Happy and Glorious

You can keep Royal Ascot, Cheltenham and York's Ebor meeting. Glorious Goodwood (to give 'Glorious The Qatar Goodwood Festival its proper name) is my favourite race-week of the year.

With three Group 1s, five Group 2s, and five Group 3s over the five days the racing hardly counts as 'shoddy'. Overall prize money for the week's not to be sniffed at either, when you remember the figure's in the region of six million quid.

There's just something about this bonkers racecourse clamped into the Downs which makes the next few days very special. All topped off with free strawberries and cream each day on the lawn at 4pm sharp.

The nature of the track means there are inevitably going to be hard luck stories at Goodwood. But with a decent jockey on your side, not to mention the meeting's target trainers, and there are opportunities galore for racegoers to experience plenty of punting ups amid those beautiful Sussex Downs.

Be lucky!

PHILIPPOS

Goodwood Tuesday 30 July 2019

NAP: HEY GAMAN win
NB: JOHNNY DRAMA e/w

1.50 Unibet Handicap 1m 1f 197yds
A tricky opener set to be run on good-ish ground providing the track doesn't experience too many rain showers that are forecast for Tuesday morning. Setting Sail is the likely favourite and one for Placepot permutations, but let's take a chance on JOHNNY DRAMA causing a minor upset. He found 12f a race distance too far last time and this contest will be more up his street. Another for the shortlist is Ventura Knight, the mount of Ryan Moore.

2.25 Qatar Vintage Stakes (Group 2) 7f
It's difficult to omit Pinatubo from calculations having looked impressive already notching up a hat-trick of wins, one of them coming at Royal Ascot in June. Maybe the horse to give him the most to do today is the Aidan O'Brien-trained LOPE Y FERNANDEZ. This horse was behind Pinatubo in the Chesham Stakes, but could easily find the necessary improvement in a race in which O'Brien has tasted success in the past.

3.00 Qatar Lennox Stakes (Group 2) 7f
Probably not the deepest Group 2 race ever contested, but HEY GAMAN doesn't know that and he looks more than capable of landing this generous pot. Already placed in a Classic (last year's French 2,000 Guineas) and already a winner at Group 3 level, this looks like an ideal contest for James Tate's likeable inmate. In a race where the odd shock result's not uncommon, Donjuan Triumphant is also a speculative each-way play.

3.35 Qatar Goodwood Cup (Group 1) 2m
You can't keep a good man down and jockey Frankie Dettori is flying high at the moment following his superb King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes victory on board Enable at Ascot last weekend. In all likelihood the Dettori and trainer John Gosden combination will likely enjoy more Group 1 success in this race with Stradivarius looking to make it a hat-trick of Goodwood Cups. The race is not a gimme, however, and perhaps the Mark Johnston-trained DEE EX BEE can give jolly-backers a fright at slightly more expansive odds.

4.10 European Breeders Fund EBF Maiden Stakes 6f
Not much form to go on with these juveniles, but WRITTEN BROADCAST should be starting to get the hang of things on his third racecourse appearance. Phuket Power has speed all over his pedigree and may reward each-way backers by out-running his likely long odds.

4.45 Chelsea Barracks Handicap 5f
A real blink-and-you'll-miss-it race over the minimum distance. MUTHMIR's not getting any younger at 9yo but he's at the top of this handicap for a reason and may yet be able to show his more youthful rivals a clean pair of hooves. Koditime is another for the shortlist.

5.15 Unibet Fillies' Handicap 1m
A tricky contest restricted to fillies and mares to round off the first day. The Roger Charlton-trained SAVANNAH hasn't had much racing this term, so maybe today's the day her season kicks off in style.  Al Messila is looking to chalk up the hat-trick and can't be discounted.

Friday on my mind

Royal Ascot came to life and how on Ladies' Day yesterday.

That man Frankie Dettori brought the place to life by riding the winners of the first four races (at combined odds of 449-1) and almost making it five on the spin when chinned late on in the Britannia Stakes.

Readers of this blog yesterday will hopefully have availed themselves of three of those wins in the shape of Sangarius, Star Catcher and Stradivarius.

Today's another story, however, and it might be a case of the 'Moore the merrier' by the time the last race has been run. Jockey Ryan Moore is now three wins behind Frankie in the race to be the meeting's top jockey.

Day four Friday could see him reduce that gap, however, bringing things nicely to a head for tomorrow.

Be lucky!

PHILIPPOS

Royal Ascot

Stalls: straight course, centre; Round course, inside

NAP: HERMOSA
NB: JASH

2:30 Albany Stakes (Group 3) Fillies Six furlongs
A field of 25 are set to go to post for this sprint confined to juvenile fillies only. A couple of US raiders in the shape of Chili Petin and Nayibeth add an extra edge to this contest. But I'm looking no further than Ireland, or possibly North Yorkshire, in terms of my idea of the winner. The maestro trainer Aidan O'Brien runs a brace in the shape of SO WONDERFUL (14/1) and Precious Moments (16/1) and it's difficult to rule out either. Both make each-way appeal at their prices. Another in the same camp is Exceptional (16/1). Trainer Richard Fahey is a dab hand with juveniles and this could be an excellent chance to get on this week's scoresheet.

