Scott Armstrong

Racing Re-cap: Mehdi Holds On At 12/1

Posted on by Mike

In this regular Monday segment, racing expert Scott Armstrong of The Sportsman service, rounds up all the action of note from this weekend’s racing.

Scott had a day to remember on Saturday after successfully advising a lay of Poet’s Voice in the Celebration Mile and highlighting the 12/1 winner Mehdi at Newmarket.

Dubawi Gold scooped the £57,000 pot when winning the Celebration Mile at Goodwood. The official winning distance was half a length though in truth he could have won by a lot further. Richard Hannon’s three-year old colt was given a supremely confident ride by the ever classy Richard Hughes, being allowed to settle at the rear of the field before quickening impressively to seal the race. Connections are looking at a Group 1 race for Dubawi Gold with the Prix Du Moulin looking the favoured option or possibly the QEII. I would be surprised if he proved good enough to land either of them. Excelebration hammered Dubawi Gold by over seven lengths in the aforementioned Hungerford Stakes and the Prix Du Moulin looks his for the taking on September 11th. Continue reading →

The Sportsman: Losing Voice At Goodwood?

Posted on by Mike

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

Each Friday, Scott will be provide us with a rundown of all the best weekend racing action – all 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.

This week Scott has turned his attention to Saturdays main race, the Betfair Celebration Mile at Goodwood and why he is taking on the 11/8 favourite Poet’s Voice in a field reduced to just 7 runners due to ground conditions.  Continue reading →

Will it be betting bliss in the Ebor Handicap?

Posted on by Mike

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

Each Friday, Scott will be provide us with a rundown of all the best weekend racing action – all 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.

Scott is a relatively new addition to the SBC family but is already proving a popular addition. In last Friday’s column he highlighted Excelebration at 11/4 who duly obliged for followers at Newbury. This week Scott dons his deerstalker and pipe in an attempt to solve the conundrum that is Saturday’s flagship race at York – the Ebor Handicap.

Scott’s suggestion, as you’ll see below is to follow a master trainer who has a fantastic record with four and five yr olds at York. He has a 12/1 shot lined up for York 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 →

The Sportsman Racing Bulletin – New This Week!

Posted on by Mike

Welcome to our new column from Scott Armstrong of The Sportsman, who will be providing a rundown of all the best weekend racing action every Friday. He will also return each Monday with a follow-up analysis of how the weekend unfolded – look out for that on the SBC Blog.

Scott is a proven racing expert, thanks to his work at http://www.thesportsman.org.uk/ and has a keen eye for racing value, especially in the big feature races.

The Betfair King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes tomorrow hosts a field of top class middle-distance runners battling it out for the £567,000 prize.

Only five runners line up with Debussy set to be employed as a pacemaker so that narrows the field to four ‘live’ runners to peruse. Nathaniel has been supplemented to the tune of £75,000 to run and John Gosden is not one to throw money at forlorn causes. However Nathaniel would need to step up on previous efforts despite his three year old weight allowance, to take the crown having never competed in a Group 1 before. The stats here are that 80% of the last ten winners have all previously won a Group 1.The shrewd Gosden will also know even if Nathaniel finishes only third the supplementary fee will be covered with an 80k gain.

By a process of elimination that leaves the most likely winner belonging to the front three in the betting market, Workforce, St Nicholas Abbey and Rewilding.

Continue reading →