Fencing

Sportsman Racing: Camelot To Fall On Fencing’s Sword

Posted on by Mike

Welcome to our latest column from Scott Armstrong of The Sportsman tipster service.

Each Friday, Scott provides us with a rundown of all the best weekend racing action – including the key  horses to follow and those to oppose. You can also find a recap from him each Monday on the SBC Blog with his reaction to the weekend’s events. Thorough, frank and not afraid to take a contrary view, Scott Armstrong is a racing man whose opinion you can’t afford to be without.

Newbury hosts a strong Saturday card, featuring two Group 3 races, the Horris Hill and the St Simon Stakes, while jumps fans have action at Aintree, Chepstow and Stratford. The key contest on the flat is the Racing Post Trophy a race for two-year-old colts and fillies run over a mile at Doncaster. Only six runners line up in this year’s renewal which is a poor return for the final flat Group One of the season in Britain. Reknowned as a stepping stone to the classics the Racing Post Trophy has produced a number of great winners in its 50-year history with three impressive Derby victors in the past decade in the shape of Authorized, High Chaparral and Motivator. Continue reading →

Sportsman Racing: Camelot To Fall On Fencing's Sword

Posted on by Mike

Welcome to our latest column from Scott Armstrong of The Sportsman tipster service.

Each Friday, Scott provides us with a rundown of all the best weekend racing action – including the key  horses to follow and those to oppose. You can also find a recap from him each Monday on the SBC Blog with his reaction to the weekend’s events. Thorough, frank and not afraid to take a contrary view, Scott Armstrong is a racing man whose opinion you can’t afford to be without.

Newbury hosts a strong Saturday card, featuring two Group 3 races, the Horris Hill and the St Simon Stakes, while jumps fans have action at Aintree, Chepstow and Stratford. The key contest on the flat is the Racing Post Trophy a race for two-year-old colts and fillies run over a mile at Doncaster. Only six runners line up in this year’s renewal which is a poor return for the final flat Group One of the season in Britain. Reknowned as a stepping stone to the classics the Racing Post Trophy has produced a number of great winners in its 50-year history with three impressive Derby victors in the past decade in the shape of Authorized, High Chaparral and Motivator. Continue reading →

Sportsman Racing: Frankel To Remain Unbeaten at 2/1

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong rounds up all the action of note from this weekend’s racing for SBC Blog readers.

Saturday’s racing was dominated by the outstanding Frankel and Scott runs the rule over his magnificent win alongside that of another of his highlighted horses – Deacon Blues, who took the Champions Sprint Stakes. You can also pick up Scott’s latest Horses To Follow list and find out how to receive this via email every Monday in the future.

The world’s best racehorse lit up Champions Day as Frankel dismissed four Group 1 winners with ease in winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes by four lengths. In these current dark times for horse racing it’s great news for all fans of the sport that Frankel will be back next year as a four-year old. Frankel is 2-1 with William Hill to remain unbeaten next season.

Christophe Soumillon was the latest victim of the whip rules suffering a £52,000 fine for striking the winner of the Champion Stakes, Cirrus Des Aigle six times in the final furlong. This incident overshadowed a first Group 1 success for the five-year old Cirrus Des Aigles who wore down So You Think in the final furlong. Cirrus Des Aigle may now be aimed at the Hong Kong Cup in December where he should be on the premises. Continue reading →

Sportsman Racing: Dettori Defies Draw

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong rounds up all the action of note from this weekend’s racing for SBC Blog readers.

This week, Scott casts his eye over what was a bumper weekend for the bookies, with plenty of big priced winners, leaving many a punter left scratching their head. None more so than, in the Cesarewitch where Frankie Dettori defied the high draw to inspire the Jamie Osbourne trained Never Can Tell to a 25/1 shock victory.

The Cesarewitch was won by Never Can Tell under an inspired ride by the inimitable Frankie Dettori. Defying the draw of stall 36, Dettori ploughed a lone furrow in the middle of the track. Never Can Tell looked the winner from some way out and so it proved. Prior to the race trainer Jamie Osborne had been bullish telling a colleague “I think Never Can Tell is overpriced. He will stay the trip and is in great shape at home. We will negate the draw by attempting to get near the front and bowl along. With Frankie in the plate I think we have every chance of being placed”. A great raid for all connections. Continue reading →

Sportsman Racing: Dream Victory In Arc

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong rounds up all the action of note from this weekend’s racing for SBC Blog readers.

This week, Scott unpacks all the action from Paris on Sunday, where the German 3 year old Danedream showed a fine turn of pace to take l’Arc de Triomphe in glorious sunshine. It was also a great weekend for those of you following his horses to follow list, which highlighted a 17/2 winner, Pastoral Player, who romped home at Ascot on Saturday.  Check out Scott’s latest list and the two new inclusions from the weekend to watch out for.

German filly Danedream continued the tremendous run of form of three-year old’s this season by winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Danedream had been granted a generous draw from box two and used her advantage well, winning in a course record time. She had five comfortable lengths to spare at the line over outsider Shareta, with Snow Fairy and So You Think third and fourth. It was a shock result as despite winning the Italian Oaks her form suggested she had to improve significantly to take the Arc. Displaying a super-charged burst of acceleration, Danedream won the race in authoritative fashion to provide a massive boost for German racing. Continue reading →

Sportsman Racing: Princely Reward at 40/1

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong rounds up all the action of note from this weekend’s racing for SBC Blog readers.

On Friday, Scott labelled this weekend’s feature race – the Cambridgeshire as a ‘fiendishly difficult puzzle’ and so it proved with an unexpected 40/1 winner, which was so unfancied, he wasn’t even backed by his professional gambling owners!

Scott unpacks both that race and also some of the other highlights of the weekend past, with the previously highlighted ‘Lexington Bay’ obliging at 12/1 at Haydock and an 11 strong list of horses to follow, based upon his own recent race watching analysis. Continue reading →

The Sportsman Racing Recap: Excelebration time at Newbury

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong rounds up the weekends racing action and examines just how well his analysis and suggested bets from his Friday column unfolded.

Excelebration routed the opposition to land the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on Saturday to reward backers who followed him from Friday’s column when priced 11-4. Excelebration was given the pace he required by stable mate Ceremonial Jad and two furlongs from home the race was settled with all his rivals off the bridle and struggling to keep pace. The final winning distance was a healthy six lengths to second placed Beacon Lodge. My other recommendation in the race – Musir drifted out to 10-1 on the day yet performed creditably to compensate each-way backers. Musir didn’t appear to be 100% race fit after a lengthy absence from the track and should go better next time, with a step up in trip likely to suit.

Excelbration’s win further franks the form of the insuperable Frankel, having already tasted defeat to Henry Cecil’s superstar on two occasions. Excelebration will face Frankel again in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in the Autumn with Frankel Continue reading →