3:05 King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) Colts & geldings One mile, four furlongs
Also known as the 'Ascot Derby' and three of today's rather miserly eight-strong field contested the Epsom version three weeks ago. If Japan (5/4) has recovered well from his exertions on the Downs when he came third that day to Anthony Van Dyck, he's the likeliest winner. Maybe PABLO ESCOBARR (8/1) at a working man's each-way price for a 'dead-eight' race can give him most to think about. He swerved running in the Derby and trainer William Haggas is already having a fine Royal week.

3:40 Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) Six furlongs
Again, a rather small field of just nine 3yo are set to go to post for this half-million pound sprint. As with the previous race, it's uninspiring but probably dangerous to overlook the chances of the favourite Ten Sovereigns (11/8). If lumping on short-priced favourites isn't your thing, turn to JASH (5/1) for hopefully an each-way bet to nothing. Trainer Simon Crisford won the opener yesterday and it would be disappointing if this colt couldn't at least make the frame.

4:20 Coronation Stakes (Group 1) Fillies One mile Round course
This could be a penalty kick for HERMOSA (evens). If she turns up in the same form which has already seen her land both the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and Irish Guineas at The Curragh this season, then she wins comfortably. In which case what comes second? Jubiloso (9/2) is short enough in the betting but, although unbeaten, is priced as much on her connections as any rock-solid credentials. She has to enter calculations, although at least we know French 1,000 Guineas winner Castle Lady (8/1) won't be inconvenienced by the soft-ish underfoot conditions.

5:00 Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) Fillies One mile straight
Back to the cavalry charges and a mere 27-runner affair with the field hurtling down the course's straight mile. A royal runner in the form of Magnetic Charm (10/1) adds to the interest, but my three darts are being aimed at far bigger-priced runners. The first two are WHIMBREL (20/1) and Kimblewick (33/1) which both hail from the powerful John Gosden yard. Both are making their debut in handicap company and each has been running over a slightly longer trip than today's race distance. They may be rattling home while rivals tire. The other selection is Aim Power (50/1) at colossal odds. It's unusual that neither trainer Richard Hannon, nor champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa have yet registered a winner thus far this week. What better time to do it?

5:35 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) One mile, four furlongs
A tricky-looking 19-runner contest to round off day four. Towards the top of the market, FUJAIRA PRINCE (13/2) makes plenty of appeal. Pivoine (20/1) may out-run his odds but, for me, the most eye-catching runner in the race is Lethal Steps (33/1). Brought over by Gold Cup and Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliot, the gelding last ran in May in a two-and-a-half mile handicap hurdle. Hardly a traditional prep race for a contest of this nature which makes him the most intriguing runner of the meeting!

All set for a virtuoso performance

Yesterday morning I wrote that it would be a surprise if jockey Frankie Dettori left Royal Ascot winner-less by Wednesday evening.

Sure enough, he knocked in a day two double paying combined tasty odds of 75-1! Talk about not being able to keep a good man down.

Don't forget. A five-day horse racing festival is a marathon, not a sprint.

Even if day two at Royal Ascot was as much of a wash-out on the results front for you as it was with the weather, then fear not. We're not yet half-way through the meeting. Happily, the weather prospects are better for the remainder of the week.

But given the amount of rain that's already fallen on the course, it's essential to look out for horses which put their best hoof forward when there's give underfoot for the rest of the meeting. Even if we enjoy a couple of drying days, this will only likely take the going to 'good' by Saturday afternoon.

Today's race highlight is the meeting's centre-piece contest, namely, the Ascot Gold Cup. Once again that man Dettori will be in the spotlight, as he looks to ride back-to-back wins in this race on the big-race favourite, Stradivarius.

There's also the classy Ribblesdale Stakes for middle-distance 3yo fillies to crack, plus a couple of fiendishly tricky handicaps also restricted to runners from the Classic generation.

Be lucky!

PHILIPPOS

Royal Ascot

Stalls: straight course, centre. Round course, inside

NAP: STRADIVARIUS
NB: SIR RON PRIESTLEY

2:30 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) Five furlongs
There's a hot favourite in this race in the shape of Sunday Sovereign. At cramped odds of 5/2, he may be one for your Placepot selections, but let's try and find a bigger-priced winner. Maybe Joseph O'Brien holds the key. He has made a stellar start to his training career but has yet to register a win at Royal Ascot. AIR FORCE JET (8/1) could be the horse to change all that and makes appeal at a working man's price. In a race where there may be question marks over one or two of the shorter-priced runners, another to consider is Expressionist (8/1) running in the royal blue of Godolphin. At even bigger odds, it's interesting to note that Real Appeal (16/1) changed hands for the thick end of three hundred thousand pounds just a few days ago.

3:05 Hampton Court Stakes (Group3) One mile, two furlongs
The first of no less than four races on the card all confined to three-year-olds. Perhaps Royal Ascot's race planners could have a word with themselves. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (6/1) won a Derby trial earlier in the season and ran ok to be fourth in the Prix Du Jockey Club in France last time.  He will have the assistance of the week's leading jockey Ryan Moore and today could be his day in the sun. Two others to bring into calculations are Sangarius (8/1) and Cap Francais (16/1). Both will appreciate a bit of dig in the ground and that's going to be essential today.

