Neil Callan's Day 4 Tips At Royal Ascot 2022

888sport ambassador Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) gives his Day 4 tips and best bets ahead of Friday at Royal Ascot...

Rising Star

Wednesday was amazing. Rising Star had been running consistently but it was obviously a surprise that she won. There’s no room for error at Royal Ascot and everything just fell perfectly for her. Those are the sort of days you want.

Ascot is the Mecca of racing and if there’s any place to put your name up then it’s there. I’d been away for a long time and you have to build things up again.

I knew the filly, I’d ridden her a couple of times and I always said to Marco [Botti] that she needs everything to go right. She can over-race if they go too slow and if they go too quick, she sometimes doesn’t finish her race off.

After a furlong and a half, we’d got into a great position from stall 17 and it was just whether she was good enough at the end.

I had the option to go round them or save ground up the inside. Turning in, I had loads under me, so I felt it was best to stay there. She arrived there so easy and she had that kick at the end.

It’s great that it worked out and it’s great to be part of the team with Marco. I was thrilled for everyone at the yard – it means so much to all of them.

It was also nice to get the prize off Barry [Geraghty], my fellow 888sport ambassador. You couldn’t make it up!

Albany Stakes – 2:30

Like I’ve said all week, the two-year-old races are difficult to get a proper handle on as they haven’t met each other yet.

Meditate has won both her starts for Ballydoyle so she has to be respected. I was very impressed with Mawj at Newmarket.

Saeed bin Suroor hasn’t had many decent two-year-olds in recent years, but this one could be.

Commonwealth Cup – 3:05

This race has been a great addition to the calendar as it gives the three-year-old sprinters the chance to win a Group 1 against their own age group before testing themselves in races like the July Cup.

Twilight Jet is a very good horse on his day. He won well at Naas last month and I can see him running a big race, but I’d say Perfect Power is the one they all have to beat.

The filly I won on at Bath last weekend [Royal Aclaim] actually beat him in a novice at Newcastle last year, but he’s obviously improved massively since then.

The key thing for him is coming back to six furlongs as he didn’t seem to get home in the Guineas. He won the Norfolk last year and then followed up in the Prix Morny and Middle Park, so we know he’s a top class sprinter.

You can’t rule out El Caballo either for Karl Burke, he’s won six in a row. Karl’s horses have been running really well and Dramatised showed how good she is when winning the Queen Mary on Wednesday.

This lad did well in the Sandy Lane and even though he’ll have to step forward to win this, you couldn’t rule that out.  

Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes – 3:40

Another really hard mile and a half Ascot handicap. Just Fine is the obvious one for The Queen and Sir Michael Stoute after his fine third at the Dante meeting. I’m sure he’s been kept back for this since then.

Contact has won his last two and Mashhoor won well at the Curragh last month for Johnny Murtagh.

Coronation Stakes – 4:20

This is one of the races of the week. It’s hugely competitive and you could give a good chance to five or six of them.

Inspiral was a brilliant two-year-old and was favourite for the Guineas all winter, but she wasn’t right and connections took the correct decision to wait for this.

She’s a very good filly and deserves to be favourite, but she won’t have it all her own way first time up.

Cachet was excellent in the Guineas and then ran a cracker to be second to Mangoustine in the French Guineas who she takes on again in this.

Discoveries can go well and I also wouldn’t rule out Prosperous Voyage. It’s a very interesting race.

Sandringham Stakes – 5:00

Richard Hannon’s Heredia is unbeaten and she’s very good. I was third to her at York and was really impressed with how she did it.

I thought she looked like a Group 3 horse that day. She’s definitely got improvement in her as well so she’s one for the shortlist.

Charlie Fellowes and Hayley Turner have won two of the last three runnings of this race and they team up with Fresh Hope who should run well.

King Edward VII Stakes – 5:35

Changingonftheguard ran well to finish fifth in the Derby. I said after Chester that I thought he’d be a future Gold Cup horse.

The stiff track will suit him, it’s just if he’s recovered from Epsom. I can definitely see him running in a Gold Cup in a year or two.  

The dangers are Ottoman Fleet and Lysander but again, this isn’t a very strong running of the King Edward VII.

Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes – 6:10

I wouldn’t really know where to start with this to be honest – a 30-runner five furlong handicap!

