What a fantastic week it has been.  There’s been a real international flavour to proceedings with winners for Australia, France and the United States and today it seems as though it’s the turn of South Africa to take a valuable win as JJ The Jet Plane bids for glory in the 3.45pm Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Scenic Blast hacked up in the King Stands for Australia earlier in the week and there’s no reason why the Mike De Kock trained sprint star from South Africa can’t also take advantage of a weakish looking home field.  He’s battling it out for favourtism with Hong Kong raider Sacred Kingdom in the betting but his win at Windsor a few weeks ago gives JJ the edge here.

The final day of Royal Ascot has some huge betting races with plenty of runners going to post.  Kicking off with the Chesham Stakes at 2.30pm, Aiden O’Brien has the two early pace setters in the betting market with Beethoven and Emporer Claudius.  It looks like the weakest of the juvenile races this week and Wesley Ward’s Honor In Peace will also be well supported in the betting come race time.

The Hardwicke Stakes at 3.05pm sees Sir Michael Stoute’s 4yo Doctor Freemantle installed as firm favourite with totesport.  Fourth in the Derby last year he should appreciate this step back in trip but it could favour second favourite Campanologist more who was a course and distance winner here in the King Edward VII Stakes last year.

It’s sure to be one of the most frenetic betting heats of the week with the traditional cavalry charge of the Wokingham Stakes at 4.25pm.  28 runners go to post for this six furlong sprint and although Jimmy Styles heads the early prices at totesport it’s High Standing, trained by Willie Haggas and ridden by Ryan Moore that’s getting all the attention in the morning’s papers and is sure to go off shorter come this afternoon.

Totesport are going five places a quarter the odds in today’s Wokingham Stakes.

There’s another big field in the 5.00pm Duke of Edinburgh Stakes with Crackentorp heading the market in what looks like another competitive betting heat.  Hatton Flight looks the best of the rest looking for a four-timer under the steering of the impressive William Buick and Pires looks a big price around the 14/1 mark with totesport.

Last but not least the Royal Ascot meeting signs off with the stayers in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at 5.35pm.  Last years Queen Vase runner up Amerigo looks the one to beat here and tops the market at totesport just ahead of old-timer Carracciola for Nicky Henderson.

There’s a bumper day of totepool betting to be had as well.  Yesterday’s jackpot rolled over again just under £150k so we can expect a jackpot total of near £200k for today’s Royal Ascot meeting.  There’s 10% cashback on the tote placepot and also because it’s a Saturday there’s also 10% cashback on the scoop6, where a single winner of the win and bonus funds could scoop over £1/2!

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

There’s a fantastic line-up on day four of Royal Ascot with the Coronation Stakes at 3.45pm the highlight. 

1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati at the head of the early betting at totesport.  She goes up against the French 1,000 Guineas winner Elusive Wave but the trends suggest this will be too much for her, having not had a French Guineas winner of this races since 1957.  Our own Guineas winners have a far better record and the 9/4 available first thing could well be snapped up by the time they go down to post.  At a bigger price, Baliyana catches the eye at 9/1 with totesport.  The Irish raider will love the ground and has been supplemented for this race, by Derby winning trainer John Oxx, whose stable is on top form.

All eyes will be on Aegean in the first, the Albany Stakes at 2.30pm.  Wesley Ward will be looking for a hat-trick of wins to take back to the States with him this week and in Aegean it’s said to be his best chance of all his entries.  His price is sure to come in the closer we get to the race and he’ll be battling it out for favourtism with Aiden O’Brien’s Lilly Langtree, who looks to win this race for the second successive year.

The King Edward VII Stakes at 3.05pm has a quality field with Epsom flop Black Bear Island heading a very competitive betting market.  The Dante winner didn’t take to the Epsom track and takes his place here alongside other Derby also-rans Debussy and Montaff.  The trends suggest the winner of this race by-pass Epsom though so Native Ruler and South Easter look the best placed to battle this one out.

The Wolverton Handicap at 4.20pm in what looks like another competitive betting heat.  Stone of Scone takes early favourtism and is well weighted to make claims here but it’s Halicarnassus who has great claims to defy top weight and win at a big price.  The Mick Channon trained 5yo has shown glimpses of his best form of late and is on a fair mark despite top weight.  Moonquake probably represents Godolphin’s best chance of a winner today to follow up their fine win with Flying Cloud.

The stayers line up in the Queen’s Vase at 4.55pm and Dushan looks to be the talking horse of the day.  The Michael Jarvis trained 3yo showed good form in his maiden last time and has the pedigree to get this trip.  Yankee Doodle also looks as though he has stamina to burn and Aiden O’Brien’s secured Ryan Moore’s services for the banned Johnny Murtagh.

