Bet of the day: Thursday’s racing
Published:
NAP and next best at Kelso
We gather pace towards the weekend as the UK and Irish racing schedule intensifies, with Thursday’s list made up of action at Kelso, Leicester, Lingfield, Chelmsford and Clonmel. Click here to place your horse racing bets at Coral now.
We have run over the form and figures before returning with a NAP and next best, designed to help you boost your bank balance in plenty of time for the weekend. Scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find a selection in every race, to help with multiples.
Saphir keeping sharp
Our bet of the day for this Thursday afternoon goes at the Scottish track, and the curtain is brought up at 1.25pm with a novices hurdle over two-miles. We have an interest, with Reivers Lad our play, but things don’t get serious until our ace lines up in the 3.00pm Ivan Straker Memorial Chase.
A snappy four-runner field, contested over the two-mile seven-furlong distance, we go all in on Saphir Du Rheu for Paul Nicholls. The star trainer won this contest last year with Unioniste, and looks to have every chance of making a successful defence with his talented eight-year-old gelding.
The selection is, by far, the standout entry of the race, and punters will be watching with one eye on the Cheltenham Festival, as he has been quoted in the Gold Cup, among other major contests. He did catch the eye last time out however, when finishing runner-up behind Foxtail Hill at Cheltenham. Beaten just a length on that occasion, anything remotely like that kind of effort would be enough to see him get back to winning ways here.
Saphir Du Rheu is short enough in the early prices, but with good reason. If he is too short for you, then be sure to keep a close eye on the contest, with your notepad at the ready.
Getalong to double up
In the lucky last our next best goes to post at 4.40pm for a national hunt flat race. Two-miles lies in front of the contenders and, by my thinking, Better Getalong should take all the beating. Ryan Day’s ride has already proven himself over this trip, claiming his one win from two starts last time out at Ayr.
Beating Sam’s Adventure by a short-head, it turned out to be a two-horse race, which our six-year-old got the better of. Those who like to keep tabs on the stats will find it useful to know that trainer Nicky Richard shows a 50 per cent strike rate from horses sent out in the last two weeks.
Kelso Selections
1.25 – Reivers Lad
1.55 – Spanish Fleet
2.25 – Cyrus Darius
3.00 – Saphir Du Rheu
3.35 – Rhymers Stone
4.05 – Black Thunder
4.40 – Better Getalong
