The ground conditions took its toll on many horses yesterday.  In the Champion hurdle, Apples Jade ran no race, it was too bad to be true, possibly the ground was one of the problems, but she just under performed.  It was a shame to see Buvair D’Air fall early on, but take nothing away from the winner Espoir D’Allen, he was very impressive.  The mare Benie De Seux who fell in the 4.10 when well clear, was a life saver for the bookmakers, she was very short odds to win.  I think she fell because of jockey error, she met the obstacle on a long stride, Ruby Walsh asked her and she clipped the top and toppled over.  Jockeys when in front at the last, especially when clear, should always get their mount to go in and ‘pop’ over, if you ever end up on the turf, it is often rider error!

On to today’s racing.  At Cheltenham, the ground will be very ‘tacky , tiring going today.  The winds will have dried it, but it will still take a lot of stamina and horses will need to stay very well.  Santini 2.10 has had an issue with his foot, but I think his trainer would not risk him, unless he thought he would run a big race.  He handles soft, heavy ground well, and has a solid chance.  The final race of today at 5.30 is the Champion bumper race.  I thought Blue Sari was really impressive in his win in Ireland, he is the only runner in it for Willie Mullins, so must be expected to win.

At the other meetings, I like the look of Cuban Spirit each way 2.35 Lingfield, he was given a poor ride last time, with the excellent David Probert taking over today, I think he can be competitive, from not a great draw !

Nice winner for my subscribers yesterday.  Smarty Wild 4.30 Taunton was advised at Evens yesterday morning, he returned at 10/11 and was an easy winner.

Hopefully followers may of taken my advise and backed Orange Blossom 5.00 Kempton, she was around 6/1 when I put my post out yesterday, she was backed into 5/1.

Looking at today’s Cheltenham card, and with lots of rain around, the going looks like being very testing.  I do think OK Corral 5.30 has a really good chance, I’m just a bit worried that lots of rain may make the 3m 7f distance very testing, it will make it more difficult, but he will of been well prepared for this race.  So a bit of caution if having a bet at the big meeting.  I always play small stakes at this meeting, everything is trying for their lives and races are so competitive.

The main race today is the Champion hurdle at 3.30, Apples Jade looks likely to start as favourite, she has been really impressive this season, she probably doesn’t want really soft ground to be at her best, so rain is a worry.  Reigning champion Buvair D’Air will handle soft ground well, it will be good if he can win it again.  The meeting gets started at 1.30 with quite an open race, Al Dancer has been improving all season, he is a strong traveller who could be suited by a strong gallop. It will be a good race to watch.

I will do an update later around 3pm.

Update:

Later update than planned, a lot of rain has made the ground very testing at Cheltenham, I’m concerned for OK Corral , regarding the trip of almost 4 Miles.

More tomorrow.

The biggest issue over the weekend has been the photo finish at Sandown in the 1.50 race on Saturday.  The problem was that Sandown has two winning posts, one I believe is for the flat track and the second one is for the jump races.  Racetech who are contracted to take the photo images, had set up a camera on both winning posts ! The problem arose as the judge received a photograph of the two horses as they passed the first winning post, One For Rosie was about a neck up on Third Watch on this photograph.  So the judge calls the result as One For Rosie the winner, luckily it takes about 5-6 minutes before the “weighed in “ is called, and in those crucial minutes someone realised that the photograph of the “correct “ winning post showed that Third Watch was a nose ahead, and was the winner ! So the judge announces the error,  and gives Third Watch as the winner before the “weigh in “ signal is announced.  The issues are:

1.  Some of the bookmakers had paid out bets on One For Rosie, so had to pay out again on Third Watch.
2. Why did the judge not realise when shown the wrong photograph, that it didn’t look right, before giving out the wrong result. He had seen it was very close at the correct winning post, as he watched it live, he surely should of known it didn’t look right.

It was an absolute shambles really.  I do not have that much sympathy for the bookmakers, as they are not obliged to pay out, until the “weighed in “ has been announced, so it is their choice, and they really only have themselves to blame, if they have paid out on One For Rosie.

The problem is something similar happened at Sandown during the flat season, so it should not of happened again.

On to today’s racing.  At Plumpton, where the ground will ride soft Shantung 3.50 will handle the ground, she has a good chance of winning this handicap hurdle, she has top weight, but it does not look a strong race, with a number of horses out of form.  At Kempton this evening, Physics takes a drop down in trip in the 5.00, he ran well on his debut over 6f, the drop to 5f should be ok, he probably has most to fear from Orange Blossom, she has the most experience and was a good second last time at the track, at 6/1 she is a bit of value each way.

Looking at the cards today in the Uk , pretty tough at trying to find a winner.  I do think in the 1.52 Saint Cloud, Zyzzyva has a good chance of winning, he should handle the very soft ground ok , it is a jump in class but a good chance.

More later.

Good to get another winner yesterday for my subscribers.  Affluence 4.20 Lingfield was advised at 11/8 in the morning, heavily backed into Evens , he was a very easy winner.

