Saturday's free feature is the Trainer/Jockey Combo (TJC) report, which works by bringing together the form of trainers and jockeys into a single composite report that has produced excellent results for users. Basically, some trainers turn to specific riders when they have one ‘ready to win’ and this report quickly identifies the most profitable of those combinations. Clicking on any row will reveal the entries for that trainer/jockey pairing whilst clicking on the entry will open the race in a new tab.
HINT: Look for a good sample size – ideally five or more – combined with a decent win percentage (30%+), and a positive figure in the profit columnand as ever, please refer to our User Guide for further information.
My own settings for the TJC Report look like this...
...and they have generated the following for me to consider...
...in addition to our selection of daily 'free' races...
12.35 Lingfield
1.45 Lingfield
1.57 Wetherby
2.32 Wetherby
2.40 Kempton
The sharper-eyed amongst will have noticed that one runner from my TJC Report goes in one of our free races, which means I should take a look at that race. I wouldn't normally go anywhere near this kind of race normally (too many runners!), but shall we see if we can quickly identify a possible E/W bet or two in the Lanzarote? That's the 2.40 Kempton on your cards and it's a 20-runner, Class 2, 4yo+ handicap hurdle over 2m5f on soft ground. Our selection from the TJC Report won the race last year for the same trainer/jockey combo and here's how they line up...
FORM : Scarface comes here on a hat-trick but Red Risk, Quinta do Mar, Fifty Ball, Green Glory, Outlaw Peter, Mark of Gold & Rathmacknee all won last time out and the last three on that have won two of their last three, whilst Whizz Kid and Hermes Boy are both winless in five.
CLASS : Ten of these (Pentland Hills, last year's winner Cobblers Dream, Quinta Do Mar, West Balboa, Fifty Ball, Outlaw Peter, Up for Parol, Dubrovnik Harry, Rathmacknee & Hermes Boy) all move up one class and Mark of Gold steps up two levels, but top weight Camprond and Stag Horn both drop down from Class 1 (Gr2 and Gr1 respectively), leaving just seven who ran at this grade LTO.
ANYTHING NEW/DIFFERENT : No new headgear or any wind ops, but Pentland Hills, West Balboa & Green Glory make just their second handicap starts, whilst class dropper Stag Horn & Outlaw Peter are both on handicap debut.
COURSE/DISTANCE FORM : Last year's winner (obviously!) Cobblers Dream has won over course and distance, as has Outlaw Peter, but we've no other Kempton winners. However Red Risk, Stag Horn, Harbour Lake, Shantou Express, West Balboa, Fifty Ball, Rathmacknee and Scarface have all scored over similar trip to this 2m5f one.
LAST RACE : At 276, 281 and 293 days respectively, Up For Parol, Stag Horn and Fifty Ball all return from at least nine months 'rest'. Outlaw Peter was last seen ten weeks ago, but the remainder have all raced in the last two months with Hermes Boy out as recently as a fortnight ago as a Uttoxeter runner-up on New Year's Eve.
AGE : Petit Tonnerre is the 'baby' of the pack, taking on 5 x 6yos, 9 x 7yos and 5 x 8yos in a race that 6yos have fared best in over the last 25 years.
In addition to the course/distance winners above, eleven of these have won on soft ground already and five have won at this grade, as documented here by Instant Expert...
...where Stag Horn looks pretty well suited by conditions. Pentland Hills, Up for Parol and Hermes Boy don't have great soft ground form and Red Risk has a poor record at Class 2 with Whizz Kid also 0/4 at this level. Quinta Do Mar doesn't look like he'll be suited by the race either, but most of these to have tackled the trip have done well enough.
The report about last year's race said of the winners, Cobblers Dream..."prominent, led before 2 out, ridden after 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on strongly run-in ..." as he won by 5.5 lengths and although the sample size is fairly small, I'd suggest that such an approach is going to pan out better than being held up...
...which based on their most recent outings...
...probably doesn't bode well for all those from Mark of Gold downwards, excepting perhaps Cobblers Dream and Harbour Lake.
Summary
It's a pretty open-looking race to be fair, but the standouts are Scarface, Outlaw Peter, Mark of Gold & Rathmacknee on form. Cobblers Dream and Outlaw Peter have won over course and distance and Stag Horn caught the eye on Instant Expert. I also want to be in the upper half of the pace chart and based on everything above, the ones that interest me most are Scarface, Outlaw Peter, Rathmacknee, Cobblers Dream and Stag Horn.
I think all five have a decent chance of making the frame, whilst Outlaw Peter might not be a bad win shout at 7/1 and with most bookies paying six places (Sky pay seven!), you could make a pretty good E/W case for Scarface, Rathmacknee, Cobblers Dream and Stag Horn at odds of 20/1, 18/1, 18/1 and 14/1 respectively.
Friday is Horses For Courses (H4C) report day at Geegeez and this feature does exactly what you'd expect, as it shows the full course history since 2009 of any horse running that has previously had a run at that track, sorted by number of wins, but this can be changed to any column at your discretion.
As well as today’s race time, course, horse name, jockey and trainer name, there is a breakdown of runs, wins and places, and profit and loss calculations for both win and each way betting. And as with all Geegeez reports, there is a ‘Today’ and a ‘Tomorrow’ (for the next day’s racing) view.
HINT: Layers might like to look towards the lower end of the report, for those with negative performance at the track, but please refer to our User Guide for further information.
...have yielded the following trio of qualifiers for Friday...
...and I can still fall back upon our daily list of 'free' races...
2.40 Lingfield
3.00 Huntingdon
3.30 Huntingdon
3.55 Dundalk
4.00 Huntingdon
Three on the bounce from Huntingdon hardly seems random, but that's the luck of the draw and I think I'm going to shun the free races to look at the two H4C report horses in the 3.40 Lingfield, a 7-runner, Class 5, 4yo+ fillies A/W handicap over a left-handed 1m2f on standard polytrack...
No LTO winners here, but Rikona won two starts ago and was a runner-up on her last outing. Sundayinmay was also a recent runner-up, as she has been three times in her last five contests. Elsewhere no real form to consider.
D Day Odette has made the frame just once in her eight winless race career and she now drops in class to run here, but both Sundayinmay and Miss Elsa step up a level. Connections of another 8-race maiden, Thefastnthecurious, will hope that a first-time visor helps their mare make the frame for the first on the A/W after three failures to date.
Yet despite the field's apparent poor form and lack of wins, three of the seven (Rikona, Midgetonamission and Miss Elsa) have all scored over course and distance, whilst Sundayinmay is two from three over a mile and a half on this track. Star from Afarhh, like the two maidens mentioned above, has failed to win at either track or trip.
She (Star) has been off the track the longest of this group, but at 37 days since her last run, the lay-off shouldn't really matter. Only Rikona has raced in 2023, finishing half a length behind the winner over 1m3f at Southwell on New Year's Day. She's one of four 4 yr olds in the race with Miss Elsa the "veteran" at seven!
With this field having a combined win & place percentages of 11.48% and 31.97% respectively (39 places including 14 wins from a combined 122 starts), I'm not to hopeful of gleaning much from Instant Expert, but you never know until you look...
We're obviously only going to get reds from the two maidens at the top of the card and most of these have toiled at Class 5, but Miss Elsa has respectable figures at least, especially just on the All-Weather and at 16lbs lower than her last win, might be well weighted here. The two runners drawn lowest have the best records here at Lingfield. With the lack of much data action above, I think I should see if the overall & A/W place figures can help us...
...where Rikona looks a very strong candidate to make the frame here, as do Sundayinmay and Miss Elsa. Midgetonamission loves it here at Lingfield and gets the trip readily, but all her form is at Class 6. It's interesting (to me, anyway) that the two that look best on that last graphic are drawn at polar opposites in the stalls in berths 1 and 7, so it's time to consult the draw analyser to see which, if any, of them might be best suited. My usual caveat is in place, of course, that over 10f, the draw should have the same effect as over 5f, but let's check that draw analyser...
And aside from what looks an anomalous set of figures for stall 4 (poor Star from Afarhh), my caveat seems to be pretty accurate. Yes high draws do better than low draws, but if you look at the actual data, there's really very little in it...
The Pace Analyser, however, does give us more to work with from those races above...
...showing a pretty clear advantage to biding one's time in mid-division. We log how every horse runs in the UK and we can show you the last four outings for each of these seven runners and it's a score of around 2 we're looking for. Higher is OK, but hold-up horses haven't done well at all..
...and we've got a mixed bag here. Miss Elsa likes to race prominently, but tends not to lead. Rikona's best form has come from a hold-up position. I'd expect Thefastnthecurious to be fairly advanced in the field with Miss Elsa. Sundayinmay and D Day Odette look like our mid-div runners we were looking for and although Star from Afarrh led last time out, I suspect she'll be held up with Midgetonamission.
There's a fair bit of conjecture and interpretation there, admittedly, but I think Sundayinmay just about shades the pace verdict, as she marginally did on draw. We can combine the draw & pace data to form our unique Geegeez heat maps as follow...
...where mid to high drawn mid div runners win most often closely followed by the high drawn leaders, whilst the high drawn mid-div runners & leaders again score well on places. Based on what we've seen above, here's how I think the race might unfold in draw order...
In truth, I think it's going to be a falsely-run race with nobody really wanting to take it on and that would just play into the hands of the 'better' runners here. A few of these might be better off breaking out and having a go at it, most are expected to lose anyway.
Summary
For me the two best runners in the race are Rikona and Sundayinmay, sadly the bookies (as of 4.50pm) agree with me and have them as 11/8 and 5/2 market principals and it's probably an indictment of how poor the race is when the top weight and 8-race maiden (D Day Odette) is next in line at 4/1. If any were to emerge from the pack to challenge the favourites, then Midgetonamission certainly loves it here and at 18/1 with both Hills & Bet365 paying three places, she might be worth a couple of pennies as an E/W interest.
The 1-2, however, should be Rikona and Sundayinmay and I think I'd like the latter from the H4C report to beat the former.
Thursday's feature of the day is full access for all readers to the Instant Expert tab on the racecards. This is by far the most popular tab in the geegeez racecards. The reason? It has the ability to condense the entire form profile of every runner in the race into a single, easily digestible, view.
The report covers the form in terms of wins (or places), runs, and win (or place) percentage for each of going, class, course, distance, and field size. It also compares today’s official rating with the horse’s last winning official rating. The display is colour coded: green for a higher percentage rate, amber for a middling percentage, and red for a low percentage. Horses with no form under a certain condition have grey figures.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Where a horse has no UK/Irish form – i.e. it is having its first run in Britain or Ireland under Rules – it will not show up on Instant Expert at all. And every Thursday we make this open to all readers for all races, including our free ones, which will be...
12.15 Clonmel
2.50 Catterick
3.35 Newcastle
3.55 Catterick
As ever, I do like to look at the extremes of racing and that leads me to the 2.50 Catterick, a 7-runner, Class 3, 5yo+ handicap chase over 3m6f on heavy ground...
None of these come here off the back of a winning run, but Bushypark and the sole mare in the race, Legend's Ryde, did at least make the frame whilst Burbank, Cyclop & Sam's Adventure all failed to finish. Burbank and legend's Ryde are the only two with a 'recent' win. Burbank and Sam's Adventure both now drop down from Class 2 and the latter now wears a first-time visor, whilst Cyclop's last outing was in a Class 1 handicap.
Bushypark was a runner-up last Saturday after having been pulled up in all four runs in 2022 and he's back out just five days later. That said, all his rivals have raced in the last six weeks. The mare Legend's Ryde is the 'baby' of the field at the age of eight, whilst Cyclops, the sole distance winner is now the ripe old age of 12.
Feature of the day is Instant Expert, so let's look at this field's overall NH form and also just chase stats...
Generally Burbank and Thunderosa haven't gone well in the mud and the latter is probably the weakest runner in the race and hasn't really impressed at in making the frame just once in ten starts over fences. Four of these are Class 3 winners, although it has taken Cyclops thirty races to amass just three wins, but he is also the only distance winner in the field. Only Thunderosa has raced here previously.
Onto chase form...
...which looks a little more promising from a going/class perspective, but no real stand-out candidate. Thunderosa still looks the weakest, as he did when last home of four here on New Year's Day. He was held up in rear that day and never landed a blow in a near-40 length defeat. Those tactics were unusual for a horse who normally races towards the head of affairs as shown on our pace logs...
...and if reverts to his usual tactics, he could well keep Bushypark company in the early stages of a race on a track that hasn't been too kind to hold-up horses in staying chases in the mud...
...but those leading the way have thrived and I suspect this will help Bushypark more than Thunderosa who has yet to prove himself as a stayer.
Summary
The one I initially like here is Legend's Ryde. She ran well at Cheltenham last out and was third of six in a Listed race in November. She likes the mud and gets on really well with jockey Gavin Sheehan and with three wins/two further places from nine over fences, she's a good benchmark for this field.
My doubts about her stem from the fact that she's only gone beyond three miles on four occasions and has never raced further than her 3m2½f win at Fontwell last March. I've had a quick look at the market and I can't back her at 3/1, it's just too short for me with those doubts about the trip.
The other one posing a conundrum is 5/2 favourite Bushypark. He won over hurdles in Feb'21 and then next time out, but over fences nearly ten months later off a mark of 132. He was raised to 137 and toiled, going down by almost 90 lengths at the end of 2021.
He was then pulled up in all four runs last year, but was then a runner-up at Newcastle last week, only headed late on in a 1.5 length defeat. He's unexposed (3 starts inc 1 win) over fences and is 13lbs lower than his last winning mark and if in the same mood as last week, should be the one to beat. 5/2 is a bit skinny, but i think that's down to a lack of real opposition.
The Breeders' Cup action on the tracks at Keeneland was, barring the high class procession of Flightline in the Classic, fiercely contested and highly emotionally charged. So, too, was betting the races; and, for this punter at least, it was a white knuckle roller coaster of a weekend. Allow me to elaborate...
A feature of playing big meetings is the availability of futures - or ante post, if you prefer - markets: more generous prices offered ahead of time when there is less certainty about which horses will run, what form they will be in, and how the races will set up. In the days leading up to the event, I had what the latest markets suggested was a solid value book and, importantly, had largely dodged the dreaded no shows.
Alas, that luck didn't hold with Laurel River getting scratched from the Dirt Mile the day before. 7/1 about a 3/1 shot is decent; 7/1 about a non-runner is, well, not decent. That's the futures game in a nutshell right there.
To Friday, and five two-year-old contests, three of them on the turf. How would the Europeans fare? And how would the portfolio hold up?! The opening Juvenile Turf Sprint would offer a tentative answer to both questions.
Love Reigns had been available at 8/1 a few days prior to race day - highlighted in this post as a likely shortener - and was sent off the 3.14/1 favourite for Wesley Ward, seeking a fourth straight win in the race; it's only been on the card for five years! That one broke only OK but couldn't run with the British speedsters who, led by Mischief Magic, finished 1-2-4-5. I'd had little bets on a few US horses (they'd won all four prior renewals) and they're mostly still running... I did nick a couple of quid with Dramatised's fine run but neither she nor any other was a match for Charlie Appleby's colt.
