Saturdays Horseracing Tips, 7 November

A Last Flat Hurrah…

By Carl Harris

I am going to focus on the flat today before a winter full of jump racing. The flat season on turf finishes at Doncaster today with the November handicap being the feature betting contest. Sadly for Doncaster it is overshadowed somewhat by the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, which is a fantastic night of racing and I will be focusing primarily on an excellent evening state-side.All my bets today are at the Breeders’ Cup.

We have already done a full preview of the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday and the excellent Nathan Lynch will be posting his thoughts shortly on Racing Diary.

20:10 Breeders’ Cup Sprint- Zensational (Win)

It pains me to say it but Zensational looks a very special horse who should put one on the board for the home team. Trained by Bob Baffert who the Americans say is a ‘hall of fame’ trainer, whatever that means. His record is pretty good having nine grade one wins to his name and has won this race for the last two years and Zensational’s has the form to make it a third. The 3-year-old Zensational, a son of Unbridled’s Song, has won five of seven career starts, including his 2 1/4-length score in the Grade I Pat O’Brien Stakes.

Zensational has finished out of the money just twice in seven career starts, and comes into the Sprint on a four-race winning streak, including three consecutive grade one races. The three-year-old colt drew the No. 1 post, which Baffert wasn’t happy about, although Zensational has broken from that same spot in two of his three recent wins. “He lives in the one hole, that’s his home,” Baffert said. “I ought to hang a hay net in there for him.”

21:28 Breeders’ Cup Mile- Goldikova, Win (NAP)

Goldikova won really well in 2008, dishing out a lesson to her opponents. The yanks didn’t like that and on her return to Santa Anita she finds herself drawn in stall 11 of 11, the coffin box. Funny that! Lets hope that she shows them that class can prevail at what is going to be a better than expected price given the draw.

Here is her 2008 win;

Following a slow start to the season she has done nothing but win, taking the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket then destroying group one fields regularly all year. Goldikova, whom he saddled for a popular victory at Santa Anita last year, finished third in her most recent start, which might lead some handicappers to think that her brilliant winning form is over the top. Head thinks otherwise. Trained by Freddie Head the filly is the one they all have to beat he told reporters;

“You need a bit of luck in a race like that, but I’m very confident, She’s very well. I think she’s in the best form I’ve seen her.”

It would be an excellent performance to win but she has the class and is my best bet of the night!

23:45 Breeders’ Cup Classic (grade 1)- Rip Van Winkle, Win

So to the big one, won last year by Ravens Pass. This is a clash between Aidan O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle and Zenyatta who has won all 13 of her career starts. I share Nathan Lynch’s view that in her last 6 wins not one horse she has beaten has since come out and won a group 1 race, John Sherrifs her trainer has avoided tough assignments having placed her to perfection beating up on very weak g1 fields against her own sex only. This is a tougher test and British punters do not need me to tell them how good Rip Van Winkle is. He is a very highly rated horse who has the class to win.

I would love to see Europe stick it up the Americans and win more races than they do. I think they will!