With lots of wind and rain forecast today over many parts of the UK, it will be best to wait and see !

At the Curragh in Ireland, it is a first as far as I am aware that they are having a Group 1 race on a Friday evening.  The 6.50 is the Keenland Phoenix Stakes, ran over 6f for 2yo colts and fillies.  Siskin heads the betting market, unbeaten in three starts so far, he is the colt that they all have to beat.  He won well on his last run, beating Monarch Of Egypt that day, who lines up against him again today.  I think Siskin will be hard to beat, and win this.

At the evening card at Newmarket, Volkan Star lines up at 6.35.  This well bred son of See The Stars was a million pound yearling, so the £8000 added won’t make much difference to that, if he wins.  He has a big reputation, apparently he has been working very well on the Newmarket gallops, so a winning start will be expected.

Reading the press yesterday on the planned $20 million race in Saudi next year.  Hopefully it will go ahead, I saw Frankie Dettori has been in America promoting the race, planned to take place next February. Which could tie in nicely with the Dubai World Cup, which is ran in the last week of March.

A bit of rain likely at a few racecourses today.  It will not really change the ground much at Newcastle, as it is tapeta.  I was told the other day that the surface is riding really slow at the moment. Michael Dickinson who deigned this surface, told me that it should ride quite fast, although it all depends on ground staff, who can make it ride “slower” if required.   Having had some experience of riding on the tapeta surface myself when I was working for Godolphin, all I would say is that the surface was quite “sticky”, especially if you rode horses when trotting on it, we had a fair few horses that lost shoes, basically it is not designed for trotting on !  If it is riding on the slow side, it is highly likely that the groundsman has made sure of that !

The 8.05 at Newcastle looks a good opportunity for River Cam, she should be fine on the surface, this filly was slightly unlucky on debut at Yarmouth, when a closing second at the line.  I think with that experience, this filly can take a step forward and get off the mark tonight.  Her trainers horses are in good form, and jockey,  PJ McDonald rides this track well.  One race at Sandown tonight,  at 7.15, is a really competitive handicap.  Two horses that I believe are over priced, are Mokamaal and Durrell, both of these have live chances, it is a really difficult race to pick the winner, I have had a bit each way on my picks,  who are priced at 5/1 and 11/1.

A late post today.  Delighted to get a good winner tonight for my subscribers.  I advised backing Eshaasy 6.30 Kempton at 3/1 last night, heavily backed into 6/4.  A short margin win at the line, but possibly a bit left in the tank !

Looking at the remaining races tonight, not too much of great interest.  Some really good racing ahead at the weekend, I am waiting for a couple of horses at the weekend, hopefully the weather forecast over the next few days will be wrong, it is for rain and high winds, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

More later.

A fair amount of thunder storms are forecast over the UK today, mainly in the north and over Scotland.  So a bit of caution regarding having a bet.

In France yesterday, Advertise was another Group 1 winner for Frankie Dettori.  He has landed 12 Group 1 victories in the last 66 days ! I am sure that record will last for a long time.  With the backing of John Gosden, he may well extend his tally by some way, before the end of 2019.  He is riding so confidently at the moment, all those positive vibes, do help the horses.  Don’t get me wrong, you need to be riding good horses, when trying to win big races, but confidence is a good mindset !

Looking at the racing today, the racing at Windsor looks pretty tough to solve.  I have had a couple of bets at Ripon, hopefully they can win.  I am waiting for some really nice two year olds to run this week.  A couple of them I took note of a few weeks ago, hopefully they could run.  August is usually a decent month for me, so I would like to keep the good run going.

More tomorrow.

Nice winner for followers yesterday, First in Line was a short price, but won easily at  Doncaster.

Today looks a bit tricky.  I did think Sermon would win the 2.00 Chester.  He has been gelded since his last run, well drawn, he could be suited by today’s conditions.  Lexi The One could well be a live threat at decent odds, she ran a really good race last time, and the drop back to 5f should not pose too many problems.  I also like Oh Purple Reign 4.15, who has been running well all season, he drops back to 6f today, which should suit.

More later.

A few races already ran at most tracks.  Baasem 2.20 Doncaster just spreadeagled the 5 opponents, a very convincing win off his current handicap mark of 80.  I would expect his handicap mark to take a sharp rise.

