Celestial Halo takes on Punjabi at Cheltenham

Celestial Halo takes on Punjabi at Cheltenham

By BetRepublic


A fascinating renewal on Saturday of the Boylesports.com International Hurdle features the winner and runner-up of last season's Champion Hurdle.

BetRepublic looks at the event at Cheltenham:

In March, the Nicky Henderson-trained outsider Punjabi held off Celestial Halo, from the Paul Nicholls yard.

But Celestial Halo is odds-on favourite for Saturday's big race at Cheltenham.

Punjabi has been off the racecourse since May, whereas his rival won by an impressive 10 lengths on his seasonal bow at Wincanton last month.

Henderson believes Punjabi, who will be ridden by Barry Geraghty, might be in need of the run when he returns to the course where he stunned 26 rivals last spring, landing odds of 22-1.

"He wasn't ready to run in the Fighting Fifth, which is the route he's taken before, but he's in good form. I just needed another couple of weeks with him and that has gone well.

"He's a notoriously stuffy individual but he's done plenty of work now. I have to say I think he'll come on for the run but he's ready to go.

"Celestial Halo has already run this season which is a big advantage at this time of year and we all know the Champion Hurdle is in March not December, but this is a big, recognised race for this time of the year.

"He's got to carry his Grade One penalty, but in fairness quite a few of them have."

Sired by Derby winner Galileo, Celestial Halo, still just five, had his first big win when landing Cheltenham's Triumph Hurdle in March 2008 - and is bound to benefit from Ruby Walsh's supreme riding skills.

And with Nicholls having enticed fine performances from star chasers Kauto Star and Denman in recent weeks it is no surprise he is such a warm order in the betting.

Of the other runners, Medermit, trained by Alan King, is the one likeliest to stop this being a straight duel. He was beaten by a tiny margin in last season's Triumph Hurdle and rarely runs a disappointing race. Robert Thornton rides him.

William Hill prices (to open an account click here)

Celestial Halo 8/11

Punjabi 9/4

Medermit 6/1

Khyber Kim 8/1

Ashkazar 14/1

Cape Tribulation 33/1

Ebadiyan 33/1

Songe 50/1

Oslot 100/1

Secret Dancer 100/1

BetRepublic Betting Recommendation:

There is absolutely no point in looking past Celestial Halo in this race and he is certain to be one of the weekend's big gambles. He wasn't expected to be at his best on his first run of the season at Wincanton last month but still managed to win by 10 lengths. He will be even better on Saturday on a course he loves. Punjabi, on the other hand, will come on for the run and his trainer would surely admit his charge can't win this race against a horse as in-form and classy as the favourite. Take the 8/11 on Celestial Halo and bet to maximum stakes.

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Breeder’s Cup 2009 Preview: Classic brings out lady

Watch out, It’s Billie Jean vs. Bobby Riggs all over again this weekend, except for the fact that this Billie will have to beat TWELVE Bobbie’s. The 5-year old female sensation Zenyatta will race against twelve males in the Breeders Cup Classic, second only to the Kentucky Derby as the biggest race of the year. It will be the mares first time in the Classic and first time running against the boys.

No female has ever won this race and only three have even tried, with Jolyphya’s third place finish in 1992 being the best finish by a female so far. But this is a very un-girl like girl - the mare stands at a massive seventeen hands (for readers who are unfamiliar with horse latitudes and longitudes seventeen hands is freakishly large.)

In addition to running against males for the first time, it will also be her first time running the distance of a mile and a quarter, but apparently both facts are overshadowed by her 13-0 lifetime record, because she is still the betting favourite at odds of 5-2.

Between now and Saturday, I will work on whittling down the field to isolate my play in The Classic and the other races on the card. Handicapping the thoroughbreds is very unlike ‘capping other sports, with your picks changing right up until post time.

My final plays, including head to head match ups, will be sent to team mates via PUB’its at Bet Republic, all throughout the day on Saturday.

To me, ‘capping the nags is more a matter of eliminating also-rans than picking the winner. I haven’t completed all of my work, but I have my identified the first two horses that do not make my cut.

