With lots of rain widespread in the UK forecast, ground will be very testing at both jump meetings today.  Wolverhampton has all weather racing on the flat and is where I am looking for a bet.

Todays Free tip is as follows:

Horse: Humbert

Time: 5.40 Wolverhampton

Current Odds: Evens

This horse won well recently, after a long lay off.  He is facing stronger opposition today, but the horse he beat when winning has won since, and hopefully he will be ridden positively today,  as he is a strong traveller, and will possibly get further. He can improve to win this.  At Kempton , he really took some pulling up when he won.  Of rivals, Mythical Madness is a winner at the track, and will be the main rival I think, he will be a late closer, Poets Society is another that could well run better than his recent form.

No tip today.  Only one flat meeting and two jumps with the card in Ireland.  Hoping Linganno Felice can run well at Southwell 2.55, my wife is in partnership with her father in him.  He has been off the track over 10 months, so will improve for today I’m sure.

Saturday has always so much racing and is always the hardest day to find a winner.  Looking at todays card’s is difficult, hoping for winner to two !

Todays Free tips are as follows:

Horse: Secret Investor

Time: 12.55 Kempton

Current Odds: 5/4

A shade unlucky last time not to win when a mistake two out possibly cost him, Secret Investor can go one better today.  The step up to 3 miles should pose no problem, and I think he can beat his main threat Che Des Obeaux, although it won’t be easy.  Of other rivals Duke De Barry has to show a marked improvement to beat the first two in the betting.

 

Horse: Red Indian

Time: 2.40 Kempton

Current Odds: 12/1 ew

In a race that is wide open I am backing this horse each way, he is a bit of value each way and comes into the race of a couple of decent efforts.  He has a good racing weight and will handle the ground and the trip is fine. Of rivals, lots with chances, River Frost looks as though he has targeted this race, he ran well last time and has a good chance, William Henry comes here off a poor run over fences, he should be much happier back over the smaller obstacles today.  Diese Des Bieffes is a novice running a handicap for the first time, he is useful and has a good claimer on top, which makes him competitive.

 

 

Bit of run of seconds of late, after a really good start to the year.  Two seconds yesterday , they were just beaten by better horses.

Todays Free tips are as follows:

Horse: Early Morning

Time: 2:20 Lingfield

Current Odds: 7/1 ew

In a competitive handicap, my selection has solid each way claims, he is 2-2 on the track , likes 7f and his jockey has won on him before.  He has gone up a bit from last time in the weights, and did run ok in France on his last run.  Of rivals, Mysitique Moon should come on for his last run, it was after a bit of a break, so he is very likely going to be competitive, drop back to 7f is possibly not a big problem as he won over 7f before, Shyron has also a chance to be in the mix, he likes the track and is coming of a good win.

 

Horse: Style De Garde

Time: 3:00 Huntingdon

Current Odds: Evens

This horse won well last time, he is upped in grade and will be hard to beat today.  He is a strong traveler and will handle the soft ground well. Of rivals , Gumball is his biggest rival I think, if he jumps better than his last run he is a big rival, he usually goes a good gallop and hopefully will today and set the race up for my selection.

Great shame to hear former Champion flat apprentice Bryn Crossley died recently, he was only 59.  I actually rode against Bryn on the flat when I was an apprentice, before I went on to ride jumping. Later when  I worked for Godolphin, Bryn was part of the team in Dubai, he used to stay in Dubai when we returned with the horses every spring to race in Europe each year. He kept the yard tidy and had all repairs done, and everything ready for when we returned in the Autumn.  He was obviously a good jockey and rode over 200 winners, he was a small man with a huge personality, life was always entertaining with him in or out of work. I had not seen him for a number of years as he was living in Spain.  I heard he had been unwell and in and out of hospital recently, sadly he had a seizure and failed to recover.

 

Hitting the crossbar over last few days ! Looking at the positives, still a profit for the month, looking to get back in the groove today.

Todays free tips are as follows:

Horse: Tabernas

Time: 3.35 Newcastle

Current Odds: 11/8 Without Fav

It is difficult to split the favourite Battle Lines and Tabernas in this race as I see it, so I suggest backing without the favourite, its 11/8 on Betfair and a few other firms if you shop around. Tabernas was a close 4th last time at the track, he steps up 2f today which should be ok, and as mentioned looks as though he has Battle Lines to beat. Flag Festival the stablemate of Tabernas has been gelded and could step forward from his debut run, The Jungle Vip was disappointing last time, he is quite small and could of ran his best race on debut, Swordcraft is a unknown on debut.

