Sunday's Meetings Pontefract Flat 8 Races 2:00-5:30p.m. Tramore N/H 7 Races 2:10-5:10p.m. Southwell N/H 7 Races 2:20-5:20p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
3/1 Australia to win the Lord’s Test I am amazed that the bookies still have the draw as 1/2 favourite when England only have a lead of 104 with just six wickets left. We do not start batting until number six and there is a whole day for the Aussies to make retaining The Ashes a virtual certainty: nobody has ever overcome a 2-0 deficit and a draw in any of the three remaining matches will be good enough for the tourists.
3/1 for an Aussie win looks very generous. Butler and Stokes hardly looked comfortable in that final half hour. The Aussies were uncharacteristically piss poor in the field this evening otherwise it could have been pretty much game over already. Archer and few reliable old soldiers apart - Broad, Stokes and Woakes - we look a very average test team. We're totally bereft of batters, with our one class player unable to buy a run, so this looks like being a long series.
David m o brien ( not sure if he is the legendary v o briens son i know vincent had a son called david who was a trainer) is a small trainer from ireland operating at a 20% win ratio this season . He sends his only runner on the card to tramore for the 4.10 . DOUBLE WINDSOR with sean flanagan booked who does well at the track opened at 25 /1 now at 10 /1 worth a small punt imho . AUSTRALIA at 3 /1 looks a great bet
That’s not Vincent’s lad. He retired from racing donkeys years ago. Moved to France and became a wine manufacturer.
The years 1936/7 give away that the Ashes was Down Under and in the era of timeless Tests. I looked it up and we won at Brisbane (5 days) and Sydney (4 days) to take a 2-0 lead. The hosts then won at the MCG (6 days), Adelaide (6 days) and the MCG again (5 days) for a 3-2 Series win to retain the Ashes. Not sure why they played twice at Melbourne in those days (Perth too far away?) but it was in the pre-Boxing Day Test era. I must try and find a link to the piece that I read that claimed it had never been done. Strangely, I think it was on CricInfo, who ought to know better. Unless it included a caveat about it never being done in England or never being done in the time-limited era, it looks like it was wrong.
afternoon,fellas! tramore,2 10: BALLYMACAW looks to have a big shout here.won his bumper well enough recently,and the second that day might be not too bad,so definite chance today.also shaped,as if this longer trip would bring about some improvement.. southwell,2 20: game line is the obvious one here,and hes respected,but i ll tkae a chance on the mare KILDAVEN SPIDER.although she hasnt shown too much so far,and was well beaten the last twice,the horses in front of her give the form a solid look,as quite a few of them have gone in again since.so,with a little bit of progress,she could be easily involved today..
2.50 Deauville Prix Morny A good looking renewal with Royal Ascot winners Arizona, A'Ali and Raffle Prize clashing with Andre Fabre's unbeaten Earthlight. Raffles Prize is a little bit surprising as 2/1 Fav here but in a tight contest on ratings her allowance leaves her top rated. A'Ali won a weak looking Prix Robert Papin last time out while Arizona hit a flat spot in the Coventry before staying on to collar Threat. He faces faster types here and I thought he might have gone up to 7F next time. He shied away from Siskin on his last entry and I feel he may be tapped for speed in this company. Earthlight has surprised Andre Fabre in how much he has improved from race to race and his last win was cosy and looks very useful form. I backed him earlier at 5/2 and have had some more on at 3/1. I think there may be more to come and I reckon he will pounce in the final furlong and stay on strongly. His ability to get a mile on breeding should not be in doubt but he's looked speedy enough and this is traditionally a sprinters stepping point at 2YO. 2.50 Deauville Earthlight 3/1
In the Prix Morny I stuck a quid on Devil. Freddy Head's colt was 33/1 in Ladbrokes but a market mover into 10/1 on Ze Turf's betting. Plenty to find but he must be held in some regard. Couldn't resist a small stake at double carpet for the dream.
southwell,2 50: not much between the main contenders here,and RIVER FROST seems to have it all to do,at least at first sight,but in fairness to the horse,he was tried quite highly in his last few starts,and is still young and unexposed enough to make his mark over fences.another positive is,that this combo does very well together,so surely not without a chance here..
southwell,3 20: interesting contest.NORTHERN BEAU usually plies her trade in lower company,but shes very consistent,and very game too.showed lots of guts last time out,and that will stand her in good stead here.also is this a good track for frontrunners,so that would be another plus..
As ever the Prix Morny winner goes pretty short for the 2000 Guineas. Earthlight is generally 12/1 after maintaining his unbeaten record but he had to fight to repel Raffle Prize and he looks a speed horse all the way. Raffle Prize ran a massive race in defeat and I have already backed Liberty Beach for the Lowther, so this was a nice form boost. I didn't fancy A'Ali at all and was not impressed with him in the Robert Papin. The usual "Cosy as you like" "Blitzed home" comments were made by the every hyping media but it didn't look a great performance to me. Arizona was another I didn't feel would be at home today. He was pushed out to 25/1 for the 2000 Guineas, although Bet Victor bizarrely have him at 8/1 . This leaves Armory looking like Aidan's best prospect of the ones seen so far this season. Devil was out of his depth and Aroha is still a maiden, hamstrung with an official rating of 100 but not quite good enough for Group races. Today's 1-2 seemed to set a defined line across the pecking order with Golden Horde a respectable 3rd behind the top class two.
How the **** did Gloucester 2nds cope with Archer in his warm up game. He's ferocious. Seemingly so effortless too.
