Listen out for Red Jazz

Listen out for Red Jazz


Punting
Michael Duffy

AIDAN O’Brien hit the bar at Epsom last week and while he may be disappointed not to add to his two Derby victories, the vista of Royal Ascot next week will keep them all busy at Ballydoyle.
Mastercraftsman looks banker material in the St James’ Palace Stakes, a race O’Brien has dominated in recent years. One thing is for certain: backing O’Brien’s three year-olds and older horses is a more profitable business than lumping into his two year-old runners, plenty of which are beaten at short prices.
Steineck — a juvenile son of O’Brien’s Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand — has a lofty reputation and looked hugely impressive in making a winning debut. He’ll likely start favourite for the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday but better value may be had by having an interest in Barry Hills’ Red Jazz.
He’s already a course winner having preserved his unbeaten record at Ascot, though the manner of that defeat didn’t impress everybody. But Hills admitted afterwards that he hasn’t done alot with Red Jazz before the race and a stiffer pace, allied with the longer trip of the Coventry, should suit him. The 14-1 with Cashmans looks big.
Also on Tuesday James Fanshawe’s course specialist Cesare is worth an each-way interest in the Queen Anne Stakes. He’s getting no younger — and with no run since last year, wait until he is declared. But it doesn’t look the strongest race and with the likely fast ground he can go close.
We really liked the way Clive Britain’s Oasis Dream filly Misheer won last time but Mark Johnston looks to have a filly for Wednesday’s Queen Mary in Capercaillie. She wasn’t that impressive first time out but considerably stepped up on that form next time at Musselburgh. 8-1 looks value against the short-priced favourite Don’t Tell Mary.
Royal Ascot recommendations: Red Jazz 14-1 (Coventry Stakes, June 16). Mastercraftsman (St James’ Palace Stakes, June 16). Cesare 10-1 or better (Queen Anne Stakes, June 16). Capercaillie 8-1 (Queen Mary Stakes, June 17).

Louth too big for second win
LOUTH’S running style of football couldn’t have met a worse day at Parnell Park last month against Carlow. — they almost got bogged down, literally. We can expect a faster sod at the Dublin venue this Sunday when they take on Laois in the Leinster championship. The midlanders have hardly set the world alight in recent championship years (or in the 2009 NFL for that matter) yet bookmakers rate them 2-5 chances to win at the weekend. That looks like lunacy and it makes the 11-4 about Louth the value GAA bet of the week.
Recommendation: Louth 11-4 (v Laois, Sunday).

Hewitt 25-1 to roll back years
NO Nadal nor Federer at the Queens Club this week and for all his talent, who’d want to be on Andy Murray at a shade of odds-against?
Instead take an each-way interest in a four-time winner of the tournament who has shown a definite return to former glories this year.
Australian Lleyton Hewitt has been written off by many by this year did something he hasn’t done in a decade and won on clay. Hewitt has also performed well on the hard courts and hip surgery last winter appears to have improved his game. In a tournament with a shallow pool of top talent, Hewitt at 25s is worth a small punt.
Another man with his finger constantly floating around the self-destruct button is Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. The 25 year-old has a remarkable record of reaching quarter-finals but has yet to make a real breakthrough. You get the sense it isn’t that far away and despite an injury-interrupted season this year, he has made inroads.

Recommendation: Lleyton Hewitt 25-1 (ATP Queens Club, begins this week). Fernando Verdasco 100-1 (Wimbledon, begins June 22).