 

Horse: Native Appeal

Time: 5.05 Newcastle

Current Odds: Evens

I think my selection can follow up under his penalty.  He won well in the end  at Kempton last time,  and looks a progressive type, he has Three Weeks as the main threat, who won a shade cosy at Lingfield last time as well, it will be a good race, with Danzay also in the mix with a chance on his two recent seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got a winner yesterday with Black Op, an easy winner at Doncaster.  My other selection Acker Bilk at Southwell was second, only just beaten a neck, by a horse that looked as though it wanted to win a bit more than he did.

Todays Free tip is as follows:

Horse: Grey Waters

Time: 2:15 Lingfield

Current Odds: 13/8

A winner on the all weather surface at Kempton late last year,  and still quite well in on her flat mark, the long trip from Ireland can pay off today for Grey Waters.  Her jockey is riding well and full of confidence. She stays well and 2 miles is fine, she ran well over hurdles last time. And can win this.

Of rivals, Authors Dream looks the main threat, but was behind my selection when they met at Kempton, and is worse off at the weights today. Bertie Moon is a recent winner, and is genuine, he has a chance as well to be in the mix.

Todays Free tips are as follows:

Horse: Acker Bilk

Time: 12.15 Southwell

Current Odds: 5/4

This horse won easily last week at Wolverhampton.  I think he can follow up on his first try on the fibresand today.  He looks the type that has needed time to develop, his jockey rode hime when he won so knows how to ride him.  Of rivals  Topamichi is a horse with talent, but tends not to produce everything he has, he will act on the surface and if in the mood, he is a threat, Swift Cedar is a course winner ands a chance, he ran well last time.

 

Horse: Black Op

Time: 12.25 Doncaster

Current Odds: 4/6

Although short odds, I suggest having a double with my other selection and it is around a 5/2 bet.  This horse ran really well last time, and has one to beat as I see it in this race. He will act on the surface and has a very good jockey on top. His danger Colonial Dreams has to step up on his last run to be a real threat to my selection, he has yet to totally prove himself on softish ground.

 

Soft/heavy ground at Fontwell today, the only turf meeting to survive.  I was just talking to my father in law, he lives in Jedburgh right on the border,  in Scotland, he tells me its -6, so here in Guernsey at 10 I feel quite a bit warmer.  I see Hereford has been called off.

Todays Free tip is as follows:

Horse: Puppet Warrior

Time: 3.45 Fontwell

Current Odds: 6/4

This horse was a bit out of his depth last time at Ascot.  In a much easier grade today, he should take all the beating, he handles soft ground and has the experience of having a couple of runs over hurdles, he was second on his first run over hurdles at Plumpton, if he reproduces that run he will be tough to beat, some good bumper form last season as well, will be helpful.  I do like the jockey as well, he is under rated.  Of rivals, Seaston Spirit has ran well in bumper races, he is though unproven on a soft surface, he will probably handle it, and is sure to be well schooled on his first run over hurdles in public, he is a danger.  Mellow Ben has not really set the world alight on his runs in bumper races, he did run ok over hurdles last time, and  he does come from a good yard,  and may well show more today.

Good Boy Bobby winning yesterday was another day of profit, hoping to keep up the decent run today.

Todays Free Tip is as follows:

Horse: Harefield

Time: 1.35 Plumpton

Current Odds: 4/5

With heavy ground at Plumpton today, it will be hard work.  My selection has won on soft ground and should be ok on the ground, he looked to be an improving type when winning last time, the step up to 2m 4f should be no problem, as Plumpton is a sharp track and a bit easier to get the trip.  With his stable just returning to some form, he can win this today.

Of rivals, Game On looks the obvious main threat, he has shown some fair form and is dangerous.  The rest are pretty much ordinary, Larry has shown ok form and could well run well at decent odds.

 

 

Another good winner today , Good Boy Bobby won easily 3.55 Chepstow.  I am not backing this evening, end the day on a winner.