Hopefully my followers backed Al Boum Photo yesterday. Winning the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1).  A fantastic race to watch, I actually thought his jockey Paul Townend accidentally got to the front, sooner than he wanted.  Paul actually said post race to the press, that his horse jumped his way to the front, but really good horses, seem to be able to find that bit extra, when needed, and Al Boum Photo is a very honest stayer, and galloped on strongly from the final fence, to win.

Todays racing goes ahead, with the Corona Virus causing major worldwide cancellations, racing is on.

At Fontwell, where the going will be testing. Daytime Ahead could well take the 1.15. A game winner last time, this grey mare seems to be on the up, despite being 9 years young !

Misty Whisky will head the betting in this Mares Handicap.  She seems to be very talented, but her jumping has let her down so far, she hasn’t ran badly on the two tries over timber, but slicker jumping is needed, before I would be interested in backing her.

Another Mares only race is the 5.00 Kempton.  A listed bumper.  Sabrina won well last time at Ascot.  She will need to improve from that win, if she wants to deny Coquelicot, who was a decent winner at Huntingdon last time.  I think it is between the two, I just wish the Honeyball horses were running more consistently at the moment, so I will probably watch this race, rather than get involved in the betting.

Apologies for over two weeks of no posts.  Unfortunately I had an accident, a slip on a wet drain whilst walking into St Peter Port, ended with a fractured left leg !

Today’s card at the Cheltenham festival meeting has one of my favourite races.  The JCB Triumph Hurdle.  A grade 1 event over two miles. I rode a couple of 4th’s in this race back in the 90’s. Both of them trained by Mark Tompkins, who had a lot of good horses at the time.  Canny Chronicle, who was fourth to Duke Of Monmouth, ran out of his skin that day.  Mark still tells me I should of been second, as he thought I went too soon.

Anyway today’s field has some really promising horses.  Solo was an impressive winner at Kempton 20 Days ago.  I was at the races that day.  Watching this horse coming back to the winners enclosure, he looked something special.  He would be my choice in the first race at 1.30pm.

Wide open races throughout the day.  Al Boum Photo tries to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase for the second time.  He has been prepared for this race, and hopefully, he can be the one they all have to beat again this year.

More tomorrow.

A good winner yesterday for my subscribers.  Mountain Brave 6.45 Newcastle, was advised each way, a drift out to 8/1 did not stop this filly, who won a shade cosy.  So a good end to February.

It will be nice if I can find a winner today to end the month on a high.  Plenty of good racing today.  Like any normal Saturday, finding winners is not going to be easy.

At Newbury, Ashutor 12.55 has top weight, but could well defy his welter burden of 12st 8lbs.  Katie O”Farrell rides well, and her 5lb allowance will ease the task slightly, although this race is a bit tougher than it was the other day at Catterick.

If Latin Knight handles the fibresand surface at Southwell 6.00.  He should be good enough to break his maiden.

More tomorrow.

Open racing today I thought.  At Doncaster and Newbury, where the ground will be on the soft side.  Molly Ollys Wishes 4.10 Newbury, should have a good chance of winning again.  She has a penalty for her win 27 days ago, and the Dan Skelton trained mare will be hard to beat.

The evening meeting at Newcastle has some decent fields.  Fair Star 5.10 has to improve a good amount to beat mid eighties rated Top Power.  It should be a good race.

Hopefully I can find a winner for my followers tomorrow.

Very stormy weather today.  Plenty of rain all over the Channel Islands.

Hopefully the windy conditions will not hamper the racing scheduled for Kempton today.  With the biggest field of the day at 4.30.  Only ten line up in the 6f event.  It is not a race I am likely to have a bet in, as it is very competitive.  I do think Rainbow Dancer 3.55 might just edge it over King’s Advice.  Both horses are genuine, and it will be a good race to watch.

It was really good to see Cyrname get up yesterday, he fell heavily in the Betfair Chase.  He was out on his feet from turning into the straight, and I think everyone feared the worst.  He was heavily winded, and I’m pretty sure he will be very sore this morning.

The race went to Riders Onthe Storm, who galloped on from the last fence, with his closest rival Traffic Fluide, having loomed up, who did look to me as though he may of won, if he had jumped the last fence well.  But it is a jump event.  He tipped up, but was quickly up to his feet, so if none the worse, I’m sure he will race again soon.

More tomorrow.

A late post today.  Looking at the 7.30 at Chelmsford.  I thought it was another good opportunity for Lucky’s Dream, who has won his last two races.  With good track form, he should be hard to beat.  The Game Is On , who is very likely the one that will make the running, could have his own way a little, and would be my idea of the main threat to the favourite.  Very strong winds all over the UK and parts of Europe.  The Channel Islands had a very stormy night, with tomorrow’s weather in Guernsey ok, but the forecast for Saturday is for very strong winds again. Hopefully race meetings will not be too affected.

Stormy weather has so far seen the abandonment of Exeter , with the meeting at Southwell on the fibresand currently due an inspection.  Punchestown in Ireland will also be subject to an inspection.

Yesterdays racing saw Rouge Vif 2.05 Warwick put in a good display of jumping, he beat Nube Negra, who I really fancied strongly.  Gavin Sheehan who rode the winner, is riding with great confidence at the moment.  He was very positive on his mount from halfway, and Rouge Vif galloped on strongly from two out, to win by over 6 lengths.  At Newbury, Altior 2.25, was workmanlike in his victory.  But he will likely improve for the race, and he beat some useful rivals.

More tomorrow.

Three meetings today.  Ludlow is the only jump meeting in the UK. Pretty small fields for most of the races.  Finding a winner looks difficult, so I am not getting involved there. At Southwell on the Fibresand, Mosakhar 3.30 has good form at the track, he would be my choice in this 1 Mile event.  Delleyll in the 6.40 Wolverhampton was a bit of a surprise winner at Kempton 11 days ago, but he had dropped to an attractive mark, and he could well follow up here.  He is a course and distance winner in the past, and Adam Kirby knows him well, although he did not ride him, when he won last time.

I am taking a few days off to recharge the batteries.  So my next post will be on the 2nd February.  A good start to the year for my subscribers, with January at plus 8.94 points (£894.00).  So hopefully the good run will continue into February, and the rest of the year.

Another strong day of racing from all over the country.  At Cheltenham grade 2 and 3 events over hurdles and fences.  The 3.00 has some really nice types lining up.  Trying to find the winner is very difficult.  It’s a race I will not be having a bet in, with a number of these closely rated.  House Island is the top rated on 143, and handles the ground ok, Harry Senior won well recently, and strongly suggests he is still unexposed, but a lot of these nice hurdlers are the same.  I am going racing this evening to Kempton, damp weather in the UK at the moment, hopefully I may be able to find a winner.  Thunderoad was unlucky last time at Wolverhampton, he runs at 6.00.  Stall 12 is his biggest problem, although I think he has solid each way claims.

More tomorrow.