MORE THUNDER was one of last season’s most improved flat horses, starting off as a moderate handicapper officially rated at 87 and finishing up, after four victories, with a lofty rating of 117.
At Newbury tomorrow, he steps up in distance to a mile for the first time when he is pitched into tough Grade 1 company in the Boyle Sports Lockinge Stakes (2.35 p.m.). Five of the ten runners in the contest have higher ratings than him and several of those at the top of the market also have the benefit of a prep run.
The top three horses in the market, Damysus, Zeus Olympios and Notable Speech, all have a good chance of landing the first prize of more than £226,000
I am pretty sure that More Thunder, who is in the capable hands of trainer William Haggas, is up to winning a Grade 1 but it is asking a lot of him to do it first time out in this company. However, at the prices I am prepared to take a chance on his fitness and put him up 1 point each way at 10-1 with William Hill, paying a quarter odds three places. Those odds of 10-1 are widely available elsewhere too, paying less well for a place.
The top three horses in the market, Damysus, Zeus Olympios and Notable Speech, all have a good chance of landing this first prize of more than £226,000 but the odds on each of them are 4-1 or less.
Nothing else grabs me as a good bet over the weekend. I was tempted to put up Parole d’Oro at Newbury in today’s Titan Wealth Handicap (2.40 p.m.) because he was unlucky in running in last year’s Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and seems well rated off a handicap mark of 93 now that he has been gelded. However, without the benefit of a prep run in a tough race, odds of 7-1 seem fairly skinny in such a competitive race.
Instead, I will put up two ante-post bets for next month, one for Epsom and the other for Royal Ascot.
At the start of the season, northern trainer Charlie Johnson was hoping that his talented filly VENETIAN LACE would be good enough to contest the Betfred Oaks over a mile and a half on June 5.
So he was delighted when he let his three-year-old filly run in the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the second classic of the flat season over a mile, and she finished third to True Love, beaten just over two lengths at odds of 33-1.
Johnson is confident that Venetian Lace will stay at least 10 furlongs and more than hopeful she will see out the full Oaks trip, even though she is likely to face top opposition in the shape of any number of good fillies from Ireland, notably the Aidan O’Brien yard.
However, back Venetian Lace 1 point each way at 12-1, a price being offered by bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral, all paying three places. The faster the ground, the better for this horse judged on her performances last season and this.
The Roger Varian trained Rahiebb makes his seasonal debut at York today in the Group 2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes (4.05 p.m.). He might well win but at odds of around 3-1 he is not for me as he may need the race.
I would rather back RAHIEBB at much bigger prices for the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup on June 18 even though he still has to prove that he can stay the marathon trip of 2 miles 4 furlongs. I like the fact that this horse can go on any ground from “good to firm” to “soft”, while he also has solid Ascot form too.
Rahiebb did not race as a two-year-old but he showed huge improvement last season as a three-year-old, ending up being second, beaten only a neck, to the Aidan O’Brien trained Scandinavia in the Betfred St Leger, the final classic of the 2025 flat season.
Given that Scandinavia is the 2-1 favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup that makes double figure odds for Rahiebb look attractive. Back him 1 point each way at 14-1 with Ladbrokes or Coral, both paying three places.
Pending:
1 point each way More Thunder at 10-1 for the Lockinge Stakes, paying 1/4 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Venetian Lace at 12-1 for the Oaks, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Rahiebb at 14-1 for the Ascot Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 10 points
1 point each way Zanndabad at 12-1 for the Chester Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Peaky Blinder at 8-1for the Chester Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Hamsiyann at 6-1for the Chester Plate, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Call My Bluff at 20-1BOG for the Chester Plate, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Khafiz at 16-1 for the Victoria Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2026 flat season running total: – 15.7 points.
2025-26 jumps season: – 57.785 points
2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.
2024-5 jumps season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Total for seven full seasons of tipping: + 68.215 points
Join us at the Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom on Friday 5 June from 11.30 a.m. We’ll start with a fine picnic before former trainer Charlie Brooks and Spectator opinion editor Rupert Hawksley take us through the race card. For more information, go to spectator.co.uk/tastings.
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