Korker bolted up at York last month and Karl Burke won this race last year, so he should give you a run for your money.

*Prices accurate at the time of publication*

June 16, 2022
Royal Ascot

By 888sport

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Horse Racing Tips Saturday 18th June 2022: NAP, NB & Longshot

Expert Steve Mullington gives his daily racing tips, including a NAP, NB and a Longshot. Scroll down now to find out horse racing tips Saturday 18th June at Royal Ascot...

Today's NAP (Best Bet)

3.40 Ascot – Third Realm

Third Realm bounced back to form in grand style last time out, coasting to a six-length success in the Tapster Stakes at Goodwood, and can be taken to do exactly the same thing here in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Until that Goodwood romp, Roger Varian’s four-year-old out of Sea The Stars, had not won in five starts since beating the subsequent Derby winner Adayar in Lingfield’s Derby Trial last year.

Leger winner and Arc third Hurricane Lane is understandably the bookmaker’s favourite but he is without a run this season and Third Realm may just do him for match sharpness and fitness.

Today's NB (Next Best)

3.05 Ascot – Star Girls Aalmal

Star Girls Aalmal is a rare Royal meeting runner for Henry de Bromhead and she can take top honours in this Group 3 Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs.

Horse Racing Tips Saturday 18th June


The Elzaam-filly brings classic form to the party in the shape of her fourth place finish in the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Star Girls Aalmal has proven to be a shrewd acquisition by her owner John Phelan who bought her out of the Goffs Online Sale in November 2020 for just €8,000 and has already amassed five times that in prize money thus far.

Today's Longshot

5.00 Ascot – Batwan

When racing in France first resumed behind closed doors in May 2000, I recall tipping Batwan at ParisLongchamp and he duly obliged at 11/1.

Since then he has enjoyed further successes and under his new trainer Nicolas Caullery, he scored two victories on the turf at Meydan.

A Chantilly run at the beginning of May should have blown away any cobwebs and at odds of 40/1 he’s an interesting each-way outsider for those of you placing your horse race bets online. 

Other live outsiders to consider in this monster field are sprint regular Summerghand for the in-form O’Meara stable, and Commanche Falls who won the Stewards’ Cup last season.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 16th June 2022

June 16, 2022
Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

Steve Mullington
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    • Body

    Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

    He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.

    Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?

    He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations. 

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    Premier League Fixtures Released: 10 Dates For Your Diary

    • The Premier League fixtures were released on June 16th

    • It’s an unusual campaign with a mid-season break for the World Cup in Qatar

    • We’ve picked out 10 key dates from the 2022-23 Premier League campaign below

    The day of the Premier League fixtures being released is a big step in the transition from the previous season to the next.

    It helps to inform those making outright football bets, and gives fans an opportunity to speculate about the easier and tougher patches in the schedule.

    We have picked through the Premier League fixtures for 2022-23 to identify 10 key dates on the calendar.

    5th-7th August: Opening Weekend

    The season kicks off with Arsenal at Crystal Palace for Friday Night Football on August 5th.

    It’s a shortened summer for Premier League clubs with the World Cup forcing the season to start slightly earlier than it would have otherwise done.

    Fulham host Liverpool in Saturday’s early kick-off, a fierce challenge on their return to the top flight.

    Fellow promoted sides Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are in action at home to Aston Villa and away to Newcastle respectively.

    Favourites to win the title in the latest Premier League odds, Manchester City have to wait until Sunday to get their season underway against West Ham, while Erik ten Hag’s first Premier League match in charge is at home to Brighton.

    3rd September: Everton vs Liverpool, Manchester United vs Arsenal

    Under a month into the season, we get our first Merseyside derby.

    All 20 Premier League teams will have been in action in midweek, and the clubs in continental competition will be just a few days from their first round of group stage matches.

    Everton welcome Liverpool to Goodison Park, while Mikel Arteta takes his Arsenal side to Old Trafford.

    This follows matches against Liverpool and Leicester for Manchester United, who have a tough start to the campaign. Ten Hag could be under early pressure heading into this one.

    15th October: Liverpool vs Manchester City

    Following matchday four in the Champions League group stage, Liverpool and Manchester City meet for the first time in the season.

    Every prediction site is expecting another tight title race between Jurgen Klopp’s Reds and Pep Guardiola’s defending champions.

