The delights of Glorious Goodwood are on the horizon and now is a good time to have a bet on a consistent, well-handicapped horse with rock solid course and distance form and who is not ground dependent. Furthermore, he is on offer at a super-generous 33-1 with most bookmakers.
REVICH is a credit to the training skills of his Newmarket handler Richard Spencer. The seven-year-old gelding, owned by the Middleham Park syndicate, recently took his career earnings to more than £150,000 when he came fourth last time out at Sandown despite being denied a clear run.
However, it is Revich’s run in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood last season that makes me want to back him for the same race this year – two weeks today on Friday, 4 August. Revich was a fast-finishing third that day despite having a terrible draw in stall 15 in a race where low numbers are always hugely favoured. It was no coincidence that the winner that day, Orbaan, was drawn in stall 2, while the second horse, Blue for You, was in stall 1.
Of course, Revich might get a so-called ‘car park’ draw again but I am prepared to take that risk at the price. He is clearly as good as ever this season, judging from his win at Chester when the subsequent Royal Ascot winner, Witch Hunter, was second, beaten fully by three lengths. That Chester race was on soft ground but Revich has plenty of excellent form on quicker ground too.
I am convinced that the key to him running well is being on a racecourse with a bend – he has run plenty of poor races on Ascot’s straight track but the twists and turns of tracks such as Chester and Goodwood bring out the best in him. At Goodwood next month, he can race off an official mark of 97, just one higher than in the race a year earlier.
There will be dangers aplenty at Goodwood in one of the most competitive handicaps of the year, run over a mile. Blue For You will surely run in the race again and he is 3 lbs ‘well in’ even under a penalty after his win last weekend at York. He can race off 102 at Goodwood compared with a new rating of 105 after that.
Furthermore, his trainer, David O’Meara, loves targeting this race and with plenty of success over the years too. But, for now at least, the suggestion is only to back Revich each way at 33-1 with Sky Bet, Paddy Power or Betfair, all paying five places. That’s a very good bet at the price as this horse almost always seems to run at odds that are too big given his talent.
The second big handicap at Glorious Goodwood is the Coral Stewards’ Cup on Saturday, August 5. With a maximum field of 28 runners, there will be plenty more than four places available on offer on the day but I am still going to suggest backing a horse that might well shorten between now and race day.
Mick Appleby’s six-year-old gelding JUAN LES PINS ran some good races in big handicaps last season including being third to the ever-green Summerghand in the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup on his final start of 2022. However, the horse has taken his form to a new level this season and last time out he ran a belter to be third to Saint Lawrence in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot.
That run can be marked up too as he is better held up yet, after making such a good break from the stalls, he never found cover at Ascot. Despite not having the race run to suit him, he rallied all the way to the line to be beaten just over a length by the winner and with 24 other runners behind him.
Juan les Pins should be able to find cover in the Stewards Cup and all the signs are that this race is his next target. Back him each way at 16-1 with Bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral, Bet Victor and other bookies, all paying a quarter of the odds for four places.
Paul Kealy, the first-rate and hugely likeable Racing Post and Weekender tipster, wrote a blog this weekend headlined ‘Two ante-post bets to shake off a painful losing run’. I know how ‘Keals’, as he is affectionately known, feels after suffering my own reverses on the tipping front in recent weeks.
A run of poor results happens to every tipster at some point and the only way to turn things around is to stick your head in the form book and stick to the principles that have always worked for you over a period of years, or even decades. In other words, keep the faith.
2023 flat season running total: – 19.73 points.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Pending bets:
1 point each way Fresh at 12-1 for the Moet & Chandon International Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, five places.
1 point each way Revich at 33-1 for the Golden Mile, paying 1/5th odds, five places.
1 point each way Juan Les Pins at 16-1 for the Stewards’ Cup, paying ¼ odds, four places.
Settled bets:
1 point each way Royal Scotsman at 17/2 in the 2000 Guineas, 1/5 odds, paying four places. 3rd. + 0.5 points.
1 point each way Call My Bluff at 4-1 in the Chester Cup, paying six places, 1/5th odds. 3rd. – 0.2 points.
1 point each way Safe Voyage at 12-1 in the Victoria Cup, paying seven places, 1/5th odds. 5th. + 1.4 points.
1 point each way Popmaster at 6-1 in the Connect It Utility Services Handicap
Unplaced. – 2 points
1 point each way Royal Acclaim at 6-1 in the Temple Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 point.
1 point each way Sprewell at 10-1 for the Derby paying 1/5 odds, five places. 4th. + 1 point.
1 point each way Arrest at 4-1 for the Derby, paying 1/5 odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points. 2 points win Saga at 14-1 for the Royal Hunt Cup.
1 point each way Mokaatil at 12-1 for the Epsom Dash, paying 1/5th odds, seven places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2 points win Saga at 14-1 for the Royal Hunt Cup. Non Runner. – 2 points.
1 point each way Twilight Calls at 16-1 for the King’s Stand Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. 4th but Rule 4 deduction of 15p in the £. + 1.97 points.
2 points win Royal Scotsman at 14-1 for the St James’s Palace Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Zoffee at 14-1 for the Ascot Stakes, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Chillingham at 22-1 for the Copper Horse Handicap, paying 1/5 odds, 5 places. 4th. + 3.4 points.
1 point each way Tarrabb at 10-1 for the Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap, paying 1/5th odds, seven places. 3rd. + 1 point.
1 point each way Point Lynas at 33-1 for the Royal Hunt Cup, paying 1/5 odds, six places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Atrium at 20-1 for the Royal Hunt Cup, paying 1/5 odds, seven places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Circle of Fire at 13/2 for the Queen’s Vase, paying 1/5th odds, four places. 4th. + 0.3 points.
2 points win Yibir at 11-1 for the Ascot Gold Cup. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rhoscolyn at 22-1 for the Buckingham Palace Stakes, paying 1/5th odds, six places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Physique at 40-1 for the Britannia Stakes, paying 1/4 odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Lezoo at 9-1 for the Commonwealth Cup, paying 1/5th odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Chelsea Green at 12-1 for the Sandringham Stakes, paying 1/5 odds, eight places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2 points win Pyledriver at 15/2 for the Hardwicke Stakes. 1st but Rule 4 deduction of 30p in the £. + 9.9 points.
1 point each way Apollo One at 16-1 for the Wokingham Stakes, 1/5th odds, paying eight places. 2nd. + 2.2 points.
1 point each way Zoffee at 20-1 for the Northumberland Plate, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 points each way Adjuvant at 13/2 for the Northumberland Plate, paying 1/5th odds, six places. 5th. + 0.3 points.
1 point each way Sprewell at 7-1 for the Irish Derby, paying 1/5 odds, three places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ouzo for the Coral Challenge at 15/2, paying 1/5th odds, five places. 2nd. + 0.5 points.
1 point each way Onesmoothoperator for the Old Newton Cup at 11-1, paying 1/5th odds, six places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Sonny Liston at 20-1 for the John Smith’s Cup, paying ¼ odds, four places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Majestic 12-1 for the John Smith’s Cup, paying 1/5th odds, seven places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Streets of Gold at 8-1 for the Bunbury Cup, paying 1/5th odds, seven places. Unplaced – 2 points.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 12-1 for the Bunbury Cup, paying 1/5th odds, seven places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
My gambling record for the seven and a half years: I have made a profit in 14 of the past 15 seasons to recommended bets. To a 1 point level stake over this period, the profit of has been just over 523 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a “point” is your chosen regular stake).
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