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Today's best bets by Will Hayler
Zip Top (3.00) can return a healthy profit on the �20,000 paid to supplement him into the lineup for today's Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster by giving trainer Jim Bolger a first victory in the Group One contest. Bolger has always had an eye for a good deal and third or better from Zip Top will see Sheikh Mohammed make some money on the investment.
The Sheikh is due to make a rare appearance at the track today, which tells its own story about expectations for his pair (he also supplemented Encke to represent his Godolphin operation).
Zip Top was returning from more than two months off when a staying-on third in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket and he can be expected to have come on for that. The merit of that effort has been boosted since by the Middle Park Stakes victory of Crusade (fourth) and a Listed-race win for Letsgoroundagain (fifth).
Camelot heads the betting for both this race and next year's Derby on the strength of his home reputation, but plenty will surely be willing to oppose the market leader. The form of his only victory has been systematically torn to pieces by the subsequent performances of the horses who chased him home.
Doncaster 2.00 Despite a 5lb rise in the weights for his latest narrow success in a competitive 16-runner sprint at Haydock last month, Marine Commando has still more to offer, now that he has recaptured some form. The form of his previous second to Internationaldebut stands up to scrutiny too.
Newbury 2.15 It is dangerous to presume that less-exposed types such as Oxford Charley and Nawwaar are not up to this level, but Saigon sets a decent standard on his Group-race form of recent weeks and he was coming home strongly in the Middle Park a fortnight ago.
Doncaster 2.30 This race usually falls to a horse that has shown sudden improvement in the last few weeks and Ballesteros, among others, fits the bill. He did well to get the better of a well-handicapped rival in a nursery at Haydock last time on heavy ground that may not have suited.
Newbury 2.45 A tailwind aided her cause, but nevertheless it was an impressive performance from Mohedian Lady to smash the course record in victory at Newmarket last month. She has hit form at the right time and three-year-old fillies have a surprisingly good record in this contest. Luca Cumani's two previous winners, Kailani and Kithanga, both represented that category.
Newbury 3.15 There is little sign that Sir Michael Stoute's season is about to get much better in its final weeks but Ultrasonic showed talent when making a winning debut for the yard at Yarmouth last month and has the scope to make a mark at this higher level.
Aintree 3.30 The presence of Master Minded and Albertas Run in the lineup has given this race some star quality but also spoiled it by scaring off all bar Pure Faith. Albertas Run has no great record when fresh, so preference is for his rival.
Newbury 3.45 Saeed bin Suroor has a good record with older horses coming back from a break (even if their form does tend to tail off afterwards) and Willing Foe is well worth chancing on his first start for more than a year.
Will Hayler's bet of the day
The Giant Bolster 4.15 Chepstow
An exciting jumps card at Chepstow featuring big fields for some decent prizes confirms that the season is hitting top gear. The Giant Bolster would have achieved more over fences last season had he not failed time and again to tidy up his jumping, but back over hurdles he rates a value bet. His trainer, David Bridgwater, has never had his small team in better form.
Horse sense
Fencing (3.00) has tested the patience of John Gosden in recent weeks but can deliver a fifth Group One event of the year to the Newmarket trainer in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster today.
Set to line up in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot, he was taken out of that race when a suspicious spot was found on his coat. Next, it was the Dewhurst where unsuitably fast ground forced another late withdrawal.
Throughout this period, Fencing has continued to work well and he looked as good as ever in his latest spin under William Buick. This big, scopey colt can put his travails to one side to win this.
Gosden, who plans to send his fillies Elusive Kate and Questing to next month's Breeders' Cup, also has a big shout with the well-regarded Skilful (4.45) later on the card. Brian Meehan won the race last year with Inler and fancies his prospects of a repeat with Greensward, but the selection may just have the edge.
However, Holiday Reading (3.35) works with some of Meehan's best juveniles and could give the trainer a winner in the seven-furlong nursery. He failed to sparkle on Polytrack last time but is rated better than that performance.
Al Kazeem (2.45) has been partnering Cityscape in exercise since finishing second to Green Destiny five weeks ago. The Great Voltigeur Stakes runner-up has not been over-raced this season and should prove hard to beat when he returns to action today. Trainer Roger Charlton confirmed the wellbeing of his team with a double at Newbury yesterday.
The former leading jockey John Reid has been helping with the preparations of Oxford Charley (2.15) for the Horris Hill Stakes and speaks highly of the Mikael Magnusson-trained colt. He could be worth an each-way interest, although the Meehan pair Mehdi and Diamondhead should also be in the mix.
At a big price, Glencadam Gold (3.45) is one to consider later on the card, having looked none the worse for a lengthy absence when shaping nicely on the Al Bahathri in midweek.
Seen and heard
Sir Henry Cecil celebrated Frankel's win last Saturday with a visit to Newmarket's newest foodie destination, the Pantry in the Guineas shopping centre, opened that day by Anne-Marie McKeown ? daughter of Cecil's wife, Jane ? and her partner Vincent Woolley. The trainer hotfooted it home in time to spend some of his share of the �1m prize money from the QEII there.
Meanwhile, Cecil hopes to give Frankel's unraced two-year-old full-brother, Noble Mission, a first outing on the racecourse next week, with Yarmouth and Nottingham among the possible destinations. Interestingly, Noble Mission appears to have inherited some of the spirit of his senior sibling, as he has been spotted working in a hood recently in a bid to try and get him to settle. Another Cecil runner to look out for this week is Midday's full-sister, the unraced two-year-old Popular.
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/oct/22/talking-horses
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