‘Invincible Strike’ 14.10 Hamilton has the credentials to start his career with a win. This Son of Invincible Spirit who can produce some smart 2 Year Olds is taken to know his job at the first time of asking.
Little Sidekick was at Epsom Racecourse on Bank Holiday Monday -billed as ‘Family Fun Day’ it certainly was !! Starting with the hugely entertaining Shetland Pony Derby and interspersed with children’s foot races between the horse racing-Richard Hoyles added to the enjoyment by giving live commentaries on all of the fun races plus lots of family activities and a good crowd to boot. A very good atmosphere helped by the sunny weather. Full marks Epsom !!
‘Chief Barker’ 2.45 Newmarket has already boosted Little Sidekicks coffers once this season and is taken to give a repeat performance in this 2-year old raced packed with previous winners.
‘Clumber Street’ 14.20 Bath is as yet un-raced but from stable that can ready a newcomer. With only one horse in the field that has raced before-this well related colt can take advantage of this good opportunity to open his account.
‘Sarangoo’ (Nap) 8.00 Windsor -This mare is in the form of her life and with champion jockey elect Hughsie on board, may still have a little more to offer despite top weight.
‘Marciano’ – 16.30 Newmarket landed a competitive handicap in France prior to changing stables. Strictly an E/W bet today the selection should have enough class to be in the first three at what should be a punchy price !!
‘Missed Call’ (Nap) 3.00 Nottingham should have just enough improvement to take this interesting fillies handicap. The booking of Barzalona seems significant and a positive ride can be expected. Don’t miss this call !!
‘Willow Beck’ (Nap) 14.40 Newmarket has the profile to land this tricky handicap with the Buick/Gosden combination taken to land another winner at Headquarters.
A lot has been written recently about the dividends paid out on the tote, highlighted in particular by a few incidents of freak payouts( one to the benefit) but mostly to the detriment of the betting public. Little Sidekick has over 40 years of punting experience and can remember the days when the tote was one of only two ways to bet at the greyhound track or the racecourse. The advent of exchange betting has taken a tremendous amount of revenue from the pockets of the traditional bookmakers. They in turn have looked at ways of maximising revenue by enhancing their internet gambling facilities to sophisticated levels. All of which was bad news for a tote that has had little option but to increase its pool take out to try and bolster its own revenue. The subsequent purchase of the Tote by an independent bookmaker, despite encouraging noises, did little to improve the tote’s and more importantly the punters returns when a further increase in the tote take-out was immediately announced . Now it is clear that the punter has a choice at the racecourse, and it is also true that the rails bookmaker cannot offer the variety of bets that the tote can. These are particularly appealing to the smaller or infrequent racecourse visitor. What is annoying in the extreme, (and I have yet to hear a valid excuse that the practice is not a deliberate one) is the difference in the show of potential returns available on tote screens literally seconds before the off, and the actual payout. Little Sidekick has been the victim of this phenomenon too many times to mention-(once cheering home a 16-1 winner at Towcester only to receive a meagre 8-1 on his Tote ticket) .Recent letters in the Racing Post have echoed this sentiment. The point is that these shows attract a punter to bet on the Tote-if he can get a few points extra then the Tote will have his money rather than the rail bookmakers-common sense.
It is of course naive to expect the dividend finally declared by the Tote matches that advertised on their screens before the off, but surely it has to be close to it and at least reflect the SP ?
Several times bitten, once shy-
Many punters as well as Little Sidekick himself now avoid the Tote as we just cannot trust it to give us value. Until this issue is addressed -in whatever way they see fit- the Tote will continue to lose punters and attract further criticism.
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‘Truth or Dare’ in the 14.50 Salisbury is today’s nap-in what is another tricky 2 year old race it pays to stick with the tried and trusted Hughes/Hannon combination-while there are obvious dangers in the race the overall profile of our selection is one of an improving horse and that’s the truth !!
‘Brave Boy’ 17.35 Nottingham rates the Nap today. In a tricky 2 year old race with a couple of potential improvers opposing , the Godolphin colt is given the vote to put his head in front.
After Saturday’s exciting and high class action, more modest fair today but a good thing nevertheless in the 17.00 Ayr Kashmir Peak (Nap) -won’t go off at big odds but a cracking first run of the season only needs to be repeated for the summit to be conquered !
After yesterday’s huge disappointment with Bostonian giving the race away, (having run away from the odds-on favourite -he drifted badly across the course in the last furlong and was caught on the line)-
‘Jubilant Queen’ 15.10 Windsor NAP- should make no such mistakes-in a rich vein of form and with the benefit of Richard Hughes on board she should be too strong for her opposition.
Come on Queenie !!!!!
With Ascot hosting the brilliant but unpredictable Shergar Cup meeting today, our focus has to be on Newmarket for sensible investments. The format of the Shergar cup makes for a great day out with a host of top international jockeys on show but a combination of never having ridden their mounts previously and for some, never having ridden in the UK, can make the form book an irrelevance.
The Hannon and Hughes combination is always to be respected when sending out improving 2 year olds and in ‘Baby Bush’ 15.35 Newmarket they might just have another. The race includes some other sharp prospects and ‘Baby Bush’ may well start at attractive odds-5pts E/W
‘Bostonian’ looks a good thing in the 16.45 also at Newmarket and although not expected to be as generously priced as our previous selection, could provide a valuable banker for multiple bets. -5pts Win
Double them up in a 1pt E/W double.
Little Sidekick
13.50 Newmarket and the Johannesburg gelding Sam Sharp looks to have a good chance at the weights. In a vein of form at present and relatively fresh compared to some of the opposition, 5-1 is currently available with most bookmakers.
Little Sidekick likes the chances of La Fortunata in the 19.25 at Newmarket on Friday the 19th.
The small but game mare was just caught in the last stride carrying a huge weight at Epsom recently-7lb claimer has been booked to ride at Newmarket and although wrong at the weights she goes to the race in great heart and I expect her to blast from the stalls and make all.
She stays 6f so the stiff uphill finish on the 5f July course will suit her. She should be 4-1 or thereabouts and a small insurance bet would be a straight forecast with her second to the field.