Finally, 29 runners go to post in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at 5.30pm.  Continuing totesport’s trend of offering an extra place in the day’s big handicap, today is no different as the firm go a quarter the odds the first five on this race.  Godolphin’s Mutheeb heads the market at 13/2 so once again there’s some terrific value on offer for each-way backers at totesport.

Yesterday’s tote jackpot wasn’t won, which means it rolls over on the £95k mark for today’s six races from Royal Ascot.  This means we could be seeing the jackpot total soar up towards the £200k mark just before the first race today.  Meanwhile, totepool are still offering a 10% cashback on all tote placepot bets today and with yesterday’s placepot dividend paying just over £3,500 for a £1 stake at Royal Ascot it’s definitely worth a bet.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

Today’s big race Royal Ascot is the Gold Cup at 3.45pm, where Yeats will be bidding for a historic fourth win. Geordieland is next in the betting with totesport and he’ll be looking to go one better after finishing second here for two consecutive years.

Ladies Day kicks off with the Norfolk Stakes at 2.30pm, with Richard’s Hughes and Hannon bidding for another Ascot winner in the shape of favourite Monsieur Chevalier. The unbeaten Colt should have the measure of this field but there’s been huge support for Wesley Ward’s Yogaroo as the American bids for his third win of the week.

The 3.05pm Ribblesdale Stakes sees Leocorno and Take the Hint battling out for favourtism with totesport. Both of these fillies swerved Epsom for a crack at this today but it’s John Gosden’s Take the Hint who has the stronger form and should be suited by the longer trip.

Jumping forward to race 4 totesport are offering five places at a quarter the odds on the Britannia Stakes at 4.20pm. With thirty going to post there’s plenty of each-way value on offer with Desert Creek heading the betting at 6/1 with totesport.

The Hampton Court Stakes at 4.55pm and King George V Stakes at 5.30pm round proceedings off on the third day of Royal Ascot, with Freemantle likely to go off an odds on favourite in the first of these.

Today’s tote jackpot is guaranteed at £50k once again but with just under £35k rolled over from yesterday it’s sure to go higher today. Totepool are also offering 10% cashback on all placepot bets, so visit totesport to get the extra value on racing’s favourite bet!

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

The bookmakers took an absolute battering on day one of the Royal Ascot festival and there are plenty of well fancied horses going to post today that will pour more misery on the layers, none more so than in today’s big race the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Tartan Bearer will be in the stalls at 3.45pm for the big race and looks likely to be a very short price with totesport.  He has the class as Dante winner and Derby runner up in 2008 and should come on for the run earlier this year.  Of the others, the betting suggests that Vision d’Etat and  Never on Sunday hold the biggest threat to the favourite.

Today’s first race is the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at 2.30pm where Infiraad looks a worthy favourite.  Coming here off the back of a fine win in a Newmarket handicap jockey Richard Hills prefers him to his stablemate Ouqba, who is officially rated 12 lbs higher by the handicapper so this could be a big hint in itself.

The one mile Windsor Forest Stakes for fillies and mares goes off at 3.05pm and Lush Lashes will go off another short priced favourite.  The Jim Bolger filly can be forgiven her disappointing re-appearance this season on heavy ground and can wipe out this field if returning to her best, which saw a win in the Coronation Stakes here last year.

Today’s other races include the 28 runner Royal Hunt Cup run over the straight mile at 4.20pm.  It’s sure to be an exciting race and totesport are offering 5 places at a quarter the odds.  Forgotten Voice heads the market at 4/1 but the bookies will be hoping for a big price winner to ease the pain of yesterday.

The Queen Mary Stakes at 4.55pm and Sandringham Handicap at 5.30pm complete today’s action and once again Royal Ascot is the days jackpot meeting.  The tote jackpot was one yesterday to a single stake of £1 so one lucky punter collected just over £50k for predicting the six winners of the jackpot races.  That means the pools been reset but totepool have once again put up a minimum guaranteed £50k for punters today.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

It’s day one of Royal Ascot so we’re looking forward to five days of top quality racing on the beeb and some top notch betting opportunites.

Proceedings kick off at  2.30pm this afternoon with the first of three Group 1 races in the shape of the Queen Anne Stakes.  Godolphin’s Gladiatoros heads the betting with totesport with Paco Boy and Sir Michael Stoute’s Main Aim also attracting interest in the betting.

