Horse Racing Blog

The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 race that makes up part of the Glorious Goodwood Festival. The race is run over a mile and is open to horses aged three years and older. Henry Cecil has trained the winner of the Sussex Stakes on five occasions but not since 1997. Recent winners of the race include Rip Van Winkle, Henrythenavigator and Ramonti.

Sussex Stakes Details

First Run: 1841

Trip: 1 Mile

Location: Goodwood Racecourse

Next Running: Wednesday 28th July 2010

Leading Trainer: Henry Cecil (Five Wins)

Leading Jockey: Gordon Richards (Eight Wins)

Sussex Stakes Betting

Sussex Stakes Trends

10 of the last 10 winners finished 1st or 2nd last time out
10 of the last 10 winners had run in the last 55 days
9 of the last 10 winners had run between 3 and 5 times that season
9 of the last 10 winners came from the first 4 in the betting
8 of the last 10 winners had previously won over a mile
8 of the last 10 winners had finished 1st or 2nd at the Royal meeting
7 of the last 10 winners had previously won a Group 1
6 of the last 10 renewals have been won by a 3yo
4 of the last 10 renewals have been won by Aidan O’Brien
4 of the last 10 winners ran in the St James’ Palace Stakes
4 of the last 10 winners ran in the 2000 Guineas

Sussex Stakes Tips

The 2010 Sussex Stakes looks very much like a two horse race between Richard Hannon’s Canford Cliffs and the Aidan O’Brien trained Rip Van Winkle.

After being slightly disappointing at the start of the season, Canford Cliffs has won his last two starts in impressive fashion taking the Irish 2,000 Guineas, followed by the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Hannon runner fits the majority of the trends for this race and looks every bit a worthy favourite.

Aidan O’Brien’s horses seem to have benefited from a run this season. If Rip Van Winkle has blown the cobweb’s away with his effort in the Queen Anne Stakes behind Goldikova, he could pose a serious threat to Canford Cliffs. At around the 5/2 mark, the Irish challenger will likely make more appeal to punters than taking odds on about the favourite.

The rest of the field look like they have it to do on official figures. Premio Loco’s running style suggest he may be able to come with a late surge to get in the places but it’s hard to see him being good enough to trouble the two principles.

Get more horse racing tips on Glorious Goodwood from our horse racing forum.

Although the highlight of Friday evening’s meeting at HQ is likely to be the performance of indie rockers Razorlight, there is also a reasonable card to get stuck into beforehand. Hopefully we can come up with a few selections that will pay for the beers at the concert.

5.40
The first race on the card is probably the least inspiring, a Class 5 Fillies Handicap. Likely favourite Snoqualmie Star got off the mark last time out on the all weather at Kempton and she gets in here with a 6lbs penalty. Trainer Dominic Elsworth is utilising 7lbs claimer Ryan Powell to offset this and obviously thinks she has decent claims of following up.

Derek Simcock’s filly Tartaria is interesting making her handicap debut off a mark of 66. Her form thus far looks ok and she is certainly less exposed than some of her rivals.

At the bottom of the weights, 3yo My Sister may be the best option in an average race. She has showed improved form on her last two starts and her run at Nottingham shows she has no problem with regards the trip. The forecast 11/2 looks fair.

1pt win My Sister

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6.10
This is a very competitive maiden with a few of the top yards represented and I’m struggling to split the principles. Sir Michael Stoute won the race last year and he’s represented by La Concorde this. The filly finished a solid 2nd of 15 in a maiden at Doncaster last time and must have every chance. Tissue favourite Donna Elvira from the Hannon yard has run in four maidens showing a good level of form but is yet to get a win under her belt.

At bigger odds, Mountain Hiker makes plenty of appeal. This gelding finished 3rd of 11 over ten furlongs at Windsor last month and should not be far away.

1pt win Mountain Hiker

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6.40
No strong opinion here but there is an old saying about backing the top weight in nurseries and the way Ocean Drift won at Warwick last time makes him my selection. The horse that finished 3rd that day has since won a race, so the form has a solid look to it. Honourable Knight could be the biggest danger.

