Cheltenham Paddy Power Meeting

The three day meeting marks the beginning of the jump season, with an unusual occurrence soft ground and a cracking meeting.

This week has already had a good start with a Lenny Lungo treble at Sedgefield and a cracking winner at Carlisle Skippers Brig. Its fantastic to see Wilson Renwick riding winners, cracking lad with great talent.

Cheltenham sees the start of the big guns and I am looking forward to seeing Tatenan, Numide, Bible Lord, Razor Royale and the potentially top class Giergio Quercus. The best bet of the three days is Numide on Sunday and with my past Cheltenham record will be my only winner (NUMIDE wins in style, above).

A quiet week abounds with Kelso the next stop on Friday.

the 4 day trip

The four day trip to the Northern Tracks of Newcastle, Wetherby and Carlisle is over and a lot has been learned. The first is don’t stay at the Golden Lion in Leyburn , it is a shocker and I mean a shocker ! and the second is that four days is too long !

Day 1 - Newcastle

Enjoyable days racing with no real stand out stars on show, with the novice MILLSTREAM looking like a horse to follow.

Day 2 - Wetherby

The best of the Northern tracks, with a good set of horses on show, it is quieter day than the Saturday and I like the freedom to rome around. The horses to follow from the day is YES SIR, back to his best on fast ground will win again if the handicapper doesn’t murder him.

Day 3 – Wetherby

A few hefty price tags on show and yet again a Howard Johnson horse gets beat on his debut when backed as if defeat is out of the question, the nicest horse on show was the mare MY PETRA and the small STATE OF PLAY has won is only race of the season. PYSCHOMONDO is a top class horse from the Ascot meeting , he has a huge engine and will be seen to better effect going left handed. Missed a big price winner in the shape of SENTRY DUTY that signalled a retreat to the bar and more money down the drain !!!

Day 4 – Carlisle – a day to far for The Adman

I don’t like the card, I am cream crackered after a huge lack of sleep due to the rampaging children on the corridors of the Golden Lion and I should just watch and learn or back SHOREACRES at the away meeting. I lose a few quid and am that tired that I am not even that bothered !!! TIDAL BAY wins, but didn’t impress me in his physical looks and the way he carried his head – he would need to improve to win at Cheltenham for me.

Jumps Jumps Jumps

Well the big guns are out already in the novice brigade up north with some big money buys showing clean pair of hooves to a few slow boats from the flat.

DOESLESSTHANME - bolted up at Kelso and Howard Johnson also unleashed DOOR BOY on the same card - the first named was fitter so the performance of DOOR BOY would take higher merit. KALAHARI KING won but was only 80% fit, didnt strike me as a chaser on shape and size and might struggle at the larger tracks when jumping is the key. DIAMOND HARRY looked classy when winning his first start over hurdles despite being badly hampered all the way from three out and STRIKING ARTICLE is the best chaser I have seen in the novice ranks.

The 4 day Northern Trip is nearly with us with NEWCASTLE , WETHERBY and CARLISLE seeing a visit from the ADMAN.

Jumps Season 2008

Its back at last , some proper racing with loads more fun !

The first meeting at Kelso has been done with a really good bumper winner MCMURROUGH one to follow closely.

plenty more to come over the coming weeks

The last run to the line..................

Well the biggest bet of my life has just until the 26th to run - can we find 9 winners from some very quiet stables ?

I am not hopeful but hope that some of the following will win and run well in April -

The Pious Prince - must have a race in him somewhere with fences maybe the making of him

Stand on Me - must pick up a race soon , the 2 mile chase in the north are quite at the moment

Rimsky Korshakov -who is now handicapped must pick up a race if he gets a mark around the 85 to 95 mark

Ballyvogue - will be Tony dobbins last winner - back to win a fortune


The Adman

Aintree day two

Good day 1 with some nice winners and the two each way big prices running 2nd at 25/1 and 20/1 !

Day 2 :

You might think I am mad but Master Minded is a lay for me at 2/7 , 4furlongs up and needs a break of 30 days between races to run to his best in what is a virtual match VOR POR USTEDES must be a bet at 7.6 on BETFAIR.

I fancy TAZBAR but SOUFLEUR is a bet at 10/1 each way - will travel well enough to get out in running.

BLUE BAJAN is a must have each way bet against CAPTAIN CEE BEE at 12/1 , he will love the track and the better going.

MISTER TOP NOTCH is exactly that but at 4/1 I would rather be with BIBLE LORD at 12/1.

The best of the day though is the very smart YONDER in the mares bumper - she is very very useful and will be campaigned on the flat after her bumper runs

Todays Bets:

BIBLE LORD small stakes each way

BLUE BAJAN each way

YONDER win

Aintree

I am for some reason really looking forward to Aintree far more than Cheltenham , I have an inkling I am about to win a few quid !

Peter Bowen and Howard Johnson's favorite meeting so watch the horses like

LENNON, SERABAD and SOUFLEUR

Day 1 :
Lots of Cheltenham horses following on , KAUTO STAR and INGLIS DREVER start day 1 what a double act - the double is about 5/2 but I dont fancy either of them - FRANCHOEK steps up in trip , I thought he had had enough at Cheltenham so must be a LAY.

Bets
SONEVUSHI and CHRISTY BEAMISH small stakes

DEV - Maximum E/W if the ground is good - will take some catching round there LENNON is the danger.

FAASEL loves the track and is a good E/W bet

and retrieval mission on COUNTY ZEN

DAY 2 has some big guns out BLUE BAJAN is motoring at home and SERABAD will win wherever he runs.