Bet on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with totesport

One of the most eagerly anticipated races of the racing year, Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, brings together the best horses in Europe and beyond and provides a host of great betting opportunities with totesport.

Run in late July over a distance of a mile-and-a-half, the ‘King George’ is the first time in the season that the three-year-olds from the classic generation are able to take on their older counterparts at this distance.

Totesport’s ante-post betting list offers an opportunity to grab early value for this wonderful event that for many people is the highlight of the flat racing season.

The race was first run in 1951 to honour the reigning monarchs of the period and from the start was a race much sought after by the ‘creme de la creme’ of the racing world.

Amongst the earlier winners of the race Queen Elizabeth II’s Aureole was almost certainly the most appropriate, carrying the prize off in 1954. Legendary Italian racehorse Ribot won in 1956. Trainer Noel Murless landed a hat-trick of wins in the race between 1966/68, the last of which saw the previous season’s Derby winner Royal Palace bounce back to form under Sandy Barclay.

The 1970’s were very much the ‘Golden Era’ of the race as Nijinsky romped to an imperious victory in the first year of the decade, one of seven wins in the race for the mighty Lester Piggott. Mill Reef (1971), Brigadier Gerard (1972) and Dahlia (1973 & ‘74), were followed by the 1975 renewal that has often been described as ‘the race of the century’, when the three-year-old Derby winner Grundy got the better of the year older Bustino in a race that raised the roof off the Ascot grandstand.

The Minstrel (1977), Troy (1979), Dancing Brave (1986) , Generous (1991), Swain (1997 & ‘98), Galileo (2001), and most recently Dylan Thomas (2007), have all etched their names in the history books.

Since 1995 Godolphin’s private trainer Saeed bin Suroor has been the man to follow in the race, sending out the winner on no less than five occasions. Ireland’s John Oxx (twice) and Aidan O’Brien (twice) also have a sound record in this historic event.

Frankie Dettori is the winning-most jockey of his generation in the ‘King George’ having struck four times, starting with the unbeaten Lammtarra in 1995, whilst Michael Kinane (3 wins) also has a fine record in this race.

Here at totesport, as well as offering ante-post prices on the ‘King George’, we also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that gives punters the most choice and variety.

So, check out our King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting at totesport.com and remember, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice.

Bet on the Goodwood Festival with totesport

One of the highlights of the summer horse racing season, Glorious Goodwood’s five-day festival offers a betting bonanza for totesport punters,

The top-class meeting offers something for every racing fan. From Group 1 contests to big sprint handicaps, pattern class juvenile action to the second leg of the stayers’ triple crown and it can all be followed at www.totesport.com.

Set in the glorious Sussex Downs, Goodwood is a unique racecourse with tight looping bends and a straight six furlong track that requires horses to dash uphill for a furlong before charging downhill all the way to the finishing post. Many horses can become unbalanced and drift towards the far running rail, often causing a concertina effect in big fields that requires the stewards’ intervention.

At totesport we offer early prices on all races at Glorious Goodwood and have an ante-post book on the major events providing excellent value for punters.

The highlights on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood are the Group 2 Lennox Stakes, run over seven furlongs, the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, a two-year-old sprint event, and the Group 3 Gordon Stakes, a race that is an established trial for the St Leger at Doncaster six weeks later.

Probably the most eagerly anticipated race of the whole fixture is the Group1 Sussex Stakes, the centrepiece of the second day of the meeting. Run over one mile and open to three-year-olds and upwards. The race has a great history of providing winners of the very highest class and the 2007 renewal was no exception with Godolphin’s Ramonti, ridden by Frankie Dettori, getting the better of Excellent Art in a thrilling finish.

The stayers are the focus of the attention on day three, when the two-mile Goodwood Cup brings together may horses who have competed in these stamina-laden events, most recently in the Ascot Gold Cup. The 2007 renewal was won by 8/1 shot Allegretto, but those backing the horse on the Tote were rewarded with a more generous payout of £10.40.