Next came the Juvenile Fillies and a contention that the Alcibiades, run over the same course and distance four weeks prior, was the key race. There, Wonder Wheel beat Chop Chop by a rapidly diminishing nose, with Raging Sea third. Chop Chop was the bet and 6/1 was secured (having flagged her at 8's and been too tardy to actually get any of that). She went off a little bigger than 9/4 but had no chance, getting a five wide transit throughout and eased off in the straight, with Wonder Wheel winning again and Raging Sea again finishing third. The winner was impressive under different tactics - she was supposed to be front rank but missed the bus! - and would probably have won anyway.
Staying with the two-year-old fillies but on the grass now, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, it was time for Europe to try to win their third renewal on the occasion of the fifteenth running. Not a strong record, but Aidan O'Brien had peppered the target in spite of never having won the race. I'd fielded against the British and Irish, with their very poor race record, and had some fancy prices about a clutch of American runners. It was money back on G Laurie after she scratched the day before; and I was cheering 20/1 Free Look or 40/1 Pleasant Passage to get in front.
We all know what Meditate did: she was much the best and dominated in the straight. But with 13/2 or so Pleasant Passage running second, and 15/2 Free Look less than a length behind her in fifth, it was another close but no cigar event for this punter.
After two second places at decent prices, and a favourite taken at 6/1 who was the 'right answer with the wrong trip', it wasn't going especially well. And it would be going worse after the Juvenile...
In that penultimate Breeders' Cup Friday race, I'd played a 'no brainer' double finishing in the Mile with Modern Games and starting with Bob Baffert's Cave Rock. I feared the inside drawn Hurricane J as a pace spoiler and, as it turned out, was right to because that one ensured Cave Rock - sent off just less than 1/2 - did a tap more than ideal in chasing the lead. As they entered the straight, up loomed east coast champ Forte to run the jolly down.
Another second and it was starting to smart. At least this time, I picked up a few shekels for the place part on National Treasure, the second of four horses flagged in the 'bet these now' post from a week or so prior. He returned 8/1 and only 1/2 for the 'show' (i.e. to finish 3rd or better).
Finally on the opening day we had the Juvenile Turf, with the raiders bidding for a clean sweep on the sod and me bidding to get things back on track. This time I'd swung at an Appleby - not the only one across the weekend as will become apparent - in the form of progressive Autumn Stakes winner Silver Knott. In my quest for value, I'd merely supplanted big prices on this occasion, with the exception of 8/1 win only on Silver K.
Naturally, he found just a dash of traffic in his daring rail run while Victoria Road charmed himself through the eye of a needle between horses to prevail by a nose. The four remaining plays in the race, three of them over-staked most likely, are currently asking for directions to the jam stick somewhere towards the end of the back straight.
At the end of day one with the UK books I'd staked £586 and returned a skimpy £129.48. Meanwhile, in tote action, I had bought a $500 betting voucher and converted that into $708 by close of play, mainly thanks to a patriotic (of sorts) $20 exacta Victoria Road over Silver Knott; so a little more than £250 down overall on Friday. Far from a drama at this point, and I at least had some betting tokens for day two, as well as an equally healthy looking portfolio for the Saturday.
*
Breeders' Cup Saturday is a goliath of a race day: nine main event races bookended by two or three undercard heats make for an eleven or, as in this case, twelve race card. Even just focusing on the Cup stuff, which was the case for me, is a momentous undertaking. I was up early - everyone needed to be with a first post time of 10.30am - and had scribbled my tote plays into a notebook.
These are them, and I placed them all prior to the first race, something I've never done before and which turned out to be a godsend.
Total stakes were $1173 rather than $965 due to a) backing Cody's Wish for fifty bucks, and b) immediately recycling the return on that on two losers in the FM Turf. Sigh. Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Saturday's curtain raiser was the Filly and Mare Sprint, a race in which I've had plenty of success backing bombs down the years and, with a ton of early speed in the pre-entries, I was excited to swing big again. But, when first Letruska and then Hot Peppers - both out and out need the lead types - were scratched, it notably diluted the front end heat. We still had Slammed, Lady Rocket and Echo Zulu, each of which had led or been within half a length at the first call in three of their last four starts, so the bomb play remained viable to some degree.
The whole position hung on a contention that favoured Midnight Olive might i) be over-estimated and ii) burn herself out chasing a too hot tempo. Long story slightly shorter, it just didn't play out that way: the first half went in 22.10, 44.89, which is quick enough; but the speed held up and Olive showed plenty of class to win by daylight.
Tote tickets with big-priced deep closers on top went on the spike. As did my only ante post play, on the sole Japanese runner, Chain Of Love, who, after a taking late rally both in the Dubai Golden Shaheen and in Japan last time, showed absolutely nada here. The other two deep closers - Obligatory and Chi Town Lady - did what they do but always at a respectful distance (respectively 14.5 and 16 lengths off the front at the first call!)
Having projected the opener completely wrong, I then managed to totally overlook Caravel, winner of the Turf Sprint, when doing form previews of 'all' runners. This was a potent combination of embarrassing and annoying, not that she'd have featured highly on my shortlist save for the good looking track and trip win last time out. I certainly wouldn't have played her 'on top', so that's something, I guess.
In the end, as well as ante post plays Arrest Me Red (ran fine, not good enough) and a double kicking off with Golden Pal (dreadfully dull effort), I added a few day of race darts including the Appleby duo and a defensive play on Flotus at about a million to one on the board. Also limped in with a very narrow Pick 4 guess. Limped back out again about 55.77 seconds later - in fairness, so did most other people who probably staked more into that pool than me.
Chazza's Creative Force closed well into third without ever threatening the (pretty impressive) winner; Emaraaty Ana ran another stormer in second and Highfield Princess performed perfectly well in fourth. The $100 US tote chip on her was lost but she was, like most of my tickets, value when comparing available odds.
The Turf Sprint was the only grass race won by the home team all weekend as it transpired, British runners finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th in what was still a strong non-winning display.
"System going well, send more money" was the summary at this point. And, in the Dirt Mile, some respite. A lazy, chalky bullseye on story horse Cody's Wish - see below - was a relative shot in the arm to at least stem the flow: nice little cocktail of mixed metaphor there...
There's no doubt Flightline delivered the most powerful racing performance of the weekend. But was there anything better than this?
Cody's Wish was given a measured ride to out-finish the extremely busy and admirably tough Cyberknife who went down fighting. I'd had a good looking investment on late nonner, Laurel River, and my wise guy exacta selections - one of which was the other horse I backed in Britain, Simplification - took the wrong course, or something.
Check out Cody's on the jockey cam
Onwards, as is relentlessly the case through the top class nonet of wagering conundrums (wasn't sure if it should be 'conundra', so googled and discovered a very fun - if utterly nerdy - answer here) on day 2 at BC.
[Aside: Six-eight Friday/Saturday would work so much better, but we don't really need another juvenile race - dirt sprint?! - which would only make it seven-nine in any case; and moving one of the older horse Saturday races would be incongruent, so guess we're staying like this for now]
It was the Filly & Mare Turf next with its host of Euro entries. I was as cool as a refrigerated cucumber on the chances of the Ballydoyle 'T' brace, Tuesday and Toy, but all around the vibes - ah, yes, the vibes - were strong, especially about the Oaks winner. My contention had been she wasn't needing a bigger than quarter mile drop in trip; the counter - made by, clearly, smarter judges than me - was that she was crying out for it. Turned out she was. Luckily for me, one of the shroods was Neil, with whom I'd chewed the form cud for much of the weekend. His bet of the day, I couldn't ignore her, especially at 6/1 in a place.
It is, as they say, far better to be lucky than good. Having been neither heretofore, I borrowed someone else's good for ten minutes and caught some luck.
In point of fact, I'd been good enough to back second-placed In Italian each way at 7/1 - she went off 3/1 - and lucky enough that she made all bar the last fifty yards of the running. But the same tote board tempted me into a rapid release of my Cody coin, first with $100 on Nashwa at 4/1 (her price then proceeded to crash to a little better than 5/2, at which she'd have been no bet) and then $50 Above The Curve who ran no race this time. In the finish, with a $5 exacta returning $110, this was slightly better than a scratch race overall. But, left to my own devices, it would have been a car crash. Jeez.
The middle leg on Saturday, race five, was the Sprint, and the first of two coronations. Or so we/I thought. Jackie's Warrior had been much the best in the division all season, figured to get an easy lead, had had legit excuses (stamina, injury) when failing at odds on the past two Breeders' Cups, and, well, he'd just win, wouldn't he?
One of my learnings from the weekend - which I should already know - is that, when it looks like one horse will get a soft lead, it's information that every rider in the race will be aware of; as such, the chance of such an eventuality diminishes, and the price needs to reflect that scope for something different to play out. 4/5 is not a price that permits much uncertainty at all, and so my third - and, mercifully, final - punchy short odds double was waved adios as the #7 horse, Super Ocho, two boxes inside Jackie's Warrior, dished it up to the champ-elect on the front end through five of the six eighths of a mile. Then along came the big improver this season, Elite Power, with a strong finish to roll on by. JW was sufficiently cooked that the octogenarian (OK, unfair, he's eight, not 80) C Z Warrior also shuffled his Zimmer frame past in the final strides.
This was a hideous bet for me, coupling a non-runner and a pair of shorties both of whom failed to make the place position let alone the win. The first two home were nowhere on my exotics either so, head shaking like a sideways Churchill pooch, we pushed on pronto.
Well into the second half, then, and I've yet to have a winning opinion of my own. I was feeling pretty down in the chops by this point, and I didn't really have anything to cheer in the Mile after Cave Rock had done for my value double with Modern Games. I'd backed Annapolis at 10's because I felt he had to be shorter by the off, and I had some tote action firmly centred on Modern G. I meant to back Ivar but didn't, which would have been annoying assuming the books had paid four places and a relief if they paid three. And I played a bit of Order of Australia and Kinross at his ridiculous US tote price of 9.39/1: I didn't like him at 3/1 back home but this was a bit insulting.
More losers, more self-flagellation and wagering-wise I was in what felt like as big a hole in a couple of days as I'd been since some reckless punting ventures of many moons ago. I'd done about $750 on the tote to this point, but had $250 left of those wagers placed before racing; but my ante post book was in tatters: £1300 staked, £600 returned. Writing that now, it's not nearly as terrible as I'd perceived, but when you're caught up in a really fast-moving moment like Breeders' Cup Saturday lucid thinking can fail even the best of us - and certainly me.
There were three races left and I needed a minor miracle to get out breathing, or so I thought without the benefit of the bean counting in the stanza above. It was the Distaff next, and I'd made a stinky each way play on Malathaat at 3/1 () believing that the eight pre-entries would reduce to seven with one filly claiming first preference elsewhere. If ever a bet deserved to get whacked, it was this one. But, with so many on the spike that arguably deserved better, the perversity of the betting deities was on show yet again.
In the best finish of the meeting - a three-way shootout separated by nostrils - Malathaat just edged Blue Stripe with Clairiere rounding out the podium positions. The winner paid 2.88/1 compared to my 3/1. I mean, I'd take it if you offered me it on every 3/1 ticket struck, but... With a couple of place bob on Clairiere each way at 14/5, too, this felt massive. Again, it felt bigger than it was. Such can be the heightened sensitivity of a marathon punting sesh.
Additionally, I had taken a couple of wimpy Pick 3's starting in the Distaff, rolling through the Turf and ending in the Classic. This is the losing $1 version, and I played a $3 version with the same horses in legs 1 and 2, and the big guy in the Classic.
In fairness, they may have been narrow but they left well touted Nest off the Distaff leg, and that helped. If not yet quite back in the game, it was at least looking a little less like a motorway pile up and veering towards a shattered headlight, to continue with the utterly unsuitable vehicular metaphor.
But then came something approaching divine intervention in the Breeders' Cup Turf. I knew from midsummer I wanted to be with Charlie in anything beyond a mile on the lawns, and I'd seen a quote mid-September that Nations Pride and Rebel's Romance were slated to get on the 'plane. In their final preps, both took the eye in differing ways: Nations battered his rivals at Aqueduct while Rebel's showed a rarely-seen-in-distance-racers turn of pace before flattening (or maybe idling) in a German Group 1; he still won there. Both were 12/1. Well, I went and backed 'em though I wasn't allowed much. Fair enough, I suppose. A week before, I had a bit of a saver on War Like Goddess, and before racing began I'd played boldly in exactas and trifectas with four Euro horses, the Appleby pair as 'A' picks on top.
It went really rather better than anything to that point. And thank crikey for that.
After drawing £720 I was now in front on the ante post book, a scarcely plausible position from just an hour ago. As well as that, I'd cashed a $10 exacta with Rebel's Romance on top of Stone Age, another horse I was against when doing the form but drawn to by 'the vibes'. The exacta paid $69.87 for a dollar, so $698.70 for ten. I'd played some $5 trifectas with Charlie over Aidan/Charlie over Aidan/Charlie. Not quite, but could conceivably have put the Goddess underneath: it came up $175.27 for each 50 cent unit. Woulda coulda shoulda.
Emotions were up and up by now. Some people say you shouldn't get emotional when betting, but not me. I want to be moved by both the action and the outcome. I want to feel good and, yes, I want to feel bad; that's the game: we need the bad beats to give us emotional context for when it goes our way, to elevate the sense of joy, relief, excitement, vindication. That's why we bet. It's why I bet at any rate. Those who use an algo to nick a few quid... well good luck to them but what a soulless existence.
Here's the Rebel, reprising that late gear change and getting me boisterous in the process:
And so to the climax of the meeting, the Breeders' Cup Classic, and a fella named Flightline. I had those two Pick 3's live into the Classic and there's little doubt the dollar versions were going to pay more than the three buck single through the jolly. I did also have a couple of weirdo bits and pieces staked a while back, including a non-runner, a forgotten Ky Derby winner, and some smaller staked each way filth; but I was only rooting for one man here, Flavien Prat, Flightline's jockey.
The race had a clear shape to it - as clear as any race can given the comments made in the Sprint section above - and this one went with the script: Life Is Good, an extremely classy if one-dimensional front end brute, surged on with Flightline tailgating on the snaff. At the top of the stretch, with Irad Ortiz throwing the lot at Life Is Good, Prat asked his lad to lengthen: the verdict was instant.
Flightline bounded away, Life Is Good a fading shape in the rear view mirrors; the gallant trailblazer eventually eased out to fifth place, surpassed in the final quarter by all of Olympiad, Taiba and Rich Strike respectively. The final margin of victory was eight and a quarter lengths, taking Flightline's six-race career aggregate winning margin to 71 lengths! It's just a shame we won't see any more of him as he feels like he's only really getting started.
Epicenter, second betting choice, unfortunately sustained an injury, which has been successfully operated on since and, though he has been retired from racing, the prognosis is good that this super-consistent three-year-old - winner of the Grade 1 Travers and second in two Triple Crown races including the Kentucky Derby - will be able to take up stallion duties in due course.
