Category: Horse racing

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” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Fakenham 1.20 – Shouldhavehadthat

 

Plumpton 2.30 – Cracking Cliche

 

Today’s trivia

 

The Lanzerote Hurdle was run at Kempton on Saturday.  The race is named after a horse that won 8 times at the track.;

 

What’s in a name?

 

The great Arkle was named after a Scottish mountain

 

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 13 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Warwick 2.30 – Blue Splash & Not Left Yet

 

Wetherby 1.35 – Cool Operator

 

Wetherby 2.10 – Regal Heights

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Warwick 2.30 – High Chimes

 

Warwick 4.00 – Shoreacres

 

Wetherby 3.10 – Brook no Argument

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

It was a good day for the horses from our lists to follow today.  Starting Point, Scarvagh Diamond and Bywell Beau all won at Kelso and we also had a couple of winners at Huntingdon. Polomoche may only have scrambled to victory on his hurdles debut but in doing so he overcame some indifferent hurdling, he kicked the second last out of the ground, and still managed to find plenty in the finish.  He clearly has a god engine and is one to follow.  The same can be said of The Old Pretender who won the bumper with ridiculous ease.

 

The big race over fences tomorrow is the Totesport Classic at Warwick.  This will be a gruelling test in heavy ground.  Blue Splash is a progressive sort that won a couple of novice chases last season and has already won over hurdles this term.  Two of his wins have come on heavy and he clearly loves testing ground and looks a thorough stayer.  On the negative side he does have a lot of weight.  Not Left Yet is difficult to weight up and this might be an important consideration as the handicapper may have had the same problem!  David Pipe may have this one well handicapped but the horse does not have winning form on the prevailing ground.  High Chimes is my idea of the likely winner.  He was staying on at the end over 3 miles last time at Haydock behind Cloudy Lane giving the impression that a longer trip would suit him.

 

Shoreacres ran well when a close up 3^rd to Uffa Fox at Ascot last time.  That was on fast ground but if he handles the conditions at Warwick he has an each way chance in the 4.00.

 

At Wetherby Brook no Argument should go well in the 3.10 while in the 2.10 it is worth noting that Regal Heights handles soft ground particularly well.

 

Nap of the day

 

Warwick 2.30 – High Chimes

  

Today’s trivia

 

5% of chase runners fell or unseated at Warwick last season.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 12 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Huntingdon 1.50 – The Polomoche

 

Kelso 12.40 – Starting Point & Berwick Law

 

Kelso 1.40 – Bywell Beau

  

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Huntingdon 1.20 – Northern Quest

 

Huntingdon 3.50 – The Old Pretender

 

Kelso 1.10 – Scarvagh Diamond

 

Kelso 2.40 – Harry Wood & La Trussardiere

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 11 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Hereford 1.00 – Super Nick

 

Hereford 1.30 – Crocodiles Rock

 

Hereford 2.00 – Cave Hill

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Hereford 2.30 – Robin de Sherwodd

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

Super Nick was 2^nd at Bangor on his last run and looks capable of landing a small race.  He is up against a David Pipe odds on shot in the Hereford 1.00 however in Celestial Gold.  Celestial Gold has not run for nearly 2 years but is a previous winner of both the Hennessy and the Paddy Power over fences.  Anything like that sort of form tomorrow over hurdles would surely be good enough.

 

Crocodiles Rock was a very impressive winner at Aintree in October in a race where the 2^nd and 4^th have both won since.

 

Lastly, in the bumper at Catterick (3.50) there is a strong word for Katapult, apparently he is very highly regarded by connections.

 

Nap of the day

 

Hereford 1.30 – Crocodiles Rock

  

Today’s trivia

 

Jungle Jinks runs in the 2.20 at Catterick today.  He is 13 now and not the force he was but in the past he gained a reputation as a Wetherby specialist winning there 5 times.

 

What’s in a name?

 

With some horses it is easy to see where their name comes from by their pedigree.  No problem with Springvic (Catterick 2.50) as he is by Old Vic out of Spring Beauty.  Simple as that!

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 10 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Musselburgh 1.40 – Modicum & Smart Street

 

Musselburgh 3.40 – Scale Bank

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

Yes, it is the middle of the jumps season even though there are 3 flat meetings tomorrow!

 

Modicum looks sure to start favourite in the 1.40 as he has finished runner up to a couple of useful types in Hobbs Hill and Cedrus Libani on his last 2 starts.  He has a very consistent record and will be very hard to beat.  Good ground seems important to Modicum so if we get a lot of rain I would be inclined to side with Smart Street whose front running tactics might pay off round this sharp track.

 

Scale Bank created a very favourable impression when second in a bumper at Southwell last season and can win the last.

 

Nap of the day

 

Musselburgh 3.40 – Scale Bank

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 9 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Leicester 3.20 – Manhattan Boy

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Leicester 2.50 – Planet of Sound

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

Gentle John made all under an aggressive Richard Johnson ride to land our nap today.

 

For my nap tomorrow I am going for Cornerback who won a Wetherby bumper on her only start to date and should relish the heavy ground.

 

Today’s trivia

 

Michael Dickinson trained the first two home in the 1982 Hennessy Gold Cup, Bregawn and Captain John.

 

What’s in a name?

 

Len Lungo’s versatile performer Monolith has an appropriate name as his sire was Bigstone.

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 8 2008” →

Horses running from our main list to follow

 

Ludlow 1.30 – Gentle John & Amir El Jabal

 

Horses running from our “dark horses” list

 

Ludlow 1.00 – Atomic Winner

 

Russellform Ramblings

 

There were a couple of winners for our list to follow over the weekend.  Breedsbreeze carried on the relentless progress of the Nicholls stable by winning the Tolworth Hurdle while Cockatoo was a winner at Plumpton this afternoon.

 

I am hoping that Gentle John will be able to build on his second at Ascot last time out in the 1.30 at Ludlow tomorrow.

 

The French import Atomic Winner was a big disappointment at Sandown last time.  Hopefully that run was too bad to be true and he can make amends in the 1.00 at Ludlow tomorrow.

 

 

Nap of the day

 

Ludlow 1.30 – Gentle John

 

Continue reading “Diary: January 7 2008” →