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Saturday, 4 February 2017

On The Gallops - In Search of the Best Bets


A longer post for today's three-year-old racing action. Let's hope we can find a few winner. 

6:10 Bath - A Maiden Stakes over 1m 3f 44y on good going. Eleven entrants for this three-year-old +. William Haggas' horses are in good form and Rasmiya must go well here. This bay filly is a daughter of sensational sire Galileo and costs 230,000G when purchased by here present owners Al Shaqab Racing at the yearling sales. This March foal was joint-favourite on her debut performance at Chelmsford City where she started slowly and always too inexperienced to get to grips with Pursuitofthestarswho was ridden out. It can often be difficult for a debutante to win at the first time of asking on a turning course and this turf meeting on the better ground should be what the trainer ordered. The betting suggests this is a four-horse race at best and the second favourite West Drive has raced five times for Roger Varian and best placed second when less than one length behind Good Trip at Nottingham. He has had plenty of opportunities to win and although this chestnut son of Sea The Stars, who cost 100,000G when purchased at the yearling sales, is likely to hit the frame I am sure connections will be disappointed if Rasmiya does triumph here. 


Take a look at William Hill horse racing betting odds for the best prices available. 


5:20 Salisbury - EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes over 1m 1f 198y on good to soft going. Thirteen runners declared but it already looks like one horse has been scratched. The betting suggests this is a three-horse race with a few big-gun trainers holding the aces and the rest are simply making up the numbers.William Haggas has one of the major fancies with the consistent if not frustrating Wave Reviews. This son of Fastnet Rock has been a beaten favourite on his last three starts with te biggest odds being 2-1. This 85,000G yearling purchase was beaten a short head on his second start at Newmarket and although achieving an official rating of 81was beaten six lengths by Sir Michael Stoute's Shraaoh at Newcastle (AW) when eased in the closing stages. After being runner-up many punters will be looking elsewhere and Roger Varian's Gibbs Hall could be the fly in the ointment. This grey son of Mastercraftsman has been placed in his two starts to date and second last time at Newcastle behind Huge Future trained by Saeed bin Suroor, in comfortable fashion. I would be tempted to side with Gibbs Hall to take this at the favourite's expense. The odds of 2-1 don't really give the impression of value so I would be looking to put this horse in an each-way double and banking on the place and fingers crossed for the win. Pure Innocence is one of three fillies to make the line-up trained by Raph Beckett and this daughter of Montjeu cost 105,000G as the yearling sales and races in the familiar silks of Clipper Logistics.  I would keep note of this horse when racing on her second start.