Well I had a perfect day at Ripon yesterday. The weather was lovely, the hog roast by the side entrance was still the best you’ll find on a racecourse anywhere, Harrogate Brass Band were on top form (Doncaster had McFly!) and I ended up the day in profit thanks to Blue Shoes, Pepper Lane and Mayson.
The journey there was fun – we were stuck behind a tractor on the Woodhead Pass but this meant we were travelling slowly enough to look at the scenery, the purple heather was in full bloom, we found the perfect hill (such as you’d have drawn as a child) which seemed a big deal at the time.... we spotted sheep disguised as stones and decided they’d be far better protected from the non-existent wolves if they were purple.
Todays selections are just from Pontefract:
A profit of + 1.05 today
Late today apologies - explanation simple:
There were some disappointments: Prince Of Dance finished his race lame and Alfouzy was never travelling so I’d be surprised if something wasn’t amiss there.
The journey there was fun – we were stuck behind a tractor on the Woodhead Pass but this meant we were travelling slowly enough to look at the scenery, the purple heather was in full bloom, we found the perfect hill (such as you’d have drawn as a child) which seemed a big deal at the time.... we spotted sheep disguised as stones and decided they’d be far better protected from the non-existent wolves if they were purple.Once there, our hopes were raised when the chaps we were speaking to at the champagne bar (yes, I had my daughter with me again!) told us which runners they’d bet on (all info apparently given to them by a jockey!) and which correlated nicely with all of my picks except for Number Theory that they had in the last.
Once home and recovered (aided by nice cold glass of Chablis), I took a look at thebig Arlington races and put trixies on various permutations of Treasure Beach, Stacelita, Cape Blanco, River Jetez & Ziyarid. All won or places so the betting bank coffers were boosted some more.
Todays selections are just from Pontefract:
Pontefract
14:30 Rainmac (3.05)
15:30 Dever Dream (2.94) UP (but I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the stewards enquiry afterwards - Fallon/Ahern)
A profit of + 1.05 today
Late today apologies - explanation simple:
- Cough syrup knocks over Demon Shine
- Demon Shine leaks - sneaking it's way across kitchen floor
- I gets up off chair to fetch drink, slippers (not non slip!) imitate ice skates and I discover Demon Shine puddle
- Pick up hoover in puddles way, dog starts barking (doesn't like hoover!)
- Pick up (clean) bag of cat litter in rivers way (too late) bottom of bag disintegrates
- Dog attempts to eat as much cat litter as possible before I can clear it up
- Finally mop up torrent of Demon Shine!
- Possessor of very shiny kitchen floor
Pontefract 16:00 8f, Class 3 0-95 3yo
I think this could be a much closer race than at it first appears. There are a handful of good horses with claims here. The most apparent winner would be Baptist – who has a good draw, the race will be run to suit with a couple of horses drawn nearby to give him a tow, he’s dropping down in class and has Jimmy Fortune and his impressive 47% strike rate for 3yo at this course. Lots of positives there. My concern is the course! He has only been raced on galloping tracks so how he’ll cope with this fairly sharp one is an unknown quantity ...but it would be foolish to discount him just for this alone. I have a put a slight question mark over his ability to stay the mile as well – I’m not convinced he does yet but this testing course will find him out if he doesn’t.
Tullius may do better back at a mile but the handicapper looks to have him for now. Robemaker looks to have strong claims but again, the lack of a run on a sharper track is there but more offputting is his dreadful draw in the middle (only 3 from 33 winners over a mile with a middle draw here).
Chosen Character looks a contender with a good draw, proven stamina and who has is a C&D winner. Recent stable form isn’t great so this tempers enthusiasm somewhat but I think he is overpriced and could/should manage a place.
There are negatives to be found with all the other runners which leaves Polar Kite. He doesn’t have the greatest of draws but is likely to be ridden just off the pace and Hanagan is booked so this negates that effect somewhat. We know he can cope with a sharper track from his Ripon performance and there’s no questions about his seeing out a mile. I’m taking a chance on Baptist not (yet) being a true miler and going with Polar Kite and am tempted by a combi tricast on with Baptist and Chosen Character.
Polar Kite 11/2
Combi tricast: Polar Kite, Baptist, Chosen Character
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