I also gave followers 3 winners, on here yesterday.  A couple of short odds good things in Divine Messenger 2.10 Lingfield, Hatcher 1.50 Leicester and Glenno who was around 7/4 when I put out my message won at Sandown 4.45.

Today is a typical Saturday, some really good races.  The ground at Sandown will be soft and hard work for the horses.  At Wolverhampton Captain Lars 1.30 is going to be very hard to beat, he is short odds, but one to put in the doubles and trebles, he looks a penalty kick. In the 3.15 Oh This Is Us has a good chance of winning, he likes the distance and is in good form.

Back at Sandown, in the ultra competitive 1.50 Russian Hawk is around 8/1 and has a good each way chance, he should handle the ground ok and is very honest.  The 3.00 is a mares National Hunt flat race, with listed status and a good winning pot, Silver Forever has the best form on offer, and I think she can win again.

More Later.

Small fields again today at Lingfield, with a match race late in the card at 4.55.  I did think Divine Messenger would be very hard to beat in the first race at 2.10, he has the most consistent form of the four runners, and has won  at the track before, although he got the race taken off him in the stewards room.  Sandown is the main meeting today.  Jimmy The Digger tries hurdles today for the first time in the 2.00, if he jumps well, he could be the main threat to short odds favourite Precious Cargo, who looked useful, when winning at Kempton 39 days ago.  Gleno 4.45 was an easy winner last time, he runs here under a penalty, and should win again if none the worse for that recent success 9 days ago.  At Leicester in the 1.50, Hatcher tackles fences for the first time, he is a real keen front runner, if he respects his fences he can get off to a winning start for owner Pat Betts, who has had horses in training for many years, I rode for him when he had horses with Mark Tompkins in the 90’s !

More later.

Plenty of rain at the meeting at Carlisle today, the ground will ride on the heavy  side.  I do like one or two horses running at the track today, but I’m not sure they will handle the conditions as well as they do on decent ground. At Wincanton in the 2.10 I thought Peak To Peak would have a good each way chance, he is a horse I follow, and looked in need of the run last time when slightly dissapointing.  The heavy rain may be the biggest worry, but he takes his chance, so connections must think he will handle the going.

More later.

It was nice to get a winner for my subscribers yesterday.  Smarty Wild 2.15 Exeter was a big drifter in the betting, he went from evens-9/4 ! But was a really easy winner.  I also advised followers to back Song Saa 3.30 Newcastle, another drifter in the betting, she was 2/1, so a good day for horses unfancied in the betting.

Todays racing has a pretty awful look to it at Lingfield, only 19 horses running in 6 races.  Lots of trainers and jockeys have tried to boycott the meeting due to the dismal prize money.  I am not totally sure what the answer is to this on-going problem.  But to be racing in 2019 for under £3500 is ridiculous.

I have not really looked at the fields much at the meeting today, as three races are match events. Fontwell runners is pretty bad today as well.   Away For Slates 4.10 is looking for his third win, he should have no trouble in getting the hat trick.

Tonight at Kempton the races are a lot more competitive, Ironclad has been well backed in the 6.00, he is having his first run, and will need to be above average to make a winning debut.  The best race of the night is the 7.00. Spanish Mission could run well at decent odds, he was impressive last season when winning over 10f.  The drop back to 1 Mile today is a slight concern, plus this is a decent race.

Hopefully any followers took my advise and backed Canyon City 3.10 Fakenham yesterday, he was returned at 9/5 and with a good jump at the last hurdle, he got up near the line to win by a 1/2 length.

Today with rain around it may ride softer than forecast at Exeter.  So look for something that handles ground on the easy side of soft !

The same applies at Newcastle, both meetings look pretty competitive.  Song Saa 3:30 will be short odds to win, she has done little wrong of late, and should win again for her amateur jockey Noel George, who is the son of the mares trainer Tom.  At Wolverhampton this evening, Pink Flamingo could provide jockey Joe Fanning with another winner at 6.00, although top weight A Sure Welcome was unlucky last time, and is a course specialist, it will likely be a good race between the two as I see it.

Looking at yesterday’s racing.  Mootasadir was a good winner at Wolverhampton 6.45.   He is a horse to follow, as is Questionare who got up in the shadow of the winning post to catch Wanaasah and win by a nose, it was a good performance, as he was very green in the first half of the race and did well to win.

A delay at Fakenham, they have only raced the first two races, the 3.10 is going ahead in the next 5 minutes or so, not sure what the delay was for as I have been out of the house.  I did think Canyon City in the 3.10 , would stay the step up in trip and defy top weight.  Some average racing today I thought, at least the ground is not too soft at either turf track.

Every thing at the moment seems to be trainers getting ready for next weeks big meeting at Cheltenham.  The only ante post bet I have had was a few weeks ago, I backed Sir Erec for the Triumph hurdle at 11/4 , he is currently around 6/4 at the moment.  It is always a good meeting, and always hard to find winners, as everything is trying for their lives !

More later.