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.
Vintage Stakes betting tips – Royal Ascot winner can follow-up
The feature race for juveniles on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood this Tuesday is the Group 2 Vintage Stakes (14:15).
Following an impressive success at Royal Ascot, Battleground looks a worthy favourite to provide top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with a third winner in the 7f contest.
This son of War Front shaped with bags of promise on debut when staying on from off the pace under tender handling to finish a 2 1/2 length fifth of 18 to Lucky Vega in a 6f maiden at Naas.
The winner and has since finished a fine second in a Group 2 and runner-up Lippizaner ran very well next time-up to finish fourth of 12 to The Lir Jet in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Eastern Voice, who came fourth, has also won since so it was a hugely encouraging effort from Battleground in what has turned out to be a warm contest.
It saw him sent off a well-backed 11/4 favourite for the Listed 7f Chesham Stakes run on soft at the Royal meeting and his supporters never had an anxious moment.
After tracking the leaders travelling strongly, Battleground was shaken up by Ryan Moore and asked to make a move two from home.
He then took up the running at the furlong marker and forged clear to easily beat March Law by 2 1/2 lengths.
It was a most raking display, especially as it came just 10 days after his debut run, and one which suggested he should be well up to winning races at this level.
Battleground also appeals as the type to go on progressing, so odds of 5/4 with 888sport for him to follow-up under Moore look fully justified.
Youth Spirit the each-way option in Vintage Stakes
At the odds on offer, the highly promising Youth Spirit looks the each-way value in the Vintage Stakes.
Trained by Andrew Balding. this son of Camelot ran a lovely race on debut at Haydock when a two-length fourth of nine to Devious Company.
After racing in mid-division, Youth Spirit came under a ride two from home and finished off powerfully to be gaining hand over fist at the finish without being given an unduly hard time.
He then showed the benefit of that tender introduction next time up at Newmarket under Oisin Murphy when racing prominently and only having to be ridden out to readily account for Magical Land by a length.
The runner-up is a well-regarded sort who had previously ran very well to finish runner-up at the same venue, where he had subsequent Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner Nando Parrado just over three lengths behind him in fifth.
Naval Crown, who came third, has also since run well to finish third in a Listed contest at Ascot – so the form has a solid look to it.
Youth Spirit is clearly going the right way and once again has the services of Murphy in the saddle.
This does demand more but, given that the aforementioned Devious Company is second favourite at around the 5/1 mark, he looks overpriced at 8/1 with BetVictor and thus had to be the each-way selection here.
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Lennox Stakes Betting Tips – Sir Dancealot primed for hat-trick bid
Now stepped back up in trip, Sir Dancealot looks decent value to retain his crown in a wide-open looking renewal of the 7f Group 2 Lennox Stakes (14:45).
This David Elsworth trained six-year-old is a tough and consistent sort who has been a tremendous servant of the years in winning 10 of his 38 starts.
He is unbeaten in two runs over course and distance, with both those successes coming in the last two renewals of this contest.
Sir Dancealot came with his customary late run 12 months ago under a sublime ride from Gerald Mosse, who is once again in the saddle and has a 31 per cent strike rate on him, to get up close home and win going away by a length from Hey Gamain.
The son of Sir Prancealot went on to land the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival three starts later in good style by 1 1/2 lengths from Never No More.
He comes into the Lennox Stakes on the back of two promising runs this season, finishing an eye-catching fourth in the first of those behind Limato in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes over 7f at Newmarket.
Sir Dancealot then did all his best work at the finish last time out when dropped back to 6f and finishing a 4 3/4 lengths seventh of 12 to Oxted in the Group 1 July Cup at headquarters.
Those runs should have put him spot on for this and the step back up to 7f is an obvious plus. A bold bid to land the hat-trick in this looks assured and Sire Dancealot can be backed at 13/2 with William Hill to do just that.
Course specialist Duke Of Hazzard feared most
Market leader Space Blues and John Quinn’s Safe Voyage are closely matched on form, so both look sure to go well. Given his excellent course form, however, Duke Of Hazzard makes plenty of each-way appeal at the 13/2 on offer with Betfair.
Trained by Paul Cole, this four-year-old is unbeaten in three starts at the Sussex venue and ended last season in terrific form when rattling off a hat-trick.
After easily landing a Listed contest at Newmarket, Duke Of Hazzard came with a strong run to follow-up at this meeting when beating Turjomaan in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes.
The son of Lope De Vega then rounded off the campaign with a similar display in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at this venue when accounting for Turgenev by just under a length.
Duke Of Hazzard come into the Lennox Stakes on the back of just two starts this season. He shaped as if needing the run when 13th of 15 to Circus Maximus in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, Duke of Hazzard putt in an improved display when a four-length third of 11 to the hugely exciting Mohaather in the Group 2 Summer Mile at the same venue.
He had some useful types in-behind in the latter and the winner is a leading fancy for the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at this meeting, so the form reads well in relation to this.
The blinkers, in which he is two from three, also now go back on and David Probert has won once and been placed once in two starts on him.
So, now returned to his favourite stomping ground, Duke Of Hazzard looks more than capable of making his presence felt in the Lennox Stakes.
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