At Goodwood the main race is the Unibet Stewards Cup At 3.40.  With £250,000 added prize money, it is a really competitive race.  Won by some really good horses over the years.  Khaadem is a vastly improved three year old.  He will find this his biggest test against seasoned handicappers.  I thought Buridan who is well drawn, very honest, and a big price.  I am backing him for small money each way at 50/1.  It is a stick a pin in the paper job really !

I thought First In Line 3.30 Doncaster could win again.  He is short odds, but his form is solid, and he won a shade cosily last time, from a useful performer, who was placed in a competitive handicap this week off 98.

More Later.

Decent run for my advised selection yesterday.  Well Funded was advised at 11/2 each way, having every chance when briefly leading at the furlong marker in the 5.10 Nottingham.  A good second at the line, behind the odds on favourite, giving a small profit was ok.

I just watched the first race at Goodwood.  Jubiloso was an unlucky third, I would think her jockey Ryan Moore will be at pains to watch the replay !

Looking at the remaining races.  At Bangor the ground should ride good, it is usually well maintained by the ground staff.  The 3.20 has not many runners, I was quite impressed with Illustrissime when he won at Southwell.  Always travelling well, despite a few “Novice” mistakes, he found a good turn of foot on the run in, to beat a horse rated 117.  I would expect him to win again.  All eyes will be on Newmarket tonight.  William Buick returns from a head injury, having been off since May.  He has two rides.  Hopefully he will be fine, his mount in the 6.25 Lazuli has been well backed.  Art Song 8.00 is William”s other ride.  He won on debut last season on the all weather at Kempton.  He will have to be well tuned to beat Loving Glance , who ran a really good race on debut, and in receipt of 12lbs, she looks the one to beat.

With a good winner to end July for my subscribers yesterday, the profit was 5.9 points (£593)  for the month.  So happy with that.  Edaraat was my advised selection yesterday.  Despite the drift in the market from 6/4- 5/2, the Roger Varian trained son of Exceed And Excel got the job done, maybe the showers of rain, which had not really got into the ground, was one reason why he drifted in price.

I also advised followers that Too Darn Hot would be my choice at Goodwood, given a confidant ride by Frankie Dettori, who produced his horse well inside the last furlong, to win a shade cosily at the line.  I think this horse could drop back to 6f and win at the top level, he has so much speed.

On to today’s racing.  The third day of Goodwood, with a really good field for the main race at 3.35.  This Group 1 fillies 10f event has attracted some very useful fillies.  Hermosa from the big Ballydoyle operation will likely start as favourite.  She has done very little wrong this year, and if she stays the 10f, she will be hard to beat.  I think she has every chance of getting the trip.  I hope the rain stays away, and then the ground should be just about ideal for all of them.

More later.

I hope followers backed all three of my horses advised yesterday. I did manage to double and treble them, so a good day all round.

Final day of July, Goodwood looks a really warm clear day.  With Too Darn Hot lining up at 3.35 in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1), hoping to keep the fantastic form of trainer/jockey combination of John Gosden and Frankie Dettori.

He is short odds favourite to win this big prize.  With the sharper track likely to play to his strengths, I would not look elsewhere than him.   Pace is likely to be strong, and as this son of Dubawi tends to race keenly, it could work out ideally for him.

A few horses that I follow line up in later races.  It is drizzling with rain at Perth at the moment, so I will keep a close eye on that.  The majority of horses entered at the track are likely racing as the ground was described as “good” this morning.

More later.

Just watching the Racing Tv channel.  James Willoughby has just been making a valid point about race times being important, I agree that they are.  Willoughby was making a point about Visinari , who runs at 2.25 Goodwood.  When this horse won on his debut, he clocked a very fast time.  Made favourite for his next run at Newmarket, which was a step up in grade, some people were disappointed to see him finish third that day, but he was beaten only a short head and a head, so it was a good run.  What I will say about this horse is, when he won on his debut, I was at the races.  On looking at him in the paddock,  before the race, I marked him down as tall, leggy and still unfurnished.  So I was a bit surprised to see him clock such a fast time, and win so easily.  I think that he is a good horse, but still weak, and will not be surprised if he gets beat again today.  It’s a hot race, and a few rivals, could well be a bit more mature, than Visinari is, at the moment.

On to the other races.  At Perth 6.15, Nietzsche has an excellent chance of winning again, a previous winner at the track, he has found another good opportunity.

At Yarmouth this afternoon, Royal Residence 4.00 has a decent chance of upsetting the favourite Majaalis.  If any rain arrives, it will help the James Tate trained colt.  At Galway in Ireland, Fast Buck will be hard to beat at 5.20.

More later.