Friday is the penultimate day of the meeting where the valuable totesport Mile Handicap is one of the most sought after prizes. Roger Charlton’s classy Third Set justified favouritism in the 2007 event beating outsider Humungous by a comfortable three lengths, resulting in a Tote Exacta payout of £83.10, a sum that compares vary favourable with the Computer Straight Forecast of just £61.54.

The biggest betting event of the whole meeting is the famous Stewards Cup Handicap Stakes, the highlight of the fifth and final day of the meeting. Up to 30 horses charge down the straight six-furlong course, where the draw can play a big part in the destiny of the winner’s prize. Complementing this race is the second Group 1 race of the meeting, the 10 furlong Nassau Stakes, always won by a high class filly or mare, in 2007 falling to the very smart Aidan O’Brien trained Peeping Fawn.

Here at totesport, as well as offering ante-post prices on the principal races at Glorious Goodwood, we also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that give the punter more choice and variety then any of our competitors. So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice with betting via the telephone and the high street along with our superb website at totesport.com.

Bet on the Eclipse Stakes with totesport

The historic Eclipse Stakes is always a thrilling betting event with totesport, as the three-year-old Classic generation meet older horses for the first time in the season at Group 1 level.

The Sandown Park contest is run in early July over a distance of a mile-and-a-quarter, and is a race for the connoisseur to savour.

First run in 1886, the testing Sandown track places stamina at a premium as the runners climb a steep incline from the home turn to the winning line through the final three furlongs. The demanding nature of the right-handed track ensures that horses who stay up to a mile-and-a half are often allowed to take their chance.

Totesport’s ante-post book on the Eclipse opens some months before the race itself, offering the very best value in the market and being constantly updated to reflect the progression of the leading candidates leading up to raceday.

Amongst the outstanding horses to land the Eclipse in the pre-war era, Isinglass (1894) could be argued to be the most talented, having won the ‘Triple Crown’ the year before and been the outstanding prize-money earner of his generation. In 1939 the three-year-old Blue Peter landed a famous victory having earlier in the season won both the 2,000 Guineas and The Derby.

Ballymoss in 1958 and St Paddy (1961) were two more outstanding horses to have won the Sandown feature, whilst in the modern era a string of household favourites etched their names onto the Eclipse roll of honour: Mill Reef (1971) Brigadier Gerard (1972), Sadlers Wells (1984), Pebbles (1985) and Dancing Brave (1986).

Trainer Alec Stewart sent out Mtoto to land back-to-back victories in 1987/8, and the feat was repeated the following decade when Halling scored in both 1995 & 1996 for Godolphin.

The 2007 victory of Sir Michael Stoute’s Notnowcato was amongst the most extraordinary in the history of the race as jockey Ryan Moore made a beeline for the stands rail coming off the home turn and raced in splendid isolation to defeat Derby winner Authorized and the enigmatic but ill fated George Washington in a sensational finish. The Tote Exacta on the race paid £14.60, significantly more than the Computer Straight Forecast dividend of just £11.46.

Trainers Sir Michael Stoute (4 wins), Saeed bin Suroor (4 wins), and Aidan O’ Brien (3 wins) have dominated the race over the last 15 years and punters would be well advised to give their representatives in the race the utmost respect and consideration.

As well as offering ante-post prices on the Eclipse, totesport also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that give the punter more choice and variety then any of our competitors. So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice, either in the high street, via the telephone or on the internet at totesport.com.

Bet on Royal Ascot with totesport

For five spell-binding days in mid-June, Royal Ascot is the focus of the international sporting world as the very best thoroughbred flat racehorses compete for coveted races that have a rich and dramatic history.

At totesport you can enjoy all the thrills and spills as we offer the most varied betting opportunities available, to help you get the most enjoyment out of this world famous fixture.

