Fingal Bay

Sportsman Racing: Wishfull Thinking For Punters at Cheltenham

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.

It’s a cracker of a weekend with plenty of big names to enjoy, and Scott highlights his best value for 2 of the big races – the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial. He expects big things of Wishfull Thinking at 15/2 in the former, whilst Paul Nicholls runner ‘Hinterland’ is expected to make an impact in the latter. Also keep an eye out for Chicago Grey to take the 3m, 3f Handicap Chase and Fingal Bay in Saturday’s Grade 2 Novice Hurdle.

Racing has returned to Cheltenham with the three-day Open meeting and with it brings many big names from the jumping sphere to savour. On Saturday, jumping action also comes from Wincanton and Uttoxeter, whilst Lingfield hosts a fine card with two Listed races but the key meeting is of course at the home of the National Hunt.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is invariably one of the best-quality handicaps of the season and this year’s renewal is another cracker. Continue reading →

Sportman Racing: Derby Crusade For Camelot?

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.

It was a great day for punters on Saturday when the very well backed Camelot justified his odds-on price with a mightily impressive win in the Racing Post Trophy. Scott examines his Derby credentials, where he is now 7-2 favourite and highlights a number of other horses and trainers to note from the weekend.

Money spoke volumes in the Racing Post Trophy as the once-raced Camelot was hammered in to odds-on at the off, winning easily by two-and-a-quarter lengths and making the 10-11 SP look extremely generous. Ladbrokes famously have a line on the Aidan O’Brien stable and in the lead up to the race they went odds on with Camelot while other bookmakers were odds against. O’Brien said after the race “The boys (in the yard) were saying that Camelot’s work was so exceptional it was hard to believe. In comparison to other horses his data was incredible”. Unfortunately for punters, O’Brien was typically reticent about such news before the race itself. Continue reading →