After the Turf, I was able to watch this almost exclusively as a sporting event rather than a wagering one, and that was just great. I cashed the Pick 3, which didn't pay much ($123) but was a welcome contribution to the bottom line. In terms of that bottom line, buying a voucher and then keeping most winning tickets until the end (I did cash and 're-invest' the Cody chip) makes it easy to track profit and loss. I bought a $500 voucher on Friday, topped it up with $300 before racing on Saturday and didn't pay with 'folding' for a bet thereafter. So the $868 and pennies I cashed the winning tickets in for after the last represented a most improbable - and waffery-thin - positive outcome. Likewise on the UK books P&L:
Having published detailed thoughts on every race here, it was more the ignominy of sending so many geegeez readers inadvertently in the wrong direction that smarted most. Obviously, I bet within my parameters of comfort - though Saturday did take me away from the centre of that zone - but what is never comfortable for me is when I have publicly shared the name of a horse I think is worth betting: it's pressure I can't handle, truth be told. With luck, at least some of you will have found a way to the pay window through the weekend. [Regardless of how the results go, it's always the same - large - amount of labour to work through the form. Sometimes the effort is rewarded, often now. That's how it is, eh?]
I very much hope you enjoyed the Breeders' Cup show, especially the brilliant performances by the Euro squad - not just the winners but 'we' laid siege to the places as well - and that boyo in the Classic.
Matt
**
post script
A few things I learned, or about which I was reminded:
Short-priced horses habitually get beaten at the Breeders' Cup because the races are so deep. Doubling them up doesn't really make sense. [Note to self]
European horses seem to love Keeneland: they're 12/20 in the three Breeders' Cups here, the 6/7 this year bettering 4/7 in 2020 and 2/6 in 2015.
Betting race to race is emotionally challenging. The very best thing I did was to strike the majority of bets before the first. Whilst conceding the chance to scout the prices pre-race, it took emotion out of the thought process (but not the race watching process), leading to more reasoned wagers.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, especially in pursuit of a late night weekend winner!
**
COMPETITION TIME
I managed to bring a few souvenirs back with me and thought they'd make a nice raffle prize. As they say across the pond, here's what I got...
Click on the image to view full size
- Programmes from both Friday's and Saturday's meetings
- A Daily Racing Form for Friday's card
- Some Kentucky 'horse country' brochures
- A Breeders' Cup lanyard
- A Breeders' Cup tote bag
- Uncashed $1 win bet on Flightline
Plus three runners up prizes of an uncashed $1 win bet on Flightline
To be in with a chance to win, simply go here and enter your name and email. These details will ONLY be used to contact you for postal address if you're a winner. One entry per person. Duplicate entries will be disqualified. Good luck!
Matt
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MischiefMagic_JTS.png320830Matt Bisognohttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngMatt Bisogno2022-11-08 09:51:262023-09-11 18:32:35Betting the Breeders’ Cup Rollercoaster
This time next week the first five, of fourteen, Breeders' Cup races will be upon us. Friday is juvenile day, with nine older horse Championship races following on Saturday, and the action - both on track and in the betting - will be feverish.
One of the beauties of the Breeders' Cup is the convergence of US and European (and sometimes Japanese and South American) form, and the differences of opinion that British and American bettors have. With that in mind, what follows are four horses that look likely to shorten from their current prices and represent a bit of value a week from now.
Love Reigns (Juvenile Turf Sprint)
Wesley Ward has won this for the past three years and has just a single runner this time around. He puts his faith in Love Reigns, a fast starter who won over course and distance on her debut. She was a fine fourth to re-opposing Dramatised at Royal Ascot but didn't quite see out that demanding straight five with an uphill finish. Since returning to America, she's won again over the turning five and half furlong range in spite of taking a lead to the first turn.
All four winners of the Juvenile Turf Sprint have led all the way and, while she does face a couple of possible pace contenders in The Platinum Queen and Tyler's Tribe, she is likely to be very popular with the American betting public.
The Platinum Queen represents Britain and she's a fast filly, as demonstrated by her win in the Prix de l'Abbaye in receipt of chunks of weight against elders; but she has never raced around a turn before and that's a different ball game. It doesn't mean she can't handle a turn but her current price implies she definitely will. She only definitely might!
8/1 Love Reigns looks on the big side.
National Treasure (Juvenile)
Love him or hate him, Bob Baffert has a stranglehold on the juvenile colt dirt division, and is doubly represented here. He saddles the strong favourite, Cave Rock, who is unbeaten in three and stretched out to this trip for a comfortable five length Grade 1 win last time. And he also saddles the less exposed National Treasure, who chased Cave Rock home in that G1, the American Pharoah at Santa Anita.
There is a good chance that Cave Rock is just much the best, but even then something has to finish second and third, and National Treasure's Beyer speed figure is already the clear second pick in the race. He is entitled to improve on what will only be his third career start and was able to rate the pace set by Cave Rock meaning he's versatile in terms of run style. A horse called Hurricane J is unlikely to trouble the judge but he could be a pace spoiler for the favourite early on, and we don't know how the Baffert beast will cope with early contention: it might weaken his ability in the stretch.
Regardless, National Treasure looks over-priced in an each way context at 12/1 in a place.
Malathaat (Distaff)
Malathaat is only 3/1 but she perhaps deserves to be favourite for the Distaff. She's a dual Grade 1 scorer this season, has the highest speed figure in the field (jointly with Clairiere) and has never been out of the first three in seven tries at the nine furlong trip. She's unbeaten in three at host track Keeneland, including two at the trip, one of which was last time out by more than five lengths in a Grade 1. A half length third in last year's race, she's upped her game a length since then and - if she doesn't get too far back early in what might not be an especially rapidly run race - is the one to beat.
She's available at 3/1 with three places each way with one firm, even though of the eight pre-entries is already stated as having her first preference in another race.
Taiba (Classic)
This could simply be the Flightline show, that unbeaten colt recording some off the scale numbers this season in totally savaging his rivals. And I hope it will be just that, because he might be the best since Secretariat, which is to say the best for fifty years. His win in the Pacific Classic last time was preposterous: it was his first try at the Classic trip of ten furlongs and stamina was supposedly a doubt. He won that Grade 1 by 19 1/4 lengths with the Dubai World Cup winner in second and another seven lengths back to a legit G1 horse in third!
He's an absolute monster but... he has been fragile, as his five race - all carefully spaced apart - career implies. And his trainer, John Sadler, has had some shocking fortune in the Breeders' Cup: having saddled bundles of fancied horses, his sole triumph from 54 BC starters is the 2018 Classic winner, Accelerate. This will be Flightline's second venture outside southern California, an Achilles heel for many of his trainer's Breeders' Cup runners in the past. He was his least assured - though still much the best - on his previous foray out of state, in the Met Mile at Belmont. In fairness, it's unlikely even Sadler's bad ju-ju will stop this lad; but, again, something has to run second and third.
In that context, Taiba, another out of the Baffert barn, looks likely to shorten. A three-year-old unraced at two, Taiba is by rock hard Classic winner Gun Runner, and his sole heavy defeat was in the massive field Kentucky Derby. He was also a head second in the G1 Haskell before stepping forward to win by three lengths in the Penn Derby, a favoured Baffert Classic prep.
His price - 12/1 - is made mainly by Flightline of course, but also by a horse called Life Is Good, a need-the-lead speedball who has only raced beyond nine furlongs once, when failing to get home in the Dubai World Cup at this mile and a quarter range. In fairness, he's tough on the lead but I imagine he will be wilting in the stretch.
Epicenter - conditioned by Gun Runner's trainer, Steve Asmussen - looks more legitimate for the frame. He's a strong stayer and will be unhurried while the fireworks are lit ahead of him; but he cannot fill out second and third spots, and he's more exposed than Taiba (ten lifetime starts vs five). It doesn't look an especially deep Classic beyond those mentioned so, while there's an absolute superstar in there, 12/1 Taiba looks an each way multiple play on a potential shortener.
Good luck.
Matt
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/gunrunner.jpg431830Matt Bisognohttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngMatt Bisogno2022-10-28 08:31:442022-10-28 16:24:06Breeders’ Cup 2022: Four to back now
This will be the 39th renewal of the great transatlantic horseracing shemozzle that is the Breeders' Cup and, while some races are a lot newer than that, most have a historical profile worth noting. What follows are some observations based on what we've seen previously in the hope that it might help to predict what will happen in Keeneland on the first weekend in November.
Click on any highlighted race title below to move straight to that event.
7.00pm GMT: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (5f, Turf)
Key Trends (4 BC renewals to date)
A newish race, which was run for the first time on the undercard in 2017, and now has full Breeders’ Cup status. Naturally, at this stage trends are thin, so caution is strongly advised.
2017 (undercard) at Del Mar: Euro 1234
2018 US 123 (1st/2nd from wire)
2019 US 1234 (1st/2nd from wire), 2020 US 12 Euro 34 (1st from wire), 2021 US 1345 (1st from wire)
Wes Ward won last three, overall form: 200 in 2018; 149 in 2019; 1500 in 2020; 135 in 2021
First 2 winners unbeaten (1 & 2 prior starts), 2020 winner won LTO/form 221, 2021 winner won LTO/form 2121
Here at Geegeez, we take you through the eight LIVE ITV4 races this Saturday at Ascot, Redcar and Newmarket from a trends angle.
At Redcar, we've got the Two-Year-Old Trophy as their feature contest, while at Newmarket the Group One Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes takes centre stage - a race a French-trained horse has won 5 times in the last 18 years. Then at Ascot, we've four more races that include the Cumberland Lodge and John Guest Bengough Stakes, plus the ultra-competitive Challenge Cup Handicap.
Did you know? 17 of the last 19 Cumberland Lodge favourites have been placed?
Use these trends and stats to whittle down the final runners and find the best profiles of recent winner.
17/17 – Had raced in the last 5 weeks
17/17 – Won over 5f before
16/17 – Returned 11/1 or shorter in the betting
13/17 – Aged 5 or younger
12/17 – Winning distance – ½ length or shorter
13/17 – Rated 101 or higher
11/17 – Had won between 3-7 times before
9/17 – Unplaced last time out
8/17 – Yet to win at Listed or better class
9/17 – Raced at Newbury last time out
7/17 – Irish bred
3/17 – Trained by Bryan Smart
3/17 – Trained by Michael Dods (3 of last 4 runnings)
3/17 – Won last time out
2/17 – Winning favourites
8 of the last 11 winners came from stalls 8 or lower
Tis Marvellous won the race in 2021
13 of the last 14 winners came from stalls 11 or lower
The average winning SP in the last 10 years is 8/1
18/19 - Finished fourth or better last time out
17/19 – Placed favourites
16/19 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
16/19 – Had won over 1m4f before
15/19 – Returned 7/2 or shorter in the betting
14/19 – Ran within the last 6 weeks
14/19 – Won at Listed or Group class before
14/19 – Had raced at the course before (7 won)
12/19 – Winning distance 1 ¾ lengths or more
12/19 – Had 5 or more runs that season
12/19 – Had won 4 or more times before
10/19 – Won last time out
10/19 – Favourites to win
6/19 – Raced at Doncaster last time out
2/19 – Trained by Richard Hannon (2 of last 7)
2/19 – Trained by Owen Burrows (2 of last 4)
1/19 – Filly or mare winners
12 of the last 13 winners came from draws 8 or lower
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has won 2 of the last 8 runnings
The average winning SP in the last 10 years is 5/1
Note: The 2005 renewal was staged at Newmarket
13/13 – Won over 6f previously
13/13 – Officially rated 100 or higher
11/13 – Had run within the last 6 weeks
10/13 – Winning distance – 3/4 length or less
10/13 – Won 4 or more times previously
8/13 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
7/13 – Raced 6 or more times that season
5/13 – Won their previous race
4/13 – Favourites to win
3/13 – Returned a double-figure price
2/13 – Raced at the Curragh last time out
2/13 – Trained by Roger Charlton
2 of the last 4 winners came from stalls 6
8 of the last 9 winners came between stalls 5-8 (inc)
Vadream (6/1) won the race last year
Horse from stall 7 has been placed in 6 of the last 10 runnings (3 wins)
Horses from stall 5 and 7 have won 6 of the last 10 runnings
18/19 – Winning distance – 2 lengths or less
16/19 – Won between 2 and 4 previous races
16/19 – Won over 7f previously
13/19 – Had raced within the last 30 days
14/19 – Raced at Ascot previously
12/19 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
11/19 – Carried 9-1 or less in weight
9/19 – Raced 7 or more times that season
8/19 – Returned a double-figure price
8/19 – Carried 8-12 or less in weight
6/19 – Raced at Ayr last time out
6/19 – Favourites that won
2/19 – Trained by Roger Charlton
2/19 – Trained by Mick Channon
2/19 – Won their previous race
0/19 – Filly or mare winners
9 of the last 11 winners carried 9-1 or more in weight
The last 11 winners were aged 6 or younger
7 of the last 13 winners came from stalls 8-13 (inc)
5 of the last 13 horses from stall 10 were placed in the top 4
4 of the last 13 horses from stall 11 were placed in the top 3
2 of the last 3 winners came from stall 17
The average winning SP in the last 9 years is 15/2
Accidental Agent won the race in 2017
Note: The 2005 renewal was staged at Newmarket
Newmarket Horse Racing Trends (ITV/RacingTV)
1.31 - British EBF Premier Fillies´ Handicap Cl2 (3yo+) 1m2f ITV
Just 6 previous runnings
6/6 – Favourites placed in the first three
5/6 – Ran in the last 6 weeks
5/6 – Didn’t win last time out
4/6 – Returned 6/1 or shorter in the betting
4/6 – Won just once before
3/6 – Had won over 1m2f before
2/6 – Winning favourites
Just 7 previous runnings
7/7 – Carried between 8-4 and 8-11 in weight
7/7 – Foaled Feb or later
6/7 – Ran in the last 4 weeks
5/7 – Rated between 79-85
5/7 – Won from a double-figure draw
5/7 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
5/7 – Finished in the top 2 last time out
4/7 – Won just one before
4/7 – First 3 home came from double-figure draws
1/7 – Winning favourites
2.42 - Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (British Champions Series) (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) Cl1 1m ITV
16/18 – Had won over at least 1m before 16/18 – Previous Group winners
13/18 – Won between 3-5 times before
13/18 – Raced in the last 6 weeks
12/18 – Rated between 113 and 119
12/18 – Previous Group One winners
9/18 – Aged 3 years-old
6/18 – Winning favourites (1 co)
6/18 – Raced at Deauville last time out
6/18 – Won last time out
5/18 – French-trained winners
5/18 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
3/18 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
3/18 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien (2 of last 6)
2/18 – Won by a previous winner of the race
14 of the last 15 winners came from stalls 9 or lower
Horses from stall 1 have won 5 of the last 16 runnings
Horses from stalls 1 (4) or 7 (2) or 9 (2) have won 8 of the last 12
Redcar Horse Racing Trends (ITV/RacingTV)
3.21 – William Hill Two-Year-Old Trophy (Listed Race) Cl1 6f ITV
17/20 – Ran within the last 5 weeks
16/20 – Had 4 or more previous runs that season
14/20 – Had won 1 or 2 previous races
14/20 – Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting
13/20 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
12/20 – Foaled in March or later
10/20 – Had won over 6f before
10/20 – Drawn in a double-figure stall
8/20 – Unplaced favourites
6/20 – Filly winners
6/20 – Winning favourites
5/20 – Won last time out
4/20 – Ran at Doncaster last time out
2/20 – Trained by Tim Easterby (4 wins in total)
2/20– Trained by Richard Fahey
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GET THE BEST DAILY TRAINER INFO FROM 17 TOP STABLES - Sent direct to your in-box!
