Lets Try Again

Apologies for the lack of recent updates but dealing with a recent loss of my mother has had to take priority over updating the blog. 

Two meetings today at Catterick and probably the final ever meeting at Folkestone and there is one selection at Catterick 

Catterick 1.40 Kent Street 1/2PT E/W@13/2 various.(UR at half way. Did not jump with any confidence - one to avoid in the future)

Kent Street was the last selection posted on the blog and having been well back managed to unseat his rider at the 1st. He had been on my radar as a handicap chase project since the start of the season and after two encouraging runs at Carlisle I believed he had a really good chance last time. Today is a much more competitive race but provided his jumping holds up and I am taking this into consideration in the current price,  I believe he has a great E/W chance based on his earlier runs. 

P&L for 2012 -11.56

Double Recovery Mission

Double recovery mission today in attempting to recover from a poor start to the month on Saturday and recover money lost on a previous selection who ran badly in November. Today there are two meetings at Folkestone and Towcester and there is one selection at Towcester. 

Towcester 1.50 Up To Something 1PT WIN@11/4 various(2nd 9/4 as expected got the odds on Fav beaten only to be done by 18/1 outsider)

Up To Something was a short price selection for the blog at the beginning of November when running terrible at Uttoxeter and being pulled up. It transpires he was a sick horse that day and the form of that race has probably some of the best novice hurdle form on offer so far this season with winner Coneygree subsequently winning impressively at Cheltenham and runner up Corrin Wood losing out by a neck to highly regarded Gevrey Chambertin at Haydock last Friday and the third also winning. For Up To Something to be sent of at such a short price in a race of that quality shows the ability he obviously has and the current price of 11/4 look fair value against the odds on fav, to discover if his poor effort last time was a one off.

P&L for 2012 -9.56

February's Elusive Winner?

Back from a short break and after what has been a disastrous month for the blog. I hope to make the last selection a winning one. There are three meetings today at Bangor-On-Dee, Folkestone and Southwell with a selection running in the first at Southwell.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +19.52 2012 = +0.14

Southwell 2.00 Milgan Bay 1PT WIN @5/4 William Hill

Milgan Bay comes into this four runner handicap with the best form on offer with his third at Kempton on Boxing Day looking much stronger than Ring Bo Ree, given that the winner subsequently landed a Grade 2 novice chase and the runner-up won in a big-field handicap at Cheltenham. Ring Bo Ree has solid claims after two decent performances over C&D this year but I doubt is in the class of Milgan Bay. The trainer reported on his blog that Milgan Bay was in serious form and was hard to pull up after jumping his last set of 3 fences, prior to his run in a jumpers bumper at Kempton last time out when he finished third to subsequent winner Oscar Prairie.

Ayr Selection

No bet yesterday but once selection today at Ayr to hopefully build on the victory of Swincombe Flame on Saturday.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +20.48 2012= -0.94

Ayr 2.10 Sammy Spiderman 1PT WIN @11/4Various 2nd(7/2)

I wouldn’t usually have a selection in a race like this and not an 9 year old exposed handicapper but he appears to be running into form, is on a winnable handicap mark, all four of his wins have come at Ayr and there are doubts about his three main market rivals. He caught my eye last time staying on all the way up the straight at Newcastle to finish 2^nd to a gambled on winner Playing The Field and that is some of  the best recent form on offer. Of this market rivals there appears to be little confidence from the stable for Quinder Spring as Lucinda Russell quotes on her website “Quinder Spring has struggled to hit form and we are trying a visor on him to help him concentrate. He is slipping in the handicap ratings and should appreciate the track”. Ballycarron Lad has the most potential in the race but the regular jockey who has ridden him on the past two occasions is replaced by a 7lb amateur, even though he has other rides at the course which I see as a negative and Allanard although running well appears to be in the grip of the handicapper and he is also visored for the first time in an attempt to eke out some improvement. My only nagging doubt about Sammy Spiderman is if the ground will be soft enough but at the current price it is worth taking this risk. Beaten by a better handicapped horse although ground may not have been soft enough

Poor Run Continues

Sonovic was very disappointing selection yesterday never travelling or jumping with any fluency before a bad mistake after jumping 4 out put paid to any chance he may have had. A poor start to the year and with three meetings today at Ayr, Folkestone and Plumpton, there is one selection in an attempt to break the losing streak.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8/11 +19.42       2012= -1.0

Ayr 1.55 Prospeco 1PT WIN @7/2 William Hill Various

Prospeco was a selection earlier in the season when heavily backed at Wetherby over two miles when only managing to finish fifth. On that run I thought a step up to 2 ½ miles and softer ground would suit and he tried this a Newcastle when once again well backed and finished 2^nd to the very well handicapped and gambled on Papa Caruso. Today he returns to his favourite track Ayr (3 wins and a second from 4 runs) on soft ground and should be spot on for a big run. Available at 4/1 last night he has already been clipped into 7/2