3:40 Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) Fillies One mile, four furlongs
This race revolves around whether or not you are in the camp of the favourite, Fleeting. Although she's been supplemented for today's race having finished third in the Epsom Oaks, I'm inclined to be against her, especially at cramped odds. To take her on, there's no better trainer to have in your corner than John Gosden. His pair of STAR CATCHER (7/1) and Fanny Logan (16/1) should give the jolly a fight. At humungous odds, it may be that Peach Tree (33/1) is simply there to make the pace for her stablemate Fleeting. But if, as is possible, the race turns attritional, the former may still be there at the finish. That would be a peach of a result.

4:30 Gold Cup (Group 1) Two miles, four furlongs
The Royal meeting's centre-piece race, run over a stamina-sapping distance which will be accentuated further by today's soft going. While I was happy to oppose the favourite in the Ribblesdale, it's difficult to get away from the chances of market-leader STRADIVARIUS (6/5) in this contest. He's going for back-to-back victories in the race, has the assistance of Frankie Dettori in the plate and there only appears to be a couple of rivals who are likely to give him a fright. The first is Dee Ex Bee (6/1). You rule out Mark Johnson-stayers at your peril and this colt had enough class last season to come second in the Epsom Derby. I'm less convinced about the merits of the globe-trotting Cross Counter (9/2) for Godolphin. But these three should be clear of the pack by the two furlong pole, so maybe a combination tricast on the trio is the way to go here.

5:00 Britannia Stakes (Heritage Handicap) One mile straight
I love the Britannia. It's basically a race for those 3yo milers who haven't quite developed into top class colts in the first part of the season, but who are still classy animals in their own right. A 30-runner field doesn't make finding the winner any easier, but let's have a go anyway. Trainer William Haggas has already notched a couple of winners this week and he runs a pair of contenders in this. The one I like is AWE (14/1). Trainer John Gosden has won this race four times in the past and he saddles two contenders with live chances. Of the pair, I prefer Turgenev (16/1) who possibly ran over a trip too far last time. Davydenko (16/1) has a fighting chance of making the frame as well.

5:35 King George V Stakes (Handicap) One mile, four furlongs
Another cracking handicap to finish with just the 19 runners set to go to post. The standout for me is SIR RON PRIESTLEY (6/1) from the Mark Johnson stable, although it's true he's untested on ground as deep as this. Another contender to take note of from the top of the market is Sinjaari (13/2). It's a bit of a leap of faith, but at a colossal each-way price Kaloor (50/1) may out-run his odds. Look for bookmakers paying five places!

Seconds out for a potential day of surprises

The big questions for day two of Royal Ascot are: how much has it rained in Berkshire overnight and when will Frankie Dettori, the meeting's most successful jockey currently riding, get off the mark with a winner?

To answer the first question, even if the course managed to miss any deluges Tuesday night into this morning there's not much point following horses who prefer underfoot conditions to be rattlingly fast.

Times held up pretty well yesterday despite the inclement conditions. But today's ground will likely be on the yielding side of good and that has implications for the US speedball sprinters looking to scorch down the Ascot turf in the opening race, the Queen Mary Stakes.

The going also has implications for today's longest race, the Queen's Vase. Ironically, this race's distance was reduced a few years ago from two miles to a mile and six furlongs. Today's conditions will make the run-in seem like a very long way.

As for jockeys, well, we saw yesterday when Ryan Moore (currently Royal Ascot's second winning-most rider) bagged a brace of wins, that it's difficult to keep big-name pilots out of the frame at high-profile meetings like this.

As far as Dettori's concerned, he's got a quality book of Wednesday rides and it would be surprising if he left the course tonight still winnerless. That said, it's an ultra-competitive card and big-priced winners would not be a total surprise today.

Be lucky!

PHILIPPOS

Royal Ascot (Stalls: straight course centre; round course, inside)

NAP: WALDGEIST

NB: SENIORITY

2:30 Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) Five furlongs

27 fillies go to post which means it's entirely possible the field will split into two, or even three, groups. Kimari (6/1) is a fascinating raider from the US whose trainer has an excellent Royal Ascot record. She's difficult to leave out of calculations, but the big field and underfoot conditions may not be to her liking. That might offer one of the Godolphin pair of Divine Spirit (11/1) and THEORY OF TIME (14/1) a chance to land the spoils at an attractive price. At humungous odds, have to mention the French-trained Brand New Day (50/1) who appears over-priced and may be worth an each-way investment on a day which could see a string of shock results. Look for bookmakers paying five places.

3:05 Queen's Vase (Group 2) One mile, six furlongs

Traditionally a race competed for by the Classic three-year-old generation regarded as a little bit slow for the highest-profile 12 furlong contests, but who may yet develop into contenders for the St Leger run later in the season in September. All eyes will be on Norway (4/1) who many think will bounce back from his 8th in the recent Epsom Derby and win this comfortably. As an Aidan O'Brien inmate, you can't ignore his claims, although personal preference is for his slightly longer-priced stable-mate, WESTERN AUSTRALIA (9/2).  

