I have just been reading John Francome’s article in the racing post, some good stories about some of his previous racing snipits especially one about former trainer Richard Head who brought his horse to gallop with Fulke Walwyn’s horses, as he kept telling Walwyn that he had a hunter that was better than some of the horses he was riding out for Walwyn, this was before he started training himself. And the horse ended up winning at Cheltenham as a 12 year old !

I was a bit surprised that he seems to rate Harry Cobden so highly, as no doubt Cobden can ride, but for me he is not the bravest, as he very rarely goes the shortest route, he normally rides middle to outside, which for me is a signal that your not the bravest. He is riding very good horses, and to be honest, you find it harder to get beat on horses like he rides, they are pretty much point and steer !

Looking ahead to the rest of the week, jump racing in the UK until the weekend, then the flat returns, only Dundalk tomorrow on the level.

More soon.

Reflecting on the racing yesterday. At Cheltenham in the 3:30 race over 2 miles 5 furlongs which looked a competitive handicap hurdle, Unanswered was a cosy winner, well backed throughout the morning, he eased to return at 2/1, he actually won like a 4/7 shot ! His shrewd trainer Tony Martin played down his chances a bit before the race, but I’m sure that connections had a few drinks last night, as he landed a bit of a ‘touch’ for the Irish.

At Lingfield 3.10 it was good to see Missed The Cut get up on the line to win by a whisker under Jim Crowley, I had heard he was in good shape, but did not back him, as I thought stall 10 may be hard to overcome on quite a tight track, as I do think this horse will be seen to better effect over 12f in time, or a galloping 10f like Ascot, where he won before. But obviously his shrewd trainer is looking at races possibly on the all weather or he may well be heading abroad for some big races over the next few months.

Today has some good races at Cheltenham, in the 3.30, I do like Springwell Bay, who was going away when winning at Carlisle last time, although this is a much better race, and he will need to improve for his last run to win this. But I do think he is the one to beat.
Massive prize money in the 1:33 Auteuil today, a grade 1 hurdle worth £157,000 to the winner ! It will be a good race, with the two at the head of the market meeting again , difficult to split them, but a good race to watch.
More soon.

Final day of the month, hopefully it will end with a winner or two !
At Saint Cloud, not far from the first race at 11.35, I do think it’s between the front pair in the betting market. La Gloire would be my pick, but only marginally from Excelsior who drops in grade from a good pattern race, where he ran ok.
I like a few at Wolverhampton today as well. I may update later.

Lots of rain at Carlisle, so I am avoiding having a bet at the Cumbria track. I just watched the 1.43 Huntingdon, where the favourite Sedge Wren did lots wrong, jumping very much out to the left at most of the hurdles, but was still a cosy winner at the winning post. One of her rivals Maridadi made a really bad error at the middle flight down the back straight, which put paid to her chances. Sedge Wren is one to follow, as she gave away plenty of ground, not sure she beat that much, but you can only beat what is put in front of you. I would expect her connections to probably run her left handed in future.

Not too many of interest today to back, a couple tomorrow look likely bets, hopefully not too much rain will fall for the rest of today, and tomorrow.
More soon.

Good racing today. At Wetherby where Molly’s Ollys Wishes has just got the better of Martello Sky in the 2.25, the 3.35 looks a really good race. Bravemansgame takes on Ahoy Senor again, the last time they met 204 days ago, the latter was victorious. I don’t think Bravemansgame was at his best that day, and after a wind op and proven form when fresh as he was a winner on his first run last season, I think he might be the one today. I do like Nobel 4.33 Newmarket, as an each way bet, he has done very little wrong, obviously he is a bit delicate to train, only two runs so far so lightly raced, but can put up a good run as I know he is well thought of by his shrewd trainer Andrew Balding.

More soon.

Looking at the results on Saturday. At Ascot in the main race of the day at 4.00pm, all eyes were on Baaeed, who ran below expectations to be a below par fourth. The ground was soft, which was not ideal, but in what was a very slow run race, which should of suited him, he did not run his race. I did think it was a very good ride by Richard Kingscote on the winner Bay Bridge, who was handily placed, and saved lots of ground on the inside, the second Adayar ran a very good race, as he was rushed up about 3 furlongs out, came wide and was beaten only half a length. I did think his jockey would of made more use of him, as he stays 12 furlongs, and his manoeuvre about 3 furlongs from home was costly in the latter stages, having given ground away when trapped wide, and also having to come round Royal Champion, who was dropping out of contention.
It was good to see Emily Upjohn get a Group 1 win, after her unlucky second in the Epsom Oaks in June. She looks to be a filly to follow next season, as she is built like a tank, and can only improve on what she has accomplished so far.
Looking at todays cards, with autumn ground in mind- at Pontefract Poker Face 3.10 has been impressive on his two starts, winning well on both. I don’t think it’s been easy for the handicapper to access him, he was going away at the line on his latest win over 1 mile on the all weather surface at Newcastle, and todays 10f will not pose too many problems, I think he will take a bit of beating.
Hopefully the ground does not get too much rain, as that is a bit of an unknown.
More soon.

