Thursday's Meetings Newmarket Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Cheltenham N/H 7 Races 2:05-5:30p.m. Ripon Flat 7 Races 2:15-5:45p.m. Clonmel(E) Flat 8 Races 3:55-7:45p.m. Chelmsford(E) A/W 7 Races 5:25-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
It’s ‘fillies and mares day’ at Cheltenham of the morrow and who has ever handled a filly or mare better than Lieutenant Henderson??? No-one say I. They respond so well to his ‘magic hands’ and soothing words. Although, quite frankly, who wouldn’t! The great man saddles 2 mares that I like of the morrow – CASABLANCA MIX (3.15) and FLORESSA (5.30). Now I have said already that that this is a very risky week, re punting, on both the flat and in the NH sphere. But I think these 2 will probably not suffer from being ‘over the top’ as so far in term 2018/19 they have only 5 runs between them. I’ve raved about the former quite a lot in the past but she has proved ultimately disappointing, this season, as I had been expecting her to be highly competitive at Graded level. Tomorrow will be Casablanca Mix’s first run over hurdles for 2 years but she was a dual winner, and Listed placed, over timber in France and a mark of 135 greatly underestimates her in my book. And I don’t see this change in discipline as a negative whatsoever. The De Boinville boy rides another stable runner (owned by Princess Camilla’s mother-in-law) but I think Casablanca Mix would be the one to beat. And the stable deffo know how to win this heat having won it 3 times since ’11. Floressa took on 7 old boy geldings on her debut at Ludlow, last month, and routed the bally lot of them. Form that was enhanced on Monday when the 3rd home, that day, won readily by 5 lengths. Nicely bred as well being a sister to a Grade 3 winner across the old Channel. Meanwhile, this is another race the stable are competent in having had 3 wins since ’08. I think Floressa will take a lot of beating in the ‘mares bumper’, ‘the lucky last’ and she could, next season, prove very useful over hurdles. But win, lose or draw of the morrow these in time will prove valuable additions to any breeding shed (Casablanca Mix and Floressa I’m talking about, incidentally, not Lieutenant Henderson). Good luck all.
Cheltenham 2.40 - Graceful Legend 6/1 Cheltenham 3.15 - Coded Message 14/1 Ben Case e/w double Hope you do well with your bets. Great night of football tonight. Wont happen, but imagine an all England CL final!! Ajax Barca I reckon.
Usual wealth warning with information received... This does not look too difficult to pick out, given that Varian has been having a good week at HQ and it is joint favourite in a few of the lists: RIPON 4:35 – IDEOLOGICAL
I never noticed the change in format of the meeting, for me it was always Nell Gwynn Tuesday, Free Handicap Wednesday and Craven Thursday. Not sure when it changed but I agree today looks decidedly poor. Might be worth putting in a stayers race for good money.
I fancied Ajax right at the start but I never put my money where my mouth is. I love Dutch football and go across to watch Vitesse Arnhem a few times each season. Ajax have been building this up for a few seasons and Ten Hag has really took it to another level with his quick one two passing in triangles. It's an incredibly young team and if they could keep it together they'd be back to being a major force. However, De Ligt is such an important player to them and I can't help but feel one of Barca or Man City will sweep him up. De Jong has already arranged to sign for Barca. There's a young guy not even getting a game, at the moment. Kasper Dolberg. He's got all the attributes to be a world class player.
I understood that De Ligt was off to Real Madrid at the end of the season but that could just have been rumour, some talent!
LATE NIGHT LILY 3.15 Cheltenham Looks every inch "another" Skelton handicap plot job in their quest for the magic number!
He's unbelievable isn't he. I never backed Ajax, but I've bet on Holland for Euro 2020 and the World Cup 2022. They're still a very decent price but that'll come crashing as we get closer to the tournaments. De Ligt and Van Dijk as their centre backs. That's the best in the world, teams will do well to score past them. Midfield they've got the Ajax pairing of De Jong and Van De Beek and the experience of Wijnaldum and Strootman. Up front is the only weak spot, Depay and Babel don't cut it for me but they do have very good young talent coming through in Justin Kluivert who has gone to Roma and the very impressive Dilrosun who is at Hertha Berlin.
Barcelona are certainly showing an interest but De Ligt himself has hinted that he'd prefer Liverpool to be next to Van Dijk.
Anyhow, Augusta Gold for me today. @stick Strike The Flint is going again in the bumper. How do you fancy it's chances today? I like the look of Just A Sip.
It changed this year. Apparently it is because of Easter - ITV are contracted to cover Good Friday at Lingfield and didn't want to have to rush all their equipment down from Newmarket so decided not to bother covering today's fixture. That would have left the key race of the meeting with no coverage, so they had to swap everything around.
The "hedge your bets" Comment of the Day has to go to Angus Gold with his quote on Elarqaam: "Everything is a question mark for him, we just need to see him back as last year went downhill and we know he is better than that. Only time will tell his best trip – he is by a Guineas winner out of a Guineas winner so he could turn out to be a miler, though he could also want further." In all seriousness though, I hope he can bounce back as he's a decent horse.
