Month: January 2008

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Fontwell 1.50 – Classic Fiddle

 

Fontwell 2.50 – Air Force One

 

Warwick 2.40 – Pauillac

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

Classic Fiddle is my main hope today.  She is a dual bumper winner and won two of her three starts over hurdles last season, her only defeat being to the useful Gaspara.

 

She should be even better over fences as she is related to 1985 Grand National winner Last Suspect and also to a couple of Irish National winners.  She has won twice on heavy ground and the stable are in fine form.  The only question mark might be over her fitness as, unlike all the other runners, she lacks a recent outing.

 

Nap of the day

 

Fontwell 1.50 – Classic Fiddle

 

Today’s trivia

 

Trainer Jenny Pitman retired in 1999.  Her last winner was Scarlet Emperor at Huntingdon.

 

What’s in a name?

 

The French Derby is known as the Prix du Jockey Club.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 24 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Huntingdon 2.10 – Noble Sham

 

Musselburgh 1.00 – I’m Delilah

 

Musselburgh 3.00 – Native Coral

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Huntingdon 1.40 – Hitaaf & Indicible

 

Musselburgh 4.00 – Wipe Your Eye

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

All the horses noted above are in with a shout today.   The David Pipe trained Hitaaf gets the nap though.  He was a winner on the flat in France and made a successful hurdles debut at Ludlow.

 

The 2.30 at Musselburgh features some promising recruits form the flat including Compromiznotension, Kerriemuir  Lass and Halla San.

 

 

Nap of the day

 

Huntingdon 1.40 – Hitaaf

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 23 2008” →

Russellform Ramblings

 

As the bad weather continues Tuesday’s jumps meetings have been abandoned.

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to see a couple of the horses featured yesterday come up trumps.  In particular the veteran Chopneyev ploughed his way through the mud at Folkestone to take advantage of a lenient rating.

 

In the opening maiden hurdle Dave’s Dream made a winning hurdles debut for in form trainer Nicky Henderson.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 22 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Folkestone 1.40 – Aux Le Bahnn & Master Overseer

 

Folkestone 2.10 – Manhattan Boy

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Folkestone 1.10 – Dave’s Dream

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

I was pleased to see Labelthou return to winning ways over hurdles on Saturday. Emma Lavelle’s charge was reverting back to the smaller obstacles after a heavy fall over fences last time. She jumped beautifully under Timmy Murphy and won with a bit in hand.

 

Twist Magic got stuck in the mud but I certainly wouldn’t write off his chance at Cheltenham in March given better ground.  Regal Heights was a winner for our list to follow and he had plenty of previous winning form on soft and heavy.

 

Folkestone is the only jumps meeting tomorrow and once again the going will be testing.  Dave’s Dream makes his hurdles debut in the 1.10.  He won a bumper at Uttoxeter last season and impressed some good judges en route.  He is related to an Irish National winner.  The going at Uttoxeter was good so we have to take it on trust that he will handle the ground.  The stable do have a decent strike rate at the Kent track.

 

There are two runners from our list to follow in the 1.40. Aux le Bahnn is a 7 year old but has only raced twice, both in bumpers and was a winner each time.  He looked pretty good in his bumper runs and I am hopeful that he will make a winning start over hurdles.  Master Overseer won a bumper at Fontwell last season but has struggled in both his runs this term.  He is from the in form David Pipe yard so I have certainly not written him off just yet.

 

Manhattan Boy (2.10) has winning form on heavy ground and was a fair 3^rd on his last start, at Leicester.  Noland will be a warm order for this and will probably win but if the favourite is not fully wound up Manhattan Boy could be the one to capitalize.

 

Quizzene won 3 times on the flt when trained by Mark Johnston.  He is with Alan King now and makes his hurdles bow in the 2.40.

 

In the 4.10 Chopneyev has a welter burden but he will relish the heavy ground and has an each way chance.

  

Nap of the day

 

Folkestone 1.40 – Aux Le Bahnn

 

Today’s trivia

 

Gaspara was the only winning mare at the 2007 Cheltenham Fesrival

 

What’s in a name?

 

Warne’s Way who was 2^nd at Ascot on Saturday behind Lough Derg is appropriately named as he is by Spinning World.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 21 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Ascot 1.45 – Twist Magic

 

Ascot 2.55 – Gaspara

 

Ascot 3.30 – Regal Heights

 

Ascot 4.05 – Cave Hill

 

Haydock 1.25 – Afsoun & Regal Heights

 

Haydock 2.00 – Simon

 

Haydock 2.30 – Silverburn

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Ascot 2.20 – Marodima

 

Ascot 2.55 – Labelthou

  

Russellform Ramblings

 

Both meetings are in doubt tomorrow and if racing does go ahead the ground is sure to be very testing so it is probably best to restrict any financial interest to a minimum unless you are sure that your horse will handle the conditions.

