A good winner yesterday for my subscribers, Iley Boy 6.45 Kempton was a big drifter in the betting from 13/8 -11/4, but it did not stop him battling on well under useful apprentice Cieran Fallon.  It looks as though Fallon has inherited his parents riding talent, hopefully he has no real weight issues, and can keep improving.

Today has Huntingdon, Wetherby and Limerick in Ireland holding jump racing and Chelmsford City and Newcastle on the level.  The ground is drying out, Huntingdon ground is good,  and racing looks competitive, I am interested in a few at the track, so will watch the first race, as I want to see how fast or slow the going looks, at Wetherby in the first race at 1.50, I thought Fransham had the best form, although he did not find much for pressure last time, Swordbill could be his biggest rival, if he jumps better than he has in his two tries over obstacles.  Conchita 1.40 Huntingdon tries hurdles today for the first time, she is a winner of a bumper, and has a good chance of getting off the mark in this race.

Chelmsford has some potentially nice horses running at the track,  Derevo 2.30 has been heavily backed in the morning, he showed a lot of promise on his only run last year, it looks a good race for him to start 2019.  He may well be a typical Sir Michael Stoute type, who will improve lots with experience.

I have read about Brendan Powell retiring from the training ranks.  He has had a few lean years winners wise over the last 5 years, it is really hard to keep going when you have under 20 horses, hopefully he will continue in some capacity within racing, as his experience as a former jockey and trainer can be helpful for young people who are considering racing as a career path.

The ground at Nottingham today looks to be on the fast side of good, the last winner Garrus, in the 2.30 just broke the 5f course record.  It looks really nice conditions for jumping at Warwick as well, the sun is shining.  Later in the card at Warwick Djin Conti has top weight, I don’t think he will mind drying ground, and may well be good enough in the 3.45.  At Lingfield on the all weather Velvet Moon has a favourites chance at 4.30, she likes to get on with things, and the drop back to 6f was right up her street last time.  With an evening all weather card on the level, a few tricky races at the Sunbury track, a couple of horses I follow are lining up, I will watch the betting and have a look at them before possibly having a bet, fitness and how they are handling the preliminaries is always key.  I saw a race last night at Gowran Park, one horse that was attracting some market support, looked very big (belly) walking round the paddock, it ran ok but was clearly in need of the run.  It’s important to try and have a look at them, cantering to post, and how they handle the preliminaries, I have “cashed out” many times, when things don’t look right.

More later.

Update: 7pm

I like Twilight Payment in the last race at Gowran at 7.40, he has a bit of quality.  The stable are in good form of late,  It is a race which also has Hasanabad in it, who is unexposed.  He could be a potentially nice horse, one run in a good maiden last year when he was third.  Interesting race.

More tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good winner yesterday for my subscribers, Days Of Glory 3.20 Windsor was my only advised bet when 2/1 in the morning, he was well supported into 13/8.  It was good to see jockey Rossa Ryan riding, he is a good young jockey, this will be his first year without his claim, so very crucial he gets plenty of chances for Richard Hannon.

Today has jump racing at Southwell and Exeter, with Pontefract and Gowran Park in Ireland on the flat.

I have not had a bet yet, I thought it was pretty hard today.  Value in price has gone on a couple I was interested in, maybe they will drift late on so I will wait.   Hatcher 2.50 Southwell jumped well on his first run over fences, he has drifted out to 5/4, but I will probably watch the race.  The 3.00 Pontefract has only three lining up, I would not be surprised to see Rochester House turn over the odds on favourite, the ground looks good so perfect conditions.  Some interesting races at Gowran later, I may well update later as the first race is not until 4.05, the ground will probably ride on the slow side of good, I just want to watch a race, as I quite like one in one of the later races.

 

 

 

It was good to see Tiger Roll win a second Grand National yesterday.  The ground drying as I mentioned yesterday was key I thought, plus he was given a great ride by Davy Russell, he made it look pretty easy when his horse made a couple of errors, Tiger Roll was clever as he found a leg, when he pecked quite badly 4 out.  Hooefully he may be back again next year, but I am not sure he will try again.  Rain at Plumpton, not too much of interest at the track. In France at Longchamp, the 4.00 is a Group 2 race, Ghaiyyath  for Godolphin is short odds favourite, he is a classy horse, Soliel Molin is trained by Andre Fabre for the same connections, at 5/1 he has good form, he is a threat to the favourite.

More later.