The second of the Group 1 races is the King Stand Stakes, a five furlong sprint going off at 3.05pm.  Scenic Blast heads the betting with totesport with Amour Propre and Fleeting Spirit also well supported in what looks like a weak renewal.  Sprint specialist Dandy Nicholls saddles Tax free, currently available at 11/1 and with a 50% lifetime strike rate and a favourable draw he could run another big race for the Yorkshireman.

Today’s big race the St James’s Palace Stakes goes off at 3.45pm and with a likely odds on favourite in the betting with Mastercraftsmen.  Aiden O’Brien will be looking for his sixth success in this race in the last ten years with Delegator and Evasive his main market competitors.

The days other races include the Coventry Stakes. at 4.20pm, the Ascot Stakes Handicap at 4.55pm and finishing off with the Windsor Castle Stakes at 5.30pm, where totesport are going 1/4 the first four places.  With 5/1 bar the field there’ll be plenty of value in store in day one’s get out stakes. Of course, Royal Ascot is today’s tote jackpot meeting and totesport are giving away a £50,000 guaranteed jackpot on this day one.

For all your online betting at this weeks Royal Ascot and all other horse racing, visit totesport.

Phew what a scorcher! Okay, the forecast isn’t as good as last weekend across the British Isles but it’s the first weekend in June which can only mean one thing, the Epsom Derby and Oaks meeting and the start of the British summer!

The last six weeks has seen all the main protagonists dueling it out in their relative trials for this weekend and as a result the market has been up and down like a fiddler’s elbow!

Leader of the market for tomorrow’s main event the Derby is the John Oxx trained Sea the Stars at 11/4 in totesport’s non runner no bet market. The Irish trained 3yo was an impressive winner of the 2,000 Guineas a month ago and that performance has been deemed good enough to keep Aiden O’Brien’s team of six runners at bay in the betting market.

It’s been twenty years since Willie Carson rode Nashwan to victory in both the Guineas and Derby and Mick Kinane will be looking to be the first to repeat this feat on Sea the Stars.

Fame and Glory has seen the most market support of O’Brien’s runners and can be backed at 7/2 second favourite with totesport. Fame and Glory is unbeaten and comes here in good shape after an impressive win at Leopardstown last time out. Stable jockey Johnny Murtagh however has plumbed for Rip Van Winkle, who’s price has naturally shortened in the betting since this announcement to 9/2 third favourite.

Next in the betting is Guineas third Gan Amhras at 6/1. Jim Bolger won the race last year with New Approach, himself a Guineas runner up and there’s some debate on whether this is another Bolger horse who’ll relish the longer trip and quirky Epsom track.

Three of the last five winners of the Derby have come from winning the totesport.com Dante Stakes at your in their previous run, with Tartan Bearer just missing out finishing second behind New Approach last year. This years Dante winner Black Bear Island (8/1) has been largely ignored in the run up and an eye catching jockey booking in the shape of Ryan Moore for Aiden O’Brien adds some credence to his chances.

With six entries for O’Brien you could argue that he doesn’t really know which horse is going to give him his best chance and the fact that the stable jockey hasn’t picked the well backed Fame and Glory adds weight to these claims. Of all his runners the 33/1 about Golden Sword stands out as some each-way value. Run as a pacemaker in the Chester Vase he made all to see off stablemate Masterofthehorse (14/1) who was given a dog of a ride by Murtagh. The impressive Colm O’Donoghue will most probably set off in front again here on Saturday and another impressive ride could lead to a place.

The Irish runners dominate the market, with the Willie Haggas trained South Easter the best in the market at 33/1. It’s difficult to see a British trained winner to be honest with Montaff (40/1) and Debussy (50/1) completing the market. Whatever happens it’s sure to be a great day.

For all your online horse betting at tomorrow’s Derby and today’s meeting from Epson, including the Oaks, visit totesport.

The highlight of the Saturday at Aintree is of course the Grand National.

40 horses will go to post in the Grand National at 4.15pm and we’ve picked out some of the main protagonists in the betting.

Current favourite is the Paul Nicholls’ trained My Will at 15/2 with totesport after a terrific fifth place finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month. Trends however suggest that the 11 stone 5 he’ll be lumping around is too heavy to win a National so he’ll be looking to buck that trend!

So, with the trends very much in mind we’ve picked out the following horse based on these typical pointers for previous winners:

All carrying under 11 stone
All rated between 136 and 144
All aged between nine and eleven
All winners over three miles plus
All winners of a Class 1 or Class 2 Chase
All have at least 10 runs over fences
All ran within the last 49 days
All finished placed this season
All bar one has form in a ‘National’ race

Cornish Sett has been largely ignored in the build up to this year’s race, mainly due to the focus being on two of his stablemates, My Will and Big Fella Thanks. But he would have to have a great chance based on his 2nd place in the Welsh National this season behind Notre Pere – who would have been a short price if taking part. Although he only finished 12th in last year’s race and was well beaten into eighth by Rambling Minster on his latest start, he did land the Badger Ales Trophy back in November (his first success since 2006) so at least has decent winning form to his name – and he’s related to two previous National winners!

