Well since my last blog (Monday), lots happened!
Finally a big thanks for the price I won in the free draw organised by Martin of http://www.betting-portal.com/. This site is well worth a visit and bookmark - there are always lots of free tips and competions up and since it's been going since 2003 they must be getting it right! Also thanks to Skybet who provided the prize (I have yet to decide how to 'invest' - may be something ridden by Graham Lee or 'Maggot' aka Matthew Cosham) . Both these generous peeps are followable on Twitter @bettingportal and @skybet
- All the grass in the world is being rained upon and turning soft (well it seems that way)
- There's been a Diamond Jubilee
- I visited Leicester racecourse for the first time
- I saw a very silly man dashing around Leicester racecourse with a small lady three steps behind him at all times with pen and notepad (think Alan Partridge and Carol!)
- I witnessed the Fallon deathglare firsthand (not directed at me I hasten to add or I may have shrivelled up and disappeared into a soggy puff of smoke)
- Black Caviar landed on British soil wearing a compression suit for travelling in and which made her bum look very big
- Black Caviar is still struggling with the concept of 'rain' and 'soft'
- All the grass in the world is being soccered upon and the footballers are turning soft (well it seems that way..or it could be the really heavy blades of grass that keep getting in the way and tripping them up)
Amazingly there is not one single Class 1 race in the UK or Ireland on a Saturday in June tomorrow (with 8 meetings!)....no doubt all waiting safely for Royal Ascot which begins on the 19 June.
Doncaster 15:15
5f races here have a hefty draw bias for low to middle with only 17% winning from a high draw at this distance so in this I shall be looking at those starting from stalls 1-6. Another rule that I've set myself is that in maidens of classes 4, 5 and 6, I don't back unraced runners (Hannon runners are the only exception). Taking out any that are returning to the track after a long absence (90+ days) with a claimer booked to ride and this narrows the field down to three: Planetex, Mon Duchess and Majestic Angel. Majestic Angel showed next to nothing on her debut (16/20) whereas Mon Duchess performed adequately on soft on hers and may prefer this shorter trip. Planetex should cope with the ground from breeding and is a whole lot better than his 9th (last!) place suggests from his last outing, having missed the break completely and being then given a tender ride by his jockey. Sir Maximilian will be hot fav (and rightly so) but with such a negative draw he will have to be very good and so I'll back both Planetex and Mon Duchess each way. Neither placed
Chester - look out for Franny Norton here today. He rides Chester like a demon and is the only jockey who I would have faith in to win from the coffin-box outside draw. So put the combination of plum draw 1, Marwan Koukash and Franny together in the 14:35 and Pintura (2nd) looks a big price at 9/2 with Imperial Djay (1st) the biggest danger in my book.
Doncaster 15:45 I'm all over Fathsta (UP 6th) in this. There is the tiniest advantage over 7f here toward a mid/high draw but for some reason, 7f races at Doncaster need a really good pilot - one of the top 3 in the race and Buick ticks this. Fathsta had his run blocked last time out and likes it best on a left handed galloping course like this. Soft is no problem as he's won on it before and ditto 7f.
The possibility of a Frankel v. Camelot match has been given a bit more substance since Sir Henry Cecil has given an interview. The Juddmonte at York in August has been mentioned but the end of the season Ascot Champions' Meeting would surely be a more likely meeting. Lets keep our fingers crossed but....I have a feeling that Camelot connections may be less keen!
Doncaster 15:15
5f races here have a hefty draw bias for low to middle with only 17% winning from a high draw at this distance so in this I shall be looking at those starting from stalls 1-6. Another rule that I've set myself is that in maidens of classes 4, 5 and 6, I don't back unraced runners (Hannon runners are the only exception). Taking out any that are returning to the track after a long absence (90+ days) with a claimer booked to ride and this narrows the field down to three: Planetex, Mon Duchess and Majestic Angel. Majestic Angel showed next to nothing on her debut (16/20) whereas Mon Duchess performed adequately on soft on hers and may prefer this shorter trip. Planetex should cope with the ground from breeding and is a whole lot better than his 9th (last!) place suggests from his last outing, having missed the break completely and being then given a tender ride by his jockey. Sir Maximilian will be hot fav (and rightly so) but with such a negative draw he will have to be very good and so I'll back both Planetex and Mon Duchess each way. Neither placed
Chester - look out for Franny Norton here today. He rides Chester like a demon and is the only jockey who I would have faith in to win from the coffin-box outside draw. So put the combination of plum draw 1, Marwan Koukash and Franny together in the 14:35 and Pintura (2nd) looks a big price at 9/2 with Imperial Djay (1st) the biggest danger in my book.
Doncaster 15:45 I'm all over Fathsta (UP 6th) in this. There is the tiniest advantage over 7f here toward a mid/high draw but for some reason, 7f races at Doncaster need a really good pilot - one of the top 3 in the race and Buick ticks this. Fathsta had his run blocked last time out and likes it best on a left handed galloping course like this. Soft is no problem as he's won on it before and ditto 7f.
The possibility of a Frankel v. Camelot match has been given a bit more substance since Sir Henry Cecil has given an interview. The Juddmonte at York in August has been mentioned but the end of the season Ascot Champions' Meeting would surely be a more likely meeting. Lets keep our fingers crossed but....I have a feeling that Camelot connections may be less keen!
Sadly I'll Have Another has been retired and won't be running in the the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. He has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes and this was the final race in the Triple Crown. He has a tendon injury and connections have taken the decision to retire him. His trainer, Doug O'Neill has not had a whole lot of luck and has been very recently under investigation (along with several other trainers) for the improper administration of medications on horses in his stables. It's the fourth time that his horses had been found with raised levels of carbon dioxide in their blood -which is usually due to the practice of "milkshaking" which involves feeding the horse baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), sugar and water though a tube into their nose. This neutralises lactic acid and thus delays fatigue and muscle soreness meaning the horse can perform at 100% for longer. O'Neill has denied ever being involved in such practices and has yet to announce whether he'll be appealing the suspension in the courts.
In the absence of I'll Have Another, I may just have a reverse forecast on Dullahan and Paynter....
Finally a big thanks for the price I won in the free draw organised by Martin of http://www.betting-portal.com/. This site is well worth a visit and bookmark - there are always lots of free tips and competions up and since it's been going since 2003 they must be getting it right! Also thanks to Skybet who provided the prize (I have yet to decide how to 'invest' - may be something ridden by Graham Lee or 'Maggot' aka Matthew Cosham) . Both these generous peeps are followable on Twitter @bettingportal and @skybet
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