It looks a clear dry day at Aintree, so perfect conditions for racegoers, it makes the chance of Tiger Roll winning another Grand National a bit stronger, as I see it.  He obviously needs a fair amount if luck, but carrying over 11 stone over 4 miles on good to soft ground, is a bit easier for a horse, especially one like him who is not over big.  The one I am have a bit each way on is Minella Rocco at 50/1, he will like the drying ground, his form is not great of late, but he is worth an interest each way. The class horses are Anibale Fly and Tiger Roll, but they have big weights to overcome.

Looking at the rest of the days racing at Lingfield on the flat, Emenem 3.10 is the choice of Tom Marquand over the current favourite Sotomayor, he won on the latter recently, it was probably a tough choice, not much between them, Emenem has been running in better races, but his biggest question mark is 12f , he has never won beyond 10f, I did like his last run, I’m likely going to watch it !

A lot of good racing at Aintree, I like Chosen Mate each way 2.25, he has missed the hustle and bustle of Cheltenham and is improving, Angeles Breath is favourite and probably the one to beat.

I may well do an update later.

A later post today.  I saw a bit of Aintree, I missed the 4.05 the Randox Health Topham Trophy over the National fences.  Barry Geraghty has been taken to hospital after a fall from Peregrine, it has been reported that he has a possible leg fracture, awful luck for him if he has.  The remainder of the evening has racing at Wolverhampton and Wexford in Ireland. I do think Birch Grove has a good chance at Wolverhampton 7.30, she is a winner at the track, it is her first run for 150 days, so she will improve for it, but I like her young jockey.  Dylan Hogan claims the 5lb allowance, but is good value for it.  In the 8.00 there has been strong support for Rhossli Down, she has had two runs showing promise last season, Roma Bangkok is the likely main threat, he is a winner last year, and could take a step forward from his recent run, it could well be a good race.

I will try and give followers something each way in the Grand National tomorrow.  I do think Tiger Roll will like it if the ground dries, he is flat bred, having been originally with Godolphin ! He is the class horse in the race, if he gets a clear run round, he has a favourites chance to win it again.

A late post today.  The rains came at Aintree and Taunton, so I didn’t really get involved.  Chelmsford is the evening card on the all weather.  The 6.00 which is about 5 minutes away, Yimkin is my pick in this.  Later in the card Samphire Coast At 6.30 is a course winner, I thought he would be quite hard to beat.

Cautious punting over the next few days with rain around.  Hopefully not too much, we don’t want the big day on Saturday at Aintree being a real slog over 4 miles.

More tomorrow.

 

 

Todays racing is from Wincanton and Market Rasen over jumps and Southwell, Kempton and Leopardstown on the level.  Trying the Fibresand surface for the first time is lightly raced Just Wait 4.25, she is obviously delicate, but has ability, she probably has Royal Cosmic to beat, to win.  At Wincanton, rain is forecast, currently the ground is good.  It could be a day for the favourites, as long as it does not get too soft. At Kempton this evening, Pentland Lad has been threatening to win a race, he may have found his best chance to do so in the 5.10.  The 6.45 looks an interesting race, Canvassed won well on his debut last year, clearly he has had issues, but the rest of the field look as though they have not been easy to get to the race track.  It’s probably a race to watch closely, as Just Brilliant has a similar profile, he has the best form, he ran in a group 3 on his second start, so is clearly well regarded.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the Aintree meeting starts tomorrow.  This meeting is known for a lot of horses who have won at the Cheltenham festival dipping in form.  Tiger Roll is very short odds to repeat last years stellar performance when winning the Grand National, he is the class horse in the field, but I think I will back something at bigger odds each way. Not too sure yet what!

The big news which was announced yesterday afternoon was the retirement of leading flat jockey Fran Berry.  He had a fall at Wolverhampton before the New Year, despite many months of rehab and effort, he has stepped down on medical advise.  He was a very good rider, only 38, he probably had another 10 years or more riding. When you are advised to retire for the sake of your health, it is a no brainer ! I assume another fall could of caused long term problems, I read he is looking at media work in the future and working on Racing tv.

Looking at today’s racecards, El Astronaute 3.15 Mussleburgh has a solid chance of defying top weight.  He is a front runner, and has ran well at the track before.  The race meeting at Lingfield gets under way at 2.00.  Swiss Pride is a course winner over 6f, he looks pacey, so 5f should not be an issue, he probably has most to fear from Lille.  The 2.30 over 5f has seen a lot of market support for Electric Ladyland, who has to overcome a bad draw to win, Heer We Go Again could improve for his run only 3 days ago, he missed the break that day, if he does the same again here, it will be game over ! A good start is always essential, the old saying of “You can give weight”, but you can’t give start” is very true.