Wednesday's Meetings Ludlow N/H 7 Races 12:35-3:40p.m. Ffos Las N/H 6 Races 12:50-3:20p.m. Newcastle A/W 8 Races 1:30-5:00p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Nice little bumper at Ludlow tomorrow and a race that Henderson has an exceptional record in. His runner tomorrow will have plenty of followers not least because it is owned by the million in mind partnership. He won a point to point which is an obvious plus but he was sold for £70K which is hardly a fortune for a point winner and this race is a 1m 6f event which is plenty short enough. The one who makes more appeal to me is SOLOMON GREY 13/2 who has a beautiful jumps pedigree and hails from a yard that can certainly get one ready.
Serious question stickler but do you actually have point to points in the UK? As every winning pointer selling for the big dosh you hear about always seems to have won an Irish point? See the Potts one yesterday went for 250k looks a bit of an animal.
Sizing Platinum 4/1 currently (backed at 5/1) - Ludlow 1:35 - being well punted from an opening show of 6/1 earlier, if putting it all together he could prove the one to beat. It's a useful field and I'm hoping the top form of Tizzard carries on. Nice pot to be had.
I have Going Concern in my tracker for this - was going very well when falling 3 out over course and distance end of November carrying 11st 10 tomorrow he's carrying 10st 9 - I think the 6/1 is superb value
In Ireland point to points are open to licensed (i.e. professional - trainers) ,so many of the horses will appear in these races before they compete in NH races. Consequently, the Irish point-to-point is used as a nursery for future young stars so a horse that wins its debut point-to-point in Ireland will often sell for a lot of money- whereas professional trainers are excluded from running horses in point-to-points in Great Britain.
Can't believe that it will be exactly 5 years to the day that My Tent Or Yours won this race - How time flies
As TC says the UK point to point scene is quite different to the one in Ireland. Only horses who have qualified via hunting are allowed to take part and thus they tend to be much more of an amateur affair. That doesn't mean that some very good horses and associations are not built through this medium. Barber and Nicholls spring to mind and one of my local trainers Lawney Hill has a point to point yard run by her husband Alan. Most of the horses running in U.K. point to points are not for sale though as opposed to Ireland where it seems every runner has a price tag attached. NH racing and point to pointing have always been very closely linked in the U.K. and that link these days is maintained with hunter chases on many NH cards throughout the winter. Unlike NH racing the point to point scene is still a winter sport with the season running from November to May.
Cheers boys. Seems to be in England then it's more a hobby/past-time for those with double barrelled surnames (i.e. the family of the sports favourite 'Corinithian come dentist', SBC will know this one ) whereas here it's run more professionally by small breeders who are actually trying to make a living from it.
As the going is soft, heavy in places, at Ffos Las I have been scouring the racecard for any Alflora offspring. Only 2 running as follows: 1.50 NH Novices Hurdle - Braw Angus by Alflora out of Suilven. Well beaten in 2 runs in the last month (both over 15F, on Good-soft at Huntingdon and Good at Leicester) but the going will be much more to his liking today. Might be worth a quid e/w at 66/1 but some powerful yards represented here. 2.50 Novices Handicap Chase - Walk On Al (by Alflora out of Wave Back) looks much more likely, despite the 7lbs penalty. He stuck on really well last time out at this course on soft, coming back after being headed to score over a trip a furlong further than today's. It's a tight little handicap this but at around 6/1 I'll take a risk on the old Alflora genes powering Walk On Al through the mud. E/W singles and double for a bit of pre-Christmas fun. Best of luck to everyone
Morning, you people. One chap that I expect to do very well today, once all the slaps on the rump and kicks in the belly have been administered, is old Saint Nick. I’m talking about KILCREA VALE (1.05) and TOP VILLE BEN (3.40) at Ludders. The former won on his hurdling debut but in doing so was, to use a Chav expression, ‘done over’ by the handicapper as he perched him on 147 for winning a minor Market Rasen heat! Life was always going to be hard, over hurdles, for the old boy after that and, in any case, it was always over the big ‘uns that this former point-to-point winner was going to excel. Kilcrea Vale makes his fencing bow today and I think he’ll do so with a victory. The ‘lucky last’ at the meet is a race that old Saint Nick excels in and has won 3 of the last 5 runnings (My Tent or Yours was one of his obligers incidentally). This classy sort is another point-to-point winner and I’d be surprised if his handler doesn’t get yet another success in the heat. Meanwhile, was saddened to hear that the ‘Not 606 Christmas Nativity’ has had to be cancelled. Why?!? All together now…because 3 wise men couldn’t be found! Good luck, troops.
Looking at this week’s perchings adjustments I see old Saint Nick’s Brain Power has been raised 13 lbs to 162. That puts him on the cusp of ‘Champion Hurdle’ contention and you would imagine that connections would have little option but to go down the Graded race route now. Yala Enki didn’t get such a big rise (10 lbs to 149) and you would imagine his canny handler, the lovely Venetia, would still have much ‘room to manoeuvre’ off this figure. Going the other way is The Druids Nephew. Now on 146 that looks very nice and you would imagine that come 2017 old boy ‘Mullers’ will expect him to win a very, very big handicap off that.
Yala Enki is entered in the Rowland Meryck on Boxing Day and, given he hardly had a race at Haydock last week, they may well be tempted to run him. 162 for Brain Power - that is harsh.
Ho Ho Blinkin' Ho! Sellotape and wrapping paper and Shakin Stevens is strangely acceptable once you've had a glass ( or 2 ) of decent Bordeux, or at least that's what me and the other half agreed on last night. There must be a scientific relationship between the amount of time spent on wrapping versus the amount of time spent unwrapping which in turn leads to hours of enjoyment. Or maybe I'm over thinking it? Anyway... On to more fascinating subjects. At Ludlow, I'm liking the chances of Melrose Bay in the opener, even considering the Nicholls form and I've put a few pence on Going Concern in the 1.35, if only so I can watch the race on the app ( yes, yes, I'm at work, but come on it's Christmas and there's only so many times I can watch that Pogues video on You Tube ). I've also got to, just got to, put a few pence on a Fergal horse today, given that we've had some good un's from his stable so far, so I'll be on Wizard's Sliebh in the 2.10. At Ffos Las, I'm only really interested in Culture De Sivola in the 1.20. I'm not even looking at the Newcastle card, my A/W picks have been woeful this season. ( apart from Squire, of course ). Please Santa, can I have a winner, I've been really, really, really good this year!!! Good Luck All. PS - If I don't get another chance, which I may not, can I just take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. ( I hope the weather does not turn too nasty as I will be driving to the lovely North East on Boxing Day for a few days in Blackhall with the in-laws )
Sign of the Kodiac in the 4 30 at gosforth park - could be wrong , but stable form is good , back on a straight track , will try and make all , fly is caspian prince likes to do the same......he's off a high mark now whereas givens runner is still workable .........
Through the card at Ludlow for a tiny interest: Brahms De Clermont Kilcrea Vale Baltimore Rock Wizards Sliabh Callett Mad Vocaliser Top Ville Ben
