Best bet of the day - Sun 27th Sept

[fintron]

3.15 Ascot Art Connoisseur does not score highly in the consistency stakes but Michael Bell's colt is a genuine pattern horse on his day and has the best form in the book of these runners contesting the Diadem. At two he looked a colt of immeasurable promise, landing The Group 2 Coventry Stakes over this course and distance to complete a hat-trick on his first three runs and he also placed in Group 1 company at the Curragh (behind Mastercraftsman) in his first year of racing. He made his reappearance in a listed race at Newmarket when denied a run, but he used that as a prep run for the Golden Jubilee Stakes in June - again won over course and distance - to confirm he is a sprinter of the highest calibre. I can excuse his run in the July Cup at Newmarket as it paid to race prominently whilst he was held up, and similarly, in the Nunthorpe, the way the race panned out counted against him at York. He can have no excuses for a no show in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, latest, but perhaps the new found tactics were not to his liking as he raced more prominently than usual under Hayley Turner. With the prospect of Tamagin and/or Beckermet setting the pace here, he could return to the rear of the field and that could see him improve as he evidently goes well at this track. It is a race that the classic generation have done well in in the past few decades with the likes of Haatef (2007), Red Clubs (2006), Bianconi (1998) and Elnadim (1997) all landing the prize, and although he shoulders a 6 lb penalty as a consquence of his Group 1 win he has the ability to win a race at this level if in the right mood. 1 pt win

[palaceman]

Re: Best bet of the day - Sun 27th Sept Ascot 4:25. The Betchworth Kid. 1 point Lay A disappointing turn-out of only 6 runners for a £40k race in this Listed race. The selection will inevitably be well fancied, as if this were a handicap he would be giving lots of weight to all bar one of his opponents. He won last time out, but I'm not that impressed by the significance of that as it was a real messy conditions race where 5 of the 6 runners finished almost in a line. Significantly, the going that day was soft. I emphasise that last point because 3 of his 4 career wins have been on soft going over distances of 14f/15f. (The other win, was in a 2yo maiden a couple of years ago, and was over 7f. This can probably be ignored). He therefore appears to have a definite preference for some give underfoot, which he definitely won't get today. Furthermore, note he has yet to win over today's distance of 2 miles. He has tried the trip before, without success. Overall, there a sound reasons for laying this one at the current odds.