Alastair Bull
Alastair Bull has been writing on sports and horse racing for many years. Starting in his home near Auckland, New Zealand as news editor for several papers and since contributing for BloodHorse, The Associated Press and Churchill Downs, Inc after relocating to Cleveland, Ohio. Other sporting events Alastair has enjoyed covering are the 2012 London Olympics, Dubai World Cup, Melbourne Cup, Royal Ascot, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National.
Hong Kong: Happy Valley Race 9 for May 5
An inside barrier draw gives Handsome Bo Bo a great chance to pick up a well-deserved victory at Happy Valley in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Handsome Bo Bo was caught wide from his barrier draw of 11 for most of the journey on the tight Happy Valley track when he last lined up March 17, but still fought valiantly to finish second behind Kurpany.
Racing
Hong Kong: Happy Valley Race 8 on April 28
The much-improved Farshad is looking to make it three wins on end in the Breezy Handicap at Happy Valley, but could find trouble matching Helene Wisdom Star.
Racing
Hong Kong: Happy Valley Race 9 for April 21
Be Ready looks ready to continue his winning ways in the Queen’s Road Central Handicap at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Be Ready looks ready to continue his winning ways in the Queen’s Road Central Handicap at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The son of Love Conquers All has raced just twice this campaign, resuming with a fifth-place finish in February before thrashing a useful Class 3 field on March 24.
Racing
Hong Kong: A Happy Valley pick for April 8
Alastair Bull takes a look at race 8 on Happy Valley's midweek race card.
Racing
Hong Kong Play at Happy Valley for March 31
Elusive State can go back-to-back in the highly competitive Cuckoo Handicap at Sha Tin’s all-weather race meet on Wednesday.
Racing
The best horse to play in the 2021 Hong Kong Derby
#7 Russian Emperor was bred to be a Derby winner. This weekend he may become one – just not in the one originally envisaged.
Racing
Hong Kong Play for Happy Valley March 17
A rise in class may not be enough to stop the winning run of Gallant Crown in the Hereford Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley.
Racing
Hong Kong Play for Happy Valley March 10
Wind N Grass could be over the odds when he contests the first version of the Baker Handicap at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
Racing
Hong Kong Play for March 3
The value bets for players will probably be in the combinations. A Savaquin-Sunny Star quinella looks like an excellent play, while a trifecta including several other runners to finish third looks a value bet.
Racing
Tennis: Federer looms once again in Noventi Open
The grass season is in full swing in the lead-up to Wimbledon come mid-June, and for the Noventi Open at Halle, that usually means Roger Federer.
The Swiss ace has been nearly as dominant at the German grass tournament as Rafael Nadal has been at t ...
Tennis
How Top 10 Stanley Cup Odds Leaders Fared in 2019 Season
The 10 teams with the shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup at the beginning of the 2018-19 season all made the playoffs, but from there, it’s been unpredictable. With the Stanley Cup Final now set , the Boston Bruins (+1100 at season's start) are ...
NHL
Tennis: French Open Betting Preview
Can anyone beat Rafael Nadal?
As it has been for the past 14 years, this is the only question for punters heading into the French Open.
French Open Free Picks:
Men's Play : Rafael Nadal (+110), Dominic Thiem (+500)
Women's Play : Kiki ...
Tennis
Stanley Cup Playoffs: Second Round Full of Intrigue
The wildness that marked the first round of the NHL playoffs has calmed a little in the second, but it has been very tight, with only one series not square after four games. There is a very real prospect that the Eastern Conference Finals will be ...
NHL
A Moment in Time – October 14, 1978
Two Triple Crown winners dramatically beaten
For the first, and to date only, time in U.S. horse racing history, the Triple Crown was won in successive years in 1977 and 1978. The horses in question: Seattle Slew, the first horse to be unbeaten ...
Racing
A Moment in Time: November 2, 1993
The Melbourne Cup goes international
Most people in Thoroughbred racing around the world knew about the Melbourne Cup before 1993. But it was anything but international. True, horses bred or trained in one foreign country – nearby New Zealand – ...
