Saturday 8 October 2011

Saturday 8th October

No selections yesterday but a very poor performance by  Mr Bachster at Exeter on Thursday who never jumped with any fluency and trailed in second last. Two meetings today at Chepstow and Hexham and two short price selections in novice chases one at each meeting.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +2.50

Hexham 2.10 Quite The Man 1PT WIN @11/10 - Unplcd (11/10F)
Quite The Man was my selection a couple of weeks ago when he was subject to significant money from an opening 9/2 to 9/4 and showed tremendous battling qualities to get up on the line to beat The Cockney Mackem having made a minor mistake at the last. The race today is probably no stronger than that at Perth  and stiffer track at Hexham should help him carry the 7lb penalty he incurred for that win. Sweated before hand and ran a really very poor race never getting to contention.

Chepstow 4.10 Cue Card 1PT WIN @11/10 - Winner 10/11F
I was at Cheltenham last November when Cue Card won a novice hurdle and that run left a lasting impression on me in the way he quickened between the last two flights. He makes his novice chase debut here in a very hot little novice chase where there is little difference between him and  Silviniaco Conti on a run at Cheltenham in December behind Menoarh. However a comment in the excellent Betfair column of Paul Nichols strengths my belief that Cue Card will finish in front of his rival tomorrow if he jumps round.  Paul Nichols quotes “A word of warning for punters; while Silviniaco Conti has done lots of schooling and this trip will suit, he is not totally revved up for this and will improve enormously for the run."

Friday 7 October 2011

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Thursday 6th October

Poor run for Baily Storm yesterday dispite being backed in from 10/1 to 5/1. He was beaten and never going to win with a circuit to go and eventually slipped up on the home. Two meetings today at Exeter and Worcester and there is one selection at Exeter.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +3.50 

4.20 Exeter Mr Bachster 1/2PT E/W @10/1 - Unplcd (12/1)
A friend of mine has a share in the syndicate that own Mr Bachster and he mentioned to me last season that they were delighted with the initial handicap mark of 95 as on its home work the horse had clearly been showing it was significantly better than its mark.  Three runs in handicaps towards the end of last season did not deliver the expected win and he starts the season on exactly the same mark. Only six runners but this is a competitive affair with Mauritino a winner yesterday likely favourite, but Victor Dartnall usually has his horses fit and well for their first runs and at a price of 10/1 it is worth taking a chance that his home work with be reproduced on the racecourse today. 

Wednesday 5th October

Small profit on Sunday with Aikman delivering easily and Yabora unfortunately falling early in his race. Two meetings today at Ludlow and Towcester and there is one selection at Ludlow.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +4.50

3.10 Ludlow Baily Storm 1/2PT E/W @10/1 - Slipped Up (6/1) 
Lawney Hill has a tremendous record with horses taken into her care on their first runs and Baily Storm is another new inmate that fits this category. Formally trained by Tim Vaughan this horse has been rated much higher over both fences and hurdles in the past and the change of scenery looks rekindled the horses enthusiasm according to the trainers recent tweet. Given the trainers past record with new inmates Baily Storm is attractively priced for his first run for his new stable. Update - slipped up on home turn but was already beaten (6/1) 

Sunday 2nd October

A few quiet days after our winner on Tuesday, but back the 2 selections today.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +4.25PTS


3.55 Kelso Aikman 1PT WIN @11/8 - Winner (5/4F)  
According to his trainer James Ewart Aikman is set to go novice chasing after this intermediate hurdle race which he sees as a nice starting pointing and this races represents the first runner with new stable jockey Brian Hughes. Last season Aikman won twice in novice hurdles including the Sidney Banks Hurdle at Huntingdon from Minella Class. He ran with credit at the top level at Cheltenham and Aintree and although not in that class he should have enough class to take this. Update travelled and jumped well easy winner.


5.10  Uttoxeter  Yabora 1/2PT E/W@8/1 - Fell (8/1) 
Yabora caught my eye after his last run over two miles and six furlongs at Newton Abbot where he attempted to make all and having been caught and passed on the home turn kept on really gamely to retain third place when it looked as though he may fall away. This step up to three miles should be right up his street  and is extremely well handicapped off 104 having been running in the 120’s at the start of last season.Update fell early on.