The traditional Ascot attire of top hat and tails for men and elegant or eccentric fashion for women, provides a colourful and uniquely British backdrop to races with a history dating back to 1711 and the reign of Queen Anne, after whom one of the feature races is named.

Each of the five racing days has at least one Group 1 event supported by a raft of Group 2 and 3 contests, top class handicaps and stakes races. At totesport, we offer ante-post prices for all the major races at the meeting as well as specialist bets during the five-day fixture itself where the Tote’s unique Jackpot and Placepot bets are particularly popular with huge pools.

The first-day highlights include the Group 1 St James’ Palace Stakes over the round mile for three-year-old colts, and the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes for older horses run on the straight mile. Classic winners from Britain, France, Ireland and beyond go head-to-head in these races that make a thrilling start to the meeting.

On day two, the Group 1 mile-and-a-quarter Prince of Wales’s Stakes is always a great spectacle won in 2007 by the brilliant Manduro who beat subsequent Arc de Triomphe hero Dylan Thomas by a length-and-a-quarter. The cavalry charge of the 30-runner Royal Hunt Cup and the speed of the sprinting juvenile fillies in the Queen Mary Stakes are other feature events.

Day three is headlined by the showpiece of the whole meeting, the two-and-a-half mile Group1 Ascot Gold Cup, won by some great stayers over the years, including Yeats who won the race in both 2006 & 2007. Trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Aidan O’Brien have particularly good records in this great race.

The three-year-old fillies take centre-stage on day four, with the Group1 Coronation Stakes often bringing together the winners of the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas.

The fifth and final day includes the top-class sprint the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes, and the big handicap sprint of the meeting the Wokingham Handicap, won in 2007 by Andrew Balding’s Dark Missile at 22/1. A Tote win bet on the same horse paid a much more handsome dividend of £28.90. The big handicap fields often mean place betting is the best method to deploy but there really is so much variety at totesport.

We offer specialist markets for Royal Ascot, including leading trainer and leading jockey for the meeting, as well as a wide variety of other fun bets that can give you an interest throughout the course of the fixture.

As well as offering ante-post prices on Royal Ascot, we also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that give the punter more choice and variety then any of our competitors. So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice, either in the high street, via the telephone or on the internet at totesport.com.

Bet on the Dubai World Cup with totesport

Totesport have many exciting markets on the world’s richest horse race, The Dubai World Cup, staged at Nad Al Sheba in the United Arab Emirates on March 29.

The race, first run in 1996, was the brainchild of HH Sheik Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, who wanted to bring the best horses in the world to compete on his doorstep at a purpose built, spectacular new racecourse.

The Dubai World Cup is open to three-year-olds and upwards and is run over a distance of 2000 metres (10 furlongs), under floodlights on fast turf. It hasn’t taken long for some of the greatest names in the sport to make their mark on the race since the inaugural victory of the superb American middle-distance colt Cigar, whose victory quickly catapulted the event into the world headlines.

Here at totesport we offer you the opportunity to bet ante-post on the Dubai World Cup, whilst on the day of the race our markets offer the best value for those looking to have an interest in this iconic international contest.

Sir Michael Stoute has been the only successful British trainer in the race so far, having sent out the high class Singspiel to land the spoils in 1997. Since then there have been five American-trained winners (two from the Bob Baffert yard), and five winners from the Godolphin stable of Saeed bin Suroor, the private trainer to Sheik Mohammed’s Godolphin breeding and racing empire.

The now retired US jockey Jerry Bailey was aboard four of the American-trained winners, whilst Frankie Dettori is always a man to follow in this event having won three times, most recently aboard Godolphin’s Electrocutionist, winner in 2006.

Aside of Cigar’s superb win in 1996, probably the best horse to have galloped to glory in the Dubai World Cup was Godolphin’s awesome Dubai Millennium, who appropriately enough won the race in 2000. Tragedy struck the son of Seeking The Gold when he died of grass sickness only a year after retiring to stud and was only able to sire one crop before his untimely passing.

