Horse Racing Tips – Friday 17 February – Newbury

Hip hip hooray, not only another winner yesterday (4/1 Canadian Danehill), but some quality racing after what feels like a decade of abstaining from anything much other than the all-weather. It does have its place and a winner is a winner wherever and whenever but it is the National Hunt season and we do have Cheltenham to look forward to in a few weeks time.

If you want to feel sorry for anybody then Lingfield and particularly Sandown may be secretly unhappy about the rearranged Newbury card as that seems likely to affect their attendances in a negative way with some weekend action on a Friday for a very pleasant change.

The problem with a meeting of this calibre is not so much knowing where to start but where to stop with so many household names and up and coming talent on show it’s a veritable smorgasbord of punting options.  Although I will obviously watch every race with interest (especially the opener because I think Sprinter Sacre is something very special), I will wait of the last two races for my bets today where the value looks there for all to see.  NAP of the day has to be the classy looking if difficult to pronounce Gevrey Chambertin who looks to keep his 100% record in the closing bumper at 3.30pm. A grey son of Dom Alco he impressed us all when hacking up at Ffos Las on his debut on heavy ground. The faster going this afternoon could prove pretty interesting but he looked like a horse to follow to me, and that will start this afternoon and hopefully continue to the Cheltenham bumper?

Moving back a race for something with a bit more risk attached and you have to wonder why a trainer with the riches at his disposal relies upon Cedre Bleu in the novice chase at 2.55pm? A class field means we can rank whoever does win pretty highly for the rest of the season, and this lightly raced five year old has so few miles on the clock that improvement seems assured. He won well enough if not in spectacular fashion here over two miles and a furlong, running on strongly which bodes well for this step up to two and a half miles, while runner up Bellvano won on Wednesday afternoon as ahs fourth placed Ballyallia Man so his form looks rock solid. Walkon was easily the best over hurdles but seems to have his own ideas about the game and may be best caught fresh, and at 6/1 or thereabouts a small bet could yet pay decent dividends.

Friday Suggestions:

Sensible bet for Punters

2pts Win GEVREY CHAMBERTIN 3.30pm Newbury @ 2.71 with Betfair 20£ in Free bets!

Silly bet for dreamers:

1pt Win CEDRE BLEU 2.55pm Newbury @ 7.00 with Bet365 200£ Free bets!