Rambling Minster would almost certainly be challenging for favouritism if he was trained in one of the more fashionable stables, but as a Northern raider he has perhaps not been rated as highly as the other market leaders. He won on his last two starts including the Blue Square Gold Cup Chase at Haydock (a race won by 1992 winner Party Politics), beating leading fancy before injury Character Building in both races.

Second favourite Butler’s Cabin has a real chance of delivering AP McCoy his first run win in the race. The Jonjo O’Neil trained 9yo has the profile of a National winner having won the Irish Grand National two years ago and was traveling strongly when falling at Becher’s second time round last year. A good blow out in the Kim Muir last month should leave him with every chance on Saturday.

Totesport will be betting each-way 1/4 the odds a place 1,2,3,4,5 so it’s an excellent place to get your each-way bets on.

There are of course six over races at Aintree tomorrow and as per usual we’ve put up our selection box for the day.

Aintree Festival selections - Day 2

1.45pm - Cape Tribulation

2.15pm - Kalahari King

2.50pm - Al Eile

3.25pm - Pretty Star

4.15pm - Butler’s Cabin

5.00pm - Fairyland

Check out totesport for all prices for the Aintree Festival.

Not a bad start for the blog on Thursday, with one winner tipped up and three places, including a 40/1 shot in the last.

Friday is another day though and on paper appears a tougher prospect for bettors. Any trend regarding Cheltenham winners coming up short at Aintree were put to rest as Big Bucks, Walkon and Oh Crick all obliged on Day 1. American Trilogy looks to follow up his victory at Cheltenham in the Coral Cup in the Top Novices Hurdle (2.00pm).

It was a mixed day for the Nicholls/Walsh team on Day 1 and although American Trilogy has a course and distance win to his name it’s the Howard Johnson trained Red Moloney that catches the eye. He finished sixth in the Supreme Novice at Cheltenham, an eminently better standard than the aforementioned Coral Cup. He loves a flat track and could go well here at a decent price.

In the Mildmay Novices Chase (2.35pm) we’ve got a decent price runner for you in the shape of Or Jaune. The Gary Moore trained 7yo comes here off the back of three wins and goes well on the ground. Ruby Walsh will ride favourite Herecomesthetruth for Paul Nicholls here and has a similar profile, but at a lot shorter price than our pick who is definitely worth an each-way shout.

In the Melling Chase (3.10pm) Voy Por Ustedes looks to follow up his win here in the same race last year, coming off the back of losing out in the Ryanair to Imperial Commander at the festival. Direct Route, Native Upmanship and Moscow Flyer all managed to win this race twice on the spin in recent years and Voy Por will be looking to follow suit at a short price. I like the look of Nacarat but I’m disappointed he didn’t take the totesport Bowl route on Thursday, instead bypassing for this shorter trip.

The 3.45pm Topham Chase is a really difficult one to pick a winner from. The trends point to horses ridden prominently and those who ran in the Festival Plate a month earlier. Ping Pong Sivola fits those two trends after being caught and beat by Something Wells after a courageous front running display. He’s likely to go off favourite but doesn’t have any form over the national fences. Last years winner Gwanako and Becher Chase Mr Pointment have won over the fences before but the favourite has plenty of weight advantage.

Finally, the Sefton Novices Chase (4.20pm) will see Weapons Amnesty and Pride of Dulcote do battle again after their epic battle up the hill at Cheltenham in the Albert Bartlett. It’s the JP McManus owned Karabak that looks likely to go off favourite though having course experience and a fine second to his name in the Ballymore Properties at Cheltenham and could go close again here.

Aintree Festival selections - Day 2

2.00pm - Red Moloney

2.35pm - Or Jaune

3.10pm - Voy Por Ustedes

3.45pm - Ping Pong Sivola

4.20pm - Karabak

Check out totesport for all prices for the Aintree Festival.

It only seems like yesterday that we were napping up winners all over the place for you at the Cheltenham Festival and we’ll be trying to do the same again for you here, as the Aintree Festival. kicks off in Liverpool on Thursday.

The jumps season may be coming to an end but there’s three quality days racing ahead up in the north-west. We’ll be picking out the trends and best odds on the feature races of the day, including of course the Grand National on Saturday.