    With these teams dropping so few points, the head-to-head fixtures are particularly important.

    This round of matches also includes a clash between Fulham and Bournemouth, which could have an early impact on the relegation tussle.

    5th November: Chelsea vs Arsenal, Spurs vs Liverpool

    The condensed nature of the first half of this season means teams in European competition don’t have much time off.

    The fixtures scheduled for 5th November follow the final matchday in Champions League and Europa League group stages.

    Requests to avoid high-profile matches in the final week before the World Cup were followed, yet the penultimate matchday of the first half of the season includes Chelsea hosting Arsenal and Spurs accommodating Liverpool.

    If any of these teams are able to rotate in their midweek matches, it could provide a real advantage here.

    14th November: World Cup Hiatus

    Leeds away to Spurs and West Ham welcoming Leicester are the two standout fixtures from the final round before the World Cup. 

    We won’t have an outcome to most Premier League predictions by this point, but we are bound to have some surprises with overachievers and teams that have disappointed.

    26th December: Premier League Returns

    There have been adjustments to the Premier League’s festive schedule, but fans still have their fix of Boxing Day action after the World Cup.

    This will be like starting afresh for some. The top teams will see most of their players head to Qatar, but others will have a chance to recuperate and recover from injuries.

    Some in-form sides may struggle to find their groove again. Others will come back refreshed from the six-week hiatus.

    14th January: Derby Day

    The campaign should be back in rhythm by the time we get to 14th January. This could be the most entertaining weekend of the season with a Manchester derby and a north London derby taking place.

    There’s also the bonus of a London encounter between Chelsea and Crystal Palace, while Nottingham Forest reignite their rivalry with Leicester.

    This will be a fun weekend for neutrals. It will also potentially have a significant impact on the title and top four races.

    11th February: Rivalries Galore

    Less than a month later, we’ve got another weekend stacked with rivalry.

    There’s a Merseyside derby, West Ham welcome Chelsea to the London Stadium and Manchester United will face a fierce atmosphere on their trip to Elland Road.

    Spurs face a tricky trip to Leicester, while Manchester City should cruise to victory against Aston Villa.

    This is a weekend of potential slip ups for several teams in title/top four contention, and there’s what could be a relegation six-pointer between Fulham and Forest.

    29th April: Pivotal Fixtures

    There are just four matches left after the weekend of 29th April. Once again, this is a crucial moment in the season. Bournemouth face Leeds in a fixture which is likely to have a major impact on the fight for safety.

    If we’ve again got a close title race, Liverpool will be in a must-win position when they host a Spurs team who could well be battling to stay in the top four again.

    Chelsea visiting Arsenal is always a big match, but particularly so if they are as close in the table as they were towards the end of 2021-22.

    28th May: Final Day

    Will we get drama on the final day like we did in 2022? This is the day when way too early predictions are proven right or wrong. If it’s anything like the climax to 2021-22, we are in for a real treat.

    It’s hard to tell which fixtures will be of interest so far in advance, as it depends entirely on the table heading into matchday 38.

    Recent history suggests all eyes will be on Brentford hosting Manchester City and Liverpool on the road against Southampton, while Spurs face a potentially challenging trip to Leeds with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all at home. 

    All three newly promoted sides are away. Leicester matching up with West Ham could be pivotal in the competition for the final European spots.

     

     

    June 16, 2022
    Premier League
    Body

    Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

    He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

    Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

    Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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    Neil Callan's Day 3 Tips At Royal Ascot 2022

    Fresh after riding RISING STAR to victory on Wednesday, 888sport ambassador Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) gives his Day 3 tips and best bets at Royal Ascot...

    The Main Event

    LADIES Day is the biggest day of the week. It adds that extra bit of class and it’s just a really special day for the ladies to come out and enjoy themselves.

    The weather looks like it will be nice again and hopefully everyone will have a great day.

    Norfolk Stakes – 2:30

    As with all these two-year-old races, we have very little to go on.

    Walbank bolted up by seven lengths at York last time and we all saw what happened in the Coventry on Tuesday when Bradsell won well having also dotted up at York on debut.

    The Antarctic has won both his starts, and you always have to respect Ballydoyle, but I thought Brave Nation was hugely impressive when winning at Doncaster in April. I loved the way he did it and he could be a bit special.

