Tuesday's Turfless (Flat) Selections & Updates (profits)- 17 April

Kempton is a 'wait until later' selection brief as the forecast tomorrow is for heavy showers as is also Southwell (yes, it's all weather but it can still be slow all weather - a real trudge!).  

My nightly nap is Trans Sonic in the 15:10 at Southwell (2nd)

He's dropping a couple of grades into this class 6 claimer and can cope at Southwell when the fibresand is on the slow side. He is paired up with Daniel Tudhope again who took the ride last time he won very easily by 12 lengths at this same mark and here at Southwell.  His only real competition for the lead should come from Maslak who I'm not totally convinced has the proven stamina to take on Trans Sonic on this surface - certainly my pick is way ahead on speed ratings.  

No winners today (that doesn't happen too often) but still a profit thanks to big priced Lord Grantham coming in 3rd.  Profits of +2.59

	Kempton	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	14:20	Call Back 2nd	Lord Grantham EW 3rd
2	14:50	Emperor Charlie UP	Haar UP

Notes:

1/         I really cannot see anything else in this line up to trouble Call Back so barring falls, he should win.  Lord Grantham is the most interesting of the newcomers to hurdles and might place.  Henry Daly stable is going well right now and LG had blown the cobwebs away in a bumper in March (pulled too hard to do himself justice). 

2/         Emperor Charlie will like the good ground and has Lucy Alexander’s value claim on top of the super light weight and having won by 19 lengths carrying 10-2 LTO, shouldn’t have too much problem following up.  Haar will also like the good ground (this is all assuming no rain as forecast!) and I’ll forgive his last two outings as these were both on soft.  I think he’ll need to come down in the weights before winning though so e/w only.  

	Southwell	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	15:10	Trans Sonic 2nd

	Exeter	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	15:30	Fairoak Lad 3rd

I learned today that AP McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and Carl Llewellyn are all patrons of the Alder Hey Hospital's charity Imagine.  Every year on the Friday of the Aintree Festival, a contingent of jockeys all visit the Oncology unit to raise awareness for the charity.

Pics from the 2011 visit

The fall out from Saturday's Grand National rumbles on with John McCririck reverting to type and becoming the "industry expert" for the Daily Mail - as you'd expect he hasn't exactly defended the racing industry again (he bit the hand that fed him by selling an interview  to the Express in the immediate aftermath of the new whip rules calling for all 'barbaric' whips to be banned altogether) although on this occasion he has been a little more restrained when talking about Synchronised. 

"Racing must review whether horses should be allowed to take part if they get loose and run free.  For years, along with others, I’ve campaigned for horses to be withdrawn if they unnaturally exert themselves at such a crucial moment. The industry must act to cut down this kind of avoidable risk."

First I've heard of this years old campaign of yours John!


However, the best quote and dose of common sense I've heard during the whole debate was from Paul Nicholls who said:

"There are risks and we all try to minimise them.  A lot of people need to grow up and realise that it is life".  

Tuesday's Tantalising Selections & Updates - 03 April

Hayley Turner is to captain an all female team at the Shergar Cup on August 11th at Ascot.  The other two jockeys will be Chantal Sutherland and Emma-Jayne Wilson.  Now I'm usually the first to rally against sexism and the idea of a female jockey title or team (only because I think they are more than capable of holding their own against the boys)  but if it's good for racing then bring it on! 

Form an orderly queue chaps!

James Sullivan rode a 1512/1 double yesterday at Redcar on Lothian Countess (66/1) and Wolf Spirit (20/1) If anyone found that then they deserve every last penny and my endless admiration!

He rides Myraid for Ruth Carr (Wolf Spirit) on Tuesday at Southwell in the 17:20 - perhaps he could be worth an each way investment from a decent draw?

My nightly nap is running at Southwell tomorrow in the 15:50

500,000,000,000

Half A Billion

Southwell

15:50

2nd

Lots of places but only one short priced winner today meaning an overall loss of -6.77.  

