Horse Racing Tips 16th 17th Feb
13th February, 2008
Horse racing tips for the weekend of February 16th and 17th.
Demon to shock
Gold Cup favourite Kauto Star could appear on Saturday in either the Commercial First Chase at Ascot or the Country Gentlemen's Association Chase at Wincanton.
The Ascot race is the preferred option but the state of the ground will determine where Kauto ends up as connections will not risk him on firm going and they could even wait for next weekend's Racing Post Chase at Kempton.
Few will want to take on Paul Nicholls' magnificent chaser but he could just be vulnerable in the Ascot race to Racing Demon.
The trip, track and ground will be ideal for Racing Demon and, as Kauto Star may not be fully wound up with Cheltenham in mind, Henrietta Knight's eight-year-old could be worth an each-way punt to cause an upset.
Donald McCain has his team jumping out of their skins and the Cheshire trainer's Whiteoak should not be opposed if making the journey to Ascot on Saturday for the mares novices hurdle. Like her stablemates, she has been in top form lately and was touched off a short head in a Grade 2 contest at Doncaster last time.
Peter Bowen's Souffleur was a massive disappointment for us when he was a well beaten third at Warwick last time but he was found to be coughing afterwards, so had a valid excuse. The five-year-old had been developing into one of the best young staying hurdlers in the country before and he can bounce back to form and recover out losses in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at Haydock.
Welsh National winner Miko De Beuchene can give Robert and Sue Alner more success by landing Haydock's feature race, the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
The Listener won the big chase in Ireland last weekend for the Alners and Miko has only been put up 9lb for his Chepstow heroics. The Welsh National was only the fifth run over fences for this imposing gelding and there should be plenty of improvement still in him.
Randwick Roar found his form with a vengeance at Kempton last month and Gary Moore's eight-year-old does not look harshly treated off a 7lb higher mark in the Bathwick Tyres Taunton Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Saturday and, with his stable continuing to fire in the winners, he can go well again.
Get Squiffy
Sunday's racing in very moderate. The main thing to remember is that both the Flat track at Southwell and the jumps circuit at Towcester are very demanding and stamina is a prerequisite.
Squiffy stays very well and is in good form. Peter Cundell's gelding will take plenty of beating in the Andrew Woodward 50th Birthday Handicap at Southwell.
Nick Gifford's Push the Port is not short of stamina when on song and he has run well at Towcester in the past and is worth an each-way bet in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at The Northamptonshire venue.
Best bets
- Weekend Banker - Miko De Beauchene 2.45 Haydock Saturday.
- Saturday Specials - Souffleur 1.35 Haydock. Racing Demon each-way 2.25 Ascot. Whiteoak 3.35 Ascot. Randwick Roar 2.05 Wincanton.
- Sunday Wagers - Push The Port 3.50 Towcester. Squiffy 4.00 Southwell.
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