Just watching some of the racing from yesterday.  I was pleased to get two winners yesterday for my subscribers, really pleased to see Al Aakif who was advised at 11/8 grind out a victory in the 2.10 at York.  To win under a 6lb penalty is never easy, but his trainer Willie Haggas had the son of Acclamation in good shape, going away from his nearest rival Clareyblue in the last half furlong, he will keep progressing, and is well worth following.  The same applies to the second, Clareyblue showed he had taken a giant step forward from his debut third at Newmarket, he will be winning soon.

Limato was advised to my followers as the horse to be with in the 3.15 at Newmarket.  He drifted out in price to 11/4 ! But that did not stop him, he battled hard in the last half furlong, to win by a neck.  Charlie Appleby won with two nice two year olds at the track.  Summer Romance who was my other horse advised to my subscribers, won pulling a cart ! She is a decent filly, and will likely step up into a Group race now.  Charlie’s other winner at the track was Al Dabaran, who looks a nice prospect going forward.

I will do an update later today.  A quick mention for Tom Marquand and his ride on Who Dares Wins at Newcastle yesterday.  He rode a really good race to beat Luke Morris on the game Dubai Fifty, who was second.  One of my each way selections Proschema, was a staying on third, at 11/1 he was a nice profit for each way bets.  The crowd at Newcastle looked huge, I always used to like riding at the track when it was all grass, as I was born in the north, Newcastle has always been what I believe as my second favourite  racecourse.  Having grown up in Newmarket, which is what I regard as home !

An excellent days racing ahead.  It is the big race in the north east today, the Betfair Exchange Northumberland Plate Handicap at Newcastle.  With a big pot in this £150,000 added event, finding the winner is difficult.  Gibbs Hill has been well backed in the ante post market.  He has not seen a racecourse for 724 days, but his trainer Roger Varian will no doubt have him as fit as he can, the surface at the track is stamina sapping, and being a “galloping” track, Gibbs Hill has to be ready.  With regard to having a bet in it, I will be playing small stakes each way, Austrian School and Proscema are two horses that I respect, they will be my choices.

At Newmarket, I have just been talking to my great pal Paul Smith Eccles.  He is enjoying a day out with friends and family.  Paul rides out for Godolphin, and will be hoping they can have a winner or two.

I did think Limato 3.15 had a lot in his favour today, he loves the fast ground conditions, 7f is ideal as well.  He has a penalty of 5lb for his group win after 31st of August 2018, but I believe he is the best horse in the race, and will be hard to beat.

It was nice to get a winner yesterday for my subscribers.  I advised backing Milltown Star 3.20 Salisbury, my advise was bet without (Sword Beach and Atmospheric). He was even money with the two at the head of the betting market, out of the equation.   Low and behold, he drifts from 7/2-6/1 for a fixed odds win bet, he was ridden positively by Franny Norton, who had his horse more or less in front all the way, and was a cosy winner at the line.

Looking at today’s meetings, after a bit of rain earlier in the week, a number of the racecourses ground will ride on the easy side, although dry weather today could see Newmarket ride on the good side of good to soft.  The chalk based track drains very quickly.  I was at Newmarket races when Nazeef 3.50 made her debut.  She was given a kind introduction to racing that day, keeping on well in the latter stages, to finish a decent third.  She takes on the boys today, so will need to have improved for that run, she would be my idea of the one to beat in this 7f maiden event.  Her owner Hamdan Al Maktoum could have a good day.  His  Faylaq, is short odds to win the 2.45,and looks to have found another winning opportunity in this 12f handicap.  He takes on his elders today, as this race is for 3 year olds and upwards.

More later.

As a consequence of plenty of rain at Beverley and other parts of the country, numerous withdrawn horses today.  I had recommended backing one today at Beverley, who was scratched when the heavy rain fell.  I have not had a bet today as yet.  June has seen a lot of barren days for me betting wise.  With a heatwave taking place in France in some parts, hopefully we can see a dry spell for the next week or so.  Ground tomorrow needs careful consideration, punting wise!

I did think the Newbury card was worth looking at, with a lot of nicely bred types making their debuts, with good to soft ground I am watching again.  Rail Dancer 4.55 has been in good form this year.  I hope he can win again for my old pal Shaun Keightley, he is doing well since returning to training, he works very hard, and I recently bumped into him on the heath, his horses looked very healthy, and he told me he has a good team of staff, which is vital in any industry.

A late post today.  I have missed a few days of late, with a fair amount of travelling over the last few days, it has been difficult finding time !