1pt win Ocean Drift

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7.10
This is a valuable little 2yo Conditions Stakes and there are some very interesting contenders. Mick Channon and Daryl Holland teamed up to win last year’s race with the filly Hairspray. They both compete in the race again but this time, Holland is riding for excellent Italian trainer Marco Botti. He has done wonders in the last couple of seasons and is beginning to hold his own against the big yards. The race Excelebration won at Doncaster is working out well with runner up Belgian Bill having won since and I think Botti’s runner will prove hard to beat.

2pts win Excelebration

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7.40
The first of two decent handicap races now sees tissue favourite Kuanyao quoted as an unlikely runner. Deacons Blues will take up that position and is a worthy favourite under the man that loves being in the drive position, Kieren Fallon. The James Fanshawe trained colt has improved with every run this season and although he only finished 8th last time, he met trouble in running and still looks very unexposed.

The old boy Viking Spirit is now running off a career low mark of 79. He still retains a lot of ability even at 8 years old and should be in the places but he couldn’t manage any better than 3rd off the same mark last time.

Fantasy Gladiator cost me a fortune on the Placepot at Ascot a couple of Friday’s ago so sods law tells me he will pop up and I think he would be my fancy. He is 13lbs better off with Deacon Blues for a 4l beating at Yarmouth earlier in the season but double the price.

I was very tempted to chance top weight Spanish Bounty. He is a dual course and distance winner and is gradually coming down the handicap. Dropping back into a Class 3 tonight, Tom Queally’s mount is one I would not put anyone off backing.

1pt win Fantasy Gladiator

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8.10
Another Class 3 Handicap, this time over the Derby trip of 1m4f in which Paul Cole’s runner Strategic Mount looks like a very good each way alternative to the short priced Captain John Nixon. The horse remains on the same mark from which he ran his best race for some time at the July Meeting here a couple of weeks ago when finishing third and this race isn’t as tough. 3 year old and bottom weight Sierra Alpha is very unexposed and rates a serious threat to the selection.

1pt e/w Strategic Mount

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8.45
I’m not a fan of 3yo handicaps, mainly because of the fact I’m useless at them and this Class 5 contest sponsored by Sportingbet is no different. Nothing very original about this pick but I’m going to side with Mark Johnston’s Queen’s Scholar in the hope that first time blinkers can bring about a bit of improvement. She’s run two good races in her handicap starts thus far and runs off the same mark tonight. The stable’s horses are hard to pass once they get on the front end and I’m sure Greg Fairley will have the same instructions they had Joe Fanning attempt last time out.at Hamilton.

1pt win Queen’s Scholar

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes is a Group 1 race and one of the highlights of the flat racing calendar. The event is staged at Ascot Racecourse and is run over a trip of one mile and four furlongs. Four year olds tend to perform very well in this event with 8 of the last 10 renewals having been won by a four year old.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Details

Next Running: Saturday 24th July

First Run: 1951

Location: Ascot Racecourse

Trip: 1m4f

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Trends

10 of the last 10 winners were having their first run in the race
9 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 last time out
9 of the last 10 winners had run 2 to 4 times that season
9 of the last 10 winners had run in the last 50 days
9 of the last 10 winners had won a Group 1
8 of the last 10 winners were aged 4
8 of the last 10 winners were favourite
3 of the last 10 winners have been trained by Aidan O’Brien
2 of the last 10 winners have been trained by Sir Michael Stoute

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Betting

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Tips

The 2010 King George looks like it could come down to a real battle between two Michael Stoute trained runners in Workforce and Harbinger. Sir Michael trained the first three home in last seasons renewal and it was likely a tough decision for jockey Ryan Moore choosing between his pair this time. Stoute also has Spanish Moon and Confront entered in the £1,000,000 event.

Aidan O’Brien has won 3 of the last 10 renewals and is also well represented with 6 horses entered at this stage. The pick of his bunch would arguably be Irish Derby winner Cape Blanco.

