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Which was the shortest-priced winner of the Derby?

Which was the shortest-priced winner of the Derby? The Derby was inaugurated in 1780 and, in 242 runnings since, the shortest-priced winner of the Epsom Classic was Ladas, who was returned at odds of 2/9 in 1894. These super short odds make the idea of slot machine spins at HellSpin casino nz seem irresistible. Owned by Archibald Philip Primose, Lord Rosebery – who became Prime Minister in March, 1894 – and trained by Mathew Dawson, Ladas was unbeaten in four starts as a juvenile and won the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on his reappearance as a three-year-old.

A facile success in the Newmarket Stakes, over a mile and a quarter, later in May, 1894, only served to shorten his price for the Derby, in which he faced just six rivals. The pick of the opposition appeared to be Matchbox, whom Ladas had beaten 1½ lengths in the 2,000 Guineas, so the fact that he was sent off at prohibitive odds was no real surprise.

However, the Derby did not turn out to be the ‘cakewalk’ it appeared on paper. Ridden, as usual, by John ‘Jack’ Watts, Ladas was held up in the early stages, but tackled the leader, Matchbox, in the home straight. He looked, for a stride or two, as if he might win easily, but Watts had to apply pressure to master his rallying rival and, although Ladas eventually forged ahead in the closing stages, his winning margin over Matchbox was identical to that in the 2,000 Guineas.

Having won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, Ladas was sent off favourite to win the third, the St. Leger at Doncaster. He once again faced Matchbox, but having taken the measure of his old rival, was run down in the final furlong and beaten three-quarters of length by 50/1 outsider Throstle.

Is Practical Move A Kentucky Derby Contender Or Pretender?

Photo Credit: Paul https://www.flickr.com/photos/81265351@N00/3310056550

Author: Lindsay Griffin

Tim Yakteen had a pretty heavy hand going into the Grade II San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday.

Yakteen is a former assistant to controversial trainer Bob Baffert, and for the last two years, has been the main beneficiary of Baffert’s ban from Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. If you know how to bet on the 2023 Kentucky Derby you are probably familiar with Baffert’s name.

Both last year and this year, Baffert had a large group of talented horses, but was unable to race or even qualify them for the first jewel of America’s Triple Crown. Instead, Baffert was made to transfer his Derby-bound charges to other trainers. For most of them, he chose Yakteen.

Among the horses now running in Yakteen’s name were Hejazi, Fort Bragg, and Mr. Fisk, who ran in the San Felipe- as well as the horse who likely would have been favored had he not suffered a minor injury the day of the race, National Treasure.

It was not surprising, therefore, that Yakteen found himself in the winner’s circle that afternoon. What was, perhaps, a bit more of a shock was that he went there by way of Practical Move – a colt Yakteen himself had been training all along.

Is Practical Move a Kentucky Derby contender or pretender? You decide.

Pedigree Pros

There is a lot to like about Practical Move’s pedigree. His sire, Practical Joke, was a multiple grade I stakes winner who specialized in races around a mile in which he could come from off the pace. His damsire, Afleet Alex, won graded stakes at six and seven furlongs at two and went on to win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes at three. Practical Move’s bloodlines display a good balance of speed and stamina.

Pedigree Cons

Practical Joke is a third crop sire this year, and while he has done well, he has yet to ascend to the top ranks. His only Grade I winner is the filly Chocolate Gelato, winner of the Grade I Frizette Stakes over a sloppy Belmont track last fall, who followed up that win with a last-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and has not returned to the track since.

Race Record Pros

Practical Move’s run in the San Felipe was the work of a professional racehorse. He suffered a bad start, hitting the gate as the race began, but he overcame his trouble to do what a champion does: win. He stalked the pace set by Hejazi alongside eventual runner-up Geaux Rocket Ride, made his bid at the quarter pole, and never looked back. He appears to have the grit and patience that can go quite far in the Kentucky Derby.

He also has a fairly sound foundation as a two-year-old. After breaking his maiden via DQ in his third start (having had the misfortune of racing against Cave Rock and National Treasure in his first two attempts), Practical Move finished third in the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes on November 20th, and then won the Grade I Los Alamitos Futurity on December 17th.

