Monday's Meetings Southwell N/H 7 Races 12:30-3:33p.m. Plumpton N/H 6 Races 1:45-4:20p.m. Navan N/H 7 Races 1:55-5:00p.m. Kelso N/H 7 Races 2:10-5:10p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Putting this one up early, I thought the price was too big. 3:03 File Illico @10s Won a point and has shown enough in all three hurdles starts to suggest that his mark isn’t too much of an issue. He looks to me to be one they’ve been plotting up and last time out he was weak in the market and looked like he needed to run. The better ground should suit and top weight in a 0-110 looks ideal where he could outclass this field.
Are you at all worried about the presence of GETTHEPOT also 10/1 Has been bumping around at the back end in novice hurdles at good tracks and smuggled into the handicap scene off a very low mark. Now into handicap company and this stoutly bred son of Getaway is upped in trip.
2:30 at the Curragh is interesting... O'Brien's horse is impeccably bred... Harrington's should win on ratings alone but I like the look of the Weld second string and Maymoon and will keep an eye on them...
I don't mind too much... Not having a bet on this... I do like the look of Emilie Gray too but I'd imagine she'll come close and be fairly short for its next few races, I like to look for 2yo's who the market might overlook, just like to see them run well in behind so I can back them in the next race...
Oof... Very close, Colin didn't seem to want to flog it in the hopes of winning, seemed like more of an educational ride... Cosa Sara I thought ran well behind too, both should improve a lot for their next run...
Yep, thought that one was interesting too but I thought Jonjo horse had more potential and was more eyecatching in getting his mark before that handicap effort.
Morning 4.20 Plumpton-Officer Drivel Each Way @ 10-1 [Skybet] 4 places Best recent run [2nd] was when Daryl Jacob rode him
I see young DJ is trying to land a Barneyesque punt today with Notnow Seamus 1:00, Perfect Predator 2:03, Getaman 3:40 and Blood Eagle 4:20 all having been backed in from big prices. Blood Eagle was 66/1 yesterday and runs from 22lbs out of the handicap. DJ was assistant to Charlie Longsdon when we had horses there and is a very likeable and capable young man. Fingers crossed for his plot at it would really set him up nicely and put him on the map.
RIP Rebecca Bastiman. It has been reported by her family through her Facebook page that trainer Rebecca Bastiman has died after a long illness, aged just 40. A tragic loss for her family and friends, as well as the Northern racing community. She took over the license from her father Robin and sent out over a hundred winners from their small team not far from York. I will always remember Rebecca from her association with two-time Nunthorpe winner Borderlescott, as she did the horse at the time. On the occasion of one of those victories, I took a photograph of her and ‘Scotty’, which I enlarged and gave her the next time I saw her at the track. She was a really down to earth lass, quietly spoken – you could not believe she was a Yorkshirewoman.
Curious but little known fact - Blood Eagle was a particularly brutal form of Scandinavian execution. It involves opening the victims back, cutting through the ribs, then dragging out the lungs onto the shoulders, to resemble wings. Death would be relatively swift I would imagine, due to blood loss. I watch a TV series called Vikings and there is a fairly graphic depiction of this ritual in season two
Southwell 2.03 Hurricane Ali Ran his best race over hurdles at Doncaster last time out when 4th of 17. The 3rd of this race (2 1/4 length in front of Hurricane Ali) won next time out and the 2nd was 2nd again on its next start. So I'm quite hopeful he can build on that today with mark 1lb lower and his stable in good form on the all weather recently. John Mackie has had just 2 runners in handicap hurdles at Southwell over the last 5 seasons and 1 of them was placed. Jockey Stan Sheppard (a winner at Uttoxeter on saturday) has ridden 12 times in handicap hurdles at Southwell over the last 5 seasons and finished 5 times in the first three. Hurricane Ali is his only booked ride today.
Well Reebs, you've either put people off from potentially watching Vikings or encouraged them... I'll be in the latter...
Nothing really interests me too much today so I've just gone for two mug trebles... 3:10 Kelso - Word Has It - 4/9; I can't really see anything in the field beating it if it handles the ground although some of these may improve with good ground too... 3:18 Plumpton - Eaglehill - 10/11; Up 7lbs from the last race but seemed like he had at least that much in hand in his last race... Came 2nd on Good/Soft in a hurdles race before, was pulled up over fences 2nd last time out and I'm hoping that was due to him not liking Heavy going.. He could improve again for good ground.. Not hugely confident about this as I think the Moore's horse could run well if it jumps around well. Tribesmans Glory is another danger, again, needs to improve it's jumping to get a clear run around but is quite interesting with a 10lb claimer on his back in this small field... 4:10 Kelso - Schiehallion Munro - 4/1; Seems like he might enjoy the good ground from his 2 efforts of decent ground. Did finish 2nd in his last race but at least 10 lengths off the leader, that leader ran to about 150's on ratings and followed up with another 150ish run. I can't see either of two favourites running to this mark and my worry would be if Guitar Pete can find form that it hasn't found in about 2 years... Treble works out around 12/1 with another treble with Schiehallion Munro just to place at around 7/2... Managed to talk myself into a reverse f/c with Eaglehill and Tribesmans Glory in Plumpton while writing this, probably a silly bet but gives me a bit more enjoyment watching it too...
Lucinda Russell writes about her runners at Kelso today: " Fyfin Patsy has been most unlucky in her two chase starts and we are back over hurdles with her in a mares handicap hurdle. She will ne fine on good ground, and the conditions of the race are ideal, so with a clear round she could be close up in the closing stages. Bayfriars Bobby is a good ground type and he is improving with racing. In time I expect that he will stay further, and he has already schooled over fences, but he needs a little more time to mature before we go chasing. Emissaire has ability but has been a tricky horse to find the key to after his winning bumper run. Lori has formed a good relationship with him at home, and his work has improved as a result. She will be leading him up today and he should outrun his price if he shows the same improvement on the track as on our gallops. Boys On Tour is one of our Perth summer team, but oddly, while he loves Perth we have always thought that he would be better left handed. He has a stiff ask today in this 140 chase, and over a slightly longer trip than usual, but he is fresh and Stephen knows him well. Slainte Mhor is possibly better on heavy ground, being a steady sort, but he won last time and my father who owns him likes to support Kelso racecourse. The trip will be fine, but we will check the ground before he runs in case it is too lively. Finally, we would love Emirate De Cantana to win the three mile chase for his Kelso Members owners. He has suffered from confidence issues since a fall at Perth back in September, but there were glimmers of a revival last time, and he looks well at home. "