Taking the strong 4 year old stat into account coupled with his trainer’s great record in this race, Harbinger looks like the one to beat. Stable mate Workforce isn’t likely to make it easy for the Hardwicke Stakes winner but Harbinger appears to have come into his own as a 4 year old. His form looks bombproof unlike that of the Derby winner Workforce who was however visually very impressive in winning at Epsom.

2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Selection

2pts win Harbinger @ 5/2 with Stan James

Get more horse racing tips on the 2010 King George from our horse racing forum.

The Weatherbys Super Sprint is a Class 2 event for horses aged 2 years old. It takes place at Newbury Racecourse each July and is run over a distance of five furlongs.

First run in 1991, the Weatherbys Super Sprint is restricted to horses sold as yearlings by public auction for 48,000 guineas or less. The the sale price of the horses determines what weight they will carry with one pound deducted for each 3,000 guineas below 48,000. 7st 12lb is the minimum weight for the race.

Trainer Richard Hannon has dominated the race since it’s inception in 1991. He has trained 7 of the 18 winners thus far.

Weatherbys Super Sprint Details

Next running: Saturday 17th July

Trip: 5 Furlongs

First Run: 1991

Location: Newbury Racecourse

Weatherbys Super Sprint Trends

10 of the last 10 winners had run 2 to 5 times that season
10 of the last 10 winners had their last run in past 35 days
9 of the last 10 winners had previously won a race
9 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 on their racecourse debut
9 of the last 10 winners had won over no further than 5 furlongs
9 of the last 10 winners were sired by a group winner
7 of the last 10 winners ran at Royal Ascot
7 of the last 10 winners went off at 10/1 or shorter

Weatherbys Super Sprint Tips

The 2010 renewal of the Weatherbys Super Sprint sees trainer Richard Hannon saddling six runners in the race in a bid to maintain his tremendous Super Sprint record. Although his most fancied runner Reckless Reward under Ryan Moore is likely to start favourite, Jaahiz is his most interesting contender for me. Kieren Fallon is an intriguing booking and while his form might not look the strongest, he is definitely going the right way and is open to any amount of improvement.

Right at the bottom of the weights, carrying just 7st 12lbs, is the Sylvester Kirk trained Dress Up. This filly didn’t run a bad race in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and with the stable looking like they are coming into form, David Probert’s mount can mount a decent challenge.

2010 Weatherbys Super Sprint Selections

1pt e/w Jaahiz @ 16/1 Betfred

1pt e/w Dress Up @ 20/1 William Hill

Get more horse racing tips on the Weatherbys Super Sprint from our horse racing forum.

The Darley July Cup is a Group 1 race for horses aged 3 years and older. It is part of the July meeting at Newmarket Racecourse and is usually run in early July.

The July Cup was first run in 1876 and has been sponsored by Darley Stud since 1996. The race became part of the Global Sprint Challenge in 2008 and is regarded as one of the biggest races in the British Flat racing season.

Although a number of Australian runners have been well fancied for recent renewals of the July Cup, only one has managed to place from the last eight. Horses aged older than five also seem to struggle.

Darley July Cup Details

Next running: Friday 9th July

Trip: 6 Furlongs

First Run: 1876

Location: Newmarket Racecourse

Darley July Cup Trends

10 of the last 10 winners had run in the last 30 days
9 of the last 10 winners ran at the Royal meeting on their previous start
9 of the last 10 winners had won a listed or group race.
8 of the last 10 winners came from the first 5 in the betting
7 of the last 10 winners came from stall 9 or higher
7 of the last 10 winners finished in the 1st 3 last time out
6 of the last 10 winners ran in the King’s Stand Stakes
3 of the last 10 winners ran in the Golden Jubilee Stakes

Darley July Cup Betting

Darley July Cup Tips

The 2010 renewal of the Darley July Cup takes places on Friday 9th July and looks sure to be another competitive and exciting event. Last year’s renewal was won by the Jeremy Noseda trained Fleeting Spirit and the mare is likely to put up another bold show this year under Frankie Dettori.

