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

Paddy Power Gold Cup Day

Small profit yesterday with Dodging Bullets win. Having had numerous looks at the cards today I can find no bets.

P&L for 2012 -5.44

Selection At Taunton

Loose Chip was very disappointing on Sunday. Cruising 3 out he stopped very quickly and although there was a doubt about the getting the trip I think there was probably another problem. No excuses for the other selection Maringo Bay who put to a good performance but was beaten by a classier horse. He remains of interest to me probably in staying handicaps later in the season although he does hold an entry in the 4 mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. Two meetings today at Wetherby and Taunton and there is one selection at Taunton.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +20.52 2012 = +1.14 Unplcd(8/1)

Taunton 2.00 Giordano Bruno 1/2PT E/W @7/1 Various

Giordano Bruno made an interesting debut at Taunton 6 weeks ago after almost 3 years off the course. Jumped out in front he caught my eye as he travelled smoothly throughout the race until lack of peak fitness caught up with him turning for home where he was passed by Darlan and Jump City. Once headed Richard Johnson gave him an easy time. I got the impression from this run that there is much more to come and although today is no easy task with natural progression I would not expect him to be out of the first three, although odds on favourite Urbain De Sivola may be a tough nut to crack I have a doubt that this tight track may not suit him. Held up in last never put in the race at any stage, clearly looking to get a handicap mark for later in the season? Reported finished lame.

Quiet Day After Successful Weekend

Loose Chips was very impressive yesterday, always travelling well and quickening up from the home turn to win comfortably. What surprised me was he drifted out to 7/1 considering I thought he had the best form in the race – but I’m not complaining :-).  So a very successful weekend with both selections winning moving the blog back into profit for the year. One meeting at Wetherby today, but having reviewed the card a couple of times there is no selection today.


P&L at advised prices since 24/8 = +27.08 2012 = +5.20 

Short Headed Again

For the second time this month one of my selections was caught on the line. This time I saw a healthly 3.5 PT profit from Shoreacres turned into a 1PT loss as he was headed on the line after being given a fantastic ride by Will Kennedy. I am a firm believer in the law of averages and over a year I would expect these short heads to even themselves out so hopefully my luck will turn soon. Three meetings today at Chepstow, Kempton and Wetherby and there are two selections.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +24.42

Chepstow 12.30 Maringo Bay 1PT WIN@7/2 Various

Maringo Bay is a horse who caught my eye last season in his first novice chase at Fakenham when the 20/1 outsider of three was only beaten a length and a half by Mamlook and Tullymore Dew. He then reverted back to hurdles and was sent off at an amazing 33/1 next time out and won comfortably in a very strong race which has thrown up numerous novice chase winners this season. I doubt Plumpton was an ideal course for his seasonal debut where he finished third over 2 ½ miles but there is a £50k bonus for certain races at Plumpton if the winner goes on to win at the Cheltenham festival and I take this as the reason he ran there, giving me the impression the stable think he is a Cheltenham horse, so today’s three miles at Chepstow on a galloping track in heavy ground looks an ideally opportunity to get off the mark over fences.

Wetherby 12.35 Crackentorp 1PT WIN@2/1 Various

Crackentorp caught my eye earlier in the season when comfortably accounting for the highly regarded Hawk Mountain in a novice hurdle at Market Rasen. His main market rival here is Red Jade who had a comfortable winning debut at Southwell, but although there is little between them on flat ratings I feel the hurdles form of Crackentorp is better than that of Red Jade and at the prices I am happy to support him as I cannot see any of the other runners being up to the class of these two horses.

Short Headed

The small margins of success and failure in gambling was clearly highlighted yesterday when a profit of 2.5pts was turned into a 1pt loss in the last stride as the selection Appleaday, who has made most was short headed on the line. That’s history now and with a great days racing with four competitive cards at Aintree, Chepstow, Sandown and Wetherby. There was one potential selection at the 12.55 at Sandown in Knight Pass who is very highly thought of but I was expecting to see some odds against but as that is not the case then there is no bet today.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +28.42 

Back With A Selection For Tomorrow

No selection for the past couple of days but with two meetings tomorrow at Fontwell and Wetherby and there is one selection at Wetherby.

P&L at advised prices since 24/8 +32.42

Wetherby 2.00 Prosecco 1PT WIN @11/2 Ladbrokes 5th (15/8F)

At the price available Prosecco is a fairly confident choice in a fairly competitive 2 mile handicap chase. He caught my eye last season winning a handicap chase in off a 5lb lower mark at Ayr and was then stepped up in trip for his last two runs and didn’t run badly in either and on his last run was third to The Panama Kid who won his last race off a 20lb higher mark. With the stable in cracking form, the horses running well and the trainer stating the horses best trip is over two miles on soft ground tomorrow looks a good opportunity.

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.