No bet today but two meetings at Carlisle and Huntingdon  tomorrow.  I’m off to Carlisle in the morning so have been reviewing the card most of the day and there are three selections I have backed.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +9.84

Carlisle1.20 1PT WIN Koup De Kanon @5/2 William Hill Winner (6/5F)

Koup De Kanon has a disappointing profile given the form of his first two runs last season. He has since left Emma Lavelle and is now with Donald McCain and in his excellent Betfair column he reckons this is his best bet of the weekend stating “He is one of the Timeform Betfair Racing Club horses and he showed a decent level of ability for Emma Lavelle in a bumper and over hurdles last season. He was due to run at Kelso a fortnight ago but wasn't quite right the night before so I took him out. This doesn't look a strong race and he has done everything nicely at home since we got him. He looks on a good mark and with Henry Brooke taking off another 5lb (and he is good value for it), he really ought to go very well”. Although the price appears skinny with the stable expectation it may look a good price after the race. As I have been writing this the horse has been backed in from an opening price of 3/1.

Carlisle 2.40 1/2PT E/W Captain Americo @9/1 Bet 365 4TH(6/1)

An ultra competitive three mile handicap chase that I expect to be run at a fair clip and Captain Americo is the one that catches my eye. Heavily backed on his seasonal debut at Kelso he never was really able to land a blow finishing 4^th. The trainer stated after the races that the horse may have needed the run, so I am expecting a much improved run. With stable jockey Brian Hughes suspended Nick Schofield who has won on him before and is riding well, make his way North to ride him for the same owner as he won for at Ascot today.

Carlisle 3.15 1PT WIN Hidden Keel @6/5 William Hill 2ND (8/13F)

Although very short in the betting Hidden Keel is a horse I am really looking forward to seeing the flesh as I expect him to take a high ranking amongst the top chasers come the end of the season. A winner of a handicap hurdle and three novice chases last season he has the profile of an improving horse. The conditions of this race means that although the highest rated he gets weight from Gilbarry and Divers and with the form of the Charlie Longsdon yard I expect him to win this comfortably before going on to bigger and better things.

Yesterday’s selection Persian Gates was a faller at the 2^nd last when just being joined for the lead by eventual winner Fistral Beach. My initial thought was he has probably beaten at the time but having just watch the reply I’m unsure, but the main thing was that his trainer Chris Bealby  tweeted last night ” Persian Gates is fine after his tumble at Wetherby, who can say if he would have won but he still ran a hell of a race”. A very competitive days racing today with two meetings at Ascot and Wetherby and it is a day for watching for me as I have no strong opinions.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +9.84

I’m looking forward to a day racing at Carlisle tomorrow. Don’t think I’ve been there for about 5 years so looking to see what the new hurdles course looks like and any other improvements they have made. One or two of the declarations interest me so if the prices are right there should be one or two selections.

Very disappointing run by Shuli Royale yesterday.  As expected he was backed into 6/5F but the race was run at a crawl and turned into a bit of a sprint from leaving the back straight and he was clearly outpaced. He is better than this and with a run under his belt will be of interest to me again in the future. Two meetings today at Wetherby and Uttoxeter with one selection at Wetherby.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +10.84

Wetherby 3.50 1PT WIN Persian Gates@9/2 Paddy Power Fell (4/1)

A winning selection last time out Persian Gates is now a shorter price in a much more competitive race. So why are you backing him I hear you say? Well it was the manner of his victory last time out( in my eyes he had the race won before they left the back straight) that gave me the impression he could still be ahead of the handicapper. He has gone up another 10lbs for that win (21lbs for his last two wins), but he has a fitness advantage over his rivals, who may be using this race as a stepping stone to better things later in the season. The one I am scared of most is Shoreacres who was a non runner when selected on Saturday. He has an excellent first time out record, but I think Persian Gates fitness and fast accurate jumping will be the difference here. Looked as though he was probably beaten when fell at the 2nd last when just being pressed by eventual winner Fistral Beach.

Today’s section Dammam was heavily backed from 10/1 yesterday evening all the way down to 11/4F. Unfortunately my worry about the track not being stiff enough proved to be correct and he was struggling with over a circuit to go and stayed on in similar fashion to his last run at Stratford almost catching the leaders going to the last, before weakening but easily retaining 3^rd place for a small 0.2PT profit on the day. Fairly average meeting tomorrow with two cards at Fontwell and Stratford with one selection coming at Stratford.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +11.84

Stratford 1PT WIN Shuil Royale@13/8 Bet365

Shuil Royale is a progressive dual bumper winner who caught my eye last season when winning over hurdles on his second attempt at Kempton in March. Still classified as a novice until the end of October he takes the opportunity to run in this novice hurdle and on paper looks a class above the opposition. In addition Daryl Jacob who won three times on the horse last season nominated him as one of his “10 to follow” on the Wincanton races website last week. Although the stable is not in good form I doubt the 13/8 will be available in the morning.

One meeting today at Haydock where there is one selection.

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Haydock 4.00 1/2PT E/W Dammam @7/1 Various 3rd (11/4F)

I wasn’t going to put up a selection today but I see that Dammam has been backed overnight for this 3mile handicap chase. This was a selection a couple of weeks ago at Cheltenham but ended up being a non runner.  Dammam is a horse who I saw running at Stratford in the novice hunter chase final in May. Having won his previous hunter chase at Cheltenham he was well backed that night but the tight Stratford track clearly didn’t suit him and was under pressure and struggling with over a circuit to go. To his credit he battled really well and ending up running on again to take third. The only doubt I have today is that because of all the course changes over the past few years 3 miles around Haydock is no longer as stiff a test as it used to be, but given Dammam has been backed, the Fergal O’Brien stable are starting to have winners and at the price I am willing to take a chance. Heavily backed from 10/1 overnight but as I thought the 3 miles around Haydock is no longer a stiff test and he was outpaced with over a circuit to go but stayed on but could never get to the all the way winner.

Tuesday 25th October

Competitive fixture at Chepstow tomorrow with large fields and having gone through the card there is no selection.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +11.64 

Sadly Storm Brig after being heavily backed to 2nd favourite was pulled up very rapidly leaving the back straight. The trainer later confirmed the horse had gone lame. Hopefully the injury wont be too severe and we will see Storm Brig back on the racecourse at some stage in the future. No National Hunt racing today so no selections.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +11.64 

Yesterday was another winning day with Magnifique Etoile being heavily backed into 4/9F, although I have to admit that his jumping throughout the race had me so worried that as an insurance I layed my stake back in running on Betfair at 1.05 going to the second just in case he tipped up. Thankfully he didn’t but his jumping will need to improve as he progresses through the novice ranks. Sadly Shoreacres was a non runner not sure of the reason why but I do know from his tweets that his trainer Brendan Powell was at Aintree. Two meetings today at Aintree and Wincanton and there is one selection at Aintree.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +12.64 

Aintree 3.10 1/2PT E/W Storm Brig @8/1Boylesports Pulled Up (5/1)

This is a competitive event but I am taking a chance with the unexposed Storm Brig who makes his handicap hurdle debut today. Storm Brig caught my eye on a number of runs last season. A winner of two bumpers and two novice hurdles Storm Brig ran a reasonable race in a grade 2 novice hurdle here in April. The step up to 3miles should be a plus and although the stable is not in fantastic form they had a fourth in handicap hurdle here yesterday. Alistair Whillans, the Trainer of STORM BRIG, reported that the gelding was pulled up lame.