Horse racing betting tips: Safe Voyage set to sail home on soft ground in the Hungerford
ANOTHER batch of rain is expected to hit Newbury today, meaning the ground is likely to be on the soft side for tomorrow’s Unibet Hungerford Stakes (3.35pm).
Betting on this Group Two prize at the beginning of the week was dominated by the likes of Sir Dancealot and Space Blues, but the former has been weak in the betting based on his poor record on testing ground while the latter has been pulled out.
All the money has been for John Quinn’s SAFE VOYAGE who has been a revelation this season over this seven-furlong trip.
The six-year-old has won three times on rain-softened ground at Haydock, including a comfortable success in the John Of Gaunt Stakes on his penultimate start.
He proved he can transfer that form away from that North-West track when finishing a close-up third to Romanised on ground that would have been quicker than ideal in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh last time.
The winner went on to land the Group One Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville last weekend so that form looks rock solid now.
With conditions very much in his favour he should be tough to beat here and the 2/1 with Coral looks worth snapping up.
Hey Gaman separated my selection and Romanised at the Curragh and went on to finish a good second to Sir Dancealot at Glorious Goodwood last time.
Even though he has been found out in top class company on soft ground in recent seasons, he did win the Denford Stakes in tough conditions on this very card two years ago so is a big danger.
If conditions were to get really bad, then keep an eye out for Donjuan Triumphant who relishes it when it gets bottomless.
Andrew Balding’s runner could look huge at 12/1 if the mud starts to fly.
The same connections saddle MORANDO in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2.25pm) and he’s another who will relish the rain.
In fact, the more that falls the better for this six-year-old mudlark who spread-eagled a similarly small field on bad ground at Chester on his reappearance.
The return to this staying trip is another plus and I expect him to get back to winning ways at 11/10 with Coral despite having to shoulder a penalty.
Juan Elcano will be hard to beat in the Denford Stakes (1.50pm) but is pretty short at just 5/4 and won’t have it all his own way in a select field of potentially classy juveniles.
Instead it may be worth waiting for the ultra-competitive looking Unibet Handicap (3.00pm).
Despite the presence of some unexposed looking three-year-olds at the foot of the weights, I’d prefer to take a chance on David Elsworth’s RIPP ORF at 7/2 with Coral.
The five-year-old has plenty of miles on the clock but has slipped to 1lb lower than his last winning mark.
Jason Watson rode him to success at Ascot that day last September and is back in the saddle for the first time since then.
He seems to handle any ground and has gone well at Newbury in the past too.
The form of the yard is a small concern, but stablemate Sir Dancealot won at Goodwood and others in the stable are beginning to find their feet again.
Ripp Orf showed up really well to finish fourth in the International at Ascot last time and the handicapper may have been a little hasty dropping him another pound.
POINTERS TOMORROW
Morando 2.25pm Newbury
Ripp Orf 3.00pm Newbury
Safe Voyage 3.35pm Newbury