I start by tossing out the Birds – Mine That Bird and Summer Bird.

Mine That Bird won the Derby in a huge upset. His last start? Disappointing 6th in the Good Wood stakes last month. Already beaten by a girl, he gets no respect from me in this one. Summer Bird? Two problems – he doesn’t seem to like the synthetic surface that they have at Santa Anita, and, like Mine That Bird, he has also already been beaten by a girl.

I should mention that the girl that beat them both was Rachel Alexander who some, like her trainer, think is the best female horse today. R.A. won’t be at the Breeder’s Cup this year, just like last year, because her trainer says she doesn’t like the artificial surface, plus, it’s easier to say you’re #1 if you don’t actually ever race the mare who many say is the real #1 – Zenyatta. It is a hotly debated question in horse circles, and if they went head to head I would ride with Zenyatta.

But the most anticipated and desired head to head match will never come off - Rachel’s people announced she is done for the year, and next year when she runs at four-years old, Zenyatta will be an old-for-horses six, and rightfully retired. So, in the hypothetical race I stand by my pick of Zenyatta, since Rachel’s handlers seem to be gelded when it comes to her participating in a contest that would settle the debate once and for all.

For the rest of my eliminations, and final picks for the Classic and all the Breeders Cup races, be sure to join me at bet republic come Saturday. See you there….

Australian Stayer Shocking Wins the Melbourne Cup

Australian stayer Shocking denied international contenders Crime Scene and Mourilyan to win the 5.5 million dollar (five million US) Melbourne Cup run over 3200 metres (two miles) at Flemington so check out more Melbourne Cup Horse Racing Betting Picks or Online Horse Racing Betting.

The Irish-bred four-year-old Shocking (9/1) raced three wide for most of the two-miler but finished too strong for Godolphin's Crime Scene (40/1).

Shocking had three-quarters of a length to spare over Crime Scene with the South African-trained Mourilyan (20/1) another one-and-a-half lengths away third.

It was a triumph for Australian jockey Corey Brown, who was beaten by a nose on English galloper Bauer in last year's Melbourne Cup.

It was another Melbourne Cup heartbreak for the global Godolphin stable with its third second-place finish in Australia's iconic horse race.

Crime Scene, Godolphin's only starter after deciding not to enter Kirklees, now joins Central Park (1999) and Give The Slip (2001) as the stable's runners-up in the Melbourne Cup.

Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Crime Scene looked set to draw away inside the final 200m (furlong) but could not go with Shocking in the last bit and was well beaten at the post.

Mourilyan, trained by South African Herman Brown and ridden by Glyn Schofield, finished strongly out of the pack to grab the minor placing for his owner, Chechan president Ramzan Kadyrov.

Only three internationally-trained horses have captured the Melbourne Cup -- Vintage Crop (1993), Media Puzzle (2002) and Delta Blues (2006).

Australian galloper Alcopop started 15/4 favourite and finished sixth, just ahead of last year's winner and topweight Viewed (11/2).

Viewed was the best finisher of Bart Cummings's three starters as the legendary Australian trainer chased a record 13th Melbourne Cup victory in 44 years.

Roman Emperor (10/1) was up with the lead to the home turn, but faded to finish 21st of the 23 starters, while Cummings's other runner, Allez Wonder (25/1), came in 16th.

Munsef, prepared by English trainer Ian Williams and sent out at 50/1, finished a well beaten 12th.

Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani, who finished second with Bauer and Purple Moon in the last two Melbourne Cups, was never a show with his 25/1 chance Basaltico, who finished 18th.

Check out BetRepublic for latest Melbourne Cup Horse Racing Picks, Horse Racing Betting Tips.

Mark Kavanagh would Win Tomorrow's Victoria Derby at Flemington??

If such a thing as poetic justice existed in horse racing, then Mark Kavanagh would win tomorrow's Victoria Derby at Flemington.

BetRepublic through its free horse racing tips, giving a clue to all the horse racing betting people about the winning chances of Mark Kavanagh at Victoria Derby.

Kavanagh saddles up the favourite, Shamoline Warrior, in the $1.5 million event in a bid to extract some glory from a spring carnival that has yet to deliver all he had hoped.