3:40 Prince of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) One mile, two furlongs

Only eight runners declared and, depending on the underfoot conditions, the field may be further reduced before post-time. It's currently an extremely classy octet, however, and the best bet of the day may be on whether the race produces a photo-finish. The one horse I don't fancy, ironically, is the current favourite Magical. With slight doubts over Sea Of Class's participation, preference is for the French-trained WALDGEIST (6/1) who won the Prix Ganay on his seasonal debut back in April at ParisLongchamp. Unusually, bookmakers could well have over-priced his chances.

4:20 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) One mile (straight course)

A tricky affair with 17 runners currently declared. Perhaps this will be the moment for jockey Frankie Dettori to get on the scoresheet with the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rawda (4/1). Another runner towards the head of the market and whose chances it is difficult to rule out is I CAN FLY (5/1). If further rain fell throughout the day and there was some serious dig in the ground by the time of this race, the colossally-priced Hand On Heart (50/1) may surprise a few of her more fancied rivals by out-running her odds.  

5:00 Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) One mile (straight course)

If you're a fan of competitive handicaps, not many come with more history than this little head-scratcher with just the 30 runners currently set to go to post. The talking horse for the past fortnight and beyond has been the James Tate-trained New Graduate. It's true his form coming into the race looks bomb-proof, but it will still need all of jockey Frankie Dettori's skill and horsemanship to win from stall one. He's currently a 6/1 shot, or thereabouts, and if you have to include him in your calculations there's a chance his price could lengthen the closer it gets to post-time. Drawn on the other side of the track is SENIORITY (18/1) an interesting runner owned, appropriately, by the Queen. Historians will tell you that Her Majesty won this very race in 1953 with a horse called Choir Boy. Two others to consider at hefty odds are Key Victory (20/1) and Circus Couture (33/1), the latter being placed in this race last year. 

5:35 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed race) Five furlongs

As with Tuesday, not the easiest getting out stakes with just the 24 lightly-raced colts and fillies from which to find the winner. Plenty come into the race with a win under their belts, but not so many can boast victories with give underfoot. One that can is the Mark Johnson-trained IFFRAAZ (16/1) who may well have seemed like an over-priced runner by about 6pm tonight. Two others to consider are the US raider Foolish Humor (10/1) and Dylan De Vega (12/1).

Tips with fizz for an unforgettable first day at Royal Ascot

Fetch your fascinators and dust down your topper! Royal Ascot takes centre-stage this week for the world's best festival of flat racing.

Call me a libellous old heretic but, for my money, the (Glorious) Goodwood Festival is actually British summertime's classiest turf affair.

But if pomp, pageantry, and being packed into a train with hundreds of morning-suited drunks is your thing, then you simply cannot beat Royal Ascot for the sheer spectacle of it all. And, believe me, there will be some spectacles.

My first experience of the meeting came when I was living in the town as a second-year university undergraduate (long story). The year Longboat won the Ascot Gold Cup, as if anyone's the faintest bit interested.

As my studies discovered to their cost, that normally sleepy quarter of Berkshire hits the overdrive button for five solid days (for the pedants among you, four 'Royal' days back then and one 'Ascot Heath').

Of course, getting a glimpse of the Queen and having a post-racing sing-song around the racecourse's famous bandstand are all well and good.

But it's the racing that ought to be the star of the show. The contests are top-class all week and range from superb Group 1 contests (this year featuring runners from nine different countries) to those famously tricky and competitive handicaps like the Royal Hunt Cup and the Wokingham.

If you're looking to trade up from prosecco to Pol Roger, here are some Day 1 thoughts on how you might achieve just that.

Be lucky!

PHILIPPOS

Royal Ascot 

(Stalls centre first three races, stalls inside last three races)

NAP: FORT MYERS
NB: SHAMAN

2:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) One mile (straight course)
An open-looking contest to begin the 2019 Royal meeting. Mustashry (9/2) has a great chance of landing the spoils after his recent win in the Group 1 Lockinge at Newbury which is also run over a straight mile. But the ground will be ideal for HAZAPOUR (9/1) and the booking of jockey Frankie Dettori for connections catches the eye. There was a shock result in this race last year. At juicy odds, an-each-way tickle on Dream Castle (33/1) wouldn't be the week's daftest idea in case the Godolphin-representative returns to form.

3:05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) Six furlongs
A race open to both colts and fillies. But as with the Conservative Party leadership contest, this year's affair has turned into an all-male line-up. Whoever wins will see his price tumble for next year's Two Thousand Guineas. Maestro trainer Aiden O'Brien comes into the race quadruple-handed and Arizona appears to be the pick. At 3/1 or thereabouts his odds are fairly cramped, though, so it may pay to side each-way with his stable-mate FORT MYERS (18/1). At even bigger odds, Light Angel (20/1) is also of considerable interest and represents last year's victorious John Gosden stable.

3:40 King's Stand Stakes (Group 1) Five furlongs
A half-million pound race whose result will be determined in less than a minute! If he's allowed to dominate up front, it might be very difficult to peg back the impressive speedball that is BATTAASH (2/1). Last year he was beaten in this race by Blue Point (3/1). The latter is the likeliest challenger once again even though his odds are a tad longer than Battaash's. Equilateral (22/1) is a frustrating sort, but at eye-popping odds he may be worth an each-way chance to peak at the right time.

