So, here are our best Feb 2nd horse racing betting tips. There’s plenty for followers of UK and Irish horse racing to concentrate on this weekend with Saturday’s schedule packed with graded contests; this includes the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase due off at 2.25pm around Sandown. A talented field is expected, and punters are spoilt for choice with no shortage of value on offer; however, we’re taking our quest for profits to Ireland.
A simply superb day of racing takes place at Leopardstown where a six-leg card hosts no less than four Grade 1 races, fought out between 12.50pm and 3.45pm. A real treat for followers of the sport and we have drafted in our team of experts to help you profit from the occasion.
Ladbrokes Dublin Chase
This year’s Ladbrokes Dublin Chase is scheduled for a 1.25pm start time; the current field is made up of 15 runners, although that will surely be whittled down between now and the final declarations. If you’re confident your pick will not only run in the race but go on to win it, you can beat the queues and secure an early slice of value by betting on the ante-post market. Oddsmakers have laid out their book and offer Footpad as their 6/4 favourite – offered at market best price by Unibet, most of the competition stuck around the 5/4 mark.
Willie Mullins’ star seven-year-old arrives at course with a CV boasting eight wins and five placed efforts from 17 starts; he was last seen collecting silver in December around Leopardstown when contesting the 2m 1f Sugar Paddy Chase. Footpad found only one too good that day in 16/1 shot Simply Ned and backers may be reluctant to trust again so soon, remembering he went off an even money jolly before failing to live up to expectations. He has now failed to win in his last two, that runner-up spot following a fall at Naas in the Poplar Square Chase.
Min Easier to Back
One who looks a little easier to back is fans’ favourite Min who has been chalked up as a 7/4 second favourite, top price with Unibet. Another from the star-studded Mullins string, the eight-year-old gelding won on his most recent start when showing rivals the way home in the Grace 1 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on 9 December. He saw off the challenge of Shattered Love by 1 ½ lengths. That instantly caught the eye of punters.
Ruby Walsh sat in the saddle that day and the pair did the business off an SP even-money favourite, proving themselves trustworthy. He’s not the pick of traders for this one; however, they seem keen to keep on the right side of him and we make Min worth a bet. Other names of interest on the list are Simply Ned 9/1, Special Tiara 20/1 and A Toi Phil 50/1 if they go.
Our Tip: Min to win – 7/4 at Unibet
Irish Champion Hurdle
The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 race decided over two miles with a dozen runners expected at the post. Supasundae won the title 12 months ago and a host of big-name contenders are out to stamp their name on the prize this weekend. The likes of Apples Jade, Supasundae and Melon remain in the mix at the time of writing and this promises to be a competitive renewal of the much-loved race. That’s reflected in the betting with little between the first three in the market.
Traders have Apples Jade as a predictable favourite and backers will find her doing the rounds at 6/5 with most firms, including 888Sport. Be careful who you trust as there are some bookies giving 11/10 on the same bet and we can’t afford to take a smaller price in what will be a painfully close contest. We advise doing your betting with 888Sport if deciding to back Apples Jade.
Apples Jade Loves the Big Races
The market leader – Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old mare – has won 12 and placed another six times form 18 starts and that’s the reason backers love to see her contest the big events. She added another victory last time out when collecting the Christmas Hurdle around here in December, beating Early Doors into second by a jaw-dropping 26 lengths. The pre-race betting told us there would only be one horse in the race and that turned out to be true, the victor scoring at 8/13, a price that seemed worth it as she eased across the finish line unchallenged.
That win helped the team complete the hat-trick as it came on the back of success at Navan in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle and Fairyhouse in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, a Grade 1 race; she hammered Supasundae by no less than 20 lengths in the latter. That’s worth remembering when it comes to betting in this race and she’s our pick to book another spot in the winner’s enclosure.
Supasundae Suffering from Seconditis
If you’d prefer Supasundae for revenge, you can support him in the ante-post betting at 11/4 with Ladbrokes for two-in-a-row. The nine-year-old gelding carries a record of seven wins, seven seconds and a couple of thirds from 22 goes; however, his recent stats don’t do much to inspire confidence. He has finished second in four of his last five and that’s becoming a worrying habit we’d probably want to see him break before having our cash down in support again. More of a price needed if we were to take a chance on the second fav.
Third favourite Melon – two wins, three seconds and a third from nine – has been off-colour in recent outings; the seven-year-old chestnut’s stats show 3-F-2-F-4. The fourth of six at this track in December was disappointing as it was a very winnable race with favourite Samcro getting no closer than fifth. A missed opportunity and one that’s sure to scare a few nervy punters off giving him another chance.
Some carrying a bigger price you may want to give a second look to are Petit Mouchoir at 16/1, Farclas 33/1 and Tombstone at a bullseye 50/1, although it’s doubtful more than one or two of those three will make the final grade.