Don’t be surprised if Dock’s Lake on the scene June 16, 2025 IT’S A Lockinge rematch to kick off Royal Ascot on Tuesday, with the first four home from that Newbury contest all lining up for the curtain-raising Group One Queen Anne Stakes (2.30pm). The winner from Newbury, Lead Artist, will get his favoured fast ground again and it would be no surprise to see him pull [...]
Affair and Andab can Raid Ascot on Day One June 16, 2025 ROYAL Ascot has come round in a flash, and there’s certainly plenty of speed on show on the opening day, with the Group One King Charles III Stakes (3.40pm) featuring some of the fastest horses on the planet. I put up AMERICAN AFFAIR in this column ahead of his run in the Temple Stakes at [...]
French Master poised to triumph in the Copper Horse June 16, 2025 TUESDAY’S finale, the Copper Horse Stakes (6.10pm) has thrown up a couple of big-price winners in the past five years, but I think the market leader FRENCH MASTER holds extremely sound claims and looks the likely winner. Those donning the blue and gold silks of Wathnan Racing have increasingly become ones to watch, and John [...]
Dig up some Royal Ascot Gold with Big Mojo and Flora June 10, 2025 ROYAL Ascot is less than a week away and anticipation is building ahead of the five biggest days in the Flat racing calendar. There’s still plenty of ante-post value to be had in many of the big race markets and the purpose of this column is to put up a few at prices which are [...]
Northern Ticks plenty of boxes with rain set to fall at York June 10, 2025 YORK’s meeting this Saturday could see a major change in the going, with the heavens set to open later this week and up to 20 millimetres of rain expected to hit the track on Friday. This makes ante-post betting slightly more challenging, but there are a few I’ve got my eye on that could shine [...]
Pick Midak to be in Derby mix June 6, 2025 This year’s Derby (Saturday, 3:30pm) is a feast for punters, and maybe best treated like a pick ‘n’ mix with the World Pool in action. With over 25 countries betting into the same pools there’ll be plenty of value and liquidity in the exotic markets, so I’ll take three to put into a Quinella, which [...]
Val and Sam can prove different class in Derby Day handicap June 6, 2025 The race that immediately follows the Derby, the 4:15pm, does naturally have somewhat of a “after the Lord Mayor’s show” feel to it, but nevertheless, I think punters can benefit from the World Pool exotics on offer. In this Class 2 Handicap is open to four-year-olds and above rated between 0-105, the pair that stick [...]
Dress a Royally good bet in Derby Day opener June 6, 2025 Derby Day kicks off with the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes (1:00pm) and the shape of this race looks like it lends well to playing some World Pool exotics. There’s loads of value to be had with UK and Irish punters betting into the same pools as over 25 other countries, and I like the [...]
O’Brien readies Ballydoyle sextet for Epsom glory June 4, 2025 TO WIN just one Epsom Classic is the pinnacle for most trainers. For Aidan O’Brien, however, success in the Derby and Oaks has become part and parcel of his dominance of the sport. The master of Ballydoyle has won both races a staggering 10 times each, and this year brings another powerful squad across the [...]
Beckett’s filly can say au Revoir to eight Oaks rivals June 4, 2025 FRIDAY’S Oaks (4.00pm) could be turned into a proper stamina test with rain forecast to hit Epsom between now and the stalls opening. That could tip the balance in favour of the promising and unexposed Ralph Beckett-trained filly REVOIR, who makes plenty of each-way appeal at around 10/1. Beckett knows what it takes to land [...]