Only horses out of the very top drawer need be considered when having a bet on this event, previous winners having proven themselves time and again at Group/Grade 1 level, leaving no room for those who still have something to prove.

At totesport, as well as ante-post prices on the Dubai World Cup, we also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that offers the punter more choice and variety.

So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice, either in the high street, via the telephone or on the internet at totesport.com.

Bet on the World Hurdle with totesport

First run in 1972 and for many years staged under the banner of the Stayers’ Hurdle, the World Hurdle is the centrepiece of the third day of the Cheltenham Festival and is a popular race among totesport punters,

The gruelling distance of three-miles-one-furlong places stamina at an absolute premium (especially if the ground turns soft) and only horses who genuinely relish an extended trip can fight their way home to glory up the daunting Cheltenham hill.

Over the history of the event there have only been three horses who have managed to achieve the feat of winning the race twice, the sheer demanding nature of the event meaning few horses have the resources to triumph on more than one occasion.

Galmoy, trained by John Mulhern, took the race in 1987 & 1988, whilst in recent years the great French stayer Baracouda won in 2002 & 2003 and rewarded totesport place backers by putting up sterling performances to finish runner-up the following two years.

Inglis Drever, the current champion, is the only horse in the history of the race to regain the title, having won in 2005 and then silenced his doubters by storming home to beat Mighty Man in a memorable finish to the 2007 renewal. Howard Johnson’s stable star will attempt to make history and win the race for a third time later this season and will doubtless prove a popular choice with punters both on the day and in our ante-post betting list.

The World Hurdle has enjoyed its fare share of controversy over the years with the memorable barging match between Rose Ravine and Crimson Embers (both trained by Fulke Walwyn) in 1985, and then the dramatic disqualification of Avro Anson in 1995. Maurice Camacho’s gelding passed the post a short-head in front of Balasani only for the stewards to decide to reverse the placings and deny Camacho his biggest career success.

In recent years Irish challengers have enjoyed tremendous success at the Cheltenham Festival and carried all before them, but the World Hurdle has proved somewhat elusive for raiders from the ‘Emerald Isle’ Not since the Michael Hourigan-trained Doran’s Pride in 1995, have the Irish tasted success in this race and the statistics suggest that they may well have to wait a while longer unless an outstanding candidate emerges.

At totesport we offer a market leading range of betting opportunities on the World Hurdle and all the other races at the Cheltenham Festival, including ante-post prices, early prices on the day of the races, traditional and Tote odds betting.

Bet on Wimbledon with totesport

Wimbledon is now firmly established as one of the big betting events in the sports calendar and at totesport we have some great tennis betting opportunities.

The oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world offers punters great excitement during the two weeks of play in early summer.

The biggest interest centres on the Men’s and Women’s outright betting and totesport’s ante-post markets are popular destinations for punters as the event gets ever nearer.

The number of players who get to lift the coveted trophy is of course restricted and in recent years the men’s singles has seen a trend of one player monopolising the competition.

Roger Federer is arguably one of the best all-time players and currently dominates totesport’s tennis markets.

The Swiss ace has won the only Grand Slam event to be played five years on the trot emulating Bjorn Borg’s five titles in a row and is strongly fancied to go one better in 2008.

He still has a bit to go to equal ‘Pistol’ Pete Sampras’ record of seven wins secured in an eight-year period from 1993-2000 but is hungry for more success.

Whether the World number one can continue to dominate Wimbledon remains to be seen, as a host of talented youngsters are gunning for his crown.

In particular, Rafael Nadal has proved to be Federer’s biggest rival recently but while having the better of him on clay, the Spaniard is still to defeat him on grass, although he did take the Swiss ace to five sets in a thrilling 2007 final.

His battles with Federer are counter-punching spectacular events featuring ferocious power and are exhilarating contests which makes for thrilling betting.

Set betting can be an exciting betting opportunity with totesport and in-play markets featuring the two rivals at Wimbledon is always popular.

