King George Betting: A big ask for any of the field to beat the favourite

Events / Wayne Bailey / 22 July 2008 / Leave a Comment

Wayne Bailey assesses the market leaders chances in Saturday's big race.

Firstly, I make an appeal.

If any reader out there knows of a bar, club, or even a sweaty back-street bookie shop in Kusadasi, Turkey - that will be showing the weekend racing at Ascot, please post below!

I could watch the racing online, but computer screen racing just doesn't do it for me.

Those of you who follow my 'diary of a pro-gambler' blog will be aware of the ups and downs that this lifestyle provides, and will realise that a holiday away from it all is very much a requirement now and then! I've promised the wife I'll leave the laptop at home for our short break to Turkey, on the agreement that I can search the streets of Kusadasi to my hearts content trying to find Ascot on a big screen.

I may be away, but business is business and I've been having a look at the King George & Queen Elizabeth market leaders in an attempt to boost the funds that will no-doubt be depleted drastically on poor booze and even worse kebabs this week:

Duke Of Marmalade

It looks like 'The Duke' will go off as odds-on favourite, as backers pile the money on. My money will also go in the same direction, and as I write, he's trading at just under [2.0] on Betfair. It's a competitive race, but he's a worthy favourite. He went off at [2.22] for the Prince of Wales at Ascot, and, in retrospect, that was a cracking price. Make no mistake, this horse is serious business, and after a shaky start to his career - he's really come into his own as a four-year-old. If I was a layer pricing this one up, I'd have him up at [1.8] or even lower.

Youmazin

At times, British and Irish punters can be so consumed with our own racing, that we forget that some great races also take place elsewhere. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is a top class contest that's probably not given enough attention in these islands. It takes a serious horse to win it, but that's just what Channon's five-year-old did when reversing the Juddmonte form with Soldier Of Fortune. He showed a brilliant turn of foot in France, and he's got to be in with a great chance.

Ask

He was fifth in the Prince of Wales at Ascot, and it's unlikely that he can turn things around today. Admittedly, he'll probably prefer the slightly longer distance and if you exclude that last race, his form is fairly solid. Any Sir Michael Stoute horse will have its supporters, but I believe that this is too much of an 'ask' here. (Oh dear, I'll get my coat!)

Lucarno

Another Prince Of Wales winner - but this time we're talking about the Group Two Newmarket race instead. Again, he's coming in for some support, but for me he's been quite inconsistent compared to last year, and I'm going to be so bold to suggest a place lay. He has one Group One race to his name from last year, and I believe he'll struggle in the final two furlongs.

Macarthur

I'm always wary of calling an O'Brien horse the second string. Indeed, his so called second string horse in the Irish Oaks, Ice Queen, was beaten in a photo at a Betfair SP of 153.5, which just goes to show that there are very few poor horses in the yard. He hasn't won a Group One race as yet, but I believe he's the dark horse of the race, and is definitely in with a shout in the place market. He's one for the notebook, and one I'm sure we'll hear a lot more about.

Summary

So then, it's time to get off the fence, and call the one, two, three.

If the results turn out as below - may God bless the bartenders of Turkey!

1). Duke Of Marmalade
2). Macarthur
3.) Youmazin

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Have we called it right or wrong? If you have an opinion, don't keep it to yourself - Post your thought below.