Impressive win by Too Darn Hot yesterday in the Dewhurst Stakes.  He looks to be a very smart colt, he will be aimed at next years 2,000 Guineas at the same track.

Looking at today’s racing, a fair amount of rain forecast, so cautious betting on ground that could change throughout the day.

I did just see the last 10 minutes of Luck on Sunday on Racing UK this morning.  Former top Jump jockey Graham Bradley was talking about trying to get back involved in racing, he wants to get back to buying and selling horses. Which he did when he stopped riding.   I hope he gets a bit of luck, he admits he made a few mistakes when he was a jockey, which ended up with a long ban.  But he was a very talented rider, and he is a really nice person. Hopefully he gets a bit of good fortune.

Dry conditions at Newmarket today, the wind wil dry the track more through the day.  Some really nice horses on show.  The 3:00 is the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Too Darn Hot has looked very good in two wins, he will start as favourite.  I would not be backing against him.  Some good racing at York as well.  I do think Constant has a good chance of getting ridden prominently and being hard to catch in the 2:40, he will be helped by a tail wind at the track today.  The jump season really starts now, today’s Chepstow card is always seen as when the bigger yards start running more of their better horses.  Good fields for some good prize money.  Master  Tommytucker 3:05 looked very useful last season, he would appreciate a bit of rain, but could make a good start to his 18/19 season.

I hope Daniel Muscot recovers from his horror fall on Thursday evening at Chelmsford.  His horse clipped heels , causing his mount to have a heavy fall, it was a shame for George Peckham and connections, as his horse was fatally injured in the fall.

Some good racing today at Newmarket.  The main race is the 3:35 bet365 Fillies Mile for two year olds..  It looks a quite open race, anyone of 4 could win it for me.  Hermosa is the probably more favoured than Zagitova of the Ballydoyle fillies, she won her Group 3 last time, although Zagitova is not one to ignore, of the English trained fillies, Antonia De Vega is 2-2 and looks to be progressing, she and both Shambolic are unbeaten in two starts, Pretty Pollyanna would likely be favourite if not putting a below par run last time, she may possibly be better when the sun is shining! It is a race to watch for me, too close to call.

I do like Astronomer 4:10,  as a horse, he looks very useful, but he has a lot of weight today, and conceding 20lb to Baritone will be hard, Rock Eagle is another that gets 14lb from the top weight, it is a difficult race to access the outcome.

I am interested in a couple of horses at York, some really big fields for some of the handicap races, races to avoid for me.  The 3:50 stayers race looks really competitive,  Almoghared could have each way claims, he was below par on his latest run, but looked useful before that tame effort, it is a pretty open handicap.

Rain across parts of the UK , so little bit of caution.  Worcester which has ground described as good, kicks off with a mares Novice chase, Kalahari Queen has probably  the best hurdle race form, she looks the one they all have to beat.  Quite small fields at Bangor-on -Dee, with some tricky races, Melekhov runs for the first time over obstacles in the 1:45, he had good bumper form, possibly better on softer ground than good, not sure how much rain will arrive.  Ayr has a flat card, soft heavy ground will be testing for the horses, so a need to handle deep ground is a must.

At the yearling sales yesterday another colt made 3:5 million, by Dubawi he was bought by one of the Qatar Sheikhs.  Not sure where he will go into training, his brother Too Darn Hot runs in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday, if he wins it may be a large, but good investment.

I watched the horses going to post earlier for the 5:40 Kempton.  Buffalo River the short priced favourite went freely to the start, his jockey was out of control for at least 3 furlongs, anyway he pulled up and went to the start.  After a Vet had taken a look he was allowed to take his chance, a bit surprised to see him line up, but he jumped out, made the running and won well ! Some trainers would of withdrawn, but this horse did something similar on debut, he was second that day, so obviously that was probably the reason he ran, it was the same jockey on each occasion.

Looking at the next few days weather forecast, rain is supposed to be around tomorrow, it is needed at some tracks, as the ground has dried again.  Hopefully not too much, as decent ground always sees better racing.

Looking at the Tattersalls yearling sales results yesterday.  A Galileo colt made 3.4 million , crazy money when you are uncertain what is under the bonnet ! No worry of what brexit will bring for his new owner, who I believe is Coolmore.  Another colt was bought as a foal for 135,000 in December, the son of Kingman went through yesterday and made 1 million, what a great bit of business for the Kilminfoyle House Stud who sold him, he is also heading back to Ireland to the Coolmore team.