4:20 St James's Palace Stakes (Group 1) One mile (round course)
Of the English, French and Irish 2,000 Guineas winners, only the latter is taking part and here's a race which may witness a shock. Royal Marine's (40/1) form has fallen off a cliff since last season, but that's reflected in his price and is worth an each-way interest. All eyes will be on Too Darn Hot, who promised much last season but hasn't reached the great heights that were anticipated. So the horse to steal the headlines could be the French raider, SHAMAN (11/1) who wasn't beaten far by the impressive Persian King in the Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) at ParisLongchamp.

4:50 Ascot Stakes Handicap Two miles, three furlongs 210 yards
A long-distance race with some runners who'd be more at home at the Cheltenham Festival in March. After half-a-mile they'll be wondering where the fences have all gone. I once spent a night in the Ascot open ditch heading towards Winkfield, but that's a story for another day. Supreme Irish trainer Willie Mullins is presumably not bringing over Buildmeupbuttercup (4/1) for a look at the Berkshire countryside. However, Ian Williams is one of the best dual-purpose handlers in the UK and Time To Study (18/1) is a worthy each-way play. The other contender to consider at similarly juicy odds is Hughie Morrison's FUN MAC (14/1).

5:35 Wolferton Stakes (Listed race) One mile, two furlongs
Not the easiest getting out stakes to round off day one of the Royal meeting. MAGIC WAND (5/1) has perhaps not quite lived up to expectations and could easily bounce back to her best here. Two other runners to consider at far heftier odds are Oasis Charm (33/1) and Zihba (40/1).

Mad and Max on Duty to run riot on Derby day

At one stage in yesterday's Epsom Oaks, the runners were doing their best Noah's Ark impression and swung round Epsom's Tattenham Corner two-by-two.

Unlike most Classics, there wasn't a great deal of pace in the early part of that race. But I can't believe the same is going to happen today in the £1.6 million Derby, the world's greatest horse race.

With maestro trainer Aidan O'Brien responsible for seven of the 13 runner-field, it's unlikely the race will be run at a crawl - whatever the outcome.

So who will come out on top? The unbeaten Sir Dragonet is the current market-leader and has the potential to be a superstar. But he didn't race as a juvenile and, in what can be a rough race, that's enough to put me off supporting him. Especially at his cramped odds of 3/1 or thereabouts.

Telecaster's recent win at York in the Dante prompted connections to stump up 85 grand to run in today's big race and he now finds himself next best at the top of the market. Personally, I have my doubts and I'll be giving him a swerve, along with another fancied O'Brien inmate, Broome.

My three against the field are: Madhmoon, who stayed on well for fourth in the 2,000 Guineas from an unfavourable draw in May. He's trading around the 10/1 mark.

Circus Maximus could go off at a similar, if not shorter, price with his big-race pilot Frankie Dettori already having tasted success in yesterday's Oaks. Circus Maximus's form stands up pretty well and you write-off his ultr-talented jockey at your peril on big race days.

Finally, it's more difficult to make a case for Line Of Duty because he's definitely not fired this season. But he posted some top-notch efforts as a juvenile winning both at Paris Longchamp on Arc day last October, as well as rounding off his season in fine style at the Breeders' Cup in the US.

There's always a twist in the Line Of Duty plot and we may be in store for something similar today. At odds of around the 40/1 I'm happy to take my chance each-way.

Be lucky!

EPSOM
2:00
Win: Nayef Road
2:35
Each-way: Bella Ragazza
3:10
Win: Bye Bye Hong Kong
3:45
Each-way Muthmir, Harome
4:30 The Investec Derby
Win: Madhmoon, Circus Maximus
Each-way: Line Of Duty
5:15
Win: Sextant
5:50
Win: Spanish City

All eyes on the Oaks

If you were looking to create a track to test the thoroughbred racehorse in the modern age, you'd take one look at Epsom racecourse and design something that was the polar opposite.

Newbury, in all likelihood, about as fair a racecourse as there is. Replete with residential flats alongside the finishing straight and an on-site hotel to which racegoers can retreat at the end of a long day's punting.

Of course, that's not how things worked in the 17th century. Horseracing had started to take place on the Downs as adjacent Epsom village prospered from the medicinal efficacy of its waters on the livers and stomachs of those who had over-indulged

Today, Epsom racecourse is still pretty bizarre by modern designs. A giant horseshoe-shaped track, it features a rise and fall of about 150 feet as well as a pronounced camber from one side of the four furlong home straight to the other.

This makes it the supreme test for thoroughbred racehorses who require that all-important combination of balance, stamina and speed if they are to see out the Classic race distance of a mile-and-a-half.

Today is Oaks day, the third English Classic of the season and a race confined to 3yo fillies. It doesn't have the global punch of tomorrow's Derby, but the race is actually a year older (first run in 1779 when won by a horse called Bridget).

The Oaks has been won down the years by some of the sport's greatest fillies including Oh So Sharp, Diminuendo and Salsabil. Will we see another superstar emerge today? We'll know at about 5pm!

Here are some tips for today's races. Be lucky!

