Trainer Trends 18th Aug

In-form Michael Bell

Plenty of hot trainers did the business for us last week, including Roger Charlton and Michael Bell who both popped up with 16/1 winners – but who’s on the list to follow this week?
 

Some highlights from last week’s spotlighted trainers………………

Michael Bell – The Bell team got us off to a flyer last Thursday with a 9/1 winner at HQ, while they added other 4/1, 16/1 and 5/2 successes later in the week to make it 4 huge-priced winners from just their last 10 runners! 

Roger Charlton – We certainly hit the jackpot last week by adding the Wiltshire-based handler. He’s had four winners from his last 8 runners and although three were favourite that doesn’t matter when he popped up with a 16/1 winner at Newbury last Friday too!

William Haggas – It’s would be a huge shock if the Haggas yard were not in the hot trainers list at the moment, after featuring in more lists than not. Four more winners (7/2, 5/4, 15/8 and 5/2) maintained their strike-rate, while just like I highlighted last week even if their horses don’t win they are still thereabouts – 12 of their last 13 have finished fifth or better!

Bryan Smart – Only two winners, (10/3 and 10/11) over the last seven days, but if you add to that 16/1 and 20/1 places last Friday and Saturday then the yard are still worth keeping on the right side of.

Mel Brittain – A late entry into last week’s list after a 359/1 treble last Wednesday, but 14/1 and 20/1 seconds and another 3/1 winner on Tuesday meant it’s been another good seven days for the Brittain yard.

This Week’s Featured Hot Trainers……

LUCY WADHAM (4 winners from her last 7 runners, 57% strike-rate) – Not having many runners at the moment but they’ve certainly got a current strike-rate to be proud of. Three fairly short-priced winners at 2/1, 5/2 (twice) but they did pop up with a nice 11/1 success a few Saturday’s ago, meaning from their last 8 runners they’ve also got a level stakes profit of +£14. Obviously they are better known for their jumpers, but looking at their past seasons on the flat they seem to be a yard going places, having grabbed more winners this campaign than all their previous 3 years put together! They’ve got one heading to Epsom on Thursday evening; while it could be interesting that their recent Newmarket winner Picabo has no fewer than 4 entries spread over Friday and Saturday.

ROGER CHARLTON (9 winners from his last 19 runners, 47% strike-rate) – At the moment the Charlton team have around the same record as flipping a coin, but unlike tossing your favourite 50p piece you won’t get returns like 16/1, 11/4 (twice) and 13/2 – oh and Al Kazeem, who finished second at 16/1 in Wednesday’s Great Voltigeur. Yes, they’ve had some short-priced ones go in during that winning run too, but they still have to do the business. In fact if one of theirs is the market leader then this should add to your confidence as 6 of the last 7 that started favourite ALL won! We all know Steve Drowne rides most of their runners, but he’s only been on 3 of their recent winners so don’t be put off if he’s not getting the leg-up. In terms of prize money they’ve already topped last season’s total, while around 60% of all their runners this term have hit the top four. Looking ahead they’ve got Proponent, who was a close second at Goodwood last time, heading to York on Thursday, while their star sprinter Bated Breath is in action on Friday in the Nunthorpe – see all their entries by clicking on the link.

LAWNEY HILL (2 winners from her last 5 runners, 40% strike-rate) – She featured on the hot list a month or so ago and after not having many runners it looks as if the Hill team are back in business. A 62/1 double at Worcester on Tuesday with their only two runners of the night was a clear sign that their horses are thriving at home and with runners at Stratford, including Tuesday’s easy winner Chapolimoss, and Fontwell on Thursday and more over the weekend then it could pay to keep their runners on your side – if Aidan Coleman gets the leg-up then even better as he’s been on 3 of their recent 5 runners.

MICHAEL BELL (7 winners from his last 18 runners, 39% strike-rate) – The yard picked up a decent pots last Saturday on their travels with Wigmore Hall (10/1) coming fourth under Hayley Turner in the Arlington Million and Babycakes  (16/1) winning over in France. Add to that a 9/1 success at HQ last Thursday, plus 4/1 and 5/2 winners Kempton and Yarmouth then the last week has been a real high for the Bell stable. At around 18% the yard are currently operating at one of their highest strike-rates for many a season and although they are someway short of their normal prize money levels they’ve not really had the quality of horses this season. In terms of entries they’ve got plenty engaged at York all week, including the well-fancied Tactician in the Ebor on Saturday and Margot Did in the Nunthorpe on Friday.

