BEST of the BETS

Late decision on a bet, I wasn't sure whether to back it e/w or place only or leave it alone altogether, in the end I decided to back place only as I think it is likely to be a good enough price.

Bet #96 - 7:30 Windsor - Antiphon, Place only 4 places @ BSP (5/2 available on sportsbook but will leave it to BSP)

This is Windsor's sprint series final and as would be expected there are a few course & distance winners in here, Antiphon is one of 6 CD winners that still remain. Antiphon's CD win came from 6 lbs lower mark in a 3yo handicap last year, he has improved since then and got two more wins, one at Brighton last summer and another here over 5f on soft going at start of season, both those wins came off OR 77 and he has dropped to that mark again.

All his wins have come in class 4-5, and that is why I have some class doubts as this is class 2 albeit not a strong class 2 top rated is only 94 and average OR 83 so it's more like a class 3. Still he has to prove himself in it but makes up for it as he has other things in his favour. He is one of only a few in this race that are proven in these ground conditions, having won on soft. And although his last win was over 5, I feel he is better over this distance of 6 furlongs. In 15 runs over 6f he has won or placed 10 times with 2 more 4th place finishes, in 8 6f runs on turf he is yet to finish out of first 4 so is pretty consistent.

He finished last of 7 in class 3 handicap at the July meeting, it was only the 2nd time ever trainer had a runner at July meeting. His previous runner at the meeting La Fortunata (2011) was also in same race and was beaten similar distance but ran much better next time to place 2nd at Goodwood.

Lethal Nymph is the class horse in the race but with Antiphon's rider's 7 lbs claim, he has to give 24 lbs to the latter, and in these conditions that is not easy.

One doubt I have about Antiphon is he comes from a small stable, trainer only averages about 20 winners a year and I am not sure a class 2 will often be the target. Antiphon is also entered at Brighton on Friday, he won at the meeting last year and trainer does well there, 2 winners from 2 runners at that meeting over last 2 years. Antiphon is 1 of just 2 entries he has this time so I would have thought that would have been the easier race to go for. But there is £4.5k prize for finishing 4th in tonight's race, that is like winning a small race so I hope that is what the trainer's thinking is in running him here.