    King George V Stakes – 3:05

    This is always a very strong handicap and it often goes to those drawn on the outside. When you’re drawn low you sometimes have to go too fast as you don’t want to get caught on the inside where it’s hard to find a gap.

    If you come down the outside, you can get a drag into the race and then try to get a clear passage to the line.

    Mandobi has won his last two starts and he’s a good horse. Secret State looks well-handicapped for Godolphin, but after finishing second to Eldar Eldarov last time, and off a mark of just 89, Post Impressionist has to be very interesting.

    Ribblesdale Stakes – 3:40

    It’s a disappointing field for the Ribblesdale without Emily Upjohn. Sea Silk Road has won her last two and Magical Lagoon was only just beaten by Concert Hall on her reappearance.

    Life Of Dreams was second to Emily Upjohn in the Musidora and given how well she ran in the Oaks, maybe the Godolphin filly can take this.

    Ascot Gold Cup – 4:20

    The place will erupt if Stradivarius can make history by joining Yeats with four Gold Cups. It’s amazing how John & Thady Gosden have kept him coming back season after season.

    Stayers don’t have easy races over those distances. To keep him fit and healthy, and his mind right, is an achievement in itself.

    His owner Bjorn Nielsen should also be given a great deal of credit for keeping him in training. It’s very easy when horses are winning Group 1s to send them off to the breeding sheds, but racing needs horses like him.

    Kyprios is the up and comer who has looked very good on his last two starts. You’d think he would stay, but he’s never been over this sort of distance and a real test would ask him a question.

    Princess Zoe has been very good for connections, and I also wouldn’t be surprised if Alignak outruns his massive odds as he will like the track.

    It would be a real fairytale if Stradivarius wins, though – Frankie will be jumping higher than he ever has done!

    Britannia Stakes – 5:00

    This is always one of the top handicaps. Both Godolphin horses, King Of Time and Tranquil Night, look strong.

    I also really like Clive Cox’s Whoputfiftyinyou who beat Mighty Ulysses at Haydock last time and is unbeaten. There are lots of unexposed horses in there and plenty in with chances.

    Hampton Court Stakes – 5:35

    This is another disappointing turnout, but no-one will be complaining if The Queen’s Reach For The Moon wins it.

    He was a very good two-year-old and it looks like it’s his race to lose. It was a very good run behind My Prospero at Sandown and he finished third in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes.

    It would be very fitting for Her Majesty to have a winner at the meeting and he looks to be her best chance of the week.

    Buckingham Palace Stakes – 6:10

    This has been a very lucky race for me, I’ve won it three times and got beaten a neck once.

    I gave Roger Varian his first Royal Ascot winner with Eton Forever in 2012 which was very nice, and I then won it the following year with Lightning Cloud for Kevin Ryan.

    It’s always very open but it’s normally the younger horses that come to the fore. William Haggas’ unbeaten Montassib could be a Group horse in a handicap. I know he’s drawn one, but it won’t matter if he’s a Group horse.

    Vafortino won the Victoria Cup and he’s definitely in the mix again, but you could give chances to loads of them.

    *Prices accurate at the time of publication*

     

    June 15, 2022
    Royal Ascot

    By 888sport

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    The 888sport blog is here to offer betting and tipping advice on the biggest sports fixtures, events and competitions around the world.

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    Manor Solomon: Will Israel Winger Be A Hit In The Premier League?

    • Fulham are close to signing Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk

    • Solomon has previously caught the eye with his performances in the Champions League

    • Will the Israeli starlet be a success in the Premier League?

    Once again returning to the Premier League, Fulham are set to make a big splash with the signing of Manor Solomon.

    The west London club were transfer betting favourites to land the Israeli winger a few weeks ago, but a report from Fabrizio Romano claimed the deal was on the ‘verge of collapse’.

    The Athletic have since reported that the transfer is back on. On June 12th, Adam Crafton and Peter Rutzler wrote that Solomon is ‘close to joining’ Fulham.

    The reporting acknowledged that the negotiations had ‘hit an impasse’, and other clubs like Torino and Club Bruges had shown interest.

    Solomon has apparently always favoured a move to Fulham, however, and it seems that a fee of around £6 million has been agreed. This will be Fulham’s first signing of the summer after a dominant campaign in the Championship.

