Horse Racing Betting at Bet365
While the time and year and weather have been mooted as reasons, there really is no excuse for two of this Saturday’s big races on the Flat – the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster and the Teddington RBL Poppy Appeal Stakes – to feature only six runners.
Aidan O’Brien has five of the runners in the Futurity and that is reason enough to leave the race well enough alone as a betting medium. Instead, we’ll feature this weekend the contest that is usually known as the St Simon Stakes at Newbury.
ST SIMON STAKES RECENT WINNERS
| Year | Going | Ran | Winner | Draw | Age | Weight | OR | Form | Last run | Trainer | Jockey | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Good to Soft | 10 | Young Rascal/Morando DH | – | |||||||||
| 2017 | Soft | 11 | Best Solution | 10 | 3 | 8 12 | – | 818025 | 55 days | S bin Suroor | Pat Cosgrave | 6/ 1 | 2:40.68 |
| 2016 | Good to Soft | 16 | Duretto | 6 | 4 | 9 4 | – | 250225 | 21 days | A Balding | Graham Lee | 20/ 1 | 2:38.19 |
| 2015 | Soft | 9 | Koora | 2 | 3 | 8 8 | – | 3126 | 44 days | L Cumani | Jamie Spencer | 5/ 2 | 2:48.48 |
| 2014 | Soft | 8 | Sky Hunter | 6 | 4 | 9 4 | – | 131-46D | 35 days | S bin Suroor | James Doyle | 7/ 2 | 2:44.52 |
| 2013 | Heavy | 8 | Cubanita | 3 | 4 | 9 0 | – | 921-532 | 42 days | R Beckett | Jim Crowley | 9/ 2 | 2:43.62 |
| 2012 | Heavy | 10 | Hazel Lavery | 2 | 3 | 8 7 | – | 2-28192 | 44 days | C Hills | Eddie Ahern | 17/ 2 | 2:44.23 |
| 2011 | Good to Firm | 7 | Beaten Up | 9 | 3 | 8 10 | – | 11 | 43 days | W Haggas | Johnny Murtagh | 7/ 2 | 2:31.75 |
| 2010 | Good to Soft | 8 | Clowance | 2 | 5 | 9 0 | – | 11424-0 | 189 days | R Charlton | Richard Hughes | 7/ 2 | 2:40.45 |
| 2009 | Soft | 11 | High Heeled | 13 | 3 | 8 7 | – | 433154 | 7 days | B W Hills | Michael Hills | 4/ 1 | 2:40.91 |
St Simon Stakes History and Trends
Named after a famous racehorse from the 19th century rather than the Apostle, the St Simon Stakes is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Run over 1m4f at Newbury, it achieved Group 2 status at one stage but has been a Group 3 since the 1980s. It is being run this year to benefit for the British Royal Legion’s Poppy Appeal. The race is open to three-year-olds and older horses.
- Ten of the last 12 winners were aged three or four
- Ten of the last winners were rated 102 or higher
- Most recent winners had run at least three times that season
- Ten of the last 12 winners had run in the previous 44 days
With only six runners, value options are limited but we should probably look closely at last year’s result.
Has the cut calmed Young Rascal?
Morando and YOUNG RASCAL dead-heated 12 months ago when the going was just as testing. The former has much the better form this season, winning in similar company at Chester and Ascot, and the pair meet on the same terms. But you have to question why William Haggas is persisting with the latter this late in the year. He has been gelded since a disappointing spring campaign so it might be worth risking that the cruellest cut of all has had the desired effect as he has been popular at the general 11/4 compared the general 5/2 being offered against Morando.
Royal Line is next best at 7/2 with Bet365 among others and warrants serious consideration after a fine run behind Kew Gardens and Stradivarius in last week’s Long Distance Cup at Ascot. He’s been kept back for an autumn campaign and the soft ground will suit. However, conditions may not be ideal for King’s Advice, Spirit Of Appin and Manuela De Vega.
St Simon Stakes Current Best Odds
Morando 5/2, Young Rascal 11/4, Royal Line 7/2, King’s Advice and Manuela De Vega 8/1, Spirit Of Appin 25/1
(Odds correct at 7.30pm October 24)