	Sedgefield	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	14:30	Saga De Tercey 1st	Formulation (EW) UP

	Fontwell	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	14:40	Habbie Simpson 2nd

	Southwell	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	15:20	Mediterranean Sea 3rd	Three White Socks(EW)2nd
2	15:50	Half A Billion 2nd	Al Shabaq (EW) UP
3	17:20	Myraid (EW)  UP

	Thurles	First Choice	E/W or RF Choice
1	16:15	Der Spieler 2nd

Blue Monday & Results (profits) - 19 March

I'm back home (the house was still standing and hasn't been sold as far as I know) and a lovely return to Mother's Day presents and cards.  


Nightly nap is running at 15:00 Southwell:  Gentleman Anshan.  
He will have come on for the run a week ago after 4 months off the track which resulted in a decent third (a grade higher than this race as well!).  Hannah Watson knows Gentleman Anshan very well  having ridden him in all but two of his races and the soft ground, although untried, shouldn't be a problem from his breeding.  
That's The Deal was a place ahead that day (same weight difference here) but has less room for improvement and I'm not as convinced he'll handle the ground.


Well that nightly nap goes on the 'list' to be backed next time out and today is substituted by Chapel House in the same race.  Heavenly Chorus is interesting but still on too high a mark in my opinion and (as mentioned above) I reckon That's The Deal won't be completely happy with the ground.


Back to the usual format this week and I was wrong about That's The Deal (or perhaps the ground dried out...). Regardless, Piscean saved the day at a decent price and the selections are up +3.57 for the day.

	Kempton	First Choice	E/W or Forecast Choice
1	14:50	Going French UP
2	16:50	Piscean 1st
3	17:20	Blue Cossack UP (4th)
4	17:50	Forty Proof UP

	Southwell	First Choice	E/W or RF Choice
1	15:00	Chapel House 2nd

To cure the post Cheltenham blues, a trip is planned for Haydock on Wednesday and while this is not quite the same, there is a class 2 race and a chance to get near the paddock!

Wednesday's Small Selections of Selections & Updates (profits) - 29 February

Well keeping it small worked for me yesterday!  Four selections produced two winners, a second and a zero and profit of +9.11 (152%).  

My nightly nap is Ring Bo Ree in the 14:00 at Southwell tomorrow.  Possibly not the best horse on paper in the four runner field  but he's a front runner with proven stamina for this distance which should make the difference at the the business end if the race turns into the match that would seem to be on the cards.  Milgen Bay has a doubt or two over the trip having never yet successfully seen it out. Another plus is the stable form -  Tom George is firing on all cylinders at the moment with 3 winners from 5 runners in the past week.   


Of course, I could have just given you an anagram clue for this:

"Robe Reign" or "Brine Ogre" but the best is "Beer Groin"  

Hmmm.....I read the two contenders races correctly but the owned, trained, ridden by a Cornwall horse That's The Deal ran a blinder to win the 14:00.  Nevertheless a good day to round off February with a +6.35 profit (70.55%)

	Southwell	First Choice	E/W or RF Choice
1	14:00	Ring Bo Ree 2nd

1/         Reasons (hopes and dreams!) above

	Bangor	First Choice	E/W or RF Choice
1	14:20	Definite Memories 1st
2	14:50	Storming Gale 1st
3	15:25	Big Easy 1st	Silver Gypsy (EW) UP (4th!)
4	16:25	Lord Crewe UP	Fentara (EW) 3rd

Notes:

1/           Native Beauty is the obvious danger but I’d be worried that this track doesn’t suit given his performance here LTO   

2/           Line drawn under his last run now that he’s back to a far more suitable distance and track

3/           Some familiar old names lining up here.  Big Easy hasn’t run on a sharp track so there’s no way of knowing (without seeing him!) if he’ll enjoy this course.  He’s only won in single figure fields before but on the plus side, he’s very lightly raced and Hobbs stable seem to have turned the corner after a long run without a winner so assuming he takes to the track, he should win.  I do rate Silver Gypsy as a contender now she’s back to a more suitable (longer) distance and grade.  She’s never been unplaced when teaming up with Jason Maguire and her form on sharp tracks reads 1-2-3-2 so an each way in order for me. 

It may seem a little like I'm on the Paddy Power payroll but they just happen to make the best ads to do with horseracing!  This sign went up for the 2010 - no planning permission and by the time the council were able to get an enforcement order through the Festival was over and it was superfluous anyway - nice work!  This was all relayed to me by our taxi driver Trevor so therefore it must be true :)