Morning all Just the one today 2.50 Ling - DIAMOND VINE @ 12/1 (maybe bigger) A competitive handicap where the favourite Parisian Pyramid will be fancied to go one better than last time out. I don't discount that he may win but at 3/1 and drawn in stall 10 i wont be on him. Speak the Truth is another with a great chance & may grab the spoils but again 6/1 is too short in my book. This brings me to Diamond Vine a 4yo who was forced miles wide after being hampered early on and to finish just 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner was truly amazing. His last win over C&D came off a mark of 65 and races off 67 today. He seems to save his best for Lingfield over 6f with form figures of 4,2,1,3,1,4,4. A solid 20/80 bet in my book, with well over 3/1 being readily available on the place market.
Morning, pilgrims. Merry Christmas! If asked to describe today’s racing in 2 words then I’d say ‘Bog Standard’ and for that reason the ‘no bet’ banner is fluttering in the old breeze today. Really looking forward to the Newbury card tomorrow though, people. Will be keeping a close eye out to see if New Year’s Eve (1.20) and Cocktails At Dawn (3.00) are declared to make there hurdling bows, across the county line, when they are released in a couple of hours. Potentially, top, top class beasts. Good luck though if you do trade with a bookie chappie today.
Good morning guys. One for me today not a big price but I still think odds against is quite generous. RIGHT STUFF in the openet at Lingfield.
Here’s a question for the great brains of the forum. Following the defection of Big Bucks is Saturday’s ‘Long Walk Hurdle’ the weakest Grade 1 ever ran on these shores??? There is just 1 horse rated above 150 and 4 out of the 8, now left in, haven’t won over hurdles since the 2009/10 season, or even earlier! I’m sure that several owners are ringing there trainers up this morn and screaming down the line, ‘Why wasn’t my beast entered in that rich pot???’ Mr Henderson’s decision to enter Cucumber Run and Master of the Hall enter now looks a very wise one as even minor prizemoney will be valuable in this event.
Oddy, just noticed they did briefly reopened the ‘Long Walk’ and 4 more have been added (Bothy, Get Me Out of Here, Crack Away Jack and Noble Alan). Still a very, very weak race though for a Grade 1, methinks.
14:10 Catterick - Dundock e/w (Early tip by ROTO with Carmela Maria looks really good as now only 5/1 best price, however will take a chance with this old fellah who has not won for a long time but looks to have a chance in this marathon hurdle). GL everyone!
Morning gents, hope all is going well with the xmas preparations... Not long to go now...!!! Catterick... 12.10 - Aye Well, 9/1 12.40 - Martha Elizabeth, 4/1 1.10 - Tick Tocker, 9/4 1.40 - Fentara, 4/1 2.10 - Carmela Maria, 9/2 2.40 - Sacre Toi, 11/8 3.10 - Ivan Boru, 13/2 Folkstone... 12.30 - If In Doubt, 5/2** 1.00 - Talkonthestreet, 5/2 1.30 - Shernando, 1/2** 2.00 - Quapriland, 5/4 2.30 - Sulpius, 11/8 3.00 - Stravita, 13/8** 3.50 - Festival Bound, 13/2 ** After AP's treble yesterday i thought id see if he could oblige again today... Only bet today, a £5 treble pays £68.91... Good luck to all today...
Hello lads. Nothing today...hopefully ROTO's selection gives supporters a run for their money. Sad to see BB out for the season but in a way it does open up the staying division to the concept of competiton,something that the excellence of BB has quashed. It was getting a little tedious seeing him beating the same horses in the same races year after year over and over again.. (deliberate lack of punctuation to accentuate point!) ..no pleasing some people
Anyhow,on to more important matters. Christmas Day viewing sorted thanks to ITV3...four consecutive Carry On movies followed by a double bill of On The Buses...bliss. Political correctness rightly being given the day off....
Xmas presents packed on the mule a week ago, lad, hope they reach you in time! Getting the official video on Frankel from the good Wife (I think, I hope), can't wait to watch it. Say, digressing, wondered if anyone has ever heard a young lady named Naomi Grimley on the Beeb before. Was watching BBC World News on the Queen's visit to 10 Downing Street (first since Queen Victoria - erm, was Sir B.Chuckles at this particular top table?), and on came this Royals expert, Miss Grimley. I have never in my life heard anyone articulate the English language so precisely. Very nice, Naomi, but q-u-i-t-e h-o-n-e-s-t-l-y, I a-l-m-o-s-t f-e-l-l a---s-l-e-e-p, listening. Does the good lady think we are all foreigners? Maybe. I am being unfair, one should not grumble when one hears our language spoken so clearly and so p-r-e-c-i-s-e-ly, albeit slowly. Some of the rapid slurred versions of our language from various correspondents are irritating, to say the least, so, as I said, one should not complain.
C Maria is now 7/2, too short for me, I'll be on STOP ON E/W, trainer and Jockey have a very high success rate here
You can’t beat a good episode of ‘On The Buses’. Sure beats any TV prog made these days. I’ve just had lasagne, roast potatoes and carrots all washed down with a bucket of water. Not very festive...but very nice. 9/10. New Years Eve doesn’t go at Newbury tomorrow people but COCKTAILS AT DAWN (3.00) does. Preparations are being made to open the vault as we speak. Sporting Life are predicting 4/1.
"I need scrubbers for tent" Or my favourite, Josh Fiddler from Carry On Camping ..................... "Pound"
Nope not in that league and ultimately Cocktails At Dawn is going to be more of a chaser than a hurdler. This season will be largely an educational one prior to going over fences in season 2013/14 (2014 RSA perhaps?!?). In saying that though Cocktails at Dawn should pick up some nice prizes this term and ultimately the sky could be the limit – although I suppose you could say that about any horse yet to make its hurdling bow! He had one run in an Irish point last season and was running a blinder prior to falling at the last. Was purchased by his current connections for a very cool £130,000 at the Cheltenham sales in the Spring (the horse who won the race he contested, incidentally, went for £300,000, at the same sale, so to say bidders think highly of that Irish point could be the understatement of the year). Furthermore, re tomorrows race Mr Henderson has won it twice in the past 5 years with such good horses as Petit Robin and Broadbackbob (he also saddled Cucumber Run to be 2nd in it) so he likes to target something useful at it. Hopefully, Cocktails At Dawn will be the next good 'un he runs in the race.
SBC Great ride from young Trevor Whelan there to get his horse back in front from McCoy,after looking finished at the turn. Cannot believe Amosite just deadheated at 25/1 left it alone after much humming and hawing.