Racing
2017: The 10 best races of the year
1) T J Smith Stakes (6 furlongs, G1, April 1, Randwick, $1.9 million) Throughout his career, Chautauqua has frequently come from last in six-furlong sprints with flying late runs to win in a manner which looked impossible. Among other races it earne ...
Racing
2017 Year in Review: 10 Best Horses
Arrogate It’s a shame Arrogate ended 2017 so badly. He lost a lot of luster in his three defeats at Del Mar, finishing behind horses such as Cat Burglar, Donworth, and War Story. Whether it was the Del Mar track, or whether he simply wasn’t as goo ...
Racing
Moments In Time: October 28, 1994 - Cigar
October 28, 1994 would have seemed like just another day at the races for anyone who went to Aqueduct Racetrack in New York. Four claiming races on dirt, two maiden special weights, one allowance on turf, and two one-mile allowances on dirt. Nobody ...
Racing
Danon Premium favored in Asahi Hai Futurity
Unbeaten colt Danon Premium could give trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida his first grade one victory when he contests the Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds at Hanshin racecourse Dec. 17. One of two colts in the field by champion sire Deep Impact, D ...
Racing
Orfevre pair fancied in Hanshin Juvenile Fillies
Two fillies from the first crop of 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner Orfevre are among those vying for favoritism in the Dec. 10 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the only grade one race for 2-year-old fillies in Japan. Orfevre (Stay Gold), who was unfortun ...
Racing
Big challenge for Stormy Liberal in Hong Kong Sprint
Californian speedster Stormy Liberal pulled off a major upset when he left Marsha and Lady Aurelia, both group one winners in Britain, in his wake in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). But he faces just as tough a task if he is to travel across the ...
Racing
Breeders' Cup Turf rematch set for Hong Kong Vase
European runners have dominated the $2.3 million Hong Kong International Vase (G1) since the 1 ½-mile race was first run in 1994, and with Talismanic and Highland Reel in this year’s contest they may well do so again. The pair fought out the finish ...
Racing
Hong Kong Cup win would be sweet for Werther
Hong Kong racing fans will be hoping their outstanding horse Werther can see off a strong international challenge in the $3.2 million Hong Kong International Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 10. The New Zealand-bred by Tavistock won at group two level in Austral ...
Racing
O'Brien faces strong local challenge in Hong Kong Mile
Aidan O’Brien brings two genuine group one horses to Sha Tin for the $2.95 million Hong Kong International Mile (G1), but he’s got history and a strong local team against him Dec. 10. O’Brien will start Lancaster Bomber and Roly Poly in the race, bo ...
Racing
Open look to Japan's Champions Cup
Japan’s leading dirt horses get two opportunities at grade one level in a year, and one of them is this weekend. The Champions Cup (G1), formerly the Japan Cup Dirt, is held at Chukyo racecourse over 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) Dec. 3, and form ...
Racing
Champagne Room favored in Bayakoa Handicap
Sixth in a high-quality edition of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Champagne Room is seeking some compensation in the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa Handicap (G2) at Los Alamitos Dec. 3. Champagne Room won the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old filly last y ...
Racing
Demoiselle runner-up returns in Go For Wand Handicap
After an abbreviated 2017 campaign, Jamyson ‘n Ginger is out to score her first graded stakes win in the one-mile Go For Wand Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Dec. 2. Jamyson ‘n Ginger was one of the better 2-year-old fillies last year, finishing fifth in ...
Racing
Great opportunities at Claiming Crown
While there are grade one races and prep races for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks this weekend, some of the best betting opportunities are at the Claiming Crown meeting at Gulfstream Park. The day features nine rich races for claiming horses. All the C ...
Racing
Practical Joke out to extend one-turn record in Cigar Mile
With stallion duty at Ashford Stud looming next year, leading 3-year-old Practical Joke aims to end his career unbeaten around one turn in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct. Practical Joke has run well without winning in two-turn races all year, his e ...
Racing
Catholic Boy off turf to contest Remsen Stakes
High-quality turf colt Catholic Boy becomes an intriguing addition to the horses on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he contests the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Dec. 2. Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) contested his first three races ...
Racing