Reflecting on the big meeting in France at the weekend. It was good to see the mare Alpinista get the job done in the Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe. It was a very good ride by Luke Morris, on ground that was very testing, he used his low draw to his advantage, and never really gave any ground away, by staying close to the inside rail. Travelling well in the turn into the straight, Luke did not panic and then was able produce his mount at the right time. I’m sure his boss was really taken by his confident ride, as I don’t think he could of ridden the race much better.
Well prepared by her veteran trainer Sir Mark Prescott Bt, who is 74 years young, naturally he seemed delighted after the race, as is understandable. It’s Sir Mark’s biggest ever winner, and even though he has always been a good trainer, he has not had that many Group 1 performers over the years. Prescott is usually more at home having a winner at one of the three Scottish tracks in the north of England. Hamilton, Ayr or Musselburgh , he has had a number of good horses over the years, one thing that has never been in doubt is Sir Mark can train a racehorse.

He is a very witty and funny person, if you ever have the pleasure of seeing him as an after dinner speaker, his stories are legendary. My brother in law used to work for him, he said he was always very fair with his staff and his racing background and expertise are vast, he knows lots about numerous things, coursing and fighting cocks being one. I recall seeing over his large red wall at the bottom of the Newmarket Heath( Bury side) lots of cock hens all out on the grassed ring he used for horses to walk around.

I’m not sure if Alpinista will race again, nothing has been said as yet. Looking ahead to the weekend, a good card at Newmarket on Saturday, a number of really good races. One race that looks as good as ever on Saturday is the Darley Dewhurst Stakes. I do like a number of horses entered in it, with Sakheer and Nostrum being at the forefront, both are really promising colts. Looking at the betting market, Nostrum at 5/1 would be my selection each way. I do think it will be between the two of them at the line, if they both run.
Regards having a bet, as yet I’m waiting, Naval Power and Chaldean, are two other very promising colts, who will also be bang there at the latter stages of the 7f event.
Hopefully I can find a winner or two before then.

More soon.

Back from a well deserved break. I always think from the end of August until the end of the turf season on the flat, it’s even more difficult than ever when trying to find a winner. So I took a bit of time away.
But some really top class races at todays meeting at Newmarket, where they had a good amount of rain on Friday morning before racing, making the ground on the slower side of good. Both tracks at Newmarket drain very well, as it is chalk based.
Mystic Pearl 4.50 Newmarket won by a small margin last time at Thirsk, she beat a horse I had backed that day, who was a tad unlucky not to win, but with a good bit of improvement likely for this filly, I think she has a good each way chance, in what looks a competitive fillies nursery, she is around 5/1 with most firms.
Flying Honours 1.50 at Newmarket should get favourite backers off to a good start, he is improving with racing, and should win.
The Juddmonte Midle Park Stakes (Group 1) over 6 furlongs is always a good guide to possibly next years top flight sprinters, and possibly the top class races over a mile. This year It looks a very open race, Blackbeard has been ultra consistent, and keeps winning. He tends to get quite on edge at the start, so if he looks ‘wired’ at the start, do not be too worried, it’s just how he is. He is one I do not expect to be racing beyond 6-7f next year, as he has lots of early speed, and looks a mature two year old, he is also a real smart horse. I am unlikely to have a bet in the race as it’s very hard to pick one that is a stand out.
Marshman, Mischief Magic, Persian Force and the least experienced Zoology are all in it with a chance of winning, a good race to watch. At Haydock, where showers are forecast, Onslow Gardens 3.50 looks the best horse on form, he will be hard to beat, although a lot of these are unraced, and could be useful.
More soon.

Reflecting on the racing yesterday. It was a very good day for William Buick, he rode 5 winners at Goodwood. I thought his rides on Fairy Cross and Jadoomi showed him at his best. He stole the race on Fairy Cross in the 1.50- setting calm fractions in the early part of the 7 furlong event, and kicking at the right time inside the latter stages of the race, to seal victory.
I thought Bright Diamond, who was third, was one to take out of the race as an unlucky loser, she was slowly away, and trapped out wide for most of the race, and ran on well in the last two furlongs, to be under two lengths behind the winner, who was value for a bit more, as Buick eased her the last couple of strides.
The Jadoomi ride, in the 3.35 was a really good one. He stumbled leaving the stalls, and was trapped a little bit wider than ideal, but Buick did not panic, and having been always in the first two, he took on his stable mate Finest Sound from inside the final 3 furlongs. Both horses dug deep, and tried hard to win, for me it was when Buick switched his whip, from his left to his right hand, that his mount found that bit extra, to get up close home, and win by a neck. It was Buick at his best.
At Windsor last night, I thought one of the unluckiest losers of the night was Grocer Jack in the 6.35. Tom Marquand needs to have a good look at his ride on him, as I thought it was poor at best. I like Marquand as a rider, but currently he is making a number of mistakes. Hopefully he will learn from them, as he went far too fast with the other front runner Majestic Dawn over the first 3 furlongs,and his horse Grocer Jack did really well to finish second. Three furlongs from the winning post, Majestic Dawn folded, leaving Grocer Jack in front- to my surprise Marquand went for home, if he had sat still for about 100 yards, I think his horse would of won, in the end he was only beaten a neck, by Regal Reality, who was given a good ride by Richard Kigscote.
More later.

After a nice break. Hopefully I can find a winner or two before the end of the month. I did like one in the 1.00 at Chelmsford today. But a below par effort for her, Peace Of Mine finished 5th, having set the early pace, she did not finish her race off as expected, and faded into 5th in the last furlong.
I do like a horse in France at Deauville. Cognac has drifted to 9/2 from around 3/1, he runs in the 3.40 race. He was a closing second at Saint Cloud over the extended 7f on his last run, he can out run his price, as the two at the head of the market, have promise, but I do not think either of them looked especially great on debuts.
More later.