Lat month’s Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Starspangledbanner is sure to be popular with punters beating a high class field in a fairly comfortable fashion on that occasion on what was only his 2nd start for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

At around 14/1, Barry Hills Equiano seems like a big price on the back of his win in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. His form this season has been very solid and although personally I can never get him right, Equiano is certainly good each way value.

Showcasing was bitterly disappointing in the Golden Jubilee but was very badly away and wasn’t given a hard time by jockey William Buick once his chance was gone. Don’t be surprised to see an improved performance from John Gosden’s charge here.

2010 Darley July Cup Selections

2pts win Fleeting Spirit @9/2 William Hill

0.5pt e/w Showcasing @ 20/1 Bet 365

Get more horse racing tips on the Newmarket July Meeting from our horse racing forum.

The Epsom Derby is a Group 1 race for three year old colts and fillies which takes place at Epsom Racecourse each year in early June. The 2010 renewal of the Derby is due to be run on Saturday 5th June. The Derby was traditionally run on a Wednesday but has been moved to Saturdays to gain a bigger audience.

The Derby is the richest horse race in Britain and is the most prestigious of the five Classic races. The Epsom Derby was first run in 1780 and has inspired numerous races around the world including the French, Irish and Kentucky Derby.

Horses at the head of the market hold a distinct advantage in the Derby, 4 of the last 10 winners having been favourite, and there has been no winner bigger than 7/1 in the last 10 years.

Epsom Derby Details

First Run: 1780

Trip: 1 mile 4 furlongs

Next Renewal: Saturday 5th June 2010

Epsom Derby Trends

10 of the last 10 winners had won a group race
10 of the last 10 winners came from the first 4 in the betting
10 of the last 10 winners went off at 7/1 or shorter
10 of the last 10 winners had won over 7F+ as a 2yo
10 of the last 10 winners ran in the last 35 days
10 of the last 10 winners were born before 7th April
10 of the last 10 winners had run 1 or 2 times that season
10 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 2 on all starts that season
9 of 10 winners had had 3 to 5 career starts
9 of the last 10 winners sired by a group 1 winner
8 of the last 10 winners won last time out (other 2 finished 2nd in 2000 Guineas)
7 of the last 10 winners have been Irish bred
7 of the last 10 winners (last 5) had won a group 1
4 of the last 10 winners have been favourite

Epsom Derby Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Price
2000	Sinndar	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	7/1
2001	Galileo	Mick Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	11/4jf
2002	High Caparral	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	7/2
2003	Kris Kin	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	6/1
2004	North Light	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	7/2jf
2005	Motivator	Johnny Murtagh	Michael Bell	3/1f
2006	Sir Percy	Martin Dwyer	Marcus Tregoning	6/1
2007	Authorized	Frankie Dettori	Peter Chapple-Hyam	5/4f
2008	New Approach	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	5/1
2009	Sea The Stars	Mick Kinane	John Oxx	11/4

2010 Epsom Derby

St Nicholas Abbey’s defection from the 2010 Epsom Derby field sent shock waves through the Ante Post market. The betting patterns in the day’s leading up to his withdrawal suggested a lot of people already knew Aidan O’Brien’s market leader was not going to take his chance. The horse that had been a very short priced favourites for weeks began to drift alarmingly, while another O’Brien runner, Jan Vermeer, came in for incredible support.
Jan Vermeer is now generally a 13/8 chance and his victory in the Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh last month looked particularly impressive.

At around the 9/1 mark, a better value bet could be another Aidan O’Brien trained runner, the unbeaten Cape Blanco. He won the Dante in commanding style beating a few of his Derby rivals in the process. He was a little over looked that day and it looks the same story coming into the Derby itself. Maybe he’s that price for a reason as was the case with St Nicholas Abbey but on all known form, it looks very tempting.

Get more horse racing tips and views on the 2010 Epsom Derby from our horse racing forum.