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/stt.png320830Andy Newtonhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngAndy Newton2022-09-30 13:00:172022-09-30 13:00:18Sat TV Trends: 1st Oct 2022
The first Sunday in October is the traditional date for Europe's middle distance Championship race, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Run at Longchamp over a mile and a half (2400 metres if you prefer) the race invariably cements the reputation of a champion elect or elevates the status of a hitherto underrated contender.
Consider last year, when Torquator Tasso was considered a shock winner by most measures, including the betting - he returned 72/1 on the French tote - but he had already been first or second in five Group 1 races! That quintet included a G1 score in the Grosser Preis von Baden on his prior start. Since his Arc glory day, TT has run second in both the G1 King George at Ascot and the Grosser Preis von Baden, missing by just a head in the latter.
In 2020, Sottsass, a dual Group 1 winner including when claiming the 2019 French Derby, prevailed on his second Arc attempt; he'd been third the year before having prepped with a win in the G2 Prix Niel: that brace of 2019 contests were his only other races at twelve furlongs.
And so it goes, back through Waldgeist, a triple G1 winner; the brilliant queen, Enable, twice; double G1 winner Found (who was also second in top grade a remarkable nine times before, and once after, her Arc win); Derby, Eclipse and Irish Champion victor, Golden Horn; and twice prior to that the magnificent mare, Treve. There are simply no poor winners of the race, though some are bigger prices hiding in plain sight.
Sottsass was 7/1, Waldgeist 13/1, Treve 11/1 in her second Arc, and before her, Solemia was 33/1, and Danedream 20/1. In other words, it's a race that can be played at a price if that's your thing. And fillies have a great record in the Arc, too: between 2011 and 2018, seven of the eight Arcs were won by fillies and, in the three renewals since, fillies have run second in two of them.
Part of this performance by females can be attributed to weight concessions: three-year-old fillies receive four pounds from three-year-old colts and seven pounds from older fillies and mares; and they receive ten pounds from older colts.
With Baaeed now a confirmed non-runner, the market has begun to settle and a deep list of possibles, even without the top rated horse in Europe, is assembling. We'll get to the form in a minute, but first a brief squint at recent history...
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Draw Bias
What about the draw in the Arc, of which much is usually made? Below are the stall positions of the first six home since 2008. Note that in 2016 and 2017, the race was staged at Chantilly while Longchamp was being renovated.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe draw bias? First six home stall numbers
Eleven horses have made the frame from the inside three stalls in the twelve Longchamp renewals sampled above. That excludes the Chantilly 'combination Ted Rogers' (remember Dusty Bin?!) in 2017. But a horse from the outside three stalls has won three times, too, again excluding Chantilly. So is too much emphasis put on the stalls lottery?
Perhaps not, at least not in terms of Arc winners. As the little table below illustrates, those housed in the lower half of the stalls have won nine of the past dozen Longchamp Arcs: 75% of them. But the minor podium spots have been equally divided on both steps; and with many/most bookies paying four places at least in the days leading up to Arc Sunday, a high draw has been no impediment to finishing on the ticket.
Summing the top four positions into high/low gives a 25-23 verdict in favour of low, though of course the most material difference is in the win row.
I hope it goes without saying that this is a tiny, just about meaningless, sample size so caution is advised for all that trigonometry dictates a horse drawn low will travel less distance and should, with a clear run, therefore have a small edge, all other things being equal (which they never are!)
Arc Winning Nation
Looking at those same 14 renewals of the Arc from a nationality perspective, a few slightly surprising points emerge. The scorecard is as follows:
France 6
UK 4 (3 for John Gosden)
Ireland 2 (1 for Aidan O'Brien)
Germany 2
It was a bit of a shock, to me at least, that Ireland's haul in recent times has been so 'normal' given the volume of high class middle distance horses from that nation. And, particularly, that within those figures, Aidan O'Brien's record is just, well, good rather than excellent. Here is APOB's tale of the tape, and I've included 2007 because it's kind of relevant as you'll see:
2021: Snowfall 19/5 6th
2020: No runner
2019: Japan 9/1 4th, Magical 19/1 5th
2018: Capri 25/1 5th, Kew Gardens 8/1 7th, Nelson 100/1 8th, Magical 40/1 10th, Hunting Horn 40/1 16th
2017: Order of St George 8/1 4th, Idaho 25/1 8th, Winter 9/1 9th, Seventh Heaven 50/1 14th, Capri 20/1 17th
2016: FOUND 6/1 1st, Highland Reel 20/1 2nd, Order of St George 14/1 3rd
2015: Found 18/1 9th, Tapestry 33/1 16th
2014: Ruler of the World 12/1 9th, Tapestry 14/1 13th, Chicquita 40/1 15th
2013: Ruler of the World 7/1 7th, Leading Light 10/1 12th
2012: Camelot 2/1 7th, St Nicholas Abbey 14/1, Ernest Hemingway 150/1 16th, Robin Hood 500/1 18th
2011: So You Think 9/2 4th, St Nicholas Abbey 33/1 5th, Treasure Beach 28/1 14th
2010: Fame And Glory 9/2 5th, Cape Blanco 11/1 13th, Midas Touch 40/1 17th
2009: Fame And Glory 6/1 6th, Grand Ducal 300/1 17th, Cornish 500/1 18th
2008: Soldier of Fortune 9/2 3rd, Duke of Marmalade 4/1 7th, Red Rock Canyon 250/1 16th
2007: DYLAN THOMAS 11/2 1st, Soldier of Fortune 10/3 5th, Yellowstone 150/1 11th, Song of Hiawatha 150/1 12th
In fact, Aidan has won the Arc only twice, in 2007 and in 2016 when he had an incredible clean sweep of the medal placings. Aside from that, he has just one further top three finish since 2007, which was Soldier Of Fortune's third place in 2008. When you look at the quality he has aimed, and the prices at which some were sent off, that's not the strongest pointer to Luxembourg's chance. Nor, naturally, will it prevent Luxembourg from winning if he's good enough: it didn't stop Found or Dylan Thomas after all. But at the prices...
Meanwhile, Germany has 20/1 and 72/1 winners for its brace in the sample period. That, according to my fag packet calculations, from just eleven runners. Of the nine non-winners, It's Gino dead heated for third at 150/1, and all bar two finished in the top nine.
The full German-trained form string since 2007 (oldest to current) reads: 6th / 3rd 11th / 13th / 9th 12th / 1st / 8th / 6th 7th / 1st
That's pretty impressive.
The last non-Gosden trained British winner of the Arc was Workforce, brilliantly conditioned in 2010 by Sir Michael Stoute. Without going into the specifics of it, the likes of Hurricane Lane, Adayar, Stradivarius, Enable (twice), and Ghaiyyath have all been beaten for Team GB in just the last three years alone. A few have rattled the woodwork in the wider sample period - Sea Of Class narrowly failed to beat Enable, and Youmzain was famously second twice - but the overall record does not inspire confidence in the challenge of les rosbifs.
The home team saddles far more runners than any of the raiding squads and it is therefore little surprise that they have the most wins in recent years. There was Solemia at 33/1 (tipped on these pages, astonishingly) but, she aside, the longest priced French scorer since the superdam Urban Sea prevailed at 37/1 in 1993 was 13/1 Waldgeist three years ago. That's probably not out of kilter with what the maths would expect but it does serve as a note of caution for us reckless moulin-tilters!
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Winning Age and Gender
Five-year-olds occasionally win the Arc. Waldgeist did in 2019, so too Marienbard in 2002, Tony Bin in 1988 and Star Appeal in 1975; but you'll already have the impression that it's not a regular occurrence. That outlying quartet aside, every winner back to the five-year-old Le Paillon in 1947 was aged three or four. Runners older than five rock up in dribs and drabs most years, and this year may include the good (but not great) Aussie mare, Verry Elleegant, and Broome as well as a couple of Japanese entries. That latter trio if lining up would surely serve pacemaker duties only.
Between 1994 and 2011, three-year-olds won all bar three Arcs; since 2012, they've won only three. Further, two of the three-year-olds to win - Treve and Enable - doubled up at four. Why such a poor record for the three's? Well, given nothing has materially changed about the race conditions, it can only be down to the quality of the Classic cohorts and the rub of the green.
On gender, fillies and mares receive a healthy allowance from the colts. The biggest weight disparity is between a three-year-old filly and older colts, the younger ladies getting ten pounds from the more mature gents. In theory, this is simply to level the playing field, and it is a smarter cruncher than this scribbler who can posit against that theory. But since the German-trained three-year-old filly Danedream bashed up the trendsters, we've witnessed Solemia, then Treve twice, Found, and Enable twice bring it home for the fairer sex. Seven in the last eleven years.
But it runs deeper than that. Tarnawa got closest to Torquator Tasso last year, likewise Enable to Waldgeist in 2019, Sea Of Class was closest to Enable a year before that, and the likes of Taghrooda, Shareta, Sarafina, and Snow Fairy have also made the frame; as well, of course, as the brilliant winner in 2008, Zarkava. Fillies and mares continue to outperform their representation and, to some degree, are still under appreciated by the market.
*
Where does that leave us exactly? For many, it will doubtless leave you cold - or at least tepid - because the pen that inscribes the form book is more powerful than the blunt sword of statistical sophistry wielded hitherto. Or, in slightly plainer English, it's been quackery rules so far.
Still, I'm counselled by my rummage against being too hot on Aidan, or on Team GB, or on a Frenchie at a price; and never to dismiss a German runner out of hand. Moreover, I'll only slightly mark up an inside post and believe that a good horse can win from any post position. I will discount all but the most interesting five-year-old, and all older than that; and I will give a bonus point to any filly in the field. Devil take the hindmost.
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Video Form
Some, perhaps most, will disregard historical profiles in favour of which animals have done what on the track and, in fairness, it seems reasonable to at least consider those exertions*. So what follows is a quick whizz through many of the key races. Keep in mind that runners in some recent trials, especially the French trio of Niel, Foy and Vermeilles, may not have been 100% ready that day. For what they're worth, my quick notes are alongside each recording.
*sarcasm alert
Irish Champion Stakes (1m 2f)
Looked very strong 10f form.
Vadeni - a little inconvenienced against the rail - and Mishriff closing on first run getters Lux and Onesto.
Lux by Camelot out of Danehill Dancer mare: offers hope but no guarantees
Onesto by Frankel out of Sea The Stars mare: plenty of stamina there. Already won the G1 GPdP over 12f, beating Simca Mille
Grand Prix de Paris (1m4f)
Onesto last to first, great turn of pace; but steady enough gallop (Eldar Eldarov outpaced)
Simca Mille - needs supplementing - tried to make all, coming back at Onesto (tenderly handled) at the line.
Prix Niel (1m4f)
Race fit Lassaut gave Simca Mille, back from a break, a two length start but couldn't quite bridge it. Winner has bags of 12f form (1121) at the trip.
Japanese Do Deuce might improve for the run but was well beaten
Prix Vermeille (1m4f)
La Parisienne locked up on the rail, splits came late, quickened smartly but not quite getting there.
Prix Foy (1m4f)
Last to first for the smart gelding (who is therefore disqualified from Arc entry), Iresine. Broome and Verry Elleegant were verry (sic) disappointing.
Grosser Preis von Baden (1m4f)
Small field, tactical, Torquator Tasso prominent, took lead but run down by Mendocino in shadow of posts.
Prix du Jockey Club (1m 2.5f)
Vadeni chased leaders from inside draw, quickened impressively. Al Hakeem, Onesto and Lassaut the rear trio, 10L from the lead, all finished well, no chance. Al Hakeem finished best.
Prix de Diane (1m 2.5f)
Nashwa (Prominent throughout, first run in straight) held off La Parisienne (ground saving rail run, got split 1 1/2f out, finished well but slightly too late)
Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f)
Alpinista (unbeaten in last 7, all 1m4f, last 5 at G1 level, including vs males) tracked leaders, smooth run to lead 2 out, ran on well. Tuesday held in second.
Takarazuka Kinen (1m4f)
Titleholder always front rank behind pacemaker, kicked first, won by daylight. Had previously won over 2m.
Arc Market Overview with Form Comments
To the right is a snapshot of some of the major betting lists courtesy of our mutual friends at oddschecker.
Luxembourg is the tenuous favourite, available at 9/2 in a place, and they then bet 7/1 the field. Clearly, the implication is this is still a very tough wagering puzzle!
Horses I'm for and against - and those I've backed (braced for impending arrest by the aftertime police), and why, are thus:
Luxembourg has bounced back from early season setback, comes here relatively fresh and has a chance of staying on pedigree. Would back him at a bigger price (had a small saver at 6's)
Alpinista has rock solid credentials in terms of trip, grade and consistency. Mare has beaten many of these, including Torquator Tasso prior to his 2021 Arc score and an obvious contender despite being a five-year-old. (Had tiny e/w saver at 15/2)
Torquator Tasso won last year on heavy but has strong form on sounder surfaces. Second the last twice in G1 company, running to similar level as prior to last year's Arc
Titleholder is the first Japanese runner in the list. Has won from 1m3f up to two miles. I cannot peg this form but winning - twice - at or around two miles suggests he might be too slow for this. [And I might be completely wrong about that]
Adayar won the Derby and King George last year before a good fourth in the Arc. Sole run in 2022 was an ungraded conditions event last week so has a bit to prove in spite of the ease with which he did it there (as the 2/7 favourite). Very well backed today - see line of blue in image
Onesto is a three-year-old colt with strong form. Winner of the 1m4f Grand Prix de Paris and second in the Irish Champion, he may not want it soft. Has a fine turn of gear, but will be "ridden for luck" from the back most likely
Vadeni is an uncertain runner and not a guaranteed stayer (by Churchill, though out of a Monsun mare) who has yet to race beyond ten and a half furlongs; took a while to get going in Irish Champion then tightened on the rail before finishing best. Prix du Jockey Club and Eclipse winner, good chance if he runs and stays
Westover has too much to prove after his King George blowout. Won a typically weak Irish Derby and was third in a pretty weak Derby. Not for me
La Parisienne is unlucky not to have won the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) and Prix Vermeille, both Group 1's, Gerald Mosse giving her a soupçon too much to do on each occasion. Looks like she stays and is a 3yo filly getting all the allowances. Backed her e/w at 33/1. 20/1 still reasonable, I think
Do Deuce represents the land of the rising sun and can be expected to step forward from his Prix Niel effort. Probably didn't enjoy the slow ground there and, if it comes up good, he'll be more interesting than the Niel trial suggests
Al Hakeem is another I took a small piece of at 33's, win only. Sole '22 defeat was when given (way) too much to do in the Prix du Jockey Club, where he recorded the best closing sectionals. Has won again since and is trained by 2020 winning trainer Jean-Claude Rouget (Sottsass)
Lassaut is also trained by Rouget and ran the classic French prep when accelerating from far back to not quite get up in the Prix Niel (sent off favourite). This is his trip and he's a dark horse for all that he has plenty to find on the book at this stage. Had small e/w at 33/1, currently readily available at 40's!
