UK Horse Racing Tips

I’m just breaking myself away from a Free Slots online session to provide you with a mid week tip. Don’t worry I’ve not let casino games take centre stage, I’m just gearing up for my fast approaching trip to Great Yarmouth, which is a little under two weeks away now. I’ll be sure to let you know I get on at the races and the casino afterwards. Let’s hope it makes for happy reading!

In the 4.45 at Doncaster on Wednesday, Mount Logan carries a 6lb penalty for winning a Listed race at Goodwood earlier this season, which may make him vulnerable, especially as he was bitterly disappointing when only sixth of seven, beaten 8 lengths, behind Kings Fete when last seen at Goodwood in July. Roger Varian’s 5-year-old has had a break to recover from his exertions, but may still have to give best to Oasis Fantasy, who has officially improved by 15lb in handicaps since the start of the season and fully deserves a crack at some black type.

The Oasis Dream gelding is 4lb better off with Mount Logan than in a handicap and has run creditably in defeat in valuable handicaps over 1 mile 2 furlongs, 1 mile 2½ furlongs and 1 mile 4 furlongs since winning over the latter distance at Newmarket in May. He’s looked an awkward ride, but wears a first-time visor and is reunited with Silvestre De Sousa, who’s won on him once and finished second on him twice on the three occasions he’s ridden him this season, so he should lack nothing in terms of assistance from the saddle. He probably doesn’t want too much rain, but the prevailing good to soft going on Town Moor is fine and he looks to have bright prospects of making a successful transition to Listed company.

Selection: Doncaster 4.45 Oasis Fantasy to win

Betting on horseracing is somewhat of an art form; it is a process which requires a lot of research and some intense thought. Be sure to make as much use of the information available to you as possible.

Assess the horses past races, if the horse has run the distance of today’s race beforehand then look at how well they ran it. If it’s a half decent winning percentage then you may wish to consider that horse, though don’t forget to look at whether the horse changing distances for today’s race.

However, as you know, it’s not as simple as that and their many other factors to consider before you pick your winner.

When you’re picking that winning accumulator for the football, you assess the form of each team and horseracing is no different. The past form of the horse must be considered. Has the horse had a lot of races this year?

That may be bad news if so as horses that are over raced seldom win. If the horse has had less than 10-15 starts over the past 24 months, then they may be more likely to win. As well as how many races a horse has won, look at the speed they raced at.

If a horse is near the winning position in previous races and has shown speed, then it may be a sign that they are close to finally winning. On the morning of the race, look at which horse has the best work-out at any particularly distance as this usually suggests that the horse is raring to go.

One factor that will probably completely slip your mind is the surface of the track. Ask yourself if the horse is use to running on dirt, turf, synthetic?

As well as the surface, be sure to assess the layout of the track as this will help to tell you the horse’s post position. Sprint races around one turn generally favour outside posts whilst two turn races favour inside posts.

So that’s how to spot a winning horse but what about its trainer? Look for the trainers with the biggest winning percentage as they are likely to be the most consistent and will more often than not continue to win.

Also find out how many horses any one trainer has entered, if a trainer has more than one horse racing it suggests that they are looking to win so a horse belonging to them may be a good bet.

If a horse is new to a trainer, then don’t think it will take them time to hit the ground running (if you pardon the pun) as trainers tend to want to win straight away with their new horse.

And after looking at the horse and the trainer, research the jockey, if the jockey has previously won with the same horse then it is a good sign, certain jockeys are right for certain horses and this is visible with their race records.

So that’s how to spot the winner but what about the actual betting? Start with the favourite; it may seem like the obvious yet unadventurous choice but favourite wins more than 40% of non-handicap flat races.

Though if your research suggests that the favourite is beatable, it shows that the race is very worthwhile when it comes to betting. And as well as assessing a horse’s bullet workout on the morning of the race, assess the odds, horses with odds over 20/1 very rarely win.

Now go and choose your winner!

Another day another bet, and on the horse racing tips front for you today we have this selection. In the 4.45 at Leicester on Thursday, Commanche hasn’t won since winning a similar contest over course and distance last July, but is consequently 14lb lower in the weights, so must have a chance of winning again if he hasn’t deteriorated beyond recall. The fact that he’s started favourite on two of his last four starts suggests that his recent form hasn’t been entirely without promise and, while he’s become a professional loser, he ended another long losing run when winning here last year. That win came on good to soft going, but he won on good to firm going earlier in his career, so he shouldn’t be unduly inconvenienced by faster underfoot conditions. It’s also interesting that Silvestre De Sousa, who won on him last year and is engaged to ride in the first race (6.45) at Wolverhampton on Thursday evening, hangs around at Leicester to renew their partnership.  We, have more updates for you, Sports, Bets & Tips related, later in the week!

Selection: Leicester 4.45 Commanche to win

It’s time once again to focus on racing festivals, in this case the prestigeous Ebor Festival which takes place from the 17th to the 20th August. The four day race meeting isn’t quite the jewel in the crown of the flat racing season, but at the same time is steeped in history, dating back to 1843 in the form of the Ebor Handicap.

Much like other racing festivals, each day of the Ebor festival has feature races and a theme:

Wednesday – Juddmonte International Day
Thursday – Ladies’ Day
Friday – Nunthorpe Day
Saturday – Ebor Day

Some of the highlight races over these four days include the Great Voltigeur Stakes and Acomb Stakes on Wednesday, the Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday, the Nunthorpe Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes and Lonsdale Cup on Friday, and last but certainly not least the Ebor Handicap on Saturday.

The much anticipated Ebor Handicap is run over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs and has been won by a couple of decent priced winners in recent years. In 2014 Mutual Regard, ridden by Louis Steward and trained by Johnny Murtagh came in at an impressive 20-1. Last year those odds were overshadowed by the Joseph Tuite trained Litigant, winning at 33-1 with bookmakers. Of course both of these pale into insigifance if we go back to 2006, when Mudawin ridden by John Egan made a lucky few punters extremely happy by delivering them with a 100-1 winner.

As with any race with history to it noteworthy records stand out. In the case of the Ebor Handicap the leading jockey over the history of the race is Lester Piggot with five wins between 1958 (Gladness) and 1983 (Jupiter Island). Leading trainer is Tom Dawson, also with five wins. The Lonsdale Cup, also held on the penultimate day of the Ebor Festival, is another race that gets punters excited. It’s a group two race run over a distance of 2 miles and 88 yards. The most successful jockey over the course is Pat Eddery, riding five horses to victory between 1983 and 1999, and the leading trainer John Dunlop with five wins between 1987 and 2012.

I, along with many punters, will no doubt be having a flutter this time around too. I’m liking the look of Amour de Nuit in the Ebor Heritage handicap but will make a final betting decision on the day. I’ll try not to go too crazy mind you as I’m off to Great Yarmouth next month for three days of racing, and will pop into the casino while I’m there too. Roulette is my game of choice since the odds are comparatively good compared to most other casino games. I had a little flutter on the premier roulette game on M88 earlier to get in the swing of things. I tend to stick with a single number and hope for the best, rather than go for an (almost) even money option of red and black, or odd and even. My approach also brings with it the chance of a bigger win if my luck is in! A bit of an all or nothing attitude!