Hexham fun

Well back after my financial woes of Cheltenham, it is time to have a good punt and where better than to start at the Hexham Puddle.

Today is a day that if you back favs at Hexham through the card I am sure you will struggle to come out on top.

Bets today

2.10 Lay Place and Win BANOGE - Lennies horses are running terrible and 7/4 is just no price
2.40 Lay win and place TOY GUN - struggles with his jumping and was out on his feet last Sunday 7/4 no price again
3.55 Lay win and Place SANTA STEFANO - dont like the horse esp on the ground EVS is a shocking price

I think there are a few other poor favs but the above is enough for the blog

Saturday 15th

After Cheltenham there is only one thing to do, get back on the horse and get back to what you know - backing horses to trade in running and losers !!!

Bet to Trade -
Best Prospect 9/1, lay to get stake back and very low after the last
Busker Royal 9/1, lay to get stake back and mid lay after the last
Harry Flashman 9/1, lay to get stake back and very low lay after the last
Herne Bay 33/1 lay to get stake back at 3.1 then smaller lay after two and towards last

Win bet - Cripsey Brook and thrown in horse if they are bothering Film festival 5.35 Newcastle

The Calm after the storm

After the greatest three days racing ever and the AD MAN licking his financial wounds here are a few thoughts -

The age and finishing Stats didnt stand up this year with fine performances from Master Minded, Inglis Drever and Katchit defying stats and proving their undoubted talent.
Cheltenhams greatest stat stood up again though !
The Under 4/1 fav losers were out in force:
Kauto Star (evs), Franchoek (11/10), Ashkazar (15/8), Noland (7/4), Sizing Europe (2/1), Wonderkid (5/2), Vor Por ustedes (5/2), The Listener (10/3), Dont Push It (5/2), Zaarito (3/1), Chumba Wumba (10/3), My Petra (3/1)

13 Qualifiers - 12 Losers 4 Unplaced , 1 winner Inglis Drever 11/8 Win

The performance though of the week was DENMAN - simply the best I have seen - POWER and Stride are just unbelievable - I have to see him in the flesh at some point.

Key Notes:
Bad week at the office for Noel Meade and Philip Hobbs two outstanding trainers had very quiet meetings.
Good week at the office for Alan King, Paul Nicholls and Howard Johnson

best Ride of the week was AP McCoy on Refinement , and my unluckiest moment of the week
The hold upjockeys had many poor rides with two top Irish lads having some interesting moments - the difference in pace and ground left a few nearly moments.
















next year double on paper

Cheltenham is coming and here are the fancies

After a gusty wet day at Ayr when racing probably should of been off , the kitty is still intact and the Cheltenham fancies abound - the cards are done and the tips are here.

Day 1:
The day is the starting point of many dreams and I usually know my fate for the week after the first few races.

Supreme Novice -
Top class race to start the meeting and as usual the Brits v the Irish - I have come down on the side of two horses - KHYBER KIM and SENTRY DUTY the best of the Irish likely to be CORK ALL STAR

Arkle -
NOLAND is a stand out bet with the best each way choice MOON OVER MIAMI

Champion Hurdle -
I really like OSANA in the race and if the ground is quick HARCHIBALD will travel like the winner and get out with a lay as 9 yr olds dont win the Champion Hurdle

Day 2:
Ballymore Novice
The Ballymore Novice is a cracker of a race and although I love FORPADDYDEPLASTER I think that TRAFFORD LAD will be my selection

Coral Cup
LEG SPINNER is thrown in but I really like CLARNAZAR and ORBIT O GOLD at prices - interestingly the Irish dont seem to have many thrown well handicapped horses this year for the chases or hurdles

National Hunt Chase
BEANTOWN is my next best bet of the meeting as he has both race and course form and bolted up last time

Bumper
APT APPROACH and ZAARITO are both the horses to beat in the bumper with nothing between them on form

Day 3:

The Racing Post Plate
BIBLE LORD is well handicapped and is the third best bet of the week , my only doubts being extremes in ground conditions.

Pertemps Final
BACKBORD on good ground will be the best bet of the week on anything but that , he will be a leave alone

Day 4:
Never a day that I do well on so I will be watching DENMAN, ASHKAZAR,CARUTHERS and COUNTY ZEN

Short priced double:

DENMAN and NOLAND

YANKEE:
KHYBER KIM, BIBLE LORD, BEANTOWN, BACKBORD

Post Cheltenham Blues

There is no doubt that there are certain weeks of the year that make you miserable, and the pre Cheltenham week week is as they say a shocker. There is nothing to grow into across the week with the likes of Wolverhampton , Lingfield and Stratford hardly getting the juices flowing ! even the northern meetings pale into insignificance as we wait for next Tuesday an the roar of the Irish, the Guinness tent, the Arkle Bar , the tones of Simon Holt and the expectation of can I get myself in front over the four days?. The head down heart break of Juveigneiur and Character Building as they both dont quite get up coupled with the winning feeling of Cloudy Lane and Katchit, I wouldnt swop it for the world. Long after I have left this mortal coil horses will be winning gold cups and champion hurdles and until the day I die I will be spending four days watching the greatest event in the world. Just 8 nights to go .....................................