of Sporting Index’s numerous match bets this afternoon. By challenging their prediction of the distance between a chosen pair of horses as they... [Read more]

  • the INSIDER
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    I hope you drank plenty of Guinness yesterday and you are feeling ready to take on the bookies once more today. It’s World Hurdle day at Cheltenham plus there are plenty of large fields on the... [Read more]
  • Kalahari King all set to shake up Master Minded
    Wednesday, 17th March 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON’S CHAMPION CHASE
    THERE have been plenty of dual winners of this prestigious jewel in the crown for two-milers, but only Michael Dickinson’s Badsworth Boy managed to win three on the spin, so Master Minded will be... [Read more]
  • IN-RUNNING TRADING HINTS
    Wednesday, 17th March 2010
    Betdaq are only charging 2% commission on all winning bets placed in-running during all UK and Irish races, so make sure you log on and trade your positions during this week’s Cheltenham Festival.... [Read more]
  • 8/1 Weapon's Amnesty may be RSA Chase value
    Wednesday, 17th March 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON’S OTHER RACES…
    TWENTY runners go to post for the opening contest of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival and I’m backing two at massive prices to cause an upset. Firstly, legendary Irish trainer Mouse Morris... [Read more]
  • It has to be ForPady on St Patrick’s Day
    Wednesday, 17th March 2010
    Sporting Index have priced up a host of match bets on this afternoon’s racing and there are not many better ways of opposing horses you don’t fancy. Basically, they pick two horses in any race and... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Wednesday, 17th March 2010
    My two bankers of the meeting are both running this afternoon. I’m also going to be backing my first Paul Nicholls trained runner of the Festival! Let’s get the bankers out of the way and then... [Read more]
  • Henderson’s Punjabi is Champion pick at 8/1
    Tuesday, 16th March 2010
    BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON'S CHAMPION HURDLE...¶
    THERE may only be 12 runners in this afternoon’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, but the feature race on the opening day of the Festival looks one of the most open of the week. Irish raiders Go Native... [Read more]
  • Get Me Out Of Here can get Festival off to a flyer
    Tuesday, 16th March 2010
    BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AFTERNOON’S OTHER RACES
    WILLIAM Hill are as short as 4/6 about Irish raider Dunguib in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the opening contest of the four day meeting. Last year’s Champion Bumper winner could well be something... [Read more]
  • IN-RUNNING TRADING HINTS
    Tuesday, 16th March 2010
    Betdaq are only charging 2% commission on all winning bets placed in-running during all UK and Irish races, so make sure you log on and trade your positions during this week’s Cheltenham Festival.... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Tuesday, 16th March 2010
    Take a leaf out of poker legend Chris Ferguson’s book and make sure you bet within your bankroll at Cheltenham this week. It is very easy to get carried away in all the excitement but it is worth... [Read more]
  • Championship races may be tighter fought affairs than Sporting predict
    Tuesday, 16th March 2010
    Sporting Index have produced a host of special bets for this year’s Festival and are predicting that the aggregate winning distances for the 26 races over the next four days will be between 96 and... [Read more]
  • Battlecry can answer Twiston’s call for another Saturday to remember
    Friday, 5th March 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS WEEKEND’S RACING ACTION…
    WITH less than two weeks to go until the start of the Cheltenham Festival, there is a distinct lack of quality racing on offer this weekend. The Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 5th March 2010
    With no all-weather tomorrow and only one poor betting race declared over the jumps, I will be backing just the one horse over the next couple of days. FREDDIE’S GIRL runs in Lingfield’s 4.10pm this... [Read more]
  • Flat track bully Madison can give Pipe his first Racing Post Chase
    Friday, 26th February 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF HORSES TO BACK THIS WEEKEND
    IN THE past 11 years only two horses have won Kempton’s Racing Post Chase (3.05pm, tomorrow) carrying less than 11stone and four have shouldered at least 11st10lbs. In short, this race goes to the... [Read more]
  • the INSIDE
    Friday, 26th February 2010
