Month: October 2011

Not too bad a start for the new look web site although I did manage to tip a 2/5 loser in my big race form guide. At the least the nap of the day, Fingal Bay gave that feature a winning start at 9/4.

Aintree

Races considered

2.35 Champion Court, Saint Are and Bear’s Affair all look promising novice chasers. Irish bumper winner Champion Court won a Grade 2 hurdle at Cheltenham last season and returned for the festival where he was 4^th in the Albert Bartlett. Saint Are was a surprise 33/1 winner of the Grade 1 Sefton novices hurdle at Aintree last April and is aid to have schooled well over fences. Bear’s Affair, a good looking son of presenting is unbeaten in 3 starts, one in a bumper where he beat Champion Court and twice over hurdles. He is a brother to multiple chase winner Free Gift.

3.10 Benny Be Good is a sound jumper who won 3 times at his owner’s local tarck at Sedgefield last season and returned to win at Market Rasen in a televised race last month. Rival D’Estruvalis a good looking type that was runner up at Ayr and Perth before winning the Sticky Toffee Pudding novices hurdle at Cartmel. Storm Brig is a dual Kelso bumper winner that went on to score twice over hurdles at Newcastle. He rounded off his campaign with a 5^th behind Spirit Son at Aintree.

4.20 Theatre Guide won a bumper at Chepstow last season beating today’s winner Magnifique Etolie and went on to finish runner up in a bumper at Fairyhouse. The stable won this race last season with Cue Card. Barbatos ran 4 times over hurdles finishing 5^th on 3 occasions before being beaten a short head at Ascot by Invictus.

4.55 Royal Guardsman was very impressive when winning a bumper in April at Fontwell. Swinging Sultan also caught the eye when runner up in a bumper at Market Rasen in February. Victor Lynch was 3^rd in a bumper fopr trainer Kate Walton. This one is very much a long term prospect for hurdles and especially fences.

Selections Bear’s Affair, Benny be Good, Theatre Guide and Royal Guardsman.

Wincanton

Race considered

2.15 Rock of Deauville was a bit disappointing when only beating one home at Cheltenham last wekk but will be fitter for that run. Fontano suffered from a kidney infection last season but still managed to run quite consistently.

No selections

Galway

Races considered

2.40 Leave him alone a former points winner impressed when winning a bumper at Cork.

4.50 Last Instalment is a dual bumper winner that also won twice over hurdles last season at Navan and Limerick

Selection

Last Instalment

Nap of the day

Royal Guardsman

 Additional selection today; Tawaasul in the 1.20 at Newbury.

We did quite well today with 3 winners, Horsham Lad 11/2, Tatispout 13/8 and Pineau de Re at 6/1.

Looking forward to the racing on Friday the sprint handicap at Doncaster (3.45) is the sort of race I like. Mac’s Power and Seal Rock are the pair I like best. If pushed to narrow it down my marginal preference would be for Mac’s Power. Of the outsiders Secret Witness has an each way chance.

Not much else makes any appeal on a difficult looking Doncaster card. Menelik was well thought of by his trainer at the start of the season and has shown some signs of ability in two races so far. He is a big price in the 1.30.

Staying with the outsiders Gordonsville represents a trainer who does well with his older handicappers. He runs in the 4.20 where Mungo Park is another to consider.

In the 4.55 Vodoo Prince, the mount of title chasing Kieren Fallon should give us a run for our money.

Taking tomorrow’s meetings in alphabetical order the first race I looked at was the Brighton 3.05. Sholaan has the ability to win a race like this but his ru last time cast doubts about his determination and on pedigree there is sufficient doubt about him staying a mile to make the 2/1 on offer a bit too skinny.

Sluggsy Morant has won a couple of races already this season and at around 8/1 would have an each way chance in the 5.10. Once again the 6/1 currently quoted doesn’t look value.

At Carlisle Horsham Lad is of interest in the 3.55. He is a point to point winner.

The best race at Carlisle though is the 5.00 where 3 horses with decent hurdles form all make their chase debuts. Aikman has won 3 times over hurdles and looks an outstanding prospect for novice chases. He comes here in good form having won over hurdles at Kelso last month. There is perhaps a slight doubt about his jumping and the trip here is almost certainly sharper than ideal. Bold Sir Brian is an outstanding looking animal and won a Grade 2 hurdle at Kelso last season while Frascati Park won over hurdles twice including a race at Ascot where he beat the highly rated Sprinter Sacre.

They seem likely to go a decent clip, in this which could put pressure on Aikman’s jumping so at the prices I have a slight preference for Bold Sir Brian. They should all pay to follow over the course of the season though.

Charlie Longsden is a trainer in form at the moment and his Tatispout is one to watch in the 2.40.

Lastly I am hoping for a good run from Pineau de Re at Thurles in the 4.25.

Thanks to Emily Russell for today’s photo.

Our only selection today was a winner with Aljamaheer making an impressive debut at Yarmouth.

Looking ahead to tomorrow at Fontwell Escort’men has the scope to do well over fences and is the one to beat in the 2.50.

At Worcester in the 2.10 Kentford Grey Lady, a bumper winner at Taunton last season is the selection.

At Newmarket I considered Fury and Inler in the 4.10 while at Kempton Rigoletto could run well at a big price for Mick Channon in the 8.50. Staying with Kempton it could pay to go with Byrony who has won 3 from for starts at the track.