Simca Mille needs supplementing and there must be a good chance of that as he's won four from five this year, including the Niel. Was second to Onesto (tried to make all) in the Grand Prix de Paris, so his face fits for all that he may be swamped in the final furlong. Backed tiny e/w at 40's
Mendocino brings the Grosser Preis von Baden form to the table, seeing off Torquator Tasso there (ridden by TT's Arc-winning jockey, Rene Piechulek). Looks an Autumn horse and, as a German-bred and -trained four-year-old, likely to finish in the first half of the field
*I also had a cheeky go at 33/1 Baaeed prior to the Juddmonte. It looked interesting for a while... sigh
As you can see I've chanced a couple of quid in a few directions, and cannot yet discount a further wager, perhaps on Vadeni or Do Deuce when ground and entries are better known.
*
There remain a lot of horses with strong credentials and, whilst I respect Luxembourg and particularly Alpinista, there is value against the head of the market. I'm not hugely sold on any of TT, Titleholder or Adayar - which is not to say they won't fill out the first three places, natch - and I'm completely against Westover.
Vadeni would be very interesting on top of the ground if he's allowed to run; and Do Deuce also very likely has more merit than his prep blowout. But I think 20/1 La Parisienne and 33/1 Al Hakeem are two that could shorten (or shorten further in the case of the filly) and as such might be a sliver of value.
Good luck, it promises to be a fascinating Arc even in the absence of Baaeed.
Matt
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/TorquatorTasso_Arc2021.jpg319830Matt Bisognohttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngMatt Bisogno2022-09-28 11:27:042022-09-30 18:41:012022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Preview, Tips
It’s Ayr Gold Cup Day in Scotland (Ayr racecourse) this Saturday, while the ITV cameras are also heading to Newbury for their Dubai Duty Free Day – We’ve 9 LIVE races in total and we’ve got it all covered with all the key trends for each race.
Did you know? 16 of the last 21 Ayr Gold Cup winners FAILED to win their last race, while 12 of the last 13 winners came from stalls 8 or higher.
Use our key trends to whittle down the runners and help find the best profiles of past winners.
AYR Horse Racing Trends (ITV/RacingTV)
1.20 – Virgin Bet Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-100) 1m ITV4
10/10 - Won at least twice before
10/10 - Rated between 89 and 96
9/10 - Returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting
8/10 - Won previously over 1m
8/10 - Aged between 3-5 years-old
8/10 - Ran in the last 4 weeks
8/10 - Carried 9-3 or less in weight
7/10 - Drawn between stalls 3 and 9 (inc)
7/10 - Finished in the top 4 last time out
6/10 - Irish bred
6/10 - Placed favourites
5/10 - Had run at Ayr before
4/10 - Ridden by a claiming jockey
2/10 - Trained by David O’Meara
2/10 - Winning favourites
Revich (20/1) won the race in 2021
1.55 – Virgin Bet Doonside Cup Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m2f ITV4
11/11 – Didn’t win last time out
10/11 – Yet to race at Ayr
10/11 – Won over 1m2f or more
10/11 – Returned 6/1 or shorter in the betting
9/11 – Winners from stalls 8 or lower
9/11 – Rated between 101 and 111
9/11 – Won 3 or more times before
8/11 – Irish bred
8/11 – Aged 4 or older
7/11 – Ran in the last 4 weeks
3/11 – Trained by Andrew Balding (3 of the last 9)
3/11 – Trained by Saeed Bin Suroor
3/11 – Winning favourites
2/11 – Ridden by Danny Tudhope
2/11 – Trained by Mark Johnston (2 of the last 7)
2.30 – Virgin Bet Ayr Silver Cup (Handicap) Cl2 6f ITV4
19/19 – Carried 8-11 or more
16/19 – Aged 5 or younger
17/19 – Previous winners over 6f
15/19 – Winning distance 1 length or less
15/19 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
15/19 – Carried 9-0 or more
14/19 – Had raced at Ayr before (5 won)
14/19 – Had 5 or more runs that season
12/19 - Had either 2 or 3 career wins to their name
12/19 – Finished 5th or better last time out
11/19 – Unplaced favourites
8/19 – The first 4 home all returned a double-figure price
4/19 – Won last time out
3/19 – Trained by Richard Fahey
3/19 – Drawn in stalls 8 to 20 (inc) i.e horses drawn either high or low have done best
3/19 – Winning Favourites
0/19 – Filly or mare winners
3.05 – Virgin Bet Firth Of Clyde Stakes (Group 3) (for The Ayrshire Agricultural Challenge Cup) Cl1 6f ITV4
17/19 – Had never raced at Ayr before
16/19 – Finished 4th or better last time out
15/19 – Previous winners over 6f
15/19 – Had won once or two times before
14/19 – Winning distance 1 length or further
14/19 – Had 3 or more runs that season
13/19 – Drawn in stall 10 or lower
13/19 – Won by a Jan, Feb or March foal
11/19 – Placed favourites
9/19 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
7/19 – Won last time out
4/19 – Winning favourites
3/19 – Ran at Doncaster last time out
3/19 – Trained by Bryan Smart
3.40 – Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 6f ITV4
21/21 – Raced within the last 8 weeks
18/21 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
18/21 – Had 3 or more wins to their name
16/21 – Had won over 6f before
16/21 – Failed to win their last race
14/21 – Rated 90-101
14/21 – Carried 9-1 or more
14/21 – Came from a double-figure stall
13/21 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
13/21 – Finished in the top 4 last time out
11/21 – Had 7 or more runs that season
11/21 – Unplaced favourites
11/21 – Winning distance 1 length or less
11/21 – Ran at Doncaster (3), Goodwood (5) or Haydock (3) last time out
10/21 – Had raced at Ayr before
5/21 – Trained by Kevin Ryan
3/21 – Winning favourites (4 winning favs since 1980)
2/21 – Ridden by Frankie Dettori
2/21 - Trained by Andrew Balding (2 of the last 9)
0/21 – Filly or mare winners
12 of the last 13 winners came from stalls 8 or higher (4 of the last 17 winners came from stall 8)
Since 1980 just 6 winners aged 6 or older
The last horse to win back-to-back races was Heronsiea in 1930/31
The average winning SP in the last 21 years is 14/1
20/20 – Won over 1m2f (or further) previously
18/20 – Priced 9/1 or less
16/20 – Aged 5 or younger
16/20 – Had won at Listed or better class previously
15/20 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
15/20 – Had 4 or more career wins
12/20 – Raced at Newbury before
11/20 – Favourites placed
11/20 – Had won a Group race before
9/20 – Raced 5 or more times that season
8/20 – Won their last race
4/20 – Favourites that won
4/20 – Trained by David Simcock (including 4 of last 7 runnings)
4/20 – Raced at York last time
3/20 – Trained by Sir Michael Stoute
2/20 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
Solid Stone (12/1) won the race last year
2.15 -Dubai International Airport World Trophy (Group 3) Cl1 5f34y ITV4
19/20 – Raced four or more times that season
18/20 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
17/20 – Priced 9/1 or shorter
16/20 – Winners from stall 5 or higher
16/20 – Won a Listed or Group race before
16/20 – Won over 5f previously
15/20 - Aged 5 or younger
14/20 – Won 4 or more times
13/20 – Placed in the top 3 in their last race
8/20 – Previous Group race winners
7/20 – Won their last race
6/20 – Ran at the Curragh last time out (inc 3 of last 9 winners)
6/20 – Favourites
5/20 – Mare winners
15/20 – Priced 5/1 or shorter
15/20 – Won from draw 5 or lower
15/20 – Raced 3 or more times
15/20 – Won over 6f previously
14/20 – Favourites placed
13/20 – Foaled in March or later
12/20 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
9/20 – Favourites (or joint) that won
8/20 – Won exactly two races before
7/20 – Won by an April foal
6/20 – Won their previous race
5/20 – Raced at Doncaster last time out
4/20 – Ran in the Gimcrack last time out (York)
2/20 – Trained by Clive Cox (2 of the last 6)
2/20 – Trained by Richard Hannon
2/20 – Trained by Karl Burke
2/20 – Trained by Richard Fahey
0/20 – Filly winners
12/12 – Returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting
11/12 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
11/12 – Ran in the last 4 weeks
11/12 – Won over 1m2f or further before
11/12 – Carried 9-2 or less in weight
10/12 – Placed in the top 5 last time out
9/12 – Won 3 or 4 times
8/12 – Drawn 8 or lower
6/12 – Rated between 92 and 96 (inc)
6/12 – Won last time out
4/12 – Winning favourites
4/12 – Winners from stalls 1 (2) or 13 (2)
4/12 – Had run at Newbury before
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The ITV cameras head to Doncaster racecourse in the middle of September (7th-11th) for the 4-day St Leger Meeting – they will be covering races on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – with races spread across both ITV and ITV3.
Note: Due to the Queen's sad death the St Leger card (and some other races lost on Friday's Doncaster card) will now be run on Sunday 11th Sept 2022.
As we head into Sunday - the final day of the St Leger Festival - the Cazoo St Leger is the main event - the oldest and final of the English Classics.
As always, here at GeeGeez, we’ve got it all covered with all the TV race trends and stats – these should help narrow down the fields and also highlight the best profiles of horses that have done well in the races in the past.
Sunday 11th September 2022
12.30 Coral Champagne Stakes Group 2, 7f ITV
Key Trends
20/21 - Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting
19/21 – Won 1 or 2 times previously
18/21 – Favourites placed
17/21 – Had won over 7f before
17/21 – Finished third or better last time out
16/21 – Won by a Feb or March foal
13/21 – Won last time out
12/21 – Run at Sandown, Newbury, York or the Curragh last time out
This weekend, Epsom Downs will welcome the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the absence of both Her Majesty, and his majesty. The former is a late scratch and we all hope and trust she is generally well; the latter, Lester Piggott - in whose honour the Derby will be run - passed just days before the 2022 renewal.
What follows is a slightly different take on a familiar theme: trends and tips for the Derby and Oaks. To wit, it seems reasonable to assert that the Oaks and Derby are parallel lines in terms of equine peer groups and, as such, any profiling considerations might be enhanced by combining the two datasets into a single cohort (group, if you prefer) and seeing what gives. Let's start with that...
Oaks and Derby Combined Trends
Looking at the past ten years gives us 20 individual races - ten Derby's and ten Oaks's - going back to the 2012 pair. Here are a few observations:
Trainers
Aidan O'Brien 12 winners (25 win & place from 80 runners)
John Gosden 4 (10 w&p from 26)
Charlie Appleby 2 (4 w&p from 10)
Ralph Beckett/ Dermot Weld 1 each
This is hardly ground-breaking stuff but it does serve to underline what an elite club the Epsom Classics have become. Ralph Beckett won his second and most recent Oaks in 2013, since when only Dermot Weld - with Harzand in 2016 - has had the temerity to interlope the hegemony of Messrs. O'Brien, Gosden and Appleby.
Naturally, if I asked you to name three trainers who get the best horses, you'd name those three; nevertheless, their dominance is sobering.
Odds
Five winners of Epsom Classics since 2012 returned 13/8 or shorter and, at this stage, it looks quite possible that both the Oaks and Derby will have a market leader with that degree of public confidence behind it. The good news for those of us that typically like a bit more jam on our bread is that four jollies in this odds range were turned over, two of them at odds on and none bigger than 11/8.
Moreover, seven Oaks or Derby winners in the past decade returned 16/1 or longer, and fully 21 of the 60 placed horses returned at least 16/1: windmill tilters, welcome!
Sires
Galileo 8 winners (19 win & place from 57 runners)
Sea The Stars 2 (4 w&p from 14)
Frankel 2 (5 w&p from 13)
New Approach 2 (2 w&p from 7)
Montjeu )
Fastnet Rock )
Nathaniel ) 1 each
Cape Cross )
Deep Impact )
Pour Moi )
Dubawi 0 from 11 (2 placed)
Galileo has sired 40% of the 20 Oaks and Derby winners since 2012. But that's not all. His progeny Frankel, New Approach and Nathaniel have collectively fathered five further Epsom Classic winners in that time. Aside from Galileo and his sons, only Sea The Stars, by Darley stallion Cape Cross, has more than one notch on the Epsom Classic winning post in the study period. And it gets even more one-sided when we consider the female blood lines...
Damsires
There have been two winners each for progeny of mares sired by Kingmambo, Galileo, Danehill Dancer, and Sadler's Wells. This means that Galileo is at least 25% of the gene pool for three-quarters of the Derby and Oaks winners in the past decade. That's a quite astonishing fact, to my eye.
Race Class last time out
The breakdown of last day race class is as follows:
Group 1 6 winners (12 win & place from 38 runners)
Group 2 1 (8 w&p from 27)
Group 3 5 (12 w&p from 72)
Listed 7 (19 w&p from 88)
Other 1 (4 w&p from 18)
*this excludes horses who ran outside of UK and Ireland on their prior start
Those which ran in Group 1 company last time did so, unsurprisingly, in either the Newmarket or Curragh Guineas. Two of them won a Guineas, one was runner-up and two more finished third. Only Qualify, hopelessly outpaced at both Guineas venues before rattling home over the extra half mile at Epsom, was off a Guineas podium from this sextet.
There was a reasonably fair distribution of winners to representatives across other race classes, though the 27 to have contested a Group 2 last time probably under-performed a touch. Golden Horn, winner of the Dante in 2015, was the sole torch bearer for this group, a group that will have high hopes for Desert Crown, the 2022 Derby ante post favourite.
Placing last time out
Only the aforementioned Qualify was off the board on prior start, the full tale of that tape being thus:
1st 12 winners (31 win & place from 114)
2nd 4 (13 w&p from 47)
3rd 3 (6 w&p from 34)
4th 0 (7 w&p from 17)
It's hardly a shock that last day winners have scored again in an Oaks or Derby, but perhaps one might have expected more than 'just' 60% of Epsom Classic winners to come here off the back of a victory in their prep run. Thanks largely to the exploits of Raif's Talent (20/1, 2013 Oaks) and the wind-assisted Serpentine (25/1, 2020 Derby), last day winners actually came out marginally ahead at Betfair SP.
But there may be more to go at with those acquiring minor medals the last day. Of the seven Oaks and Derby winners since 2012 who were 2nd or 3rd last time out, six were 'staying on' (three in a Guineas, two never nearer at Chester, one in a Lingfield Trial). Only Was (20/1, 2012 Oaks) "kept on one pace" on her prior engagement.
Draw
Who doesn't love a good Epsom draw theory? (Rhetorical)
There is all sorts of hokum presented as unequivocal fact on this matter and, as with most 'facts' in racing, we need to be a little less certain and a little more open-minded. The reality with draw at most tracks and most trips is more nuanced than many will have you believe. What follows, then, is offered in that spirit of open-minded sharing: there are no hard conclusions, just a few data from which to infer and a few candidate inferences from yours true - take 'em or leave 'em.