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The French 2000 Guineas or Poule d’Essai des Poulains as it is also known, is a Group 1 flat race which takes place at Longchamp Racecourse in France. The 2010 renewal is due to be run on Sunday 16th May. Foreign raiders have a good record where the French 2000 Guineas is concerned, with five of the last 10 winners having not been trained in France.

French 2000 Guineas Details

First Run: 1883

Trip: 1 Mile

Location: Longchamp Racecourse

Next Running: Sunday 16th May 2010

French 2000 Guineas Trends

10 of the last 10 winners had run once or twice in that season
9 of the last 10 winners had won between 4 and 8 races
9 of the last 10 winners had won on one or both of their first 2 runs as a 2yo
9 of the last 10 winners had won in the last 50 days
8 of the last 10 winners had won a group race
9 of the last 10 winners had won over 7 or 8 furlongs
7 of the last 10 winners ran at Longchamp last time out
7 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 last time out
7 of the last 10 winners came from the first 4 in the betting
6 of the last 10 winners ran in the Prix De Fontainbleau last time out
5 of the last 10 winners were American bred
3 of the last 10 winners were trained by Aidan O’Brien

2010 French 2000 Guineas

The 2010 renewal of the French 2000 Guineas takes place this Sunday and is sure to be a hotly contested event. Prix Morny winner Arcano is a possible runner in this year’s contest. Brian Meehan’s colt disappointed in the Greenham at Newbury but the horse was in need of the run that day and it would be dangerous to rule him out.

Mata Keranjanghas from the Paul Cole yard is another intended runner. He is still a maiden but has been placed numerous times in decent company and his trainer has reported how well the horse has been working in recent weeks.

Get horse racing tips on the French 2000 Guineas from our horse racing forum in the coming days before the big race on Sunday.

You can also receive an exclusive £30 free bet on the French 2000 Guineas from Paddy Power via this link

2.10 Reggane has 9lbs in hand on her nearest rival and should win even having her first run of the season. However, she won’t be much of a price. None of these have winning course form which makes it hard to make a strong case for anything but Marco Botti’s Mosqueras Romance is interesting. She ran a blinder behind Shamwari Lodge at Kempton last time. This filly looks to be improving, the stable are probably the shrewdest around and she could well be a good each way bet.

2.40 This is a horrible race from a betting point of view. Timepiece should win but she’s likely to be odds on and with most of these runners stepping up in trip, something else could show the necessary improvement to beat her. Ceilidh House could be anything and the stable won the Oaks a couple of years ago with Look Here but I’d be looking for at least 7/2 before backing her. Dyna Waltz has been a bit disappointing her last couple of starts and although Bebopalula has won her last two starts, they were well below this grade. If Ceilidh House is a fair price I’d probably go with that against the fav.

3.10 Backing Michael Stoute’s horses at short prices isn’t usually my thing but Desert Myth certainly appears to be the best option in this race. He won his maiden last time at Newmarket in impressive fashion and the 2nd and 3rd placed horses there have won since so the form is probably quite good. The Aidan O Brien stable is always one to be weary of and Richard Hills is an unusual booking but their horses haven’t been running particularly well so far this season.

3.45 Tranquil Tiger goes very well on the all weather track here but that doesn’t mean to see he’ll be as hot on the turf. He has to give a lot of weight away to some very unexposed horses and could be vulnerable. Alainmaar won very easily last time and I’d imagine he’s going to be hard to beat again today. The price won’t be amazing though.

4.20 A very difficult race to assess. Super Collider has the best known form but hasn’t managed to win any of his 3 starts thus far. The Stoute yard won this race last year and their runner Direct Answer looks quite well bred. At around 4/1 he’d be a fair price but it’s hard to know how the market will go in these races. Would be a no bet race for me probably.

4.55 3 year old handicaps are generally rubbish for betting purposes because you just don’t have enough handicap form to go on and it’s a lot of guess work. The top weight San Cassiano has done nothing wrong so far and he was beaten by a fairly decent horse last time out. Nothing else jumps out at me. I’d probably back him each way with 4 places as long as at least 16 run.