Looking at today’s racing, some lively fields on the level, the main card today is at Ludlow over jumps, small fields as the ground is given as good to firm.  An 3 year old  Novice hurdle starts the day, all unraced over jumps, the best flat form of the field belongs to Shuhood, who is very short odds to make a winning start to his hurdling career. At Nottingham the fields are quite big, making it difficult to find a winner, Swindler looks to make it third time lucky in the 1:30, he has done little wrong in his two runs so far and must have a good chance.  In the 3:30 Tempus, who has been backed, is a very well related colt to numerous winners, hopefully he can make a winning debut.  At Kempton this evening racing gets underway at 5:40 pm, Buffalo River is odds on, I am not sure I would be tempted on backing him, he has been a bit disappointing for me, although it’s hard to pick his main threat.

Some competitive fields at the London track, the best race could be the last at 9:10, it looks hard when looking for the winner as the majority of the field have a chance of winning.

Late post today.  Fair bit of today’s racing has taken place.  A few surprise results, October is always a month to be cautious when betting, as I have mentioned many times.  Horses on the flat, can put in a poor run, it is just the time of year when weather change and a lot of racing takes its toll.  At Newcastle tonight it looks quite tricky.  Two nicely bred horses in the 5:45, Forest View and Marechal Ney, who are both lightly raced and look unexposed, both are potentially decent, Forewarning is another that has had only two runs on the level, although has ran in bumpers under National Hunt rules, he can be a threat at big odds.

The rest of the races look tough, I do like a horse in a later race, although it’s a very open handicap.

At least the ground on grass is still holding up, not sure how much rain is forecast for the rest of the week, big Newmarket meeting on Saturday, with the 2 miles 2f Cesarawich handicap, which looks as wide open as ever.

Todays racing on the level turf tracks at Windsor and Pontefract has ground that looks like being quite soft, a few tricky maiden races at both tracks,  some potentially nice horses running.  Fitness is key on soft ground, plus experience.  Some will be trying that sort of ground for the first time, a lot of horses training at home, are on the all weather surfaces.  I always find October one of the hardest, as I mentioned yesterday, lots of horses put in a moderate run at this time of year, that is horses that have had plenty of runs and are in need of a break.  So I try to look towards the two year old races more when trying to find one worth a bet.  I also like Kempton on the all weather for the two year olds, as a lot of good types start at the track.

Finding a winner today looks like the favs at Pontefract will be worth looking at, especially in the first race.  Gravistas has been running well and will handle the ground ok, he has also got De Sousa on top, who rides Pontefract well, as a rule.

Looking at the results in France yesterday.  Enable was a game winner of the Arc, she was reported to be not quite at her best after the race, but still won ! Waldgeist who I had a bit each way, just missed the frame in 4th, he ran a good race, just not good enough. Great for winning jockey Frankie Dettori to ride his 6th winner in the race, he really is a jockey for the big occasion.

Rain at most tracks yesterday and horses coming to the final few weeks of the flat season, saw a few unexpected results, having been racing since May, can take its toll.  Horses need a holiday or break from training, they go past their peak.  It is not until they race can you see that. A few did just that, they put in a below par performance.

I did think First Eleven (2:25) would be more than good enough at Ascot, but he never travelled well, and ran like a horse that was having one race too many.

Today is the big Arc De Triomphe meeting in France.  Enable has had a very light campaign, she comes here very fresh, she was injured in the early part of the season, her only race this season was a cosy win at Kempton.  She beat a very useful horse that day.  Her even money current price is a bit skinny for me, but she is the very likely winner.  Waldgeist is what I have had a small each way bet on, he has won his trial, rain would help, but hopefully he can be in the mix if it does not arrive.

Anodor ( 1.55 ) looked like a very good horse when winning last time.  He will take a lot of beating in the Group 1 for two year olds.  I think he can win for French trainer Freddy Head. Royal Marine looked useful at Newmarket, when he won his maiden.  Hopefully he can run well for Saeed Bin Suroor, as he is in need of a decent horse or two.

A lot of rain around at most tracks.  Looking at the big handicap races and large field races, trying to find one for an each way bet looks as tricky as ever.  I am going to put an each way tip at Newmarket in the 2:40 , Light and Dark is well regarded and will hopefully run well.

more later.