In the past month the trainer has lost stable stars Maldivian and Cats Whisker to injury, and last week he watched his champion Whobegotyou go under in the Cox Plate as a short-priced favourite.

Whobegotyou ran second in last year's Derby behind Rebel Raider, which, ironically, is the half-brother to Shamoline Warrior which bolted in the Norman Robinson Stakes (2,000m) a fortnight ago.

Kavanagh told this morning's Derby media conference that he did not know whether Shamoline Warrior can stay the distance.

"It's a pretty strong Derby. There's a rap on a lot of horses and the 2,500 metres is certainly the key to the whole race," he said.

"We have set him specifically for this race and he's done everything to please us along the way. There's been no hiccups."

Rebel Raider had not won his Derby when Kavanagh spent his budget to buy Shamoline Warrior for a syndicate of owners who had given him only $60,000.

"At the time [Shamoline Warrior] was a bit of an ugly duckling but he's certainly a swan now," Kavanagh said.

"There's no doubt this race is a maker of champions. He might have cost $400,000 or $500,000 [if Rebel Raider been a Derby winner then]."

Rain Forecast

Shamoline Warrior has three wins and a second on dead tracks and the prospect of further rain in Melbourne should not dent his chances.

Derby day racegoers have been told to prepare for anything as inclement weather settles on the city.

A spokesman for the Weather Bureau says storms and showers are forecast for Melbourne tonight and again tomorrow.

He says it is hit and miss whether Flemington will see much rain, which would take the edge off the track after a week of warm and dry conditions.

Track manager Mick Goodie says Flemington was rated a dead 4 and that little rain had been registered this morning.

For more horse racing betting picks & are available at BetRepublic Horse racing Betting tips.

Horse Racing Picks: Howard Johnson Hopes For Tidal Revival

In latest horse racing picks, Howard Johnson hopes a breathing operation can help Tidal Bay return to his best at Aintree on Saturday.

His stable star runs in the tote ten to follow Old Roan Chase and the trainer is expecting a big run.

"We are looking forward to getting Tidal Bay back on the racecourse. We had him hobdayed through the summer and we are hoping that has tidied him up. I would say at the minute that he will probably be our standard bearer this year," said Johnson with sports betting community.

"He jumped a few fences indoors on Monday morning and looked good. He'll school outdoors if it keeps drizzling like it is now and he will have a piece of work with Denis O'Regan up, probably on Tuesday. If I'm happy and the ground is alright, we'll go to Aintree.

"He is training well and we'll weigh him on Wednesday. He actually looks like he's carrying a lot more condition this year, which is good because he always looks Gorky."

Johnson is pleased with the form of his stable at present, which boasts a 33% strike rate this month, with nine wins from 27 runners.

He said: "The horses in horse racing betting generally are alright, I'm happy enough with them, it's just that we haven't been able to get on the grass yet. The ground has been too firm and the racecourses don't help us trainers in the north east because they won't let us work our horses on the tracks."

BetUK.com - Horse Racing Betting, Royal Ascot Gold Cup, O’Brien Horse Off Flying

It’s Royal Ascot Gold Cup week and five glorious days of top class racing action begins at the Berkshire course tomorrow.
As usual Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who had six winners last year, is sending a large team over from his stables in Ireland.
He is very much the ‘handler’ to follow and there are sure to be more winners among the 15-strong team he is sending over.


You can get the week off to a flying start by backing an O’Brien horse called Mastercraftsman in the St James’s Palace Stakes (3.45pm) on Tuesday.
Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last nine runnings of this Group 1 contest and we can’t see past can’t see past Mastercraftsman, currently priced at 4/5 with BetUK.
Unbeaten as a 2-year-old, where he won twice in Group 1 company, he stepped up considerably on his 5th in the 2000 Guineas by hosing up in the Irish version.
This race has been on the agenda ever since and with quicker conditions no problem, he’s going to be very tough to beat. Delegator, who didn’t handle the ground in Ireland last time, looks the biggest danger but we think the favourite should have his measure.
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