Race Record Cons

The class of the West Coast three-year-olds is, at this point, debatable. None of the horses that Practical Move has defeated have flattered him much in subsequent performances. Carmel Road, who was second best in the Los Alamitos Futurity, finished a dull eighth in the Grade III Gotham Stakes as the second choice.

Fort Bragg, third in the Los Alamitos Futurity, ran fifth in the San Felipe. Tall Boy, who followed Fort Bragg in fourth did go on to win the Group III UAE Two Thousand Guineas against another field of questionable quality; Arabian Lion, who was last, also ran last in his next start, the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes.

Top Tips for Betting on the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most popular events in the horse racing calendar, and it’s no surprise that many people are looking for tips to boost their betting game. Moreover, you can also explore the best 2023 Cheltenham offers to try and find some good tips, odds and bonuses, as it will allow you to select the best platform to enhance your betting experience.

However, with the risks at stake, it’s essential to make smart bets and not get carried away. In this article, we will learn about vital betting tips to help you get the best out of your betting journey.

Top Betting Tips You Must Know

Betting can be an exciting hobby, but it is crucial to remember that it is not risk-free. To guarantee you have the best chance of winning, you must be aware of the following betting advice:

I. Do your homework

Before placing any wagers, research each bet’s odds and probable outcomes. This will assist you in making more informed wagering judgments.

II. Establish a budget

Setting and maintaining a betting budget is essential since losing track of time and money is easy if you let yourself get carried away. Before starting, choose the maximum amount of money you can tolerate losing and make sure to never surpass this amount.

III. Avoid chasing losses

If you are experiencing a losing streak, resist the temptation to continue betting to salvage your losses since this could result in even more significant losses in the long run.

IV. Take advantage of special offers

Several bookmakers provide incentives such as free bets and increased odds, which, if utilized appropriately, can give you an advantage over other bettors. Ensure that you take advantage of these opportunities whenever available!

Best Money Management Strategies while Betting

Money management is vital if you want to maintain financial security and peace of mind, especially while venturing into a risky pastime like betting. Here are some of the top money management strategies:

I. Monitor your spending

Monitoring your monthly cash flow is crucial to keeping track of your money while playing. This will enable you to identify bets where you may save or cut back more effectively.

II. Automate your savings

Automating your savings is a terrific approach to ensure you regularly allocate funds for future requirements without worrying about it each month. You can set up automated transfers from checking accounts to savings accounts or utilize applications like Acorns, which invests tiny sums of spare change from transactions into brokerage accounts over time.

This will allow you to create a budget that can be used for betting and other games.

III. Play within your means

Living within your means is essential for effective money management tactics as this guarantees that all of your monthly expenses are met by your monthly income without leaning on credit cards or other kinds of debt. Similarly, while betting, it is crucial to play within your budget to never over-exceed and fall into the debt trap.

Conclusion

When betting on the Cheltenham Festival, it’s essential to research and understands the horses and jockeys, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Additionally, take advantage of any promotions or bonuses to maximize your potential winnings.

Cheltenham Betting Preview

Bookmakers and punters up and down the country are gearing themselves up for the biggest meeting of the racing calendar – the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. The action gets underway on Tuesday, 14th March and draws to a close four days later, by which time we’ll have witnessed more history being made at the picturesque Prestbury Park.

The Cheltenham Festival is the undoubted pinnacle of National Hunt racing in the UK and many thousands are preparing to make their way to Prestbury Park for the four-day meeting which gets underway later this month.

On each of the four days, punters can focus their minds on seven races and the leading UK bookmakers have been gearing themselves up for the big event with a vast array of price boosts, enhanced places, free bets and bonuses.

Day One – Champion Hurdle

The feature race on Day One of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Hurdle, a contest which takes place over two miles and which is one of the most coveted hurdling prizes in horse racing. The 2023 renewal looks set to be centred on one particular contender, namely the Nicky Henderson star Constitution Hill. He won comfortably in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and his excellent form has continued into the new season with two relatively effortless victories in Grade 1 company.