Epsom
2:00
Win: Pinatubo

2:35
Win: Seniority

3:10
Win: Kew Gardens
Each-way: Morando

3:45
Win: Elector
Each-way: Lorelina

4:30 The Investec Oaks
Win: Anapurna
Each-way: Tarnawa

5:15
Each-way: Happy Power

Up for the Cup

Cheltenham's a sporting venue that's witnessed its fair share of drama down the years. But if anyone ever compiles an official  Desert Island Discs of top Festival days, yesterday's events will easily make it into the final eight.

From Bryony Frost's never-say-die front-running ride on Frodon to win the Ryanair Chase, to the sight of the Andrew Gemmell-owned Paisley Park surging up the run-in under Aidan Coleman to collar Sam Spinner and land a memorable Stayers' Hurdle, it was enough to turn hardened racegoers to blubber.

Throw in a win for Lizzie Kelly on Siruh Du Lac in what used to be known as the Mildmay of Flete and Barry Geraghty's monumental effort to lift Sire Du Berlais over the line in the Pertemps Final and 2019 St Patrick's Thursday will go down in the annals as an all-round top day.

Followers of Philippos were rewarded with 3/1 winner Defi Du Seuil in the JLT and Not Many Left placed at 16/1 in the Pertemps for e/w backers.

Today we move on to the main event: it's Cheltenham Gold Cup day and there's a seven-race card which is trickier to crack than doing The Times crossword in the dark.

Still, you're a long time dead so let's see how we get on. The opening race, the Triumph Hurdle, features one of the talking horses of the meeting in the shape of the former classy flat racer, Sir Erec. On a week which has seen a few shocks I'd be inclined to take him on.

As for the Blue Riband Gold Cup at 3.30 itself, the weather may yet play a part. Last year's contest was run on really soft ground bringing out the eventual winner Native River's endless supplies of stamina. If the rain stays away today we could be in for a thriller with several runners jumping the final fence in unison. What price a photo-finish anyone?

Be lucky!

1.30
Each-way: Quel Destin (9/1, generally) Gardens of Babylon (11/1, generally)

2.10
Each-way: Crooks Peak (14/1, generally), Countister (16/1, generally), We Have A Dream (25/1, generally).

2.50
Win: Birchdale (6/1, generally), Allaho (8/1, generally) NAP

3.30 Cheltenham Gold Cup
Each-way: Bellshill (10/1), Bristol De Mai (25/1, generally) NB

4.10 
Win: Road To Rome (8/1, generally), Shantou Flyer (8/1, generally)

4.50
Win: Whatswrongwithyou (8/1, generally)
Each-way: Bun Doran (14/1, generally)

5.30
Win: Early Doors (7/1, generally)
Each-way: If You Say Run (201, generally)

All to play for at half-time

The four-day Cheltenham Festival's just as much of a stamina test for punters as it is for the horses faced with that stiff uphill climb to the finishing post.

Half-way through the week and the Philippos punting portfolio remains in pretty decent shape with a brace of wins on Wednesday, one for the imposing Topofthegame in the RSA Chase (SP 4/1, advised at 7/2) as well as Envoi Allen in the Champion Bumper (returned 2/1, advised at 7/2).

Topofthegame is a giant of a horse at 17 hands 3. He will doubtless go on to better things and it would be something of a surprise if he didn't make into a contender for next year's Gold Cup.

The action comes thick and fast again today with the meeting's remaining races now switching over to Cheltenham's stiffer New Course.  There's rain around, so expect the going to be freshened up and turn a little bit softer than it was Wednesday. That will make it even more of a test in the day's feature race, the three-mile Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle. Good luck!

1.30
Win: Defi Du Seuil (5/2, generally)
Each-way: Voix Du Reve (10/1, generally)

2.10
Each-way: A Toi Phil (16/1, generally), Not Many Left (16/1, generally), Aspen Colorado (40/1, generally)

2.50
Win: Footpad (4/1, generally)
Each-way: Balko Des Flos (16/1, generally)

3.30 Stayers' Hurdle
Win: Supersundae (8/1, generally)
Each-way: Bapaume (25/1, generally), Wholestone (40/1, generally)

4.10
Each-way: Polidam (16/1, generally), Modus (20/1, generally)

4.50
Win: Epatante (15/8)
Each-way: Sancta Simona (20/1, generally)

5.30
Each-way: Touch Kick (20/1, generally)

Wednesday wagers

There's life in the old boy yet. Not a bad start to Philippos's 2019 Cheltenham Festival week care of some placed, big-priced each-way selections: Thomas Derby (2nd, SP 28/1), Us And Them (2nd, 14/1 advised at 16/1), and even Flying Angel (5th, advised at 50/1, SP 25/1) if you found a bookmaker who paid extra places in the Ultima.

Time waits for no-one, though, so thoughts now turn to day two which is traditionally my favourite of the week. The imperious Istabraq made his Festival debut in the (then) 1997 Sun Alliance Hurdle, now the Ballymore, before subsequently going on to secure three Champion Hurdles on the spin in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

The Ballymore (1.30) typically features some cracking horses to follow in the future. Ditto, today's RSA Insurance Novices' Chase (2.10) which could easily supply us with next year's ante-post Gold Cup favourite. Last year's RSA winner, Presenting Percy, is at the top of the market for Friday's Blue Riband which promises to be a decent renewal.

Throw in the Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30) with the brilliant Altior looking for back-to-back victories, the fiendishly competitive Coral Cup (2.50), plus the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.30) and all's set fair for a wonderful (and hopefully not too windy) Wednesday.