WILLIAM HAGGAS (10 winners from his last 30 runners, 33% strike-rate) – With 51 winners from just 247 runners so far this season then it’s long odds-on they will overtake last season’s tally of 59, but, like I said last week, it’s not only their winners that are worth noting – it’s all their runners! I know a lot of people like to play in the place markets now and with a monster 54% of all their runners coming third or better then providing the odds are right then the more cautious out there should be able to show a nice profit using that angle too. Their exciting Entifaadha (7/2) landed the Acomb Stakes to get their York Meeting off to a flyer and it will be a shock if it’s their only winner on the Knavesmire this week. They have too many entries to mention them all over the next week, but be sure to also look away from the main York meeting, where Green Destiny on Friday is one of their main hopes – as just glancing down the list they’ve got interests at plenty of other tracks too.

IAN WOOD (3 winners from his last 9 runners, 33% strike-rate) – Two 8/1 winners and one at 3/1 have sent the Ian Wood followers home happy in recent weeks and with more runners set to take their chance this Thursday, Saturday and Sunday then it could pay to take a second glance at those that make it to post. Based in Berkshire, the yard have only had 7 winners this season so far, and looking back over the last 10 years they are not the force they were. However, Mr Wood has been around long enough to know that things can get going again very quickly and a few more winners over the next couple of weeks will get them well on the way to surpassing last season’s tally of just 13 winners. It’s a slight worry that they pulled all three runners at Carlisle on Wednesday, but that still doesn’t detract from their current strike-rate.

MEL BRITTAIN (4 winners from his last 12 runners, 33% strike-rate) -  A late entry into last week’s list after a 359/1 treble last Wednesday, but 14/1 and 20/1 seconds and another 3/1 winner on Tuesday suggest that this unfashionable yard could very well fire in another big-priced winner again soon. Jockey Robert Winston seems to get booked on most of their fancied runners, while in terms of entries their hat-trick seeking Carragold in currently engaged at Hamilton on Monday, along with Seldom.

MAHMOOD AL ZAROONI (9 winners from his last 34 runners, 26% strike-rate) – The rumour has it that the competition between the newer Godolphin yard and the Bin Suroor team amongst the stable staff is extremely rife and despite the veteran blue handler operating on a 21% strike-rate at present it’s the new stable on the block that are showing the way. Al Zarooni has already bagged 41 winners this season and needs just 2 more to surpass his first season total in 2010. It looks as if he’s been given a lot more of the star horses this season too, which is highlighted in the fact he’s already won over £400,000 more this campaign than last season, while did you know that it’s with his 2 year-olds that he seems to excel? – so far he’s had 45 juvenile winners, but a massive 59% of them are finishing in the top four, meaning more often than not you get a great run for your money. Plenty of York engagements this week, including 1,000 Guineas winner Blue Bunting in the Yorkshire Oaks and the exciting filly Gamilati who goes for the Lowther – both on Thursday.

TONY CARROLL (8 winners from his lat 34 runners, 24% strike-rate) –  Okay, his last success returned 4/9, but with 11/1, 8/1, 22/1 and 14/1 winners going in before that one then this yard have really hit the bookmakers hard of late. He likes to send one to Yarmouth, but keep an eye on the all weather meetings too with four of those recent winners coming at either Wolverhampton or Lingfield. Don’t take much notice of jockey bookings as ALL their recent winners came under different pilots, while with 41 flat winners already then they only need one more to beat their best ever total. They are also fairly active over the jumps, with 6 winners already in 2011-12, and with plenty entered at Hereford, Fontwell and Stratford in the coming days then there’s a good chance they can transfer their good flat form over to the sticks.

MARCO BOTTI (4 winners from his last 19 runners, 21% strike-rate) – Saturday’s Hungerford Stakes win of stable star Excelebration was a big highlight in the last seven days, but the yard backed that up with an impressive 5/1 winner at Pontefract on Sunday too – that now means the record of their horses when favourite at the moment reads: 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st and 5th. It’s very much quality rather than quantity at the Botti yard with just 31 winners this season, but 44% of their runners this term have hit the frame, while in Excelebration they’ve got a horses they can bump-up their prize money with. Friday and Saturday look to be their two biggest days at York this week, while they’ve also got interests heading to Chester, Wolverhampton and Sandown too.

This week’s featured cold trainer………

HENRY CANDY (26 days and 26 runners without a winner) – A borderline cold trainer – one who has run his hot bath and not got in it for an hour. Yes, a bit more hot water (or a winner) added will make things better, but with almost a month and 26 runners without a victory then the Candy yard should certainly be on your radar at the moment. They have had 6 placed from their last 18 runners, but with plenty of entries at Salisbury on Friday then I guess we’ll know more if they’ve still drawn a blank going into the weekend.

Don’t forget you can click on a trainer’s name to see all their future entries…..