    In their life as a yoyo club, Fulham have made numerous marquee signings. Many have disappointed like Jean Seri to Kostas Mitroglou.

    As stellar as they were in the second tier last term, it’s clear Marco Silva’s team needs an injection of Premier League-level talent. The three weakest teams were relegated last term, leaving an incredibly strong 20 battling it out in 2022-23.

    Fulham, along with their fellow promoted sides in Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, are online betting favourites to go down.

    Solomon isn’t going to swing those odds on his own, but Fulham will be hoping this transfer is a step in the right direction. Having lost Fabio Carvalho to Liverpool, Solomon gives Silva another option in the final third.

    This whole transfer window is going to be about finding the balance between adding talent and maintaining stability from the team which scored 106 Championship goals and earned promotion at a canter.

    Impressing with Shakhtar

    Prior to links with Fulham, Solomon had made a name for himself in the Champions League and with Israel.

    He’s got 30 international caps to his name, and scored against Real Madrid and Manchester City in the Champions League in 2020 and 2019 respectively. Arsenal were rumoured to be after Solomon back in 2021, too.

    Before the season was ended due to Russia’s invasion, Solomon scored four times in 16 appearances in the Ukrainian Premier League. Shakhtar has been a developmental club for several players who have impressed in Europe’s top leagues.

    Fernandinho and Willian starred in Premier League predictions with Manchester City and Chelsea. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was exceptional for Borussia Dortmund.

    Fred earned a big-money move to Manchester United, while Douglas Costa and Andriy Yarmolenko have also shone since departing Ukraine.

    Other moves have not worked out quite as well, of course, but there is a solid track record of players leaving Shakhtar and stepping up against a higher level of competition.

    It is a minute sample, yet Solomon’s Champions League experience and performances will provide Fulham fans with a degree of confidence that he can cope with the standards of the Premier League.

    What Fulham Can Expect

    At times compared to Eden Hazard and with the versatility to play on either flank or centrally behind the striker, Solomon has long been touted as one of the most promising attackers in world football.

    Involved in various youth age groups for Israel and named in UEFA’s ones to watch in 2018-19, this transfer has been a long time coming.

    Silva will no doubt experiment with Solomon, but his favoured position is from the left where he can cut inside and look to shoot or pick out a teammate.

    Supreme close control is his greatest strength at the moment; he’s capable of twisting fullbacks inside and out.

    Like many young attacking players, there are times when his decision-making lets him down, but that will likely improve as he gets more experience. 

    His exploits in the Champions League showed how he can be effective even against the world’s best teams.

    After serenely winning the Championship, amassing goals at a remarkable rate, Fulham are in for a different challenge in 2022-23.

    Solomon has the game to be a real threat on the break, and could develop an entertaining partnership with Aleksandar Mitrović.

    The goals and assists aren’t always there for Solomon, but don’t be surprised if he’s a popular differential pick when it comes to team selection in August.

    Solomon has several seasons of experience at club level and has been integral for the Israeli national team even at just 22 years of age.

    There are no guarantees with a transfer of this nature, though it has the potential be an absolute bargain at just £6 million.

    The club, and its fans, may need to exercise patience, but this looks a very shrewd signing from Fulham as they aim to consolidate as a Premier League outfit once again.

    Fulham Transfer Targets

    Gaining promotion to the best league in Europe brings incomparable riches. Fulham must use that wealth to revamp their squad.

    According to Sky Sports, the club are open to reinforcements at all positions. Mitrovic needs support in attack, and there’s a vacancy in midfield after Seri’s departure.

    They splashed the cash in 2018, and it failed. They were more circumspect two years later, and the result was the same.

    Alfie Mawson and Michael Hector have followed Seri out the door, leaving the club in need of additions in defence.

    Solomon will be the first of many arrivals this summer – they have already been linked with Almoatasembellah Al Musrati and Ko Itakura.

    Jonjo Shelvey, Nemanja Matic, Ryan Fredricks, Nick Pope, and Joe Gomez are just a few of the Premier League names mooted as Fulham targets.

    Lazio’s Thomas Strakosha is in talk with the club according to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio.

    *Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

     

    FIRST PUBLISHED: 15th June 2022

    June 15, 2022
    Premier League
    Body

    Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

    He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

    Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

    Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

    Sam Cox
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