1.30
Win: Champ (3/1, generally)
Each-way: Castlebawn West (25/1, generally)

2.10
Win: Delta Work (2/1, generally), Topofthegame (7/2, generally)

2.50
Win: Brio Conti (10/1, generally)
Each-way: Apple's Shakira (16/1, generally), Joke Dancer (33/1, generally)

3.30 Queen Mother Champion Chase
Each-way: Politologue (25/1, generally)

4.10
Each-way: Fact Of The Matter (16/1, generally)

4.50
Each-way: Dogon (22/1 generally), Our Power (25/1, generally), Praeceps (25/1 generally)

5.30
Win: Envoi Allen (7/2, generally), Meticulous (8/1, generally)

Philippos rides again!

Cheltenham Festival - Day 1 tips

I've spent three decades making a crust from financial journalism; a bit less from writing about horse racing. Racing's a terrific sport first and foremost. As a betting medium it often gets the cold shoulder from my more po-faced money journalist colleagues.

Well, I don't care. In my experience, the financial services and bookmaking industries have, if anything, converged down the years. Like insurers, bookies are in the risk management business and their aim is to maximise profits for shareholders. When writing about either, it certainly pays to have a certain aptitude for figures which, with a physics degree, I hope I've got.

In three decades, I've reported on just as many spivvy financiers as there are perceived to be bookmakers. In my experience, I've found bookmakers to be, in the main, a pretty honourable bunch.

One, who used to own three betting shops in the Cotswolds, is a very good friend and is as far removed from being a high-roller as is humanly possible. He's built his home (more of a shack than a palace) in a field in Worcestershire surrounded by the 200 plum trees he's planted. Not all bookmakers can net a dividend from their betting business worth £265 million. Looking at you Bet 365's Denise Coates.

At least I've never been gobbed at by a bookie; although that dubious distinction goes to one particularly irate independent financial adviser whom I once had the temerity to question. On another occasion, a fairly cheesed-off financial adviser (not long out of jug) came looking for me in a newsroom armed with a baseball bat. Charming. I had to leggit it down a fire escape to evade his fiscal clutches.

My horse racing tipster 'nom de plume' (or, guerre, depending on your point of view) is 'Philippos'. Ironically enough, Philippos made his debut in the financial world way back in 1994 when a financial hack and former newsroom colleague, Lawrence Gosling, went to work on a whizzy new-fangled Ceefax-style service for City of London traders called Cityscreen. This was the height of cutting edge communication in the 90s, you understand.

Anyway, he needed someone to file early-morning tips and would I be interested? You bet (literally) and so Philippos was born, phoning over copy (these were pre-email times) at 5.30am each morning. Philippos enjoyed something of a following amongst traders, but this time without the baseball bat.

Fast forward to 2004 and the newly-launched sports magazine, Inside Edge, edited by ex-Mirror City Slicker James Hipwell, was looking for a racing editor. I knew James from his days working on, wait for it, The Actuary magazine and took on the role which subsequently allowed me to secure a horse racing press badge (the only financial journalist to this day to do so).

Given our ridiculously long lead-in times, IE's tipsters did pretty well which rather brings us to today.
I've decided to resuscitate Philippos for this year's Cheltenham Festival. Here are my selections for day one which, with the rain having arrived at the course, looks set to be staged on soft-ish going.

With its offers and enhanced placings, the Festival's one of the few times of the year I'd ever considering betting each-way. Good luck!

1.30
Win: Angels Breath (5/1 generally); Fakir D'oudairies (6/1 generally).
Each-way: Thomas Darby (25/1).

2.10
Win: Hardline (5/1 generally).
Each-way: Ornua (14/1), Us And Them (16/1).

2.50
Win: Minella Rocco (9/1 generally).
Each-way: Magic of Light (20/1): Flying Angel (50/1).

3.30 Champion Hurdle
Win: Laurina (4/1 generally).

4.10
Each-way: Momella (20/1 generally).

4.50
Each-way: Good Man Pat (14/1 generally).

5.30
Win: Ok Corral (7/2 generally)
Each-way: Impulsive Star (14/1 generally).

Jolly bad show

Here’s a salutary punting tale about betting the jollies in time for this year's Cheltenham Festival which starts tomorrow.

It comes care of Odds and Sods, the autobiography of Ron Pollard who was PR director at Ladbrokes in the 1970s and 80s having started his career as a clerk at William Hill after the Second World War.

The tale involves the 1962 Festival, two Irish doctors, and an innocuous-sounding bet they struck which ended up costing them extremely dear. 

In that year, there were 18 races and the bet (once popular, now defunct) went like this. In essence the plan was to win £10 care of the favourite, in this case with the punt stipulated to take place over the duration of the entire meeting. 

If the gamble came off with a favourite winning, that was it and happy days; retire to the bar and strike a new bet. If it lost, however, the stake on the second (and subsequent races until a favourite won) increased in order not only to win a tenner, but to make up the losses from preceding punts. 

As Pollard pointed out “… in the case of our two doctors, they always knew the most they could win, but never what they could lose…”. You can guess how this is going to turn out.

