Major horse racing meetings continue to come at us thick and fast with punters enjoying the National term. The Grand National was won by favourite Tiger Roll a fortnight ago, Takingrisks claiming the Scottish National last week to delight lovers of a big price. Here are our Tuesday 16th April Horse Racing betting tips.
We have the Irish National to look forward to in the near future and you’ll find an in-depth preview of that race on the horse racing section of our site nearer the time, but for the moment we have a fantastic few days of action this week.
Newmarket plays host to its popular The Craven meeting between 16th and 18th April and our team of horse racing writers and sports betting experts return to give their thoughts on the week’s biggest and best. Having trawled through the runners and riders, as well as the all-important form, we offer our views on where the smart money goes, as well as which bookmakers are handing out best price.
Making a continued profit from horse racing is not easy, as we’re all aware, but knowing where to get the value and how to ensure your stake money works as hard as possible on your behalf is key to beating the bookies. We keep you on the right path, doing the hard work, so you don’t have to.
Weatherby’s Handicap – 1.50pm Newmarket
The second race on the card and the first that caught our attention when looking over the contenders. A class 2 event run over six furlongs on going that’s expected to be ideal for springtime racing and with over £16,000 paid to the winner, it’s no surprise to see a big field confirmed.
The betting is wide-open with Green Power your early favourite, although the fact there’s a 6/1 price tag attached by Ladbrokes traders shows just how competitive the money men expect this one to be.
Get a Bigger Price
A strong case could be made for the jolly doing as expected and winning this race but we’re happy to look further down the list in search of a bigger price and will be backing it each-way, looking to nick a profit, with bookies paying 1/4 the odds a place 1-2-3. Flavius Titus is an 8/1 shot at the time of writing and that caught our eye, leaping off the page as one that is a bit bigger than it probably should be and we’re happy to take advantage.
Roger Varian’s four-year-old gelding arrives at the home of British horse racing with a CV showing two wins and four placed efforts from 11 starts, including a second and third in his last three outings. He found only one too good when beaten a head by Mukalal at Leicester over seven furlongs on his penultimate go, sent off an 11/2 shot that day. He’s an improving sort and we expect him to run better than his price suggests. Take note of any attention he attracts between now and the off.
Our Tip: Flavius Titus to win – best odds 8/1
European Free Handicap – 2.25pm Newmarket
This listed handicap decided over seven furlongs has attracted a seven-runner field but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in quality with some talented names included in the list. Azano has been chalked up as the one to beat and traders seem more convinced on how this race will go, making the market leader a 2/1 poke at Ladbrokes.
Like before, we understand the thinking behind that, but a few others appear to have been written off a little too easily and we’re more than happy to go in search of the value, taking a chance on a plucky outsider we think could go and gate-crash the party on live TV.
Feeling the Dubai Heat
The one that’ll carry our stake money in this contest is Dubai Dominion, a three-year-old colt who has impressed us in the past. Trained by the Vaughan yard, this bay isn’t the most experienced runner in the field on four races, but he has won once and is yet to finish outside of the top-three in the UK. He arrives at course a progressive youngster with a bright future ahead of him and he proved that again when ending second behind Sangarius last year over 7f at Doncaster.
He is very well thought of by his handlers and they set-up confident they have a great chance of launching this horse into the public eye with a big win. Those looking for the safety net of each-way betting will get paid out at 1/4 the odds a place 1-2. The win gets you 6/1 at Bet365.
Our Tip: Dubai Dominion – 6/1 at Bet365
Nell Gwyn Stakes – 3.35pm Newmarket
A group three fillies’ race over the snappy seven furlongs distance, we have 11 runners on the programme at the time of writing and this promises to be one of the highlights of the afternoon, with chances coming from throughout the card.
Mot Juste is favourite in the early betting but this is another race that looks there to be won, Ladbrokes giving 10/3 on the jolly and 4/1 on second favourite Main Edition, third in line Angel’s Hideaway marked at 5/1. A strong line-up, but we really do expect a day of upsets at Newmarket, a course loved for gifting punters big priced winners. Let’s hope we land our share in the days to come.
Expect an Upset
Nashirah is the first in the betting at this stage to carry double-figure odds at Ladbrokes and that’s something that appealed to us, as we expect a strong showing. The Godolphin-owned three-year-old bay filly has been entrusted to the capable hands of Charlie Appleby and will walk onto the parade ring on the back of a couple or races in Meydan. She was second to Al Hayette in January over this trip and held her own in a decent field at the same venue last time.
The selection claimed her only win so far when scoring at Yarmouth late last year in a fillies’ novices’ stakes over 6f when 11/10 fav and showed enough that day to suggest it won’t be her last visit to the winner’s enclosure. 10/1 makes her easy to back.