Back With A Winner

Nice to return with a well backed winner yesterday in Grumeti and with Gullinbursti being a non runner it was a 100% return for the blog. There are two National Hunt meetings today at Aintree and Sedgefield and there is one selections at Aintree.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +17.92 2012 = -1.46

Aintree 3.40 Little Josh 1/2PT E/W @ 8/1 Bet 365 (paying 5 places)Unplcd (6/1F)

Little Josh caught my eye on his seasonal debut in a Grade 2 chase at Cheltenham in January, where he was travelling as well as the winner Midnight Chase at the top of the hill ,but clearly did not stay the extended 3 mile trip. He has subsequently run in two Grade 1 race where he has been out of is depth and today returns to handicap company off a mark 9lb lower than Cheltenham and 1lb lower than when he won the Paddy power in 2010. If he takes to these fences then I think he has a serious chance. Seemed to take to the fences, but didn't jump as well as he could and clearly not as good as he once was when finishing 7th.

Blog is Back

Along time since my last post due to work commitments and with time still limited the write up’s will be much more succinct. There are two National Hunt meetings today at Aintree and Newton Abbot and there are two selections at Aintree, unfortunately both are likely to go off favourite.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +14.52 2012 = -4.86

Aintree 2.30 Grumeti 1PT WIN @ 4/1 William Hills 1st (11/4F)Rule 4

I expect Grumeti to come out on top of those who he opposed in the Triumph hurdle as that race was run at a crawl and provided the race is run at a good pace I expect this flat track to play to his strengths. A very game performance to win well in the end after being hampered by the sad sight of Gottany Os suffering a fatal injury.

Aintree 5.35 Gullinburtsi 1/2PT E/W @9/2 Bet365 paying 5 places. Non Runner

A very competitive 3 mile handicap hurdle in which Gullinbursti has some very strong form in novice hurdles before making a highly encouraging handicap debut at Newbury, beaten a neck by the unbeaten Knock a Hand. Up 5lb for that effort he still looks well weighted and I expect further improvement on this softer ground.

Poor Poor Poor

I have just updated the performance for March which shows another losing month and a total loss for the year of -4.86pts. This is a very poor effort compared to my performance over the past few years. However, my circumstances have changed significantly this year with the demands of my job significantly impacting on the amount of time I have been able to dedicate to form study, resulting in hardly any bets. With the pressures at work hopefully easing off now and Aintree on the horizon I will hopefully be able to find more time to blog over the coming weeks and at least get the year back into profit.

Bit Better Racing Today

Saturday 24^th March

Apologies for last Saturday’s selection who I was extremely bullish about, but Maringo Bay ran no sort of race at all and I am not aware of a reason for his poor performance.  I still believe there is a big handicap to be won by the horse but I think it will be next season now. The racing has been dire this week and nothing has interested me and until today where I will be backing one horse who has appeared on the blog before.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +15.52 2012 = -3.86

Stratford 2.00 Loose Chips 1PT WIN 3/1 @Bet 365

Loose Chip was a winning selection earlier in the season at Towcester and was disappointing just over a month ago at Ffos Las, when after travelling well behind the leaders turning in he stopped very quickly down the home straight as was almost pulled up. At the time it looked to me that something was amiss and it transpired that there was coughing in the Charlie Longsdon yard at the time. Assuming the horse has now recovered I feel this race is a good opportunity for him to get back to winning ways given the way he won a Towcester and that fact the trainer was aiming him for a big race at Sandown prior to his last run. 

Back With A Big One

Apologies for the lack of blog postings over the past few weeks, but unfortunately I have been really business at work and working away has resulted in racing and the blog having to take a back seat. With Cheltenham having passed by in a haze of business meeting I am somewhat refreshed coming back to the blog with a big one (3 times my normal stake) in the hope of getting the winners flowing again.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +18.52 2012 = -0.86

Uttoxeter 3.20 Maringo Bay 1 and 1/2PT E/W @10/1 various PU 8/1 

I have selected Maringo Bay on his last two runs and though beaten into second on both occasions I have not been too disappointed as I have had to accept he has beaten by better horses, but tomorrow is different in that he makes is handicap debut in what I think is a below average Midlands National and I will be disappointed if he doesn’t win. There are many factors in his favour:-

1.   The booking of Noel Fehily. Trainer Charlie Mann mentioned in an interview when Noel took up the post of stable jockey to Emma Lavelle earlier this year that Noel would “still ride the good ones for him”

2.   Off a rating of 130 and a weight of 10-7 in this he look very attractively handicapped in comparison to the opposition

3.   His form is rock solid with both Alfie Spinner and Mics Delight who have beaten him in his last two runs running well at Cheltenham and when he won his novice hurdle last season at Ffos Las last season he beat Teaforthree who won the 4 miler at Cheltenham earlier in the week and Invictus who was one of the favourites foir the RSA chase before picking up an injury.

My only slight doubt is the ground which will be much quicker than he has run on previously and the fact he looks as though he has been crying out for a trip this is a big step up in distance from the three miles and less he has been running over so far this season, although he did hold an entry in the 4 miler at the festival, so hence the each way rather than straight win. 
Terrible performance. Never jumped with any fluency and once tempo increased there was no response and he was soon beat and pulled up.

Work Commitments Getting In The Way!!!

Due to work commitments I am unable to update the blog at the moment or even find time to study the form and have a bet. 

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.