With the 7.40 at Windsor starting in about 5 minutes, Asian Angel has drifted out to 9/4. With the support for Fox Vardy all day, who I think is too short at 11/8.  I am really tempted by Asian Angel, 9/4 is to my mind, good value, obviously he has had a long journey, he won well last Friday, and has had to travel home from Ayr.  I would think he has done very little training over the weekend, it is probably between the front two in the betting market.

A late post today.  It has been a very quiet week for me, Royal Ascot has been good to watch, but I have not got involved in having a bet.

Great to see Frankie Dettori landing a four timer today at Royal Ascot.  He proved once more that he is still a very top rider.  Stradivarius who won the Gold Cup again, was given an absolute peach of a ride.  It always helps when you have a willing partner, and nobody tries harder than this chestnut entire.  I hope he will one day be able to retire to stud, he is not over big, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with a massive engine and a big heart.  Plenty of decent races tomorrow.  If we have a dry night, I could be tempted into backing one.

After an electrical fault today and no signal, I unfortunately missed almost all the racing ran today.  I did not get involved betting, with the rainfall most of this week, I have steered clear so far of most of the racing.  Soft/ heavy ground and flat racing,  is not of interest to me.  So many upset results, I am happy not to make a contribution to the bookies benevolent fund ! I have learned to not got involved.

I will have another look tomorrow, but the ground will not have changed too much, but some tracks dry very quickly.

Having seen a lot of the racing yesterday.  The ground was quite soft at York, although a lot of the winning times suggest it was not too testing.

Mekong who was my selection in the 3.00, ran his race the wrong way round.  He took a fierce hold, racing with the “choke out” in the first mile of the race, turning into the straight the petrol gauge was empty!   He stopped very quickly, with the eventual winner patiently ridden.  Gold Mount finished off his race really well to win, from Raheen House, who was also ridden with patience at the rear of the field in the first half of the race.  What P J McDonald was thinking on Austrian School (4th) who did extremely well to finish as close as he did, I have no idea.  He rode aggressively in chasing the leader, who was going far too quick, Ryan Moore who rode Mekong, could not do a lot about his horses antics, who was racing too free.  But I was really surprised by McDonald, he never gave his horse any chance of winning. I would give Mekong another chance, and hopefully P J McDonald will look at the race, and know he made an error.

Not too much of interest today.  Celtic Manor 4.30 Doncaster, could of found a winning opportunity.  He won over 5f last time, on ground described as too quick, todays soft ground could well bring improvement, plus an extra furlong should be fine.

Two abandoned meetings today.  But 5 meetings are currently on, plus Limerick and Downpatrick in Ireland.  The main flat meeting is at York, the second day of the two day meeting.  Ground described as soft, with light rain forecast.  The 3.00 is the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes, it is a Listed race over 1mile and 6 furlongs.  With a decent field of runners, most of whom will have an eye on the main race the “Ebor” at York later in the season.  Mekong is favourite, and is justified at being at the head of the betting market.  He should handle the ground fine, has a top jockey riding, with a good run 23 days ago over 2 miles, he was a decent second that day, with old rival Austrian School a head behind him in third, and another horse he meets again Making Miracles was a further 5 Lengths back in 4th in that Group 3 event, that was run on good to firm ground, so today’s easier ground will be more appealing for all three of these useful horses.

I think Mekong could well come out on top again today, he won on very testing ground at Leicester last season, his jockey knows him well, he is a bit tight in price today, so that is the bit that is not very generous !

With testing ground at all the tracks in the UK, cautious betting is the best way to go, I tend to play small stakes on the flat when the ground is soft/heavy.  A lot of flat bred types don’t handle the deep ground as well as the National Hunt horses.

More later.

With racing at Newton Abbot abandoned due to the rain.  Aintree is the jump meeting today.  With also flat meetings at York, Goodwood, Chepstow and Fairyhouse  and Cork in Ireland.  The Friday cards are becoming very much like a smaller version of the ultra competitive Saturday cards.  At Aintree, where it is reported to be soft, good to soft in places(showers).  A few horses engaged who I follow, but they have better form on summer jumping ground, so due to the ‘freakish’ wet conditions, I’m giving them the swerve. At Sandown, Visible Charm 2.35 was fancied on debut when second.  He should come forward for that run, and if he handles the soft ground, he is the one to beat.  At very short odds on ground that he probably has never encountered before- I would rather watch than take the risk ! The same applies to Herculean 3.45, he will likely handle the ground, but 6/4 with top weight in a competitive handicap, is not appealing.

I will try and find something today, a few days where I have not got really involved, due to the heavy rain fall.

More later.