Tote Fantasy: San Andreas holds key to flutter with a difference

To buy San Andreas, or not buy San Andreas? That is the 3,750 guineas question for those playing the new Tote Fantasygame on Friday.

The initiative works in a similar way to the hugely popular Fantasy Premier League Football, which is played by more than 11 million people.

There is one significant difference. Instead of being a slow burner that runs for months, there’s a new Tote Fantasy puzzle to indulge in every day.

All you have to do is pick seven horses in seven races, pitting your wits against others doing the same with cash prizes on offer. It costs £7 to enter, with players competing for the pool that they accumulate.

You have a notional budget of 10,000gns from which you must pick your team. Selecting all the favourites is impossible – naturally, they will cost the most - so you have to juggle your finances.

The key to success? Making shrewd buys who will win or make the frame. And if they prevail by more than a length, then they will earn you a small but potentially crucial bonus.

Horses score you points according to how they perform. And field sizes can be critical – the more runners in a race, the more points you can chalk up.

Your chosen Stable Star - think of it as your nap or captain – earns double points. And there's also a Stewards' Enquiry boost selection - bumping you up a place. So if your horse finishes second, it wins!

The entrant with the most points wins the jackpot, with profit to all those finishing in the top 25 per cent.

You can follow your progress on a leaderboard that updates between races and remember, you don’t need to pick all seven winners. You simply need to do better than others in that day’s pool.

For help on the rules and how to take part, click here. Friday’s Tote Fantasy revolves around seven races at Dundalk. So, let’s turn fantasy into reality by having a crack at it.

Let’s get back to where we started: to buy San Andreas, or not buy San Andreas? That is the 3,750 guineas question.

A quick flick at the early percentage of players who have selected him – everyone has access to this information – suggests his price tag has frightened plenty away.

But not me. He’s the clear form choice in the Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Available Online Race (5.30) and looks the one banker on a trappy but intriguing card.

I can imagine the strategy of other players. I imagine plenty are playing their Stewards Enqury boost here, but I'll save that for elsewhere.

Given I’m investing so much in him, San Andreas has got to be my chosen Stable Star – earning double points. That 5.30 race is worth 20 points to the winner and so I’m hoping he will bag me 40, plus hopefully two more by winning by a length or further.

He’s going to be my equivalent of Erling Haaland, but it means I need to find some bargain buys to balance the books.

Hopefully, I’ve found a couple, starting with Evening Verse in the second division of the mile handicap (4.30). She’s twice a winner at Dundalk over further but in recent starts, including last time, has hinted dropping back to this mile trip might be to her benefit. At just 250gns, I cannot grumble if she lets me down.

My other cut-price buy is going to be Gobi Star, on offer for 500gns in the 6f handicap at 6.30. He won a claimer over course and distance in November and has run well on his first two starts for Patrick Martin, most recently when not beaten far into seventh behind Hightimeyouwon over 7f here this month.

That effort warrants marking up as he was drawn wide and raced well off the pace, presumably because connections were wary of his suspect stamina. He’s back over 6f this time, and more favourably drawn.

Hightimeyouwon is himself in action in the mile handicap (5.00) and was on my shortlist. But I prefer, Jaafel, who stayed on strongly to be third behind him last time after being slow away. Watch the replay above.

Jaafel had won his previous two starts at Dundalk, both times over a mile, and should relish returning to his optimum trip. If he can break on terms this time, then he must go close. He and Hightimeyouwon are both priced at 1250gns in a race worth 22 points to the winner because 14 runners have been declared.

My two other relatively expensive purchases are Ocean Symphony, who runs in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (6.00) and Eastern Tornado, who runs in the second division of the 1m4f handicap. Both have set me back 1750gns.

Ocean Symphony shaped like a certain future winner when a close fourth here on her debut in late November. The form is something of a jumble but she learnt on the job that day, finishing well after being green in the first half of the race. I'm going to use my Stewards' Enquiry boost on her.

Eastern Tornado was a huge eye-catcher when a close third here last time as he completely fluffed the start and was detached early on. That’s not the first time he has been slow away but the manner in which he finished suggests he is in good heart for a contest that lacks depth.

Last, but not least, my final 750gns is going to be spent on Arch Enemy, who will line up in the first division of that 1m4f handicap.

He’s found his past two races here, both over a mile, a completely inadequate test and in the circumstances he did well to finish third last time. This stiffer test promises to show him in a different light.

You don’t have to spend all your 10,000gns but, on this occasion, I needed every penny. Watch The Friday Club later on Racing TV for more details.

4.30: Evening Verse (250gns)

5.00: Jaafel (1250gns)

5.30: San Andreas – STABLE STAR (3750 gns)

6.00: Ocean Symphony (1750gns) - STEWARDS ENQUIRY BOOST

6.30: Gobi Star (500 gns)

7.00: Arch Enemy (750gns)

7.30: Eastern Tornado (1750 gns)