But there is no reason that I can think of why a Derby or Oaks should differ from any other mile and a half race of similar field size at Epsom in draw bias terms. So, from 2012 until now, here are a few cuts of who emerged from where...
[In the images below, I'm showing PRB - percentage of rivals beaten - and PRB3, the average PRB of a stall and its immediate neighbours. This gives a more rounded perspective as every runner, bar tail end Charlies, gets a bit of a score]
8-12 runners, all going: definite advantage to high, possible edge to 'waited with early'
13+ runners, all going: no clear advantage, though low/middle on the lead may be compromised
Quicker ground (good or faster) 8+ runners: advantage to high
Slower ground (good to soft or softer) 8+ runners: no draw advantage, clear run style advantage for held up types
On this final visual, you may wonder why the chart kicks up at the high end and yet I've asserted no advantage. The reason is that there have been very few races on a soft surface with that volume of runners - see below. It is therefore hard to know if those solitary scorers from wide boxes were random outliers or more material. I personally favour the former conclusion or, more accurately, a position of agnosticism (I just don't know). Feel free to draw your own conclusions from the heat maps and charts above.
Profile round up: where does that leave us?
Some interesting - arguably, at least - snippets in the above, but how do we piece them together into a vague identikit winner's profile? And, more pertinently for us value seekers, how do we do it without landing on the glaringly apparent and, consequently, more miserly end of the potential return spectrum?
In general terms, we might look for a runner from one of the main three stables, offered at a bold price, quite possibly (though not definitely) with Galileo featuring somewhere in the first two generations of the pedigree, and maybe a horse beaten but in the frame last time whilst 'staying on'. Do such horses exist in this year's Oaks and/or Derby?
Oaks Profile Possibles
In the Oaks, there are several that fit: Nashwa, Tuesday, Concert Hall, and With The Moonlight most obviously - and that's assuming Emily Upjohn doesn't just go and win again (the eye was taken by the Musidora score, though I'm yet to be convinced by the substance of the form).
These are all "well found", in the vogue parlance, in the betting. A couple of darker fillies perhaps worth a second glance are Tranquil Lady and Moon De Vega.
Tranquil Lady is trained by an O'Brien, Joseph to be precise. She's a daughter of Australia, himself a son of Galileo (and out of Ouija Board, champion-making material right there); and is a half-sister to last week's Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup third, State Of Rest. That one, by Starspangledbanner, was keeping on at the finish over 1m3f. This one, more stoutly bred on the paternal side, did her best work late when taking the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas three weeks ago.
It's hard at this stage to know what she beat that day, but she was one of four horses priced 10/3 or shorter, the other trio all coming into the race unbeaten in either one or two starts. Tranquil Lady won by four easy lengths, but that's not all. As the result shows, her rivals were shouting "wait for me" from a fair way out: it is uncommon to see such margins between all runners in a small field race. The winner might just be under-rated.
More speculative again is Moon De Vega, trained by dual Oaks-winning trainer, Ralph 'Raif' Beckett. She is a lightly raced daughter of - you're ahead of me, aren't you? - Lope De Vega, out of an Azamour mare. Lope De Vega wouldn't be an obvious stamina influence, or so I thought, but Profiler tells me she has legit prospects of getting home:
Moon's mum, Lunesque, won at 1m3f and the Azamour damsire influence adds further ballast to this one's stamina case. The next question then is, is she remotely good enough? Well, Beckett knows this gig well enough and I thought the metaphorical hat of his Prosperous Voyage - staying on second in the 1000 Guineas - might have been thrown into the ring (in spite of a dubious pedigree for the task); so the fact he opted for MdV is a small positive to my eye.
Moon De Vega took her time to get the hang of the racing game last term: after two fluffed starts where she ran on with promise on both occasions, she made it third time lucky in a Donny maiden. On her sole 2022 spin, Moon De Vega was fourth in the Cheshire Oaks, earning the following in running comment:
The sectional chart illustrates this better. She's the darker green line:
See how she was making a stronger move than the winner, Thoughts Of June, before getting totally stopped in her run - actually having to take back off heels and swerve a filly cutting in front of her - and was finishing like she had plenty more to offer. Thoughts Of June, trained by Aidan O'Brien and a daughter of Galileo, also has a powerful profile in the context of this piece, but she controlled the pace at Chester and seemed all out at the finish. Still, she's 20/1 and will probably offer the proverbial bold sight in the early skirmishes.
Derby Profile Possibles
Meanwhile, in Saturday's Cazoo Derby (whichever genius came up with "Cazoo, yeah you can", I hope they were handsomely rewarded. Ahem), Desert Crown looks a highly credible heir apparent and, like Emily U the day before, may just be too good. But he's inexperienced and a heck of a skinny price for all that he's everyone's most likely winner.
The first five in the market as I write are either sons or grandsons of Galileo, with rising stars of the stallion ranks such as Ulysses (Piz Badile) linking up with more established producers like Teofilo (Nations Pride) and Nathaniel (Desert Crown). Stone Age and Changingoftheguard, as well as Star Of India, are all by Galileo himself, and then there's the Frankel's, Westover and Nahanni. Bloomin' 'eck!
It's a little harder than in the fillies' race to envisage a world in which one of those regally-bred equines towards the head of the market is not first past the post; but there may still be a tolerable return for a well-crafted risk/reward place play.
For all that I expect Ralph's Westover to take a large stride forward from his all out Sandown trial score, it still probably won't be enough. And, though Star Of India, winner of the Dee Stakes, is not bereft of a chance, it is a long time since Kris Kin (2003) and Oath (1999) did the Dee-Derby double for those legends of the game, Sir Michael and Sir Henry.
A horse I'm drawn to even though he may end up hopelessly outclassed is Eydon. As I mentioned when I flagged him up in this sectional Clock Watcher piece in January, he's by the uber-unfashionable sire, Olden Times, whose last noteworthy winners were in Cup races and trained by the late John Dunlop! Stay with me for a moment, though, because Eydon was fourth in the 2000 Guineas, a test surely on the rapid side for one of his breeding - as well as Olden Times, he's third generation Galileo as his damsire is Frankel. In fact, he was dropping back in trip for the Guineas having lagged up in the Feilden Stakes over nine furlongs the time before. His Guineas in running comment concluded, "kept on inside final furlong".
Both the Oaks and Derby markets are characterised by strong favourites bearing unblemished upwardly mobile credentials, and there might be a case to crash them together in a lazy double: there are plenty of less appealing 9/2 shots than that, and it at least offers a plausible saver against which to take a more ambitious swing.
In that spirit, I've backed Tranquil Lady at 14/1 and Moon De Vega at 33/1, both in the Oaks, each way for smallish (relative, always relative) stakes. And, as soon as yer man Roger gives the go ahead, I'll be lobbing the Derby Hail Mary in the direction of 33/1 Eydon, whose pedigree suggests his trainer ought to have more faith in his staying power (Mr V, naturally, knows more than thee, and way more than me, however). Of course, Eydon's price may shorten once his race target is known, but he'll surely still be 25/1 if lining up and could be longer on the morning of the race, depending on who stands firm on declaration day (Thursday).
Whatever you're backing, good luck and here's hoping for two exciting races on the helter-skelter Epsom cambers this weekend.
Matt
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Masar.jpg320681Matt Bisognohttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngMatt Bisogno2022-05-30 18:33:452022-05-30 19:44:00Derby and Oaks 2022 Preview
The ITV horse racing cameras are at Newbury as the new flat turf season ramps up another notch with their Dubai Duty Free Spring Trial Meeting – we’ve four races for flat fans from the Berkshire track on ITV4, including the Greenham Stakes.
Like always, here at Geegeez we've got these LIVE Newbury races covered from a trends and stats angle – fingers crossed they will point you in the direction of a few winners.
Newbury Horse Racing Trends (RacingTV/ITV)
1.50 –Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (Registered As The John Porter Stakes) (Group 3) Cl1 1m4f5y ITV4
18/18 – Aged 6 or younger
18/18 – Had won over 1m4f (or further) before
18/18 – Priced 11/1 or shorter in the betting
17/18 – Had won between 2-5 times before
15/18 – Placed in the top 5 last time out
15/18 – Having their first run of the season
14/18 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
13/18 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
11/18 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
11/18 – Had raced at Newbury before
12/18 – Had won a Listed or better class race before
9/18 – Had won a Group race before
5/18 – Raced at Newbury last time out
5/18 – Winning favourites
4/18 – Won last time out
4/18 – Trained by Sir Michael Stoute
6 of the last 9 winners drawn in stalls 3 or lower
The average winning SP in the last 9 years is 9/2 Note: The 2016 renewal was staged at Chelmsford
2.25 – Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Registered As The Fred Darling Stakes) (Group 3) (Fillies) Cl1 7f ITV4
16/18 – Had won over 6f or 7f before
16/18 – Finished in the top three last time out
16/18 – Had won between 1-2 times before
15/18 – Having their first run of the season
14/18 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
13/18 – Drawn 5 or higher
13/18 – Came from the top three in the betting
9/18 – Had won over 7f before
8/18 – Raced at Newmarket last time out
8/18 – Won last time out
7/18 – Had won at Newbury before
6/18 – Had won at Listed or Group class before
5/18 – Winning favourites
4/18 – Trained by Ralph Beckett
4/18 – Trained by Mick Channon
2/18 – Ridden by Jim Crowley
2/18 – Trained by the Hannon stable
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 5/1 Note: The 2016 renewal was staged at Chelmsford
3.00 –Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes (Group 3) (Colts & Geldings) Cl1 7f ITV4
17/18 – Priced 8/1 or shorter in the betting
16/18 – Had won at either 6f or 7f before
16/18 – Having their first run of the season
15/18 – Won at Listed class or better before
14/18 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
14/18 – Placed favourites
14/18 – Won between 2-4 times before
12/18 – Finished in the top two last time out
11/18 – Winning distance – 1 length or more
10/18 – Had won a Group race before
9/18 – Won last time out
9/18 – Had won over 7f before
8/18 – Had won a race at Newbury before
8/18 – Winning favourites
7/18 – Raced at Newmarket last time out
6/18 – Trained by the Richard Hannon yard
2/18 – Irish-trained
2/18 – Winners from stall 1
2/18 - Ridden by Frankie Dettori (4 wins in total)
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 4/1 Note: The 2016 renewal was staged at Chelmsford
3.35 –Highclere Throughbred Racing 30th Anniversary Spring Cup (Handicap) Cl2 1m ITV4
18/18 – Winning distance – 2 lengths or less
18/18 – Won no more than 4 times before (flat)
17/18 – Aged 6 or younger
15/18 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
15/18 – Won over at least 1m before
15/18 – Won between 2-4 times before (flat)
14/18 – Rated between 85-98
13/18 – Drawn in a double-figure stall
12/18 – Unplaced last time out
11/18 – Carried 8-12 or less
10/18 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
10/18 – Unplaced favourites
9/18 – Had run at Newbury before
8/18 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
8/18 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
3/18 – Trained by Richard Fahey
3/18 – Winning favourites (2 joint)
3/18 – Ridden by Frankie Dettori (2 of last 6)
2/18 – Ridden by Jamie Spencer (2 of last 7)
1/18 – Won last time out
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 15/2
Note: The 2016 renewal was staged at Chelmsford
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https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/stt.png320830Andy Newtonhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngAndy Newton2022-04-15 13:00:072022-04-14 14:24:30Sat TV Trends From Newbury: 2nd April 2022
A busy day for the ITV cameras this Saturday as they head to Ayr to cover their Scottish Grand National card, plus they are also at Newbury to take in three more jumps races.
Here at Geegeez, we are on hand with the key trends and top tips for all the LIVE ITV races.
17/17 – Had won over at least 2m (chase) before
15/17 – Aged 9 or younger
15/17 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
15/17 – Had won between 2-4 times (chase) before
15/17 – Had raced within the last 5 weeks
13/17 – Rated between 127-139
12/17 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
11/17 – Carried 10-12 or less in weight
11/17 – Finished in the top four last time out
11/17 – Aged 8 or 9 years-old
11/17 – French bred
11/17 – Favourites to finish in the top 3
9/17 – Had run at Ayr before
4/17 – Ran at Aintree last time out
4/17 – Winning favourites
4/17 – Trained by Nicky Henderson (3 of the last 4 years)
2/17 – Won last time out
The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 6/1
10/10 – Aged 9 or younger
10/10 – No more than 3 chase wins
9/10 – French (3) or Irish (6) bred
8/10 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
8/10 – Ran in the last 6 weeks
8/10 – Finished in the top 4 last time out
7/10 – Won over at least 3m before (fences)
6/10 – Returned 6/1 or shorter in the betting
6/10 – Carried 11-0 or more in weight
4/10 – Won last time out
3/10 – Had run at the track before
2/10 – Winning favourites
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 8/1
18/18 – Won over at least 2m (hurdles) before
16/18 – Had raced within the last 5 weeks
15/18 – Favourites that finished in the top 3
15/18 – Aged 7 or younger
14/18 – Carried 10-13 or less
14/18 – Had won between 2-4 times over hurdles before
13/18 – Returned 17/2 or shorter in the betting
13/18 – Rated 137 or higher
10/18 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
10/18 – Finished unplaced last time out
10/18 – Had won between 2-3 times over hurdles before
9/18 – Irish bred
6/18 – Ran at Aintree last time out
5/18 – Won last time out
5/18 – Winning favourites (joint)
3/18 – Trained by Philip Hobbs
1/18 – Irish-trained winners
Milkwood (3/1 fav) won the race in 2021
4 of the last 8 winners were ridden by a claiming jockey
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 10/1
18/18 – Priced 8/1 or shorter in the betting
18/18 – Had raced within the last 6 weeks
17/18 – Aged 8 or younger
17/18 – Had won between 1-3 times over fences before
17/18 – Priced 11/2 or shorter in the betting
16/18 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
12/18 – Placed favourites
10/18 – Finished in the top 2 last time out
9/18 – Had raced within the last 2 weeks
9/18 – Aged 5 or 6 years-old
7/18 – Raced at Cheltenham last time out
6/18 – Winning favourite (1 joint)
6/18 – Raced at Aintree last time out
5/18 – Had raced at Ayr before
5/18 – Won last time out
5/18 – Trained by Paul Nicholls
2/18 – Trained by Nicky Henderson
2/18 – Trained by Nicky Richards
The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 11/4
3.35 –Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase (Grade 3) Cl1 4m110y ITV
18/18 – Last ran 57 days or less ago
16/18 – Finished in the top 6 last time out
16/18 – Aged 8 or older
14/18 – French or Irish bred
14/18 – Fallen or unseated no more than once during their careers
13/18 – Carried 10-9 or less
13/18 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
13/18 – Finished in the first three last time out
13/18 – Aged between 8-10 years-old
12/18 – Had won over 3m or further
12/18 – Last raced between 30-57 days ago
11/18 – Came from the first 7 in the betting market
7/18 – Won (fences) at Ayr before
6/18 – Won last time out
5/18 – Had won over 3m7f or further before
3/18 – Returned 15/2 in the betting
2/18 – Ran in the Grimthorpe Chase (Doncaster) last time out
2/18 – Trained by Paul Nicholls (2 of last 5 winners)
1/18 – Winning favourites
2 of the last 9 winners were won by a previous winner of the race
The average winning SP in the last 18 runnings is 20/1
NEWBURY HORSE RACING TRENDS (RacingTV/ITV)
1:35 - Play Pick 6 At BetVictor Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m3f ITV
1 previous run
Trainer Paul Nicholls won the race in 2021
Trainer Paul Nicholls has a 29% record with his hurdlers at the track
Trainer Nicky Henderson has a 25% record with his hurdlers at the track
Trainer Philip Hobbs has a 20% record with his hurdlers at the track
1 previous run
Trainer Rebecca Curtis won the race in 2021
Trainer David Dennis has a 29% record with his chasers at the track
Trainer Venetia Williams has a 28% record with her chasers at the track
Trainer Richard Hobson has a 25% record with his chasers at the track
Trainer Warren Greatrex has a 21% record with his chasers at the track
8/9 - Aged 5 or 6 years-old
8/9 - Won 1-2 times before
8/9 - Had not run at Newbury before
8/9 - Carried 11-2 or less in weight
7/9 - Finished in the top 3 last time out
7/9 - Had won over 2m4f or further before
7/9 - Ran in the last 6 weeks
5/9 - Aged 5 years-old
5/9 - Ran at Doncaster (3) or Exeter (2) last time outs
5/9 - Placed favourites
5/9 - Irish bred winners
4/9 - Won last time out
4/9 - winning favourites
2/9 - Trained by Charlie Longsdon
The average winning SP in the last 9 runnings is 9/1
Note: 2013 running was staged at Kempton
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https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/stt.png320830Andy Newtonhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngAndy Newton2022-04-01 13:09:352022-03-29 15:38:13Sat TV Trends: 2nd April 2022
As late March heralds longer days and flat racing fiestas in the coming weeks and months, those of us with a Cheltenham Festival-sized gap in our hearts and minds (and, perhaps, wallets) are already projecting wistfully forward to fifty weeks hence and the 2023 Cleeve Hill jamboree. If that sounds about 85% of the way along the tragic-desperate continuum, it is mitigated by the fact that such far-reaching forward-looking is not mutually exclusive with more impending matters on the level.
