All aboard the Northern Express to pull away from Ascot rivals July 15, 2025 THERE is Classic action across the Irish Sea on Saturday as the Curragh hosts the Irish Oaks. It’s a race that oftens turns into a Ballydoyle benefit and this renewal looks the same, with Epsom heroine Minnie Hauk currently long odds-on. I don’t have a bet in mind for this yet, but it’d be worth [...]
Rocket ready to dig out another win to close out season in style July 15, 2025 HONG Kong’s racing season concludes today when Happy Valley hosts an action-packed nine-race programme to celebrate the season finale. Expect plenty of entertainment along the way for the 20,000 plus racegoers who will witness international musical entertainment, a breathtaking fireworks display and a jockeys’ parade for racing fans. There will also be the crowning of [...]
Endued and Aeris can secure perfect send off for Yung July 15, 2025 EXPECT a poignant send off from local racing fans when trainer Benno Yung calls time on his 12-year career in Hong Kong and saddles his final runners at Happy Valley. The affable and well-liked 66-year-old has suffered serious health problems over the last couple of years but will be hoping to go out on a [...]
The Punter Podcast Episode 39: Newbury, Irish Oaks, Market Rasen and Happy Valley July 15, 2025 Tom Marriott and Bill Esdaile preview the week’s big races from Newbury on Super Sprint Day, as well as the Irish Oaks at the Curragh with some summer jumps thrown in from Market Rasen. Bill has a big-priced fancy for next weekend’s International Handicap at Ascot on King George Day, plus Wally Pyrah has his [...]
Ferraris can go for Glory aboard Chancheng at Sha Tin finale July 11, 2025 WHILE there will be plenty of prizes on offer to celebrate the final day of the season at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, bettors can be forgiven for just praying for a change of fortune before the 11-race programme gets under way at 9.00am. Results at Happy Valley on Wednesday were the proverbial [...]
Pejibaye can Star and be Richards’ end-of-season Hero July 11, 2025 YOU CAN guarantee trainer Jamie Richards will be pleased to see the back of the 2024/25 Hong Kong season. The legendary former New Zealand champion trainer has had a campaign to forget, languishing near the bottom of the trainers’ championship table with just 21 victories, and presently with a depleted stable of gallopers. Maybe a [...]
No rain but More Thunder looks set to hit Newmarket July 8, 2025 AS WE head towards the weekend and an incoming heatwave, the ground is sure to be rattling quick come the Saturday of Newmarket’s three-day July Festival. Conditions will pose no worry to connections of leading Bunbury Cup (2.50pm) hope, MORE THUNDER, who flew home to miss out by the narrowest of margins in the Wokingham [...]
Go down the Fox and Hand to crack John Smith’s puzzle July 8, 2025 SATURDAY sees York stage the John Smith’s Cup (3.10pm) – one of the most valuable Flat handicaps run in Europe. Worth over £100,000 to the winner, it’s no surprise that entries for this extended mile-and-a-quarter event are full of progressive horses from top yards. William Haggas’ Archivist heads the betting at 6/1, but he isn’t [...]
Magic Wong can add to his local Legend with more wins July 8, 2025 SERIOUS bettors will have one eye on the weather in Hong Kong, before a highly competitive nine-race programme gets underway at Happy Valley at 11.40am today. The forecast of heavy showers and possible thunderstorms during the action could scupper the chances of many in-form gallopers who have shown their best form on a fast surface [...]
Class-dropper Denfield capable of defying top-weight July 8, 2025 FORM students are guaranteed to have been burning the midnight oil to find the likely winners of some fiendishly difficult concluding races on the Happy Valley card. The Begonia Handicap (3.15pm), run over nine furlongs, includes a host of handicappers who can win on their best form, while a few lightly raced contenders could prove [...]