Monday's Meetings Southwell A/W 7 Races 12:30-3:30p.m. Fontwell N/H 7 Races 12:45-3:40p.m Musselburgh Abandoned Racecards At The Races Racing Post Bloodstock Sporting Life Good Luck
A very slow day today, no real standout bets, but two that catch my attention are Dragon Tattoo 12 30 Southwell, Hugo P doesn' run many here, but this one may well improve for the surface 12/1, At fontwell cd scorer Mr Bachster for kerry Lee is a hopeful 8/1shot, two singles and ew double........
Have had a small play today. 3 x 5pe/w L15s SOUTHWELL 1230 - Dorian Gray 100 - Ace Master 130 - Magnetic Boundary 200 - Alternate Route 230 (S) - Monteverdi 300 (S) - Medici Moon 330 (S) - Coiste Bodhar 1245 (F) - Marettimo 145 (F) - Jubilympics 245 (F) - Argyle 315 (F) - Spiritofchartwell 340 (F) - Sixties Idol 2 x 50p e/w singles and 50p e/w double 1230 (S) Dragon Tattoo 330 (S) - Chillililli Fingers crossed I get at least my money back.
Hello, troops. Hope old girl Mother Nature isn't causing you too much grief. Question has to be asked. What did we think of Blaklion on Saturday?!? This time last term it was Colin Tizzard who was baffling me with his Thistlecrack musings but I must confess I still have huge doubts, and concerns, about what the connections of Blaklion achieved on Saturday. Yes, they won £81k as he romped home but seriously they surely ‘lost’ the 2018 Grand National (and a potential £561k) as well with that performances. I think Blaklion will go up around 10 lbs for his win taking him to 163 – which is borderline’ Cheltenham Gold Cup’ class and to win a GN, off that perch, history tells us is nigh on impossible. 153, or lower, and he would have had a great chance, methinks. Bookie chappies cut him from 16/1 to 12/1 for Aintree glory in April but quite frankly I’d have eased him the other way. Admittedly, the thoroughbred is a very fragile animal and who knows what condition Blaklion will be in come April. I think it must have been a hard call to make on Saturday re whether or not they went for the ‘Becher’ or held back to achieve a more favourable mark (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more…) but if he’s fit come ‘tapes up’ in the 2018 GN they could regret the additional impost he will carry for Saturday’s win. Unless, and it’s an unless with a huge capital ‘U’. Blaklion is now CGC class (and his new perch is going to put him on the fringes of being so) and 163 is exploitable re him in the GN. Cut to 40’s for that Cheltenham heat incidentally. Could they therefore go CGC and then GN in 2018?!? Any thoughts??? Finally, I’m sure we’ve all made the odd fashion faux pas or two in our time – I, for instance, now realise that wearing that red waistcoat and yellow corduroys was a horrendous mistake. But what did Colin Tizzard think he looked like in that battered old trilby on Saturday?!? There is only one chap, in racing, who can get away with that look and it ain’t you Colin, old boy. Good luck all.
Working from home today due to the wintry conditions here in sunny Shropshire. Have found the time (have done fook all else since breakfast) to have a little study of the meagre NH offerings at Fontwell and the sand rats at Southwell. I've concluded that at Southwell ol boy Ballesteros looks exceptionally well handicapped in the lucky last based on his turf form of the summer. It would appear a few of latched on to this though as he's into 9s from 14s. I reckon Jamie Gormley has a couple of decent opportunities for Phil Kirby too. Over at Fontwell the Tizzard runner Fergal Mael Duin 9/2 looks a likely sort and Marmont 14/1 will appreciate the easy ground. All the above in an ew Lucky31. Finally a very small ew on Bold Image @ 66/1 in the 1.45. The betting suggests the race will be between the Skelton and Henderson but the former carries a penalty and the latter makes his debut for the yard. Bold Image has previously entered the winners enclosure at this course and 66/1 is just too big. Good luck anyone having a go. Can't see working from home catching on with me. No discipline!
Can I just add that I think all members (myself included) should hang their heads in absolute shame for not wishing Mr Henderson a ‘Happy Birthday’ yesterday. Disgraceful behaviour. Let me then kick start the festivities and eulogising by saying, somewhat belatedly, ‘Hope you had a great day yesterday, Mr Henderson. You are a sage, have a brilliant brain, the most magic of magic hands and you are the biggest bastion in our sport. In fact without you the whole thing would probably crumble. You are a living legend and an inspiration to us all. Happy Birthday, old boy.’ And amazingly he’s now 67. I’m sure if asked most would have thought Mr Henderson was in his early 40’s. Anyway add your own greetings below. I’m sure when they are all collated the mods will only be too happy to courier them over to ‘Seven Barrows’.
Potato and sprout gratin with a side salad and a glass of orange juice. 8/10. Indeed Happy Birthday to Mr Henderson, I saw him on the old goggle box on Saturday waxing lyrical about Peter Walwyn and Bonk (queer name for a girl, I thought). Full of eloquence and with a tear welling each eye he took us back to an age where you could imagine Claire Balding playing with a puppy whilst her dad was putting the tack on Mill Reef ............................ or Michael Dickinson "having it off large" (to use a chav expression) in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Liking the look of Southwell 2.00 Samtu. Will also have a double with Custard the Dragon in the 2.30 for the hell of it.
Agree with the sentiment completely Oddy. Still can't believe Lynch took a pull in that Lexus Chase when Flemenstar had just got going at the last or 2nd last to then get mugged by Tidal Bay I think. Unfortunately after that he ran into Sprinter!
Ah good old Flemenstar. Remember doing my bollocks on him in the Irish Hennessey when Davy rode Sir de Champs from the front and old boy Casey's charge could never quite get him. Good animal on his day, never quite achieved what many thought he would and had quite a few injuries.
And still no bloody winners yet. At this rate, I might start looking at the cartoon racing at Portman Park
I've always thought blaklion was good enough to win the gold cup . Maybe nige was asking his horse the question.
Did you see NTD's interview after the race. Adamant that he'll try again for the Grand National and not sure at all about CGC even as a prep. I didn't believe a word he said to be honest and I'd be very surprised if he didn't line up at Cheltenham.
He was asked about Blaklion's next targets. Gave GN thumbs up but reckoned he already had the CGC taken care of (Bristol De Mai).