The focus of what follows, then, is a last lingering look back - and forward - with the aim of trying to isolate an ante post ticket (or two) whose value might subsequently be enhanced. No sooner had the Festival winners been hosed down than odds for possible return targets were chalked up; most such offers will look pretty thin when the time comes but some will not. Emboldened as I am always by the prospect of a punt at a price, I've looked back at the last decade to see if there were any clues from the previous year's spring festivals that we ought to have heeded. If that doesn't yet make sense, it will do soon enough.
Where next for the Champion Bumper winner?
I'll start with a 'what happened next' for those Cheltenham Festival winners that typically didn't have a previous spring campaign under their belt, the ones emerging from the Champion Bumper.
The first thing to say is that five of the prior nine Champion Bumper winners did not even get to the following year's Cheltenham Festival. The second, an aside, is to apologise for references to the Albert Bartlett as 'Spuds': it's a lazy shorthand so forgive me, please.
Facile Vega, the very good winner of this year's Champion Bumper, is no bigger than 3/1 for next year's Supreme; that looks ungenerous given only one of the previous nine winners even contested that race, Ballyandy finishing fourth in 2016 - as a 3/1 chance. That ten year time span is more unhelpful than disingenuous in that, a year earlier than the snapshot, in 2012, Champagne Fever completed part two of the Bumper-Supreme double.
More interesting, if indeed anything is interesting when fishing for patterns (which may or may not be mirages) in shallow pools, is that two of the previous three Champion Bumper winners - Envoi Allen and Sir Gerhard - went on to win the Ballymore as odds on shots. Facile Vega is a top-priced 6/1 for that longer novice hurdle and, if there's a bet here, that must be it. After all, his mum, Quevega, couldn't win in Graded company at two miles (from two tries, 3rd and 9th) but was almost unbeatable at two-and-a-half and three; and sire Walk In The Park's best strike rate is comfortably at around two and a half miles.
In the slightly longer grass, a few of the placed horses from the Festival flat race have won the opener twelve months later, so perhaps a second glance at American Mike, 14/1 in a place, is merited. (I believe James's Gate, as he's owned by the owners of Ballymore Properties, will go to that race so he, too, might figure in considerations if only because we know what his target will be, all other things being equal).
Observations:
Champion Bumper to Supreme is generally not a path trodden by winners of the former, but to the Ballymore has been a recent 'thing'. 6/1 about Facile Vega for the Ballymore might look too big ifhe can actually get to next year's meeting.
Placed horses in the Champion Bumper have a fair record in winning the Supreme. American Mike's 14/1 quote in a place likely won't last but there is general 12's available.
Supreme Novices' Hurdle
For all races that follow there is typically at least one season's previous form with which to work; as such, the format laid out for the Supreme will be replicated for all of the remaining Festival Grade 1's. Here's how it looks:
We can now see Champagne Fever in the bottom row of the table - see, I told you I wasn't being 'convenient'! We can also see that Appreciate It (and we cannot see that in 2011 Al Ferof) won the Supreme having been second in the Champion Bumper. But what is most striking if you're desperate to bet this race now is that almost none of the Supreme winners in the past decade were on the mainstream radar a year earlier.
This table is, at least partially, the inverse of the Champion Bumper bit above and, as such, not much else needs saying, except tread very carefully: we may not have even heard of next year's Supreme winner yet!
Observations: We quite possibly do not even know of the existence of next year's Supreme winner right now. American Mike is possibly the one for pin-stickers with a chance to replicate two recent Champion Bumper runners up who scored in the Supreme.
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
The intermediate distance Grade 1 novice hurdle and usually a classy affair, at the front end at least.
On top of the already made point about the pair of Champion Bumper winners who rocked up here as shorties a year later and got it done, the key takeaway is to keep a close eye on winning Irish bumper favourites away from the Festival spotlight. The thinking - and I do appreciate how tenuous some of this stuff is - is that they're favoured because of a level of ability already demonstrated, either at home or on the track; and they've been brought along relatively steadily out of the glare of wider perception. Related, perhaps, is that four of the five to fit this blueprint had also already won a point to point.
Both Yorkhill and Bob Olinger emerged from the same Gowran Park bumper won this year by Kalanisi Star. He won easily but recorded a lesser rating and is trained by the unfashionable (though eminently capable) Oliver McKiernan. Similarly, City Island (a winner for the race sponsors) and Faugheen both progressed from Punchestown's late May meeting, so that's a fixture to keep onside.
Observations:
Aside from maybe betting Facile Vega for the 2023 Ballymore, keep an eye on well-touted winners of spring bumpers in Ireland outside of the Punchestown Festival, especially if they already have a point to point verdict on their scorecard.
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
The potato race, as it is affectionately - and effectively, because who knew Albert Bartlett was a producer of starchy tubers beforehand? - known, is the staying division for novice hurdlers. Here's what recent AB victors were doing a year or so prior.
It may be more correct to say, here's what recent AB victors were not doing a year or so prior. They were not running in the Champion Bumper (though Briar Hill fell as 2/1 favourite for this in 2013) and they were not running in the Aintree bumpers. They might, however, have been on the podium in one of the non-Grade 1 National Hunt Flat races at the Punchestown Festival; and all the more interesting if they'd recently changed hands having won a point to point.
That ostensibly (and quite possibly actually) contrived route to potato riches was trodden by all of 33/1 Very Wood, 50/1 Minella Indo, and 5/1 Monkfish since 2014. A fourth winner in the sample, 33/1 Kilbricken Storm, also emerged as a point winner the previous spring. That's hardly surprising considering that, firstly, the vast majority of point to points are run at three miles, the same range as the Albert Bartlett; and, secondly, maiden races between the flags usually place a premium on jumping ability in young horses.
Observation:
Have a look at those emerging from points to make the frame in non-Grade 1 Punchestown Festival bumpers. They'll be a price, though history suggests they might be a bigger price on the day next March!
Champion Hurdle
After some middling attempts to find order in perfect randomness around the novice hurdle cohort, we move to the relative structure of the two mile Championship hurdle race, aptly known as the Champion Hurdle.
The column upon which to focus attention here is 'Prev Cheltenham' - it will not be a surprise that nine of the last ten Champion Hurdle winners were present a year earlier, nor particularly that they ran - generally placed - in a mixture of the novice hurdles, Mares' Hurdle and Champion Hurdle itself.
When contemplating such folly as an ante post bet a year out it is important to think about the shape of the race, in terms of how much is known already and how much is still to emerge. In the novice events, next to nothing is known at this stage while in the Champion Hurdle we probably have the vast majority of intel available, barring the maintenance of form and fitness.
What I am trying to say is that asking for both Honeysuckle and Constitution Hill to either regress materially or produce sick notes is a big request. Of the other potentials suggested by previous spring form, none appeal as capable of getting even much beyond the level of an Epatante or a Zanahiyr, let alone the champ and the champ elect. Of course, stuff happens, but we're already going out on more limbs than a millipede has in its possession and this, friends, is a bridge too far.
Marie's Rock has next to no chance in the Champion Hurdle, likewise the aforementioned Champion placed horses and, from the novice ranks, only Sir Gerhard looks a credible threat. He's 8/1 and he ain't sufficiently credible to legitimise that as an exciting punt. State Man and Vauban are unexposed sorts but we're back to Katchit in 2008 for the previous Triumph Hurdle winner to double up, and no horse has emerged from a handicap to win the big one a year later; Katchit, it should be added, had nothing of the immensity of Honeysuckle or Constitution Hill in his way.
Observation:
Not one to be getting too far ahead of ourselves about. Two seriously talented, career unbeaten, including in multiple Grade 1, horses - a race to hope they both show up for, and savour when they do. They're probably fair enough prices and there are more interesting (it's all relative) wagering options elsewhere.
Stayers' Hurdle
The Stayers' Hurdle, a Championship (nominally, at least) three-miler, is one of the more inscrutable - or less scrutable - open races at Le Fez. Its roll of honour reads more 'who?' than who's who, and there is very little in the previous spring Festival form from which to piece together even the most circumstantial of cases. And yes, I do appreciate that hasn't stopped me above and below this segment!
Podium finishers in the staying novice races at Aintree - the Sefton - and Punchestown - Irish Mirror - have provided four winners since 2015, and that's the best I have.
Observation:
This is akin to trying to sculpt water.
Arkle Challenge Trophy
And so to the Grade 1 steeplechases, the first of which is the Arkle, a two mile test of speed and jumpcraft (not a word, should be). In the last ten years, Willie's won four and Nicky has won three. That's as good a starting point as any.
Three of that Hendo/Mullins septet won the Supreme while the third Seven Barrows scorer won the Ballymore. The only beaten horse from a Festival novice hurdle to win the Arkle twelve months on in the last ten years was Duc Des Genievres and I'm still unable to explain how that happened.
We also know stuff like five-year-olds have struggled since their allowance was removed; the last of that vintage was Voy Por Ustedes, in receipt of five pounds weight for age, in 2006. So we can ignore those at this stage.
The obvious one is Sir Gerhard, comfortable winner of the Ballymore and already a point winner. Talk of his jumping frailty looks overplayed to my, granted somewhat untutored, eye and he is likely to take high rank in the novice chase division next term. I do worry that, as his flag form - and the Ballymore - implies, he could go towards the Golden Miller (Marsh/JLT/Turners) rather than the shorter race; and any early fencing blemishes will be amplified in the media which might make connections twitchy. That's enough to swerve him at the price, 5/1 tops, for now.
At double those odds is Appreciate It, nine lengths back in the Champion Hurdle after a year off the track. He ran a fair bit better than his finishing position suggests and I think we'll see a much improved performance, and subsequent contraction in his Arkle odds, after Punchestown. Even if he beats Honeysuckle there, which I don't really expect, he's likely to dodge Con Hill and go fencing next term. Footpad's was a not dissimilar profile for the same trainer, Willie Mullins, in 2018.
Zanahiyr might be another worth a thought, though he's not generally priced up: there's a good chance I don't know something I should do about the chances of his Arkle participation.
Observation:
The key is to work out who will be avoiding the perceived strength in next year's Champion Hurdle field while still being good enough to contest an Arkle. Appreciate It is a double figure price and may shorten for all sorts of targets if getting close to Honeysuckle at Punchestown.
Golden Miller Novices' Chase
Formally known as the Golden Miller, we'll stick with that for a race that in its short life has had as many sponsors/names (Jewson, Centenary, JLT, Marsh, Turners) as the Festival wants days. It's an intermediate distance novice chase, which means that even more guesswork is required in terms of horses being suited to its conditions rather than simply avoiding the level of competition in either the Arkle or RSA/Brown Advisory/Broadway. Quirkily, this year's Golden Miller had two of the very hottest novices around, Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs, and scared away another, L'Homme Presse, who was originally mooted to take this middle path.
That kind of double bluff is commonplace in a race whose ante post waters are further muddied by the vast array of talent in certain yards, many of which trainer and/or jockey and/or owner are eager to see in separate divisions in March.
Perhaps the previous spring will shed some much needed luminescence on these murky cogitations. [Why use one syllable when many more are available?!]
The Ballymore is the one, isn't it? Three Golden Miller winners were doubling up on a Ballymore score a year before; three more ran down the track in the same race. The winner, we know, was Sir Gerhard and I increasingly feel this is where he'll wind up - and with an obvious chance, of course.
But perhaps it's worth looking down the field for another arrow at a price that accommodates at least some of the additional risk. In that spirit, I offer up Three Stripe Life, beaten by Sir Gerhard thrice in six career starts. But stay with me a minute, because he actually got closest - within four lengths of Sir G in the Ballymore - when everything else, bar the last flight tumbler Journey With Me, was waiting for a bus home - and connections would surely have been emboldened by his finishing effort on a first try beyond two miles. He might be playable at 14/1 for an interest.
Journey With Me, too, is not impossible. He might take a different tack, as might the others mentioned, but that is surely factored into a quote of 25/1 with one joint. He was unbeaten in a point, a bumper and two novice hurdles prior to being booked for third in the Ballymore; and he represents the same owner, trainer and, presumably, jockey as this year's Golden Miller winner, Bob Olinger (for all that we know how lucky he was).
Observation:
Look to the Ballymore form. Sir Gerhard is obvious but this has been a race for apparent rather than obvious winners as the abundance of those returned 3/1 and 4/1 attests; so perhaps TSL or JWM offer a sliver of value.
Broadway Novices' Chase
Familiarly known as the RSA Chase, but now sponsored by Brown Advisory, who used to sponsor one of the handicaps - this sponsorship lark is important but it really is getting very confusing - this is the three mile novice chase championship. Below are the last ten winners and what they were up to a year or so prior.
