Horsebetting.com’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap betting tips say Golden Apollo is the value bet to land the valuable 6f contest at Ripon on Saturday, 18 August. Course specialist Pipers Note is in rude health at present and feared most, while Flying Pursuit odds appeal each-way. Read our in-depth 2018 Great St Wilfrid Handicap betting tips preview for full details.Golden Apollo has plenty going for him in Great St WilfridGolden Apollo has posted some solid efforts of late and looks decent value to land the spoils in the 6f feature race at Ripon on Saturday, the Great St Wilfrid Handicap (15:15). The four-year-old hails from the yard of Tim Easterby, who is having a very productive season and saddled Mattmu to capture the prize 12 months ago.
In Golden Apollo, he has a gelding who landed back-to-back contests at Pontefract and York last June before going on to land a 10-runner contest at Ascot off a mark of 95. He also ran very well when third of 15 to Flying Pursuit over course and distance off his current rating of 99.
It gives him every chance from a handicapping perspective, and Golden Apollo has shaped as if coming to the boil in his last four starts. In the first of those at York he finished fourth to Gilgamesh, to whom he was giving 1lb, and that one has gone on to finish a solid seventh in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot.
Golden Apollo also ran next time up at the same venue when fifth of 12 to Above The Rest, before doing all his best work at the finish when a 2 1/4 lengths fifth of 12 to Solar Flair at Newcastle. The son of Pivotal then signalled that his time was near when a cracking neck second of 13 to stable companion Flying Pursuit in a hot contest at York 21 days ago.
He made good headway from the rear to throw down a strong challenge inside the last before being unable to find any extra close home and the pair pulled 3 1/4 lengths clear of the field, so that gives the form a really solid look. Golden Apollo now meets the winner on 1lb better terms and that may well be enough to see him gain revenge.
Another plus is that he is versatile as regards ground and won’t be inconvenienced by any rain which hits the Yorkshire venue. Golden Apollo looks to be primed to make a bold bid to land this valuable prize at a track where he made the frame in both his previous visits, so is therefore the main selection in our 2018 Great St Wilfrid betting tips.Course specialist Pipers Note a key playerPipers Note is a real course specialist who comes into the race at the top of his game having won his last two starts. He has also ran well on three previous occasions in the race having finished fifth (2014), fourth (2016) and runner-up 12 months ago; so the eight-year-old therefore rates the main danger to Golden Apollo.
This Ruth Carr trained veteran has an incredible 44 per cent strike rate over course and distance, having won seven of his 16 starts, and has also made the frame on three occasions. It clearly brings the very best out of Pipers Note and proven form at Ripon is a huge plus, because the track is very undulating and doesn’t play to the strengths of many.
Despite his advancing years, the son of Picollo has looked as good as ever this season. After getting back on the scoresheet when only having to be ridden out to beat Reputation by three-quarters of a length over course and distance last month, Pipers Note showed a tremendous attitude to come from off the pace and score by the same margin – again at this venue and trip – 12 days ago.
He has been put up another 4lb for that success, but it guaranteed him a place in this line-up and his revised rating of 98 still looks very workable on the pick his form. Indeed, it is 1lb lower than when going down by just three-quarters of a length to Mattmu in last year’s renewal, so Pipers Note is undoubtedly weighted to go well yet again.
His profile is very solid and a big run looks assured. So, with all those pluses but most notably the course and distance form to take into account and some bookmakers offering enhanced place terms on the race, Pipers Note makes plenty of each-way appeal.Flying Pursuit an appealing each-way puntThe aforementioned Flying Pursuit has a good record at the venue, so looks another leading contender and each-way player for Yorkshire handler Easterby. This five-year-old enjoyed a terrific time last season when winning three times, showing a good attitude in the last of those when scoring by half-a-length after making all here off 96.
That was course and distance win number three from nine starts for the son of Pastoral Pursuits. Flying Pursuit went on to be placed in his next two starts off 101, before rounding off the campaign with a decent eighth of 14 to Dream Of Dreams in a Listed contest at Doncaster.
He is now able to race off 100 having bounced back to form when a game neck winner from Golden Apollo at York, so is by no means handicapped out of this on the pick of his form. Although now 1lb worse off with the runner-up, there was lots to like about the way Flying Pursuit dug deep to get the job done and there is every chance he could confirm the placings.
So, with Rachel Richardson – who has a 27 per cent strike rate on him (three wins and two places from 11 starts) – now back in the saddle, a bold bid looks on the cards. Flying Pursuit thus rates another each-way bet for punters to consider in our 2018 Great St Wilfrid Handicap betting tips.Your Next Bet