5.30 Another race I wouldn’t choose to have a bet in, no offence to female jockeys, some are very good but some are awful. The majority of these are the latter. My two against the field would be Hazzard County who looks well handicapped and Shaded Edge who is a course and distance winner and probably has the best jockette in the race on board.

Get a free £25 bet on Saturday’s racing from Stan James

The 2,000 Guineas Stakes is the first of the five British Classic Races which are run each year. The other Classic races are the 1,000 Guineas, the Epsom Oaks, the Epsom Derby and the St Leger Stakes.

The 2010 renewal of the 2,000 Guineas is due to be run on Saturday 1st May. Newmarket Racecourse hosts the 2,000 Guineas each May where the race is run on the Rowley Mile. Bookmaker Stan James currently sponsor the race.

Fillies are eligible to run in the 2,000 Guineas but they generally run in the 1,000 Guineas, which takes place the following day. The last filly to win the 2,000 Guineas was Garden Path in 1944.

In recent years trainer Aidan O’Brien has dominated the 2,000 Guineas, having trained four of the last eight winners. The overall record for the Irish is even stronger in recent times, with Irish trainers having won six of the last eight renewals.

2,000 Guineas Stakes Details

First Run: 1809

Trip: 1 mile

Class: Group 1

Age: 3yos

2,000 Guineas Stakes Trends

10 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 last time out
10 of the last 10 winners had their most recent run in August or later
10 of the last 10 winners were born before 7th April
9 of the last 10 winners had won over a trip of 7f or a mile
8 of the last 10 winners have been priced between 9/2 and 11/1
8 of the last 10 winners won on their first run as a 2yo
7 of the last 10 winners had won at Group level
7 of the last 10 winners were having their first run of the season
7 of the last 10 winners were by a sire who had won a Group 1 race over a mile
6 of the last 10 winners have been trained in Ireland
4 of the last 10 winners have been trained by Aidan O’Brien
1 of the last 10 winners have been favourite

2,000 Guineas Stakes Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Price
2000	King's Best	Kieren Falon	Sir Michael Stoute	13/2
2001	Golan	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	11/1
2002	Rock Of Gibraltar	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	9/1
2003	Refuse To Bend	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	9/2
2004	Haafhd	Richard Hills	Barry Hills	11/2
2005	Footstepsinthesand	Kieren Fallon	Aidan O'Brien	13/2
2006	George Washington	Kieren Fallon	Aidan O'Brien	6/4f
2007	Cockney Rebel	Olivier Peslier	Geoff Huffer	25/1
2008	Henrythenavigator	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	11/1
2009	Sea The Stars	Mick Kinane	John Oxx	8/1

2010 2,000 Guineas Preview and Tips

The 2010 renewal of the 2,000 Guineas looks like a mouth watering contest. Winner of the Racing Post Trophy, St Nicholas Abbey has the potential to be an absolute superstar. His comprehensive victory over Elusive Pimpernel last season is rock solid form and the runner up franked that with authority in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket earlier this season. Couple this with Aidan O’Brien’s fabulous record in the 2,000 Guineas and it makes St Nicholas Abbey a very hard horse to oppose. Whether the current odds of even money can be described as value is debatable but O’Brien’s charge is very clearly the horse they all have to beat.

Elusive Pimpernel could well finish runner up to St Nicholas Abbey again here as was the case in the Racing Post Trophy. John Dunlop’s runner does have a couple of advantages over the Irish favourite this time however. Firstly, he should have the fitness edge over St Nicholas Abbey having won the Craven Stakes last time out. That victory also came on fast ground, something St Nich is yet to encounter. Elusive Pimpernel looks like an each way bet to nothing at a best price of 5/1.

Canford Cliffs is well fancied in some quarters but personally, I think he’s going to find it tough against the front two in the market. That being said, his stable couldn’t be in much better form and it will be very interesting to see if Hannon decides to run the winner of the Greenham Stakes Dick Turpin. Turpin beat stable mate Canford Cliffs on that occasion but is double the price of the runner up.