We feel that the Henderson superstar will take a bit of beating in this one, however his biggest threat comes in the form of State Man, the Willie Mullins contender having beaten 2022 Champion Hurdle victor Honeysuckle in convincing fashion in the Irish Champion Hurdle last month.

Day Two – Queen Mother Champion Chase

As a general rule, the Queen Mother Champion Chase is usually won by one of the racing superstars, recent years seeing the likes of Altior and Sprinter Sacre finish first past the post. 2022 victor Energumene will be aiming to successfully defend his crown in the 2023 renewal of the contest, however he will be facing some stiff competition from leading contender Edwardstone who won the Arkle in impressive fashion twelve months ago.

He will also need to reverse his form with Editeur Du Gite against whom he lost in the Clarence House Chase two months ago. A handful of other big name contenders include Greaneteen, Gentleman De Nee and Blue Lord.

Irrespective of who lines up for this contest, we are all-but-assured of a superb race featuring an abundance of stars.

Day Three – Ryanair Steeplechase

The Ryanair Steeplechase – introduced in 2005 – has become one of the most popular and eagerly-awaited races at the Cheltenham Festival and it is now a serious rival to the Stayers’ Hurdle as the highlight of Day Three, many new betting sites offering a wealth of bonuses on this and the many other key races at the Festival.

The last two renewals of this contest have been won by Allaho and while he has yet to be seen this season, he will be going all-out to complete a hat-trick of successive wins this time around. Handler Willie Mullins has been hugely successful in this race in recent years with wins in all-but-two of the last seven renewals. Should Allaho not be up for the challenge, Mullins stands another good chance of success with Blue Lord, the latter looking impressive prior to a disappointing showing at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Other notable contenders in this contest include Fury Road, Shishkin and Fakin D’Oudairies, however with all-but-one of the last ten winners of the race returning at single-figure odds, we’ll be siding with the runners at the head of the market.

Day Three – Stayers’ Hurdle

The Day Three traditional highlight has long been the Stayers’ Hurdle which takes place over three miles. Here we see the smaller obstacles being used and we envisage the 2023 renewal being one of the Festival’s most open feature contests.

Flooring Porter has triumphed in the east two renewals of this race and the eight-year-old will be looking to complete a hat-trick here, however he will be up against some strong contenders in 2023, most notably Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoowho won comfortably over the same trip two months ago.

Other notable contenders likely to be in the line-up include Blazing Khal, Home By The Lee and Klassical Dream, the latter having started as favourite in the 2022 renewal.

Day Four – The Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Gold Cup is the standout contest for the entire four-day Festival and while the other days undoubtedly boast plenty in the way of thrilling action and notable races, the whole meeting always hinges on this contest.

The 2021 and 2022 renewals of this famous contest have been jam-packed with excitement from beginning to end and the evidence suggests that the 2023 renewal will be no different.

A Plus Tard was a convincing winner by fifteen lengths twelve months ago, stablemate Minella Indo coming in second to give handler Henry De Bromhead an impressive 1-2 in this feature.

Galopin Des Champs heads the betting for this year’s contest, the Willie Mullins contender having looked a certain winner before falling at the last in the 2022 Turners’ Novices’ Chase. He bounced back from that disappointment by triumphing in the Boylesports Gold Cup and is deserved favourite to win the prize here.

That’s certainly not to say that he doesn’t have strong rivals in the field. 2022 winner A Plus Tard disappointed on his annual appearance in the Betfair Chase but he should nevertheless be marked down as a strong contender here. The best British hope here could be Bravemansgame following his win at Kempton in the King George VI Chase.

Best Odds and Free Bet Offers

Once you have picked your horses on each day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, it is important that you get the best odds available and take advantage of the numerous bonuses and promotions on offer for the Festival. All of the leading UK and Irish betting sites offer new and existing customers a wide range of free bets, enhanced places and price boosts and these can give you added value on all of the key races at this year’s meeting.

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