Today’s picture of Champion Hurdler Hurricane Fly is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller (see links)

With the flat season drawing to a close and the firm ground not ideal for the national hunt horses there is not much to comment on tomorrow.

Aljamaaheer was touted as one of Roger Varian’s better juveniles at the start of the season. He makes a rather belated debut in the Yarmouth 2.50 and his absence from the track may indicate he has had some sort of problem. He remains an interesting runner though.

At least we had a couple of big race winners yesterday thanks to Deacon Blues and Balthazar King while Snow Fairy justified her each way selection.

There is quite an Anglo Irish challenge at Woodbine in Canada today. Among those with chances are Bated Breath (7.59), Strawberrydaiquiri and Sea of Heartbreak (9.35) and Redwood (10.42).

There have been some famous winners of the International Stakes (10.42) – notably Secretariat in 1973 and Dahlia the following year ridden by Lester Piggott. In 1975 the winner was Snow Knight who was following up his success in the Epsom Derby.

Deacon Blues has won 4 on the bounce and still looks to be improving. He is a course and distance winner at Ascot and should go well in the 2.25 although the hoing is probably not ideal..

The 3.35 isn’t a betting proposition but all eyes will be on the unbeaten Frankel. He is impossible to oppose but will be long odds on.

The 4.10 looks the pick of the Ascot card. Midday has only been out of the first 2 4 times in a 21 race career and has to be respected. So You Think has already landed 3 Group 1 races this season and was 4^th in the Arc from a bad draw. Nathaniel has never been out of the first 2 in his career and has won both his starts at Ascot. He could just find this trip on the short side though. The unbeaten Dubai Prince is an unknown quantity but 3 year olds have a good record in this race. Snow Fairy has already been runner up to So You Think and Midday this season and comes here on the back of a 3^rd in the Arc.

I do have concerns over the trip but I am going to go for Nathaniel who has had quite a light campaign and comes here fresher than most. Snow Fairy looks over priced and is worth an each way saver.

The 4.45 looks an impossible handicap. Striking Spirit is due a win and his last run was quite encouraging. The Confessor looks to have a leading chance, while others to consider include Noble Citizen who likes the track and the tough Dubai Dynamo. In these sprints I tend to go for one drawn high and one with a low draw. Confessor and Noble Spirit.

Over the jumps at Cheltenham Paul Nicholls saddles Tonic Mellysse, a winner at the Ayr Scottish Grand National meeting in the 3.15 while in the 3.50 Balthazar King will appreciate the ground. He is not very big but jumps well.

At Catterick Courageous is a tentative selection in the 2.55. When he won at Chester last month he was breaking a 25 run losing sequence. Now he has got the hang of winning he might be able to follow up.

At Kelso the 2.10 is an interesting little race. Lively Baron looks the pick with Vosges the main danger.

Lastly, at Wolverhampton Twisted is fancied to repeat his winning performance in the same race last season.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Jane Dunn.

A number of Graham Greene’s novels have been made into films. Brighton Rock starred Richard Attenbrough as “Pinkie” and had a racing connection as some of the action took place at the Sussex track. For me though the best film was The Third Man where Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) seeks out his old friend Harry Lime (Orsen Welles) in post war Vienna. No racing connection there but both Holly Martins and Harry Lime, the racehorses that is, ran at Lingfield on Wednesday. Sadly a win double would not have paid out. Holly Martins was aptly enough 3^rd but Harry Lime, never one to rely on, was well down the field.

Jumping takes centre stage tomorrow with the first meeting of the season at Cheltenham. One to note in the opener at 2.10 is Peckhamecho . A bumper winner at Wincanton last season he tended to pull to hard in subsequent races. If he settles better he should win races over hurdles.

Ian Williams saddles For Non Stop in the novice chase at 2.45. A consistent sort over hurdles he is expected to do well over fences a he is a former point to point winner.

Our Island was 7^th in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last season and before that won at Ffos Las and Newbury. He is a former points winner and his future lies over fences but he is in with a shout in the 3.20. Richard Johnson won on him on the only occasion he has ridden him before. Another that will be tackling fences this season is Paint the Clouds. He reverts to hurdles here and he could go well as he will love the ground and AP McCoy is 4 from 4 on him. The newspaper tipsters seem to agree with me about this race as 7 choose Paint the Clouds and 3 go for Our Island.

Next to the 3.55 where Creevytennant returns to the track where he recorded a victory in May. He may be better going right handed but comes here with a chance on ground that will suit.

Meganisi was formerly trained on the flat by Marco Botti. A winner in Rome he then suffered a foot problem. He looks the type to do well over hurdles. AP McCoy rides him here for Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis in the 4.30.

Dammam won a hunter chase at Cheltenham in May. He will handle the ground in the 5.05 and is one to note. His trainer is a former assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Rock of Deauville has been put up 4 lbs by the handicapper despite falling at Ascot on his last run but could still be favourably treated in the 5.40.

Not much doing on the flat. At Haydock Lion Court (5.20) and Defence of Duress (5.55) have possibilities while at Redcar a win double on Visions of Johanna (1.30) and Dylan’s Dream (2.35) might appeal to Bob’s fans.

Today’s picture is courtesy of the artist Lisa Miller.

Bye for now