Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Secptre Stakes betting tips – Cloak Of Spirits the answer
The feature race on day one of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster this Wednesday is the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes (15:15), a 7f contest for fillies aged three and upwards.
Now dropped back in trip, Classic runner-up Cloak Of Spirits looks the one to be on. This Richard Hannon trained daughter of Invincible Spirit showed some smart form as a juvenile.
She won one of her three starts last term and ran a stormer on seasonal reappearance when chasing home Love in the 1000 Guineas over 1m at Newmarket.
Cloak Of Spirits raced at the head of affairs until getting headed a furlong from home and outpaced by Aidan O’Brien’s charge.
Although no match for the easy 4 1/4 lengths winner, she stuck to the task well. Love is a superstar who has gone on to land more Group 1 glory in the Epsom Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks.
That form reads really well in the context of the Sceptre Stakes. Cloak Of Spirits comes into the race on the back of two solid efforts.
After racing far too keenly when a three-quarters of a length second to Summer Romance over an extended mile in a Group 3 at Epson, she again failed to settle last time out when a two-length third of 12 to Irska on heavy ground in a similar grade affair at Deauville.
Cloak Of Spirits looks sure to be suited by the drop back to 7f. It’s a trip over which she has won and been placed in two starts. A repeat of her run behind Love would make her extremely difficult to beat.
So, with the yard also in good form at present, Cloaks Of Spirits looks overpriced and makes plenty of appeal at the 13/2 on offer with William Hill.
Bounce The Blues the each-way angle in Sceptre Stakes
Bounce The Blueshas a progressive profile and looks a fascinating contender on her first start for Kingsclere handler Andrew Balding.
After shaping with promise in her first two starts in Ireland when trained by John Feane, this daughter of Excelebration showed a willing attitude to open her account when beating So Wonderful by three-quarters of a length in a 16-runner maiden at Naas.
The runner-up is a smart sort who had previously finished third in the Irish 1000 Guineas on seasonal reappearance and has won twice since. The pair also pulled three lengths clear of the third home, so that gives the form a solid look.
Bounce The Blues has since followed-up in Listed company at Naas when travelling strongly and coming from off the pace to readily beat Soul Search by half-a-length.
The Sceptre Stakes demands more, but she is clearly going the right way and should have plenty more to offer after just four career starts.
Bounce The Blues also has her optimum conditions. At the 12/1 on offer with Betfair, she makes plenty of appeal from an each-way betting perspective.
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Scarbrough Stakes betting tips – Moss Gill can cash-in on class drop
In the Listed 5f Scarbrough Stakes earlier on the card (14:10), Moss Gill looks a worthy favourite to resume winning ways now dropped in class following a career-best effort last time out.
That came in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York where the James Bethell trained four-year-old finished third of eight to the brilliant Battaash.
After being held-up in a contest which was run at a furious pace, Moss Gill made good headway to chase the leaders a furlong from home and kept on well to be beaten three lengths.
This son of No Nay Never did the best of those from off the pace. The form of that race sets a clear standard in this lower grade affair.
Prior to that, Moss Gill showed a really willing attitude to dig deep and beat Al Raya by a short-head in the Listed 5f City Walls Stakes at York to make it five wins from just 14 starts.
The gelding is clearly right at the top of his game. Another plus is that he’s a course and distance winner.
With ground conditions ideal and the in-form Danny Tudhope in the saddle, there is simply nothing not to like about his profile for this. Hence, at 3/1 with bet365, Moss Gill had to be the selection.
Urban Beat holds solid each-way claims in Scarbrough Stakes
Irish raider Urban Beat has some strong form in the book, so at 5/1 with 888sport looks a big each-way player under Frankie Dettori.
This Johnny Murtagh trained five-year-old was last successful in a Listed contest at Naas in April of last year when finding plenty for pressure to beat Soffia by a neck.
As the runner-up, to whom he was conceding 5lb, went on to win her next three starts – including a Group 2 before finishing a close-up fifth in a Group 1 – it was a fine effort. Urban Beat comes into this on the back of a string of solid efforts this season.
They include when a neck second to the progressive Make A Challenge in a Listed contest at The Curragh and when again finding Denis Hogan’s charge only half-a-length too good last time out in a same grade affair at Navan.
The son of Red Jazz is also proven on the forecast ground and is ideally suited by a strongly run race – something he looks sure to get here.
Other pluses are Urban Beat is a consistent sort who rarely runs a bad race and hails from a yard that has done really well this season.
With Dettori now partnering him for the first time, he looks to hold leading claims of hitting the frame at the very least.
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