Efistorm will be winning again soon - was badly checked at the top of the straight and finished really well to be 5th (I think) only beaten a couple of lengths)
Oddy, I said the same LTO for Efistorm, never got into the race that day and came home with a wet sail. I think he needs one of those helter skelter races to go and win. His day has to come eventually.
I wonder if another new yard and serious help from the handicapper will help Olynard in the 4.20 at Wolves? Tom Eaves does well riding for this stable and I hope for a better run at a big price.
6.20 Wolves If You Whisper 16/1 Quite like the look of Mike Muprhy's unexposed 3 year old who looks a very big price in my eyes for what represents a drop in class. After his first two races, If You Whisper took a big step forward when finishing 0.75L behind Towering Spirit over 1m at Kempton being collared close home after battling against the fence to get a clean run. The form of that race looks decent, with Sinfonico 1.5L back in 4th winning off a mark of 84 subsequently. The 5th Groomed who was 3.25L behind If You Whisper winning off a mark of 79 too so it wasn’t a bad maiden at all. After this, If You Whisper justified odds on favouritism when winning a 5 runner contest at Southwell by a length to Mazovian and although the form of that race isn’t very good, the horses have in behind have won in lower grades and it showed he is able to win which is important. On his 5th start back in January, If You Whisper made his handicap debut off a mark of 78 and started as the outsider of the field in a 4 runner Class 4 handicap at Lingfield but ran a very good race to finish 1L behind the winner The Tichborne. It was a steadily run race so I am inclined to believe that the form of this race is genuine. The form of that race look promising with the winner placing twice off a 4lb higher mark, including a very narrow 0.62L 3rd in the Britannia Stakes behind the excellent Sagramor. Further to this, the 3rd that day Amwell Pinot has won since off a 1lb off 91 higher mark and was 1L behind If You Whisper. If You Whisper made his reappearance run after being off since for 7 months and although he was disappointing he may well have needed this reappearance run and I’m willing to forgive that effort. A few starts back If You Whisper ran at the end of September in Kempton when finishing 6L back in 8th over 7f off 77. After slightly missing the break, If You Whisper was outpaced at the start of the race and plugged on OK in the home straight although he was too far back to be a contender and would never have gotten to those in front of him anyways. That said, it was still a slightly encouraging run and he showed that he still maintains his ability. If You Whisper stepped up to 1m2f for the first time and shaped rather well but was ultimately disappointing as he didn't really pick up when asked in the home straight at Kempton in a Class 4. That was off a mark of 75 and he was well supported before the off, normally a very telling sign for a Murphy horse, so I think that a lot better was expected of him. 2 starts back and in first time blinkers If You Whisper put in a much better effort at Lingfield again over 10f where he was a fast finishing 4th as he came from a long way back. Having raced very wide the whole way, If You Whisper came very wide into the straight and was never closer than he was at the finish, although the front 3 had an unassailable lead over him at that stage. However, it was still a very promising effort off a mark of 72 and certainly showed that he still retained some ability. Strike Force, who reopposes again today and who is 2nd in the betting, finished 0.5L behind and is now 4lb worse (9lb worse if including the jockey's claim) and its very hard to see why Strike Force beating If You Whisper if the latter is coming back from a very poor effort LTO. The form of this race looks quite strong and it certainly showed me that this 3 year old can definitely be successful off a mark like this. LTO he put in a shocker at Southwell and I don't really have any excuses. He acts on fibresand but that effort was too bad to be true and I'm going to have to overlook that effort on the basis of faith. Today If You Whisper tackles 10f at Wovlerhampton and it represents his first trip to the track off a career low mark of 69. Murphy does quite well around here and has a 25% record with 3 year olds at the venue. He gets a plum draw in Stall 1 which will allow him to hopefully bag the rail and if Murphy wants front running tactics to be tried then he has the perfect opportunity today. Philip Makin is an extremely eye catching jockey booking in this Class 5 handicap as it will be only the 2nd time he has teamed up with the trainer. Murphy's horses are in good form at the moment with his last 2 horses finishing placed and I think the booking of Makin indicates today will be a going day. If you ignoring his last run, If You Whisper looks very well handicapped as he has won off a 10lb higher mark and I think 16/1 represents a very nice price for this horse today.
ROTO: Fine write-up, and I wish you luck with If You Whisper. For myself, have to stick with Knowe Head as I backed him LTO and he ran well over a shorter trip.
I like Ghost Dancer in the next, CD winner who has been running well enough recently and is one of a few in this who seem to have optimum conditions. The yard are also having winners. EW bet.
Big ooooooooops for Betfair today: http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/...E=racing/11/12/28/RACING_Betfair.html&BID=465
Totally irrelevant but Touchdown is the sire of one of our mares and we learned yesterday that the sister of Touchdown is the leading show jumping mare in the World. Hopefully we will get a nice foal from our mare when she is retired.
Sorry for posting on this thread, but does anyone remember the date of the Fakenham meeting where SWC rode his finish a circuit too soon? I want to watch the replay and I can't find it. thanks
Horse was Otage de Brion - I only remember because it won for me a couple of times when trained by Charlie Longsdon. The Fakenham race was on 12th Dec. Replay here: http://www.attheraces.com/VideoConsole/?va=FKN_2011_12_12_03_1400 The horse has gone seriously downhill since those clowns got hold of it.
I can't believe SWC tried to lie his way out of that! He must have thought he had an awful lot of horse left under him Glad to hear the horse was ok after that nasty fall near the end. I've also just watched Synchronised....AP is simply amazing! I'm going to have a bet on Synchronised to win the Gold Cup
Just watched Lexus chase- didnt have a bet but my money would have been on QDLR but what a ride from McCoy well done to all who had a punt on Synchronised gamble payed off to put him this race and miss ydays Welsh GN. I cant be having him in the GC, he is just to slow and others are more classie. Especially if kauto turns up again like he did 2 days ago!