 

Of the horses featured in last night’s preview Katapult was a winner at Catterick at 11/4. He is very well regarded by his trainer and looks to be one to follow.

 

Paul Nicholls again puts out a strong team tomorrow with Twist Magic likely to start at short odds in the Victor Chandler. He has to be the most likely winner on the strength of his win against Voy Por Ustedes in the Tingle Creek.  He has won on soft ground too but at 4/7 is not really a betting proposition.  Mansony will certainly like the ground and could be the one to benefit should the favourite have an off day.

 

Silverburn and Maradima both have good chances for the Nicholls yard.  Silverburn incidentally is a full brother to Denman.

 

The Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock is often looked at as a Grand National trial.  Simon comes into the race on the back of a good second at Cheltenham last month.  He is an out and out stayer and should run well.  He probably has most to fear from yet another Nicholls runner in course and distance winner Opera Mundi who will appreciate the conditions.

 

Earlier at Haydock Afsoun may be able to bring his stamina into play to get the better of Straw Bear in the 1.25.

 

A bit of an outsider that may be worth having a look at tomorrow is Roman Ark in the Haydock 1.25.  He has won 4 times at the Lancashire course and absolutely loves heavy ground.

 

Nap of the day

 

Haydock 2.00 – Opera Mundi

 

Today’s trivia

 

Flat race trainer Roger Charlton once rode a winner at the Cheltenham Festival.

 

What’s in a name?

 

There is a bit of an ashes flavour to racing tomorrow with both Flintoff and warne’s Way among the entries.  A win double anyone?

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 19 2008” →

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Catterick 1.10 – Ballabriggs

 

Catterick 2.10 – King Killone

 Catterick 3.20 – Custom Design 

Russellform Ramblings

 

“Now, I found, that the world is round
and of course it rains everyday.” [From World, by The Bee Gees]

 

You will have to bear with me if I struggle to write something interesting when there is so little racing taking place.

 

On the off chance that Catterick may survive the current deluge I will be interested to see how Whispering Death gets on in the 2.45.  He was a decent stayer on the flat and has been purchased by Graham and Andrea Wylie.  His wins on the flat came on fast ground though and there is precious little chance of him getting his favoured going at the moment!

 Later on the card there is a good word for Katapult in the 3.55.  

Today’s trivia

 

Korelo, who runs in the 2.10, is not the force he was these days but he was a pretty decent performer a few years ago when trained by Martin Pipe.  Probably his best run was when beaten a short head in the Cleeve Hurdle 2 years ago.  He claimed some notable scalps that day including Monet’s Garden, Westender and Telemoss.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 18 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Newcastle 1.00 – Double Default & Top Cloud

 

Newcastle 2.05 – Money Trix

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Newcastle 2.40 – Brook no Argument

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

Despite the incessant rain that seems to be sweeping the country Newcastle seem hopeful of staging their card tomorrow so at least I have something to write about!

 

The main interest for me will be the reappearance of a couple of the leading lights from Nicky Richard’s stable.  Richards has an impressive strike rate at Newcastle but that fact is tempered by the indifferent form shown by some of his runners of late. Double Default won two of his 4 starts over hurdles last season and ran well in the other two.  He looks an exciting prospect now that he tackles fences for the first time.

 

Money Trix missed the whole of last season due to a damaged joint but before that he was  a highly rated novice hurdler, finishing 2^nd to Black Jack Ketchum in a Grade 1 event at Aintree.  He is a horse of immense potential.

 

Of the other horses mentioned above, Top Cloud was second at Sedgefield last time out which was his best run yet over fences. He should appreciate the ground and could be the one to profit should Double Default not be fully wound up. Brook no Argument looks to have the best form on show in the 2.40.

 

Nap of the day

 

Newcastle 2.05 – Money Trix

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 16 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Folkestone 1.50 – Time Bandit

 

Folkestone 3.20 – Noble Sham

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

The David Pipe pair of Time Bandit and Noble Sham are of interest at Folkestone tomorrow.  Both have come back this season after lengthy absences.  Noble Sham fell at Huntingdon on Boxing Day when goimg well and he gets the nap today.

 

Nap of the day

 

Folkestone 3.20 – Noble Sham

 

Today’s trivia

 

Robbie Burns once said “there is no such uncertainty as a sure thing” – a racing man obviously!

 

What’s in a name?

 

Glenda Hoddle is a name that caught my eye from tomorrow’s runners.  She runs in the bumper at Folkestone.  Glen Hoddle was of course an elegant midfield [player at Tottenham and later a manager at various clubs.  His spell as England boss ended inn tears as these things usually do.  He was a nice player though.  I don’t know where the name for this mare comes from exactly – she is by Mrs Bossy Boots and is related to Rich Pickings so I am not sure if either of those influenced the name – maybe connections are Spurs fans with a sense of humour.

 

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 15 2008” →