Meanwhile, anyone who thinks the big two won’t win overall are likely to get very generous odds in our various markets.

In recent years Tim Henman carried the weight of British hopes on his shoulders but the closest he came was four semi-final outings in a five-year spell from 1998-2002. Having retired from the sport, he has passed the baton on to Andy Murray, who will hope for better fortune this time after he was forced out of the tournament in 2007 with a wrist injury.

The young Scot is bound to be popular among patriotic punters, particularly to make the last four and he could also be worth a bet in totesport’s special To Win Mens Wimbledon Singles In Their Lifetime market.

Our Men’s “Most Aces” market is worth checking out for value among the big hitters during the event.

No female player dominates the sport like Federer does, and as a result the women’s competition with defending champion Venus Williams, her sister Serena, Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova all fancied in totesport’s betting.

Betting on Wimbledon rarely disappoints and for all the best betting action go to totesport.com.

Bet on the St Leger with totesport

The fifth and final British classic of the Flat racing season, Doncaster’s Group 1 St Leger is the oldest classic that provides both traditional and new betting opportunities with totesport.

Run at the expansive, galloping Town Moor track, the St Leger is rich in history and makes up the final leg of the ‘Triple Crown’.

It was first run in 1776 and remains the longest classic race on the calendar at one-mile, six furlongs and 132 yards. The stamina required to see out the trip at championship pace means only truly exceptional horses can complete the ‘Triple Crown’ that begins with the Guineas races over one mile (where speed is a prerequisite), then continues with the Derby and Oaks over the middle distance of a mile-and-a-half.

Few horses even attempt the feat, but both the colt Nijinsky in 1970, and the filly Oh So Sharp in 1985 managed to achieve what many in the modern era had believed to be virtually impossible.

The ante-post market for the St Leger builds up during the summer and at totesport we offer the best value odds in the market, constantly updated as the ‘Leger’ picture becomes clearer through late summer and early autumn.

Amongst the great names to have won the ‘Leger’ in the early days were star racehorses such as Ebor (1817), Voltigeur (1850), Pretty Polly (1904), Solario (1925) and Never Say Die (1954). In the modern era the great Nijinsky (1970), Bustino (1974), the Queen’s Dunfermline, who followed up her Oaks success with victory at Doncaster in Silver Jubilee year 1977, the superb Oh So Sharp (1985), Derby winner Reference Point (1987) and tough as teak Oaks heroine User Friendly (1992), have all gone down in racing folklore.

In recent years trainers Aidan O’Brien (three wins) and Saeed bin Suroor (four wins) have been very much the men to follow when weighing up the race, whilst John Gosden, who scored in 1996 with Shantou, enhanced his good record in the race from only a handful of attempts in sending out the 2007 victor Lucarno to beat Mahler by one length.

The Tote Exacta dividend for Lucarno to beat Mahler paid a handsome £ 35.60 comparing very favourably with the Computer Straight Forecast return of just £26.83.

Frankie Dettori is the most successful current jockey, the most recent of his four victories in the racing having come aboard Sixties Icon in 2006. Dettori however has a long way to go to match the legendary Lester Piggott, who won the race eight times between 1960-84, when Commanche Run gave ‘Old Stoneface’ the last of his classic successes.

Here at totesport, as well as offering ante-post prices on the St Leger, we also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that give the punter more choice and variety then any of our competitors.

By visiting our website a totesport.com you can decide how you want to bet in the easiest possible way. So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice.

Bet on the Queen Mother Champion Chase with totesport

The two-mile steeplechasing championship race and the centrepiece of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, the Queen Mother Champion Chase is a real favourite among totesport punters.

With usually a small select field, it is an exciting challenge to identify one with the class to win or be placed in this famous race which has a rich history of producing high-class winners.

The race was first run in 1959 to honour the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the most significant royal patron of National Hunt racing.