On day one, the first favourite of the meeting was called Trelawny and was priced up at 9/4. So, the two doctors’ initial liability was £4.44 (converting from old money) to win their tenner. Only Trelawny didn’t win. The second race featured a 1-2 shot, Scottish Memories, which required the pair to stake £28.88 to win back the £4.44 and also to win a tenner.

Needless to say, that hotpot got turned over as well. On and on this tale of misery continues, through days one and two of the Festival with no market-leader winning until we come to the very last race of the meeting. 

By this stage, the rules of the bet meant that the doctors needed to stake £5,225.15 if Pegle, the 9/4 favourite, was going to get them out of a punting black hole and win them a tenner.

Guess what? Pegle lost, which meant the overall deficit was a sum just shy of £17,000, an eye-watering sum for 1962 and the equivalent in today’s money adjusted for inflation of about £350,000.

For the record, eight favourites won at least year's Festival. Be lucky!

Making contact

You don’t need to be an avid fan of the Halifax and its mildly irritating Ghostbusters TV advert to realise that contactless payments are on the increase.

Nowadays, all manner of retail outlets - large and small – accept a quick swipe of a debit card as a means of payment. What's more, you’re allowed to spend up to £30 a throw (in London this roughly equates to a copy of the Racing Post, a medium-sized bottle of still water and a Twix).

What’s that got to do with horse racing? Well, the slightly savvier end of the on-course bookmaker collective has realised that contactless is the way to go if it's to attract business from 20 and 30-something racegoers. 

With the Festival fast-approaching, I asked Cheltenham racecourse for a breakdown of its on-course bookmaking community for the four days in March this year and how many of these may be offering contactless transactions.

According to course spokesperson Sophia Dale, there are going to be 36 bookmakers located on the Rails & Lower Rails, 90 will be plying their trade in Tatts & Lower Tatts, 75 in the Best Mate enclosure (the part of the track facing the main grandstand), eight operators in the See You Then section and six in the Centaur building.

Dale said she estimated that around 20 per cent of the bookmakers present would be accepting payment by card. 

It’s certainly an easier way to pay for a punt if you're short of readies at the Festival. Lengthy ATM queues have become a regular feature at the course in recent years, especially during the Festival. 

Of course, the combination of imbibing a pint or two along with a simple wave of a debit card to place a bet is potentially financially toxic. Keeping tabs on wagers is crucial. There's no point going for a fun day at the races only for your finances to get swiped out.

Instant replays

Unless you’re very organised, working at the horse racing coal-face, or are fully subscribed to the UK’s two dedicated racing channels (UK Racing and Sky Sports Racing) it can be quite a challenge to keep up with racing replays.

Plenty of visitors to the Cheltenham Festival in a fortnight won’t be avid racing nuts. But they might still like to remind themselves of horses running this year who have performed well at the course in the past; during the 2018 renewal, for example. 

Don't forget, Cheltenham is a horses-for-courses track. Should Presenting Percy win this year's Gold Cup (and he's got every chance) it would be his third successive win at the course having lifted the Pertemps Final in 2017 and the RSA Chase last year. Before landing the 2018 Grand National, the gallant Tiger Roll had already notched up three Festival wins.

Fortunately, there’s a free and easy way to see all the past action, even though the service is not particularly well promoted by Cheltenham’s owners at Jockey Club Racecourses. Simply visit the latter’s website and select ‘The Racing’ tab from the dropdown options.

You’ll be taken to a ‘race replays’ section where you just have to select the relevant dates to see all the action. To view last year's Festival contests, plug in 13-16 March 2018.

Mis-match of the day

If you’re trying to gee up interest in the Oxford versus Cambridge boat race, great. If you’re a boxing promoter attempting to flog seats and/or satellite pays-per-view for what promises to be a bruising encounter between two heavyweights, I totally get it.

What I don’t understand is why racecourses, especially in the build-up to a mega horse racing event like the Cheltenham Festival, feel the need to boil down contests to a match. 

Earlier this week, Cheltenham racecourse did just that when it tweeted “Will it be Buveur D’Air vs Apple’s Jade for the @unibet Champion Hurdle?”.

Horse race ‘matches’ were popular two hundred years ago but are an anachronism nowadays. They're not a particularly constructive way to promote the sport in the 21st century and won't send revenues soaring from betting turnover. 

At the time of writing, a dozen or more runners could still line up for the Festival's first big championship race on 12 March. So what does this sort of promotion say to the remainder of the participants?

Aside from the top two in the ante-post betting market, you’d imagine connections of the likes of Laurina, Verdana Blue and Sharjah all fancy their chances this year in what’s probably a more open race than several pundits would have you believe (Hardy Eustace was sent off at 33/1 when he took the first of his two Champion Hurdle crowns and, more recently, Punjabi returned at 22/1 in 2009).

While I’m at it, the binary idea of ‘UK vs Ireland’ at the Festival is a load of baloney as well. Good craic, my posterior. Thanks to Brexit, just about the last thing the UK needs right now is another 'us and them' scenario.

There’s only one match I’m interested in against a Cotswolds backdrop in three weeks’ time and that’s punters versus bookmakers.

Incidentally, if one of the latter could quote me a price for a mares 1-2-3 in the big race, that would be just dandy. I'm looking for in excess of 28/1...