Thursday 29th September

After the success of our last selection of Get It On on Tuesday there is one card at Bangor-On-Dee today. Having reviewed the card as nothing stands out there is no selection. It's a long old season and there is no point trying to find a selection just for the sake of it.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +4.25PTS

Tuesday 27th September

Disappointing  run from Ostland on Saturday. He travelled well up to 5 out but found very little from that point onwards and the handicapper could well have caught up with him. On to Sedgefield today with one selection.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +0.75PTS

2.50 Sedgefield  Get It On  1PT WIN@ 7/2 Winner (11/4) 
Get It On is a horse I started following last season after his first win at Market Rasen. Although he only won one subsequent race at Market Rasen I noted him as I nice horse for novice chases this season. He made his comeback in a competitive handicap hurdle at Cartmel about a month ago and travelled extremely well throughout the races and looked the winner at the second last before his lack of peak fitness saw him being caught and passed by a race fit Vive Colonia. Today he makes his novice chase debut in a fairly competitive event. The Gordon Elliot Russian War with AP McCoy looks the likely favourite although his first two runs over fences are anything but convincing. The Charlie Longsdon team are on fire at the moment but the form of Brother Bob over hurdles is not as good as the selection. I believe at the prices it is worth taking them both on with Get It On. Update well backed winner who jumped and travelled much better than the favourite

Saturday 24th September

Successful winning bet with Quite the Man on Wednesday who was backed in from 9/2 to 9/4 2ndfavourite and showed the battling qualities I had noted previously to get the better of the favourite. I got the Hard to Swallow race all wrong and he was beaten very easily by a very impressive Mart Lane. On to today with one selection at Market Rasen.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +1.75PTS

2.50 Market Rasen  Ostland 1/2PT E/W@ 9/1- Unplcd (6/1)
Ostland is a horse I have been backing all summer and I whilst this is an extremely competitive race I still think his handicap mark is workable. With the Charlie Longsdon stable on fire with five winners from nine runners in the past fortnight an improvement on his second at Bangor last time where he came to win his race and appeared not to stay the extended 3 miles should see him go very close.Update travelled but mistake 5 out and soon beaten.

Wednesday 21st September 
2.15 Hard To Swallow 1PT WIN
According to the betting this looks a two horse race and reading the comments of the trainer on his website this is a highly thought of individual who has schooled well and my preference would always be to back A.P.McCoy in any novice hurdle against a 7lb claimer at level weights.Whilst the 4/5 available looks skinny I think it will look a good price at the end of the day.

Nice to have a winning lay yesterday with the horse making mistakes as expected. One meeting at Perth today and there are two selections to back.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -1.750PTS

2.25 Perth  Hard To Swallow 1PT WIN@ 4/5 -Lost (2nd)
This horse is well thought of by his trainer and according to his website has schooled well.  The booking of AP McCoy who is replacing stable jockey Ian Popham who unfortunately broke his pelvis in a schooling accident yesterday, is another indication that the horse is well fancied. According to the betting this is a two horse race and I would always be tempted to back AP McCoy against a 7lbs claimer who is riding the main danger Mart Lane.Update not jump well enough and the winner looks very useful

3.35 Perth Quite The Man 1PT WIN@9/2 
A winner of a bumper and handicap hurdle Quite The Man is a horse I have been following since his winning debut back in 2009. I was impressed with is battling qualities to win a handicap hurdle at Market Rasen last season and given the Malcolm Jefferson’s chasers are always well schooled and tend to improve 10lbs from hurdles to fences his handicap mark looks fair and Dougie Costello is a positive jockey booking. Update extremely well backed winner from 9/2 into 9/4.
2.15 Hard To Swallow 1PT WIN
According to the betting this looks a two horse race and reading the comments of the trainer on his website this is a highly thought of individual who has schooled well and my preference would always be to back A.P.McCoy in any novice hurdle against a 7lb claimer at level weights.Whilst the 4/5 available looks skinny I think it will look a good price at the end of the day.
2.15 Hard To Swallow 1PT WIN
According to the betting this looks a two horse race and reading the comments of the trainer on his website this is a highly thought of individual who has schooled well and my preference would always be to back A.P.McCoy in any novice hurdle against a 7lb claimer at level weights.Whilst the 4/5 available looks skinny I think it will look a good price at the end of the day.

Tuesday 20th September

One meeting today a Newton Abbot which is fairly competitive. The is one LAY selection in the three mile two furlong handicap chase.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -2.75PTS

3.40 Estates Recovery 1PT LAY 
I have layed Estates Recovery at 3.0 on the basis that it is an error prone and usually makes at least one significant mistake during a race and it now finds itself 13lbs higher than its last win. Given there are two other last time out winners in the race and Quilimar is fancied by the stable and has been backed this morning I feel 3.00 is a fair lay. Plenty of mistakes as expected and with the hike in the weights as expected he was never able to get into contention so a winning lay.