Most of the Broadway winners ran at Cheltenham the previous year and ran well there. What is interesting, to me at least, is that three of the seven to dance at the Chelto party a year prior did so in a handicap rather than a Grade 1. Don Poli won the Martin Pipe, Presenting Percy won the Pertemps Final, and Topofthegame was second in the Coral Cup. The last named was actually the highest rated of the trio, on 150 at the time and a second season hurdler - the other pair novices - and 143 was the lowest rating of them.
No horse from the top two in the handicaps this year fits the Broadway profile, but third placed Hollow Games ran on well over the two and a half miles of the Martin Pipe to be third, carrying 11-09, second top weight. Rated 143, it's far from impossible the £255,000 sales buy could emerge as an RSA contender.
The lazy route into the Broadway is the Albert Bartlett winner but, as can be seen, only the exceptional (I think, would like to see more of him) Monkfish doubled up in the last ten years. Two beaten horses from that race, O'Faolains Boy and Blaklion, prevailed in the fencing equivalent but trying to work out which, and why, from this year's potato crop (see what I did there?) is beyond me. That said, there are reasons to believe that Hillcrest is a lot better than he showed in the Al Barty and will improve for a fence, and he's priced attractively.
A final word of caution - one can never have too many words of caution in a post like this - is that three of the most recent ten Broadway winners were unsighted at any of the Spring Festivals. Might Bite and L'Homme Presse were particularly progressive during their chase campaigns: there's always time, and space in the ledger, to back another one or three 'twixt now and then!
Observation:
Three winners that were unheralded a year earlier mean this is a race to play small at big prices, or (probably) not at all. The pick of the handicap form, ideally from a novice with a decent rating and carrying a commensurately lumpy weight, isn't the worst way to tilt at it, so have a look at 20/1 Hollow Games. And perhaps Hillcrest at a similar quote.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
The last three races under consideration are the Championship chases, starting with the two mile division.
Two races from the year before dominate, and they're predictable enough, too. The novice version of the Champion Chase, the Arkle, and the Champion Chase itself are kingmakers (or queenmaker in the case of Put The Kettle On) having hosted eight next year Champion Chasers between them; no other race has featured even a single QMCC winner. Those Champion Chase winners have all been 11/1 or shorter, which surprised me when I recall how many of them I "couldn't have"!
Thinking about the logical contenders, this has been a race notable for absenteeism, either pre-race or during: in Politologue's victory year, both Altior and Chacun Pour Soi withdrew on the day; last year, CPS threw in a clunker; and this year, Shishkin did that while CPS tucked and rolled. I mention this by way of context as I'm about to overlook Energumene and Shishkin in the ante post market.
Energumene was undeniably electric in beating what stood up and got round, but the pick of those was the 165-rated 11-year-old Politologue. But he didn't run to 165; his performance rating from the BHA was just 148. That form is hollow for all that Energ waltzed by the residue of his field. Actually, that's not the concern. Rather, it's whether or not we can trust him to turn up twelve months down the line. If we can, and he does, he will be a major player, but a top price of 7/2 is not for me.
Shishkin is brilliant. Was brilliant. He now has a question to answer: did Ascot vaporise his verve for the game? Was Cheltenham really all about the ground? I so want to believe he'll be back, and I'll cheer him as though I'm all in if/when he does come back, but I definitely do not want to wager a year out at 5/1.
Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs will find ways to avoid each other without taking in the Champion Chase, I expect; and Ferny Hollow could be a runner for all that his form was not far clear of Riviere d'Etel's - and that one was no match, no match at all, for Edwardstone in the Arkle. True, it was a weak enough renewal, Eddie's pre-race 159 pick of the field ascending to 161 post-race; but he did it well and with more to give. He'll go into open company next season as second in after Shishkin of the domestics, assuming Shishkin returns to his former glories. And he's 12/1 to join the three previous Arkle winners to double up in the QMCC a year later, the most recent of which was the similarly underappreciated Put The Kettle On.
Observation:
The two mile Grade 1 chases from the previous year dominate the QMCC winners board. This is a race where the obvious often comes to pass but it can still be played at a square price, perhaps through the conduit of Edwardstone, a far better chaser than hurdler who retains upside in a division of fragile commodities.
Ryanair Chase
The much-maligned Ryanair is a race I love, and it's produced more than its share of good winners, including the current two-timer Allaho. It also has a trio of predictable components, namely Golden Miller, Willie Mullins, and Aintree form.
In fact, the Golden Miller angle, while not quite a chuck out, has gone a bit cold. Not since Balko Des Flos won the Ryanair in 2018 a year after falling in the Golden Miller as a 16/1 chance has a runner from that race won the Open version. There is a very good chance, however, that one of Bob Olinger and/or Galopin Des Champs will run in next year's Ryanair, and either would hold strong claims for all that Allaho is a worthy champ.
Galopin Des Champs, a stablemate of Allaho, is still more likely to go Ryanair as things stand: he jumps well (in spite of his last fence misfortune in the Golden Miller) and has a fantastic cruising speed. 6/1 is at the unexciting end of the acceptable spectrum, I feel, because there looks to be a huge amount of dead wood in the betting lists right now - this could end up being next year's version of the Turners match up: never mind the width, feel the quality. Galopin and Allaho both tick the Willie Mullins box - the Closutton guru has won five of the last seven Ryanair's and has a half nelson around the 2023 renewal at time of writing.
Aintree form is an interesting sneak into the ante post markets, for all that we don't yet know how that plays out. Winners of the two G1 novices chases, the Mildmay and Manifesto, prevailed in the following Ryanair in 2014/15, and Min won the Melling Chase, an Open Grade 1, en route to 2020 Ryanair glory.
Observation:
Trained by Willie Mullins, and/or exiting either of the Golden Miller/Turners or an Aintree G1 (as a winner) all embellish the prospects of a Ryanair contender. At this stage, Galopin Des Champs is a fair enough play at 6/1 in what might end up a shallow race - Allaho notwithstanding - next term. But keep a beady on events in Liverpool the week after next, too. There might be a play at a price emerging from the action there.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
And finally, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Blue Riband. A proper test over three and a quarter miles, plus a few more yards, it's a legitimate proving ground for our sport's champions.
Placed Gold Cup horses can and do win the following year, as demonstrated most recently by Native River (2018), Al Boum Photo doubling up in 2020, and A Plus Tard this year. And, like the Arkle/QMCC and Golden Miller/Ryanair couplings, the Broadway is a natural springboard for the Gold Cup. Witness Bobs Worth, Lord Windermere, Al Boum Photo (first time around), and Minella Indo. Those two angles account for seven of the last ten Gold Cup winners.
A shortlist, then, might be A Plus Tard, Minella Indo, Protektorat, L'Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor.
Some have Stattler making a claim but the National Hunt Chase has made zero inroads into the Gold Cup picture, even since cutting back in distance, Galvin the latest to possess the stamina but not the class for the main gig. Others proffer the talented Monkfish but he has not been seen on the course since April last year and has plenty to prove as a result. He might enter the frame after we've swooned over his comeback but he's no kind of long-term conveyance at this point.
There is no sign of a Golden Miller runner winning the Gold Cup a year after in recent history and, besides, Galopin Des Champs is only 5/1 and has other - some say, better - options. Nor am I personally convinced of the Cheltenham credentials of Bravemansgame, for all that he may shorten if winning at Aintree.
Of the quintet on the shortlist, Minella Indo will be ten next year - too old - and Protektorat looked some way shy of what's required for all that he can certainly improve from his current mark: he'll only be eight next year. A Plus Tard was imperious this time and is unquestionably the one to beat; but he's scheduled to face two rising stars off Broadway, as it were, next year. That's just as well because it's hard to see anything behind him a couple of weeks ago reversing places.
L'Homme Presse had stamina questions to answer going into the Broadway; not only did he respond with a win, he did it going away from a strong stayer at the finish. It was a performance that quietly but confidently, erm, pressed his Gold Cup claims, though 8/1 reflects that pretty much fully. So what of his vanquished rival, Ahoy Senor? His jumping was a little sketchy, more than that at one point, and if brushing up as he's entitled to for a second season over fences, he could maybe bridge the gap; but it's a stretch to imagine a reversal of form even with a clear round.
If Royale Pagaille ever gets a swamp on Gold Cup day, he'd have a great chance, and is still young enough to be a player in twelve months' time; but that is a big 'if' as evidenced by the 'going' column in the above table. Still, 50/1 is a tad rude, I'd say.
Observation:
Look to the podium spots in the previous Gold Cup, and the 1-2 from the Broadway. The problem is that the market has looked there already meaning value appears pretty thin on the ground.
*
So that's that, a route into most of next year's Cheltenham Festival Grade 1's based on activity this spring. If you're ambitious enough to try a few of these so far out - we all have to survive another fifty weeks through uncertain times for a start (mind you, if we don't, I guess it won't really matter whether we've made good bets or bad) - then it could be worth some uber-optimistic permed doubles. Catch one and it will apologise for a lot of misfires from the scattergun!
One other thing to keep in mind is price volatility over time. The ante post markets overreact in both directions, so horses that fit the bill above but are skinny enough in the betting right now will still fit the historical profile if/when they ease out a point or three. The brave investor buys when others are selling, as long as her fundamentals are close enough to their mark.
Good luck. With a favourable spin of the wheel, we'll have a few tasty tickets on the back burner while those flat race bunnies are haring about the place.
Matt
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ConstitutionHill_TolworthHurdle.jpg320830Matt Bisognohttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngMatt Bisogno2022-03-29 07:45:392022-03-29 07:58:04I Know What You Did Last Spring: Making Long Range Cheltenham Festival Projections
Something for everyone this Saturday as new turf season gets going at Doncaster on Saturday, with the ultra-competitive Lincoln Handicap as the feature, while there is also decent all-weather racing at Kempton with that include the Listed Magnolia Stakes, plus jumping fans will get their fix at Kelso.
The ITV cameras are showing eight races across the three venues and, as always, we’ve got it all covered with key trends and stats.
14/14 – Aged 6 or younger
13/14 – Had won over 1m2f before
12/14 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
11/14 – Returned 3/1 or shorter in the betting
11/14 – Drawn in stalls 1-4 (inc)
10/14 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
9/14 – Unplaced last time out
8/14 – Last ran 5 months or more ago
8/14 – Winning favourites
6/14 – Winning distance – ½ length or less
6/14 – Had won at Kempton before
5/14 – Unplaced favourites
4/14 – Irish bred
4/14 – Trained by John Gosden
3/14 – Trained by William Haggas
10/10 - Won no more than 5 times
9/10 - Aged between 4-6 years-old
8/10 - Didn’t win last time out
8/10 - Had won over 1m6f or further
7/10 - Only won between 1-3 times before
7/10 - Rated between 82-89
7/10 - Had run at Kempton before
7/10 - Returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting
6/10 - Favourites that finished 2nd
5/10 - Had won at Kempton in the past
2/10 - Trained by Roger Charlton
0/10 - Winning favourites
16/17 – Aged 7 or younger
15/17 – Aged between 4-6 years-old
15/17 – Had won no more than 5 times before
15/17 – Carried 9-2 or more in weight
15/17 – Returned 14/1 or shorter in the betting
12/17 – Had won over 6f before
12/17 – Last ran 4 months or longer ago
11/17 – Winning distance – 1 length or less
11/17 – Raced at Doncaster, Ascot, Lingfield or Windsor last time out
11/17 – Rated 102+
10/17 – Had raced at Doncaster before
9/17 – Finished in the top 4 last time out
9/17 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
8/17 – Unplaced favourites
3/17 – Won last time out
3/17 – Winning favourites (or joint)
4/17 – Had won at Doncaster before
No winners from stalls 1 or 2 in the last 12 runnings
7 of the last 12 winners came between stalls 9-16 (inc)
2.25 – SBK Spring Mile (Handicap) Cl2 1m ITV4
16/19 – Carried 8-13 or more
15/19 – Aged 4 years-old
15/19 – Finished fourth or worse last time out
13/19 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
13/19 – Won over a mile before
10/19 – Won from a single-figure draw
3/19 – Winners from stalls 3-7 (inclusive)
2/19 – Winning favourites
2/19 – Won last time out
2/19 – Won a race at Doncaster before
Richard Fahey has trained the winner in 2010 & 2014
Just 1 winner older than 6 in the last 19 years
Just 8 previous running
8/8 – Last ran 4+ months ago
8/8 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
7/8 – Rated 106+
7/8 – Aged between 5-7 years-old
7/8 – Had won over at least 1m before
7/8 – Returned 11/2 or shorter in the betting
5/8 – Winners from stalls 2 or 4
4/8 – Had won 6+ times before
4/8 – Winning favourites
4/8 – Ran at Ascot last time out
3/8 – Trained by Roger Varian (3 of last 5)
2/8 – Won last time out
3.35 – SBK Lincoln (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 1m ITV4
18/18 – Aged 6 or younger
17/18 – Carried 9-4 or less in weight
15/18 – Had won over at least 1m before
15/18 – Had won between 2-4 times before
14/18 – Drawn in stall 9 or higher
13/18 – Having their first run of the flat season
12/18 – Winning distance – 1 length or more
11/18 – Unplaced favourites
11/18 – Aged 4 years-old
10/18 – Returned a double figure price in the betting
10/18 – Officially rated between 95-100
10/18 – Placed first or second last time out
9/18 – Had raced at Doncaster before
8/18 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
8/18 – Won last time out
7/18 – Raced at either Newmarket or Lingfield last time out
5/18 – Placed horses from stall 12 (1 winner)
4/18 - Placed horses from stall 16 (1 winner)
4/18 – Winning favourites
3/18 – Trained by William Haggas
2/18 – Trained by Richard Fahey
2/18 – Trained by Charlie Appleby
2/18 – Trained by John Quinn
2/18 - Trained by John Gosden
2/18 – Ridden by James Doyle (2 of last 3)
9 of the last 11 winners carried between 9-0 and 9-4 in weight
Just 1 winner has carried 9-10 in the last 35 runnings
The average winning SP in the last 18 runnings is 13/1
Note: The 2006 renewal was run at Redcar and the 2007 running was staged at Newcastle
Kelso Horse Racing Trends
1.35 - Schloss Roxburghe Hotel Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 3m2f ITV
7/7 - Aged between 7-10 years old
7/7 - Won over at least 2m5f before
7/7 - Ran in the last 6 weeks
6/7 - Carried 11st 1lbs or more in weight
6/7 - Didn’t win last time out
5/7 - Carried 11st 5lbs or more in weight
5/7 - Returned 5/1 or shorter in the betting
4/7 - Irish bred
4/7 - Placed in the top 3 last time out
4/7 - Rated between 140-142
3/7 - Ran at Haydock last time out
3/7 - Had run at Kelso before
2/7 - Trained by Lucinda Russell
1/7 - Winning favourites
3:15 - Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m ITV
No previous runnings
Trainer Fergal O’Brien has a 50% (3-from-6) record with his hurdlers at the track
Trainer Nicky Henderson has a 40% record (2-from-5) record with his hurdlers at the track
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/stt.png320830Andy Newtonhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngAndy Newton2022-03-25 13:00:532022-03-24 18:20:40Sat TV Trends: 26th March 2022
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