I’m not Richard Hills’ biggest fan but I’m not part of his hate mob either and I’m hoping he can find one of his better performances to get the Mark Johnston trained Awzaan home in front. Awzaan is unbeaten and is proven on the likely fast going. Mark Johnston’s runners at this level never want for fitness and the horse also won on his debut as a two year old. His handler won the 2,000 Guineas in 1994 with Mr Baileys and this would probably be his best chance of another victory in the race since. At 9/1 with Bet365, Awzaan is my selection for the race.

1pt e/w Awzaan @ 9/1 Bet365

The Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 race which is run at Sandown Park Racecourse each April. The 2010 renewal is due to take place on Saturday 24th April. The race was previously known as the Whitbread Gold Cup. Whitbread’s association with the race ended in 2001. Bet365 have been sponsoring the race since 2008.

Previous winners of the Bet365 Gold Cup have included Desert Orchid, Mr Frisk and Monkerhostin. The last horse to win the race twice was the Paul Nicholls trained Ad Hoc in 2001 and 2003.

Bet365 Gold Cup Details

Trip: 3 miles 5 ½ furlongs

Fences: 24

Class: Grade 3

First Run: 1957

Next Running: Saturday 24th April 2010

Bet365 Gold Cup Trends

10 of the last 10 winners had run at least 3 times in the current season
10 of the last 10 winners had run in the previous 50 days
10 of the last 10 winners had won over 2m 4f or further
9 of the last 10 winners had won a race worth 20k or more
9 of the last 10 winners had run in 9 or fewer handicap chases
8 of the last 10 winners were rated between 132 and 145
7 of the last 10 winners have been aged between 6 and 8 years old
7 of the last 10 winners have been carrying 10st 7lbs or more
7 of the last 10 winners ran at the Cheltenham Festival
2 of the last 4 renewals have been won by Phillip Hobbs
1 of the last 10 favourites have won

Bet365 Gold Cup Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Trainer	Price
2000	Beau	7	Nigel Twiston-Davies	6/1cf
2001	Ad Hoc	7	Paul Nicholls	14/1
2002	Bounce Back	6	M Pipe	14/1
2003	Ad Hoc	9	Paul Nicholls	7/1
2004	Puntal	8	M Pipe	25/1
2005	Jack High	10	T Walsh	16/1
2006	Lacdoudal	7	P Hobbs	10/1
2007	Hot Weld	8	F Murphy	6/1
2008	Monkerhostin	11	P Hobbs	25/1
2009	Hennessy	8	C Llewellyn	13/2

2010 Bet365 Gold Cup Preview and Tips

The Bet365 Gold Cup is one of my favourite races of the season. It’s generally a very exciting spectacle and a great way to round off the National Hunt season. I tipped Lothian Falcon up for last week’s Scottish Grand National. Unfortunately, he was brought down at the 4th fence. He is entered for this race and I’d be unlikely to let him go unbacked at a big price.

Phillip Hobbs’ record in this race is excellent, he’s trained 2 of the last 4 winners as well as the 3rd place finisher in last year’s renewal. The old boy Lacdoudal runs off a mark of 136. He won this race in 2006 off a mark of 152 and finished 3rd in last year’s race off 140. He must have solid each way claims.

Another Hobbs horse with claims at big odds is Boychuk. Although he doesn’t look amazingly well handicapped, he does fit a number of the trends and with the stable showing their well being after saddling Planet of Sound to win the Punchestown Gold Cup this week, Boychuk has to enter calculations. However, the stable’s other runner Monkerhostin has an awful lot to do off top weight and is unlikely to be able to repeat his win of two years ago.

1pt e/w Lothian Falcon @ 20/1 Paddy Power
1pt e/w Lacdoudal @ 14/1 Bet365
1pt e/w Boychuk @ 33/1 Bet365

Get more horse racing tips on the Bet365 Gold Cup and all the weekend’s action from our horse racing forum.