O’Meara can Cut loose with Custom
FRENCH raider
has to be backed in the Sky Bet York Stakes (2.55 York) his afternoon. A good seventh in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a meritorious second to Manatee in the Grand Prix de Chantilly last time out, our choice is a proper Group One performer who is better on a left-handed track. Custom Cut is a danger but the 3-1 on offer looks perfectly fair. SATURDAY’S favourite bet has rolled over for the last three weeks so we expect £500,000 to be in the win and bonus funds.
And there’s an extra £100,000 if there is a single Betfred winner.
The action starts on the Knavesmire where Alejandro, who won this race last year, can follow up. Next up is Ascot and with yesterday’s heavy rain, it is worth siding with Azraff who has form on softer ground.
Back to York where David O’Meara is the top trainer at the track and the handler has an outstanding chance with the talented Custom Cut (below).
Ascot’s big handicaps LAST season’s beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough are worthy 6-1 joint favourites for the Sky Bet Championship title.
The one pre-season signing that really made me sit up and take note was Boro’s £5.5m capture of Stewart Downing from West Ham.
The Hammers used Downing most effectively when he sat behind the front two and this is exactly the position head coach Aitor Karanka is likely to ask the returning Downing to play.
This should help Boro address their one key weakness from last season – creating goalscoring opportunities, particularly when they go behind.
If they are to win the Championship York 2.20 Alejandro Ascot 2.40
Azraff York 2.55 Custom Cut Suzi Connoisseur
York 3.30 Grandad’s World Newmarket 3.40 Handsome Dude are always competitive but Noah’s Ark might not be out of place in the conditions in Berkshire and Suzi’s Connoisseur goes well in testing ground.
Back to York for the 20-runner Dash and the selection is Richard Fahey’s Grandad’s World.
He needs to improve but the Yorkshire handler won the big sprint last weekend.
We finish down at Newmarket and David Barron won this race last year and can follow up with Handsome Dude. then the goals are likely to come from Uruguay striker Christian Stuani, who is 18-1 to be the division’s top scorer.
Burnley are another club to be positive about pre-season. The Clarets have fended off attention from other clubs for the services of manager Sean Dyche, who has a proven track record at this level. The average finishing position of teams relegated to the Championship is eighth but Burnley could buck that trend and rate a wager at Sky Bet’s 4-1 to seal promotion back to the Premier League.
Gary Rowett did a fantastic job when taking over at Birmingham City last season and the ex-Burton boss is worth backing to keep up the good work.
The Blues will struggle to improve enough to be real promotion contenders but a top-half finish at our 7-4 looks like a gold star investment.
Our odds makers have introduced a whole new set of markets which asks punters ‘Who Finishes Higher’? There are few positive noises coming out of Ewood Park or the Macron Stadium, so back Birmingham to finish higher than Blackburn at 11-8 and also Birmingham to finish higher than Bolton at 4-6.