Punters Panel: Weekend horse racing betting advice from our experts
Ahead of a busy Easter weekend of racing action, we’ve assembled a team of experts to mark your card – introducing our brand new Odds Now Punters Panel!
Introducing the Odds Now Horse Racing Punters Panel
Before we get stuck in, here’s a little bit more on the five men answering our key questions:
Adam Smith - A betting industry veteran, flat lover and one half of our Races Now double act.
SD - The self-proclaimed ‘star of the show’ on Races Now, who has been going viral with his daily tips and betting ring analysis in recent weeks.
Harry Fowler - Another of Odds Now’s regular racing contributors currently working in the industry.
Lee Jones - Racing trader at a leading bookmaker and well-respected judge in betting circles.
Andy Jones - Describes himself as an "average punter" of 24 years who, quite simply, loves the game.
Now, onto the fun stuff!
There are three meetings to get stuck into on Easter Friday. What’s your best bet?
AS - The main fancy for me is Jouncy each way (4:30 Chelmsford) at around 9/2. Andrew Balding is absolutely flying and this horse has been gelded which he very much needed. Even money favourite for Haggas and a dead eight runners rates this a good each-way bet.
SD - Stuck into is a bit of an overstatement. They feature three all weather meetings with finals which are bookmaker friendly. It’s a ghastly day for racegoers and punters alike and is missing turf racing over flat and jumps. I think it’s totally shit. At least the 4:30 at Chelmsford has some quality, and Sayidah Dariyan (14/1) put up a pretty good effort when winning by 13 lengths at Lingfield last year. The runner-up is now in the 70s, so he may well be up to this at a price.
HF - Roaring Legend (4:42 Newcastle) is three from three since switching back to the flat and won as he liked last time. I think he could take some beating again here.
LJ - Roi De France (3:00 Newcastle) has been targeted at this race all winter and I think he has the perfect setup to be produced late and win.
AJ - Roaring Legend (4:42 Newcastle) has looked a potential group horse since moving to Hugo Palmer. Surprisingly, he is not entered in the Chester Cup, so this is clearly the priority with an eye on the Yorkshire Cup next month.
Saturday offers a nice mixture of action across both codes. Can you find us a winner?
AS - It’s looking like a quiet weekend for me as I have never been able to pick winners at Musselburgh and all the other Saturday meetings are jumps. So I’ll double up on Andrew Balding Friday with Royal Playwright (1:15 Newcastle), who will drift due to the unexposed Gosden horse being backed. Anything 13/8 or bigger looks perfectly acceptable to me.
SD - Yes, Dain Ma Nut In (2:25 Musselburgh) might have the race run to suit and should come on for his run last Sunday. He's currently 10/1 with three places available.
HF - Givemefive (2:05 Haydock), who has ground conditions to suit. Was a runaway winner last time and that four pound rise may not be enough to stop him winning again.
LJ - I don’t like anything for Saturday currently but another one for Friday I fancy is Golden Mind (3:35 Newcastle). There looks like a lack of pace in this race and he is drawn 15 and goes forward. At 16/1 each way, he looks a bet.
AJ - Mark/Charlie Johnston always target the Queens Cup and Align the Stars (3:35 Musselburgh) ran well in a listed race at Nottingham last week. He’s my best bet of the weekend.
Is there a favourite running across the Easter weekend that you’re keen to oppose?
AS - Fair play to the all-weather tracks who’ve got big fields galore on Friday so not many short prices. No lays for me this weekend.
SD - In the same race as Dain Ma Nut in, market leader Waleefy (2:25 Musselburgh) is not well drawn for his first run back and will need luck in running.
HF - Cloud Cover (2:25 Newcastle) has to carry a lot weight in this contest and think there could be a couple lurking with more in hand.
LJ - Royal Playwright (1:15 Newcastle) looks plenty short enough. It’s his first run of the season and he is taking on a few race-fit rivals.
AJ - On Saturday, Burrows Hall (2:40 Haydock) looks too high in weights now at 129 and is easy to pass up around the 3/1 mark.
Give us a horse which can go close at a double-figure price this weekend?
AS - I do like a Clive Cox three year old sprinter and 10/1 chance Good Banter (1:50 Newcastle) should go well now back down to six furlongs. Has had excuses the last twice and has come down the handicap slightly as a result. Whereas the favourite, So Darn Hot, has been whacked up six pounds for a race that might have fell in his lap last time.
SD - At the time of writing, both the horses I have mentioned are double figures, so take your pick.
HF -Run Boy Run (3:35 Newcastle) ran well on reappearance to finish a neck second to Marshman and now finds himself on better terms with that rival. I'll be having a poke at 11/1.
LJ - Again. I think Golden Mind (3.35 Newcastle) has a big chance at around 16/1.
AJ - Off to 'Britains Friendliest Racecourse', as SD loves to say. Black Cab (8:00 Wolverhampton) is one I suspect Jamie Osbourne hopefully has been mucking around with to get it lowly weighted.
With the trials at Newbury and Newmarket complete and a fortnight until the first two Classics of 2025, who wins the 2,000 Guineas?
AS - Field Of Gold won a deep Craven Stakes well and gave the market a much needed shake up. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the current betting are all won Group 1s last year and go straight to the Guineas. The answer is – I don’t know. But I’m bang looking forward to it and it’ll all be covered on Races Now in depth.
SD - There are too many variables, not least who turns up on race day, to answer that question.
HF - A bit boring admittedly but after that Craven performance, it is very hard to argue with Field Of Gold.
LJ - It all depends on the ground. If its fast, you'd have to say Field Of Gold but if there is juice in the ground, he won't even run.
AJ - John Gosden's team look really fired up this season and Field of Gold looked superb in a good-looking Craven. His 3 years olds could be the ones to watch in the Classics.
And while we’re at it, your current idea of the 1,000 Guineas winner is…?
AS - Unlike my thoughts on the 2,000 Guineas, I think there is a bet here and it’s Celestial Orbit, whom I thought ran a cracker to be second in the Nell Gwyn earlier this week. Unlucky to miss the break, she pulled hard early before passing all but the winner in a matter of strides. Like many, she has the option of the Irish and French Guineas but there’s no reason why she shouldn’t run at Newmarket and 50/1 each way looks a bet to me.
SD - Probably Desert Flower, but you’d need to be hallucinogenics to back her ante post at 7/5 as per the machine. Best to wait – patience is a virtue. I know the channel is suffixed by now but prematureness suits nobody. Just ask your wife or partner.
HF - As mentioned last week I am with Red Letter to make it the Guineas double for the Juddmonte colours.
LJ - Again, hard to have strong opinion until we know the ground but from what I'm told, Desert Flower has improved a lot and is going to take some beating.
AJ - Desert Flower looked seriously good last year and while it’s not an exciting selection, she is clearly the most likely winner to my eye.