Sunday 18th September

National Hunt racing is back today and it almost three weeks since my last bet, with Anna's Arch delivering a mighty gamble from 5/4 to 8/13. There are two meetings today at Plumpton and Uttoxeter and I have a selection in the 4.50 at Uttoxeter.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -1.75PTS

4.50 Shilpa 1/2pt E/W 
This is a mare I know very well as I own a share in her and she makes her fencing debut today. Having been a part owner since May she ran 2nd on debut for the syndicate in a handicap hurdle at this venue before winning a fairly competitive handicap hurdle at Ffos Las. In winning she picked up a back injury which saw her on the easy list for about three weeks and she was very disappointing when reappearing at Stratford although after the race it was found out she was in season. I thought her latest run a Huntingdon was full of promise when finishing 5th and a step towards peak fitness. She has always been a good jumper of hurdles and has schooled well at home. This is not a great race and if she can reproduce her previous hurdle race form, with a clear round she will go very close and I will be very disappointed if she is not in the first three. Disappointing run from a punting point of view as she made a bad mistake at the 8th which put pay to her chances of being placed. As owners we were encouraged as this was her first run over fences and in finishing 5th she gave weight to call who finished in front of her.

Monday 29th August 2011 

Three meeting tomorrow at Cartmel, Huntingdon and Bangor-on-Dee. Very small fields at most of the cards leave little to get excited about but I have one selection in the final race at Bangor-On-Dee.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -3.00PTS


5.45 Bangor-on-Dee Anna's Arch 1PT WIN@5/4
I own a share in Shilpa who runs in the 2.35 at Huntingdon and last week we book Jeremiah McGrath to ride her as he won on her two runs ago, however Jeremiah has decided to go Bangor to ride Anna's Arch in the last who he also won on last time out which is a tip in itself. I actually backed Anna Arch last time after an impressive victory I'd noted him down as one to follow, so the jockey's decision strengthens my support for this selection.Update comfortable winner very well backed from 5/4 into 8/13F

Saturday 27th August 2011 and Sunday 28th August 2011

One meeting today at Cartmel. Nothing stands out and with all the rain around changing the going and a poor run for the last three days I have decided no bet today. No National Hunt racing tomorrow so I'll be back Monday.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -3.00PTS

No Bets

Friday 26th August 2011

Mixed meetings tomorrow at Ffos Las with four National Hunt races. Good size fields for all races and having analysed the races there is one selection in the valuable handicap chase
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -2.00PTS

5.30 Ogee 1/2pt E/W 
Dropped 10lbs after 3 poor runs last season Ogee comes here on a favourable handicap mark. I winner first time out in two of the last four seasons all six wins have come on flat right handed tracks like Ffos Las. Update despite being backed from 6/1 to 9/2 this was a very poor run as he never seemed to be travelling and was struggling to go the gallop from early on, before a couple of mistakes saw him quickly pulled up. Comments on BHA site- why they ran badly "Jimmy McCarthy, the rider of OGEE, which pulled up, reported that the gelding was never travelling."

Thursday 25th August 2011

Two meetings tomorrow at Cartmel and Ffos Las. Disappointingly small fields at both meetings but having analysed the card there is one selection at Cartmel.
P&L at advised prices since 24/8 -1.00PTS


5.30 Folk Tune 1pt Win - Lost
The type of horse I love. Genuine, honest and reliable but in the grip of the handicapper over both hurdles and fences. Having been dropped to selling and claiming company for his last two runs he has had no trouble winning and I can see nothing in this race to stop him completing the hat-trick in this selling hurdle. Update finished 2nd. Price 8/15F. I eat my words above as Folk Tune travelled well throughout the race, cruised up to leader but when asked to go an win race didn't go through with its effort.

Wednesday 24th August 2011

Just the one meeting at Worcester today. Having analysed the card there is one selection:-


3.40 Nearby 1pt Win - Lost
High quality novice chase for the time of year with some fairly decent ex handicap hurdlers. Although the stable has not had many runners recently I think  with a clear round of jumping the highest rated hurdler Nearby should be good enough to take this. Update finished 2nd. Price 8/11F. No excuses beaten by a better horse at the weights plus the strength of McCoy

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog written to provide you with an insight into the horses I will be backing and laying throughout the 2011/12 National Hunt season. I have been interested in horse racing for over 30 years and have been lucky enough to have earned shares in 10 winning horses to date. I am not a hugh punter but like to run my betting like a business and am able to annually fund a nice family holiday from my winnings.