What to Expect
It is still too far in advance to go into details about the individual races. However, the races will be taking place on the oval course, right-handed course that is 1 mile and five furlongs tall. The venue is also home to a 5-furlong diagonal track that is uphill from beginning to end.
The schedule for the Friday is as follows:
- 14:20 – The Dragon Stakes (Listed Race) – 5f
- 14:55 – The Coral Marathon (Listed Race) – 2m
- 15:30 – The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Stakes – 7f
- 16:05 – The Gala Stakes (Listed Race) – 1m 2f
- 16:40 – The Athlone Handicap – 1m 6f
- 17:10 – The Esher Green Handicap (for Female Amateurs) – 1m
The schedule for the Saturday is as follows:
- 13:15 – The Coral Sprint Handicap Stakes – 5f
- 13:50 – The Coral Charge (Group 3) – 5f
- 14:25 – The Coral Challenge (Handicap) – 1m
- 15:00 – The Coral Distaff (Listed Race) – 1m
- 15:35 – The Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) – 1m 2f
- 16:10 – The Coral Classic Handicap – 1m 2f
- 16:45 – The Smart Money’s On Coral Handicap – 7f
- 17:15 – The Coral Handicap – 1m 2f
Betting Possibilities
While we may not yet know which horses and jockeys will be participating, it is never too early to start considering the types of bets that you might place and developing betting strategies.
If you are a newcomer to horseracing betting, then it may be best to keep things simple. However, there are several bets that you can make use of with ease. They are often called ‘Straight Bets’, and they are extremely easy to grasp. Each straight bet is on an individual horse.
Win
As the name suggests, this is simply a bet on a horse to win. The favourite will have the shortest odds, but you may spot some longer odds on a horse that you think has a chance.
Place
If you think a horse is in with a chance but you are not completely confident, then this is an excellent bet to use. It is a bet on the horse to finish in first or second place. While the odds are going to be shorter than those on a win bet, the built in risk mitigation often makes it worthwhile.
Show
This is even safer than the Place bet. It is a bet on a horse to finish in first, second or third place. Once again, the odds offered will be shorter than those for the previous two types of bets.
Across the Board
This is a slightly more complicated bet. It is a bet on a horse to win, place and show. It actually combines the three different bets into one and as such, it is known as a “combo straight wager”. However, as it combines the three bets, it is a more expensive bet to place. For instance, if you were to place a €10 across the board bet, it will actually cost you €30, as you are placing three €10 bets. If your chosen horse wins you win all three bets, if it comes second you win the place and show bets, and if it comes in third, then you win the show bet.
Win/Place Place/Show
This is another bet that combines a series of straight bets. The Win/Place bet is a bet on a horse to win and place. Should the horse then win, you win both your bets, while if it finishes second, you win the place bet. The Place/Show bet works in exactly the same way. If the horse comes in second you win both bets and if it comes in third, then you win the show bet.
As mentioned, all of the above bets relate to a single horse and none of them are particularly complicated. There are also a series of bets, known as ‘Exotic Bets’, which relate to multiple horses. However, these bets are far harder to predict, making them more risky. On the other hand, as a result, they offer far longer odds.
Exacta
This bet requires you to predict which horse will win and which will come in second. You need to be specific about which horse will finish in which place. However, there is the option to “box” an exacta bet. This doubles the cost of our bet, but it means that you will win regardless of the order that the horses finish in.
Quinella
This bet requires you to predict which two horses will finish first and second, but the order is irrelevant. It sounds identical to a boxed exacta bet, but there is a vital difference. If you place a €10 quinella, it will cost you just €10 while an equivalent boxed exacta costs €20. On the other hand, a boxed exacta bet will usually have longer odds.
Trifecta
This extends the principle of the exacta bet to three horses. In other words, you need to predict which horses will come in first, second and third (and specify the order). Once again, this type of bet can be boxed so that the order becomes irrelevant. However, as there are so many different possibilities, the boxed version costs six times as much, so a €10 trifecta ends up costing €60 when boxed.
Superfecta
Another extension, a Superfecta bet is on the first four horses to finish with the order specified. Of course, you can box it as well but it may end up very expensive. However, to compensate for this, the minimum bet amount is usually low, so it can be a fun addition to a betting strategy with a small amount risked on it.
Planning Your Bets
The runners and riders for the 2022 Coral Summer Festival will not be announced until a couple of days before the event. Once they are, you should go into full research mode.
There are several things that you should consider, such as the horses’ recent forms, the jockeys’ previous successes at the track, and the records of the trainers behind the horses. Of equal importance is the going. You can look this up a few days in advance to get an idea of track conditions. When researching the horses you can then start to consider how they have performed in similar conditions in the past.
If you combine this kind of research with clever use of the different types of bets discussed above, then you should be able to have a great two days of betting this July.