The festival kicks off in style on Thursday afternoon in the John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle (2.00pm). Champion long distance hurdler Big Bucks looks like he’ll go off an odds-on favourite. The Paul Nicholls trained 6yo is on a four-timer after unseating Sam Thomas in the Hennessy last November and reverting to hurdles, last time out winning the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Big on reputation he’s also big in the trends department. All five winners of this race have finished in the top two at this meeting before (won the Mildmay Novices Chase last year) and four of the five runnings were won by a horse placed in the World Hurdle. Four of the five winners also carried the maximum penalty to victory, something he’ll be bidding to do.

Of the horses in his way, course specialist Mighty Man will be likely second favourite in the race. The Henry Daly trained 9yo finished fifth in the World Hurdle after nearly two years out of the sport with injury and bids to win this race for the third time (fourth win at Aintree). Age and fitness may be against him here though, despite the trainer targeting him at this race.

A couple of dark horses further down in the betting also have course form and could spring a surprise and worth a bet each-way. Pettitfour and Faasel will open up around the 28/1 mark with totesport and have both run well here before. Pettitfour won here last year in the Sefton Novices Hurdle but has disappointed since, finishing 11th in the World Hurdle. Faasel is a very inconsistent sort but finished a career best second in this race last year and comes here potentially fresher than the majority of runners.

In the Matalan Anniversary 4yo Novices Hurdle (2.35pm) a few of the main protagonists in the Triumph Hurdle a month earlier do battle again here. Second on that day and favourite for this race Walkon looks the one to beat. There’s an argument that second favourite Starluck will relish the course and conditions but he’ll be doing well to reverse the seven length defeat to Walkon in the Triumph. Walkon finished second that day after being hampered in running but showed plenty of spirit to give backers confidence here. Hebridean bypassed Cheltenham for a crack at this and warrants respect but with seven of the last nine winners running in the Triumph he’ll have to re-write the trends on Thursday.

The totesport Bowl Chase (3.10pm) will see Denman try to go one better than his Gold Cup runners up finish a month ago. The Paul Nicholls trained 9yo faces seven of the horses he beat on Gold Cup day, with a further two of the ten horse field having also raced at the festival. The only horse in the field that bypassed the festival was The Listener who prefers softer ground and whose best days seem behind him. If you’re looking to oppose Denman, who is likely to go off an odds on favourite with the sponsor Albertas Run catches the eye at a bigger price. After winning the RSA in 2008 his form has been patchy at best, including a disappointing ninth place in the Gold Cup. However, seven of the last twelve winners finished in the first three in the King George VI Chase (he finished second behind Kauto Star) and he has course form and the ground should suit. At around 11/1 he could be worth an each-way bet.

In the John Smith’s Red Rum Handicap Chase (4.20pm), festival winner Oh Crick will be likely favourite, but Cheltenham winners don’t have the best of records in recent years with only Fota Island in 2005 doing the double in the last ten years. Looking beyond the Cheltenham form, course and distance winner Leslingtaylor looks like a contender after beating Bambi De L’Orme (previous winner of this race) at Doncaster in February. If you can get around 8/1 on the John Quinn trained 7yo it’s definitely worth an each-way punt.

Aintree Festival selections - Day 1

2.00pm - Pettitfour

2.35pm - Walkon

3.10pm - Albertas Run

3.45pm - McEvoy

4.20pm - Leslingtayor

4.55pm - Calgary Bay

5.30pm - Carrickboy

Check out totesport for all prices for the Aintree Festival.

It’s the Aintree Festival. this week and totesport have got all bets covered off for this carnival of racing synonymous with scantily clad scousers and the biggest betting event in the calendar, the Grand National.

We have three days of top quality racing starting off on Thursday afternoon and with the Grand National meeting coming so close after the Cheltenham Festival there’ll be plenty of pointers as to the outcome of the races.

Interestingly, out of the 19 races at Aintree last year (not including the two bumpers) 9 of the winners didn’t race at Cheltenham and of the 10 winners that did, two of them won at the Festival (Our Vic & Tidal Bay) and three placed (Binocular, Gwanako, Voy Por Ustedes).

10 of the beaten favourites ran at the festival and there were only 2 winners won at both Cheltenham and Aintree.

Although there were only two winners from Cheltenham that followed it up and won at Aintree, the majority of the winners had raced at Cheltenham 3 weeks prior. However, all the beaten favourites in races where a winner didn’t run at the festival lost.

With this in mind and only basing these trends on last years Aintree Festival you’re best to avoid favourites who ran at Cheltenham.

We’ll be posting up tips and offers all week from Thursday so keep your eyes posted on www.totesport.org.

Check out totesport for all prices for the Aintree Festival.