The BHA seem optimistic that racing has a fair chance of resuming later this month.  I did mention a couple of horses yesterday, Arizona and Earthlight- both worth looking at in the first colts classic, hoped to be ran in the early part of June.  Having spoken to great friend of mine yesterday former jockey, Declan Murphy, who lives in Madrid now.  Declan raised the question of travel, and he has a valid point, hopefully both horses will be allowed to travel.  I did ask Declan how it has been over the last number of weeks, with the lockdown in Spain- only over the last day or so have people been allowed to exercise outside.  The Spanish seem to be winning the battle in reducing the spread, let’s hope many other countries are also starting to get things back to some kind of normality.

So as I mentioned, small stakes bets on the two I have mentioned-  at 10/1 and around 20/1 for Earthlight, who if he turns up on the day, could well be a quarter of those odds !

Resumption of Racing

Reading in the latest newspapers, regarding when racing will resume in the UK and Ireland- although  it is not totally clear, as it depends on the government. I am assuming  it will be behind closed doors for a good while, with the Irish government having already ruled that all sports events with  crowds of over 5000 being suspended for a number of months.

Having spoken to a number of connections who are based mainly in Newmarket.  The horses are being prepared as normal, with races in mind.  The two main ”classics” for three year old colts and fillies, the 1,000 and 2,000 guineas will  hopefully take place in early June.

Pinatubo is still short odds to win the colts race, currently around 10/11 generally. Not great value for me, so I have backed Arizona each way at 12/1.  The vibes I hear from the Ballydoyle camp, are that this colt is training well, and is well forward.  I do think he is a bit of value, currently priced around 10/1 with most firms.  Another colt I like in the race is Earthlight, who I have also backed on the exchanges at 22/1.  I am not certain this horse will line up, as he is in the same ownership as the favourite.

If Pinatubo, is not fully tuned and ready to go, Earthlight could well take his chance.  I hear Pinatubo is going ok, but is a horse that does not show everything at home, hence the reason he started his career at Wolverhampton on the all weather !

So for anyone who likes a bit of ante-post, my two selections are ‘value’ as I see it.

More in a few days.

News today for jump race fans- Racing resumes on July 1st.  Hopefully the current pandemic will be under a bit more control in the next month or so.

Flat racing is pencilled in to return on May 1st.  Possibly behind “closed doors” – with only essential staff and racecourse officials, Jockeys and Trainers, with the most important medical staff also.  Let’s face it, without them, racing stops.  The rule is- two ambulances, have to be on course, before a race can start.

With the NHS staff under extreme pressure of late, it will be interesting.

The government will not want horse racing to stop for too long.  As a massive amount of cash- which goes into the government coffers !

Is currently costing them a lot of money at the moment in lost revenue, so they will want racing to start, as soon as possible- safety permitting.

Racing in America and a few other places are still going ahead.  Randwick in Australia has some good racing tomorrow.  Tom Marquand, has been riding in Oz, over the last few weeks, possibly with the Covid 19 problem, he could be there for a while.

He is a very good young jockey.  A large number of good judges, believe he is a future champion jockey in the next few years.   Having followed his progress over the last two or three seasons, I would tend to agree.

More in the next day or so.

With all Irish and English racing suspended, as from last night. And with no real following myself of the racing from Hong Kong, where I believe racing today goes ahead just after 11 am UK time. I will not be advising something there.

Time to reflect on March, it is nice to have managed to find 5 winners in a row during the month, which ends in profit.

Moving forward, no real definite idea on when racing will resume. But under the current issues all over the world, racing is of no real consequence.  The corona virus seems horrific, hopefully a vaccine can be found, sooner rather than later.

I will try and write something for my followers most days from now, I’ve been in hospital with a bad leg fracture.

But a follow up appointment yesterday, revealed my slight stumble the other day, had caused no harm.

More later.

A really good couple of days for my subscribers.  Two horses advised over the weekend.  Mossy Gill on Saturday at Wolverhampton, was advised in the morning at 6/4.  He won easily.

And yesterday at Carlisle 2.00- The Ferry Master, another winner.  I advised backing him at 6/4 in the morning.  Managing to get the race in the stewards room, after finishing a nose behind, in the live finish.  Hampered, he was always going to get the race, having seen the head on.

All racing today is behind closed doors. Loughan 2.20 Hereford, looked very inexperienced last time, he ran well to be third.  With that run under his belt, I would expect him to get favourite backers off to a good start today.

More tomorrow.

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.