Talking Horses: Tony McCoy expected to win on Holywell at Kelso

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/feb/12/horse-racing-talking-horses-tony-mccoy

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Today’s best bets, by Greg Wood

The fields are modest for the two main races at Kelso this afternoon but Tony McCoy has a huge chance in one and a very fair shout in the other, which should keep the punters happy as he pays what may well be his final visit to the borders track.

Thanks to the victory of Carlingford Lough in Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown, McCoy is no longer looking squarely at Holywell (3.30) as his best chance in the Gold Cup next month, but Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding will start at long odds-on for the Ivan Straker Memorial Chase and it is now or never if he is to justify an ante-post Gold Cup price in low double figures.

The eight-year-old has not won either of his two starts this season, finishing third on his return at Carlisle in November when O’Neill’s yard was entering a cold spell and then unseating his jockey at Aintree in early December. He gave Don Cossack a 10-length beating in the Grade One Mildmay Novice Chase at Aintree’s Festival meeting last April, however, and should make short work of three opponents today, now that O’Neill’s string is in much better form.

Tanerko Emery, McCoy’s mount in the Morebattle Hurdle, was a progressive hurdler for David Pipe in 2012-13 and finished fifth in the County Hurdle at the Festival under 10st 13lb, but his career has been stop-start since and he had been off for more than a year and moved stables to Philip Hobbs when pulling up at Sandown in early January.

He has since moved again to join Peter Bowen and, while it is possible that enough talent remains to give him a shout today, Glingerburn (3.00) could be a better bet. Nicky Richards’s seven-year-old has something to find with Hawk High, the probable favourite, on the bare ratings, but has progressed significantly in his two starts this season and can improve again to win here.

Warriors Tale (4.00) won with something to spare at Ayr last time out and can make the most of a fair opening handicap mark of 110, while Henri De Boistron (3.10) and Upham Running (3.50) should go close at Leicester and Fontwell respectively. On the Flat card at Chelmsford City, The Yank (7.10) should win again, having been pulled out of an engagement at Lingfield yesterday presumably with this race in mind. Satchville Flyer (6.40) is another to catch the eye on the same card.

BoyleSports tipping competition, day four

Our winners so far:

Monday

Dewala 2-1

Saint Are 9-4

Catchin Time 3-1

Tuesday

Always Bold 13-2

Yes Tom 2-1

Try It Sometime 9-2

Wednesday

Urban Kode 3-1

Lights Of Broadway 10-1

Nordic Nymph 4-6

And our leader is. . .

orso +33.92

. . . who should, by rights, be getting at least as much attention as Tony McCoy this week, having tipped THE FIRST NINE WINNERS OF THE WEEK! Which is at least four more than anyone has previously managed over the first three days of our competition, now more than six years old. Astonishing stuff, orso, well done. But we should also recognise 23skidoo and BearRides (both +17.92), who were also perfect on Monday and again yesterday.

Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.00 Kelso, 3.50 Fontwell, 4.00 Kelso.

This week’s prize, kindly offered by those sporting fellas at Boylesports, is a £25 ante-post bet on a race of your choosing at the Cheltenham Festival (provided it’s one of the 15 on which Boylesports are taking bets just now). The bet must be placed by Saturday 21 February.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -9.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

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