Two For Today

Little time for a full write up today but two selections.

Newbury 12.20 Arbeo 1/2PT E/W @9/2 various(1ST 4/1JF made all. A welcome winner for the blog)

Newbury 2.10 Maringo Bay 1/2PT E/W@8/1 various(NR but interesting if takes up engagement at Haydock tomorrow)

P&L for 2012 -13.56

Quiet Boxing Day

Plenty of meetings today but with the ground riding heavy at almost all meetings and the markets looking tight for the horses I was interested in there is no selection today.

P&L for 2012 -13.56

Make or Break Day

Kent Street was a poor selection yesterday as after a mistake at the first he jumped with no fluency and it was only a matter of time before he fell or unseated, which he did at half way. I still think there is ability there and he may pop in at a big price over hurdles later in the season. Two meetings today at Newbury and Ludlow.

Ludlow 1.40 Moonlight Drive 1PT WIN @4/1 various. (PU 7/2JF Poor effort but I found the reason on the BHA website." The representative of Jonjo O’Neill, the trainer of MOONLIGHT DRIVE (IRE), which was pulled up, reported that the gelding was unsuited by the soft ground"). So one to keep a lookout for in the spring on better ground.

I believe Moonlight Drive is a much better horse than his current rating of 125 and the move from John Quinn to Jonjo O'Neill looks interesting. The horse clearly has significant potential being a point winner and on the form of his initial novice hurdle win, when he beat Trustan Times at Wetherby. Last season was a bit of a waste after a promising novice chase debut when partnered by AP Mcoy when usual jockey Dougie Costello was suspended, he reverted back to hurdles and was disappointing. This is a fairly competitive handicap chase and I think it is make or break day for Moonlight Drive to starting fulfilling the potential he undoubtedly has, by taking this before moving on to better things.

P&L for 2012 -12.56

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

Guaranteed Result For Today

I can guarantee that my selection will not fall at the first as I've not got one!!!!!!!!

Deja Vu yesterday as Kent Street was nicely backed only to make a mistake and unseat Ryan Mania at the first fence to follow on from Brackloon High who did the same thing a couple of weeks ago to continue my run of bad luck. Over the last 30 years I've had runs of bad luck but this is different as it appears to have lasted for most of the year and have never had a consistent run of winners. I don't intend to change my selection criteria as I take comfort from previous years records that it will turn at some stage and the winners will flow on a regular basis again.

The meeting at Wincanton survives but there is no selection.

P&L for 2012 -11.56

One For Today

Yesterday was frustrating with the selection Up To Something easily disposing of the odds on fav as expected only to get collared going to the last by a 20/1 outsider, but that the unpredictabilty of racing.
Moving onto today there are two meetings at Catterick and Hereford and there is one selection at Catterick.

Catterick 2.50 Kent Street 1PT WIN @4/1 various (UR 11/4F -Unbelievable second time in two weeks may selection has been well backed only to come down at the first)

Kent Street has been on my radar as a handicap chase project since the start of the season and after two encouaging runs at Carlisle I believe his chance comes today. His first run at Carlisle was very encouraging where he stayed on very well from 3 out in a competitive novice chase under hands and heels and the jockey received a ban for taking things too easy. His 2nd run was equally as good and he is now is dropped into handicap company. Despite running off top weight this is not a great race. My only concern is the step up to the extended 3 miles, but the way he was stayed on up the stiff Carlisle finish I doubt it should pose a problem.

P&L for 2012 -10.56

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