The undulating Prestbury Park circuit and the testing fences, jumped both on the incline and downhill, place the athleticism of runners at a premium. Only the highest quality two-milers can rise to the challenge which can be made even more difficult if the ground dries out and becomes rattling fast, or if the heavens open and provides bog-like underfoot conditions.

Of the great horses to have risen successfully to the Champion Chase challenge, only the great Badsworth Boy, trained by Michael Dickinson, managed to win the race three times between 1983-85. Other fine chasers to have triumphed twice include, Fortria, Hilly Way, Pearlyman, Barnbrook Again, Viking Flagship and Moscow Flyer.

Favourites have won three of the past ten runnings and there has only been one double-digit long-shot in that time when Newmill prevailed at odds of 16/1 in 2006 and paid £22.90 for a Tote win.

The 2007 renewal fell to Voy Por Ustedes, trained by Alan King, at just six-years-old the joint youngest horse ever to have won the race. Granted good health and a trouble-free preparation, there will be many punters prepared to wager that King’s gelding can follow up, having shown tremendous tenacity to overcome the more experienced Dempsey by a length-and-a-half.

Voy Por Ustedes is unbeaten in two visits to the Cheltenham festival, having won the Arkle Trophy, the two mile novice chasing championship the year before, and there will be plenty of ante-post punters with totesport, watching carefully to see how he progresses through the season.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and leading Irish handler Jessica Harrington have both landed the race twice in the last 10 years and their representatives are always worth a second glance in the betting list at this meeting, and in this race in particular.

Totesport offer ante-post odds on the Queen Mother Champion Chase and on the other feature events of the four-day Cheltenham fixture, as well as a comprehensive range of standard and specialist bets on, and leading up to the day of the big race itself.

Bet on the 1000 Guineas with totesport

The first British fillies classic of the season, the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas Stakes is run at Newmarket in early May is always an intriguing totesport market.

The One Thousand Guineas is the first leg of a possible fillies ‘Triple Crown’ that includes the Oaks at Epsom in June and the St Leger at Doncaster in September and is usually won by a special three-year-old.

Run over one mile of Newmarket’s undulating Rowley Mile course, the race is a fine test of speed, agility and tenacity for fillies. The descent into the dip from the three furlongs from home marker and the subsequent climb to the line requires a runner to be particularly well balanced and then show the courage to stay on up the ascent to the finishing post.

The race was first run in 1814 and in the early 20th century produces legendary winners such as Diadem (1917), Sun Chariot (1942), Musidora (1949) and Petite Etoile (1959). In more recent times Pebbles (1984), the great Oh So Sharp (1985) who went on to land the ‘Triple Crown’, Salsabil (1990), Sayyedati (1993) and latterly Finsceal Beo (2007) who broke the track record, have all added their names to the roll of honour.

The build up to the One Thousand Guineas begins with top two-year-old races the previous season and totesport’s ante-post book reflects the leading candidates going into the spring when the major three-year-old trials help clarify the classic picture.

Finsceal Beo’s (5/4f) success in 2007 provided the first winning favourite for some years, the previous trend having seen horses bracketed between 11/2 and 14/1 dominating the winners’ enclosure. Jim Bolger’s filly also became the second winning Irish-trained horses in the last three years after the victory of Aidan O’Brien’s Virginia waters (12/1) in 2005, surprisingly the only winner to date in the race for the Ballydoyle maestro.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor and jockey Frankie Dettori have proved a lucrative combination to follow in this race over the last decade having scored twice during the period, first with Cape Verdi (10/3jf) in 1998 , and then again with Kazzia (14/1) in 2002.

Kazzia subsequently went on to land the Oaks a month later, but has proved very much the exception to the rule of late, with most of the fillies to have attempted the double foundering over the extra half mile of the Epsom contest.

At totesport, as well as offering ante-post prices on the One Thousand Guineas and all the other major races of the season, we have a tremendous range of betting opportunities on offer on the day of the race via the high street betting offices, telebetting and betting online at totesport.com.