    The Betdaq.co.uk Cleves Stakes at Lingfield (3.50pm) is an intriguing contest and my eye is taken by three runners. I backed Mullionmileanhour in the 2008 Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot when he was... [Read more]
  • Miko De Beauchene looks pure Gold to add to tremendous Haydock record
    Friday, 19th February 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES A LOOK AT THIS WEEKEND’S RACING ACTION
    THE expression ‘horses for courses’ could not be more appropriate when it comes to weighing up the chances of MIKO DE BEAUCHENE in bottomless ground at Haydock. Venetia Williams’ 10-year-old is... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 19th February 2010
    It's that time of year when the two-year-olds face the stalls for the first time. The outcome is polarised. They are either indifferent to the starting stalls and walk in, or they have to be man-... [Read more]
  • Calgary and Nozic look good at Donny
    Friday, 29th January 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF HORSES TO BACK THIS WEEKEND
    THE SKYBET Chase, formerly the Great Yorkshire Chase, is always one of the trickiest punting puzzles to solve in the National Hunt calendar and tomorrow’s renewal looks as impossible as ever. David... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 29th January 2010
    Legs eleven, black eleven, left wing (eleven), one less than a dozen (eleven) has always been my number but I’m going to have to swap it for seven. SEVEN IS MY NUMBER might be an obvious choice... [Read more]
  • Twist all set to turn on the Magic in Ascot’s Victor Chandler Chase
    Friday, 22nd January 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF HORSES TO BACK THIS WEEKEND
    ONLY eight runners have been declared for tomorrow’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot, but we are still set for a mouth watering clash with TWIST MAGIC, Petit Robin and Well Chief all standing their... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 22nd January 2010
    In 1985 I was surrounded by ‘ghettoblasters’ playing tunes such as Journal of an Airman and 30-Love. In 1987 they were joined by Rodney Allen performing Days of 49. All the tracks were recorded be... [Read more]
  • Imperial Commander looks the only danger to Kauto and Denman
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES AN EARLY LOOK AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
    ONLY 27 horses stood their ground on Wednesday for the Cheltenham Gold Cup which was no real surprise when you consider that two of those names were Kauto Star and Denman. The eagerly awaited re-... [Read more]
  • Cheltenham Festival Trading Strategy
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is being billed as a straight match between Kauto Star (best priced 2.6 on Betdaq) and Denman (best priced 3.2 on Betdaq) and punters all around the country are split... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    Last weekend we had a winner at 9/2 but also a narrow miss with a second place. It was the disappointing Aeroplane who let us down but he is back out again tomorrow in the 3.10pm at Lingfield. Maybe... [Read more]
  • 13/2 Go Native and 16/1 Weapon’s Amnesty look likely Festival types
    Friday, 8th January 2010
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, TAKES AN EARLY LOOK AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
    OVER the next nine or so weeks between now and the start of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, we will continue to add to our ante-post portfolio that already contains Somersby for the Arkle at 20/1 (... [Read more]
  • the INSIDER
    Friday, 8th January 2010
    The chances of racing this weekend at any racecourse in the UK must be slim. However, if they do go ahead at Lingfield tomorrow, the most appropriate winner will be Melt in the 3pm. Unfortunately... [Read more]
  • Cheltenham Festival Trading Strategy
    Friday, 8th January 2010
    I got food poisoning over Christmas because my mother got her timings muddled up when it came to cooking the stuffing. Funnily enough, I got my timings muddled up a few days later by not locking in a... [Read more]
  • IN-RUNNING TRADING HINTS
    Thursday, 17th December 2009
    The most fascinating in-running trading contest of the weekend looks to be Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle run at 2.05pm tomorrow. Big Buck’s is currently trading at around 1.55 on Betdaq, but I expect him... [Read more]
  • Save the Big Buck’s for Bellvano and Dave’s Dream at Ascot today
    Thursday, 17th December 2009
    RACING TRADER | BILL ESDAILE, OUR RACING EXPERT, HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF HORSES TO BACK THIS WEEKEND
    PAUL NICHOLLS continued his extraordinary run of Saturday big race wins by landing last weekend’s Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham and the Champion trainer will hope that Big Buck’s can make it... [Read more]