**** me I feel like putting up a for the 3rd there - looked beaten after half a mile but once she could be arsed she flew home
2nd, 2nd and 3rd so far in my e/w Lucky 15, need Soixante Six to place in the last at Lingfield, might even show a profit
Hawkeye, those place multiples really add up although I was worried about the first with only 6 runners.
topclass that act four(mono mans full brother) is entered on wednesday http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/racecards/09-01-2013/ludlow/racecard/543052/200-annual-membership-standard-open-nh-flat-race
hawkeye great spot thanks for letting me know. May go and find a price for the Champion Bumper All about next season though
8.20 Dundalk Formal Bid 11/1 Although Vincent Ward's Circus Act is a horse I tipped up a couple of starts ago and who I think should definitely run well tonight I fancy Gordon Elliott's 6 year old to run a very big race tonight as he has been running very in defeat of late. Formerly with Charles O'Brien and Joseph Fox, Formal Bid joined Gordon Elliott in April of last year where he started off over hurdles and was pretty disappointing in 5 starts in that sphere but he has been running with great credit on the level for his current connections. Formal Bid had his first flat start for Elliott in October last year over tonight's C+D when running a very good 3rd off a mark of 63 under young 10lb claimer Luke Dempsey on his first flat start in 14 months. Held up in rear, Formal Bid was brought wide to make his challenge coming into the home straight where he stayed on strongly to be a never nearer 2.25L beaten 3rd and it was a very nice effort. The form of that race looks very decent with the winner Raydari going down by a head and a short head on his only 2 subsequent start including off an 11lb higher mark whilst the 2nd Atmospheric High won on his next start off a 3lb higher mark, has won a rated race and has been holding his form off a 10lb higher mark. Raised 1lb to a mark of 64 for that effort, Formal Bid reappeared just 5 days after than good 3rd where he was a very unlucky in running 3.75L beaten 5th over the same extended 1m2f trip in the 50-70 contest. Under Colin Keane, Formal Bid was again held up towards the rear and had made some very good progress through the field and he looked to be coming with a very serious run before running into a wall of horses and stumbling with about 1f to go but he ran on again under tender enough handling to finish a definitely unlucky 5th. Only 2 horses have come out of that race in front of Formal Bid which are Atmospheric High and Bensoon and the latter has run won off the same mark and being beaten a neck off a 6lb higher mark in a better race than this. Formal Bid was kindly dropped 1lb back to 63 as Gordon Elliott brought him over to Wolverhampton in November as he again ran with great credit but he probably just didn't stay the extended 2m trip. Held up in midfield under Graham Lee, Fomal Bid came with a big run in the home straight and probably just about hit the front inside the final furlong before slightly running out of petrol in the final strides as he dropped back to a length beaten 3rd. Once again, the form of that race looks very strong with the 2nd Gabrial's King winning on his next start off a 3lb higher mark whilst the 5th Six Of Clubs has won both his subsequent starts including off a 5lb higher mark. It was a very nice effort and his turn in the winners enclosure did not look far away. Formal Bid's last start came at Dundalk off a mark of 65 in a very competitive looking 1m4f event in late December last year when he was strongly fancied in the betting (14/1-8/1 on course) but his race did not last very long as he clipped heels and unseated his jockey after about a furlong or so. That race was an awful lot better than what he will be contesting tonight and given that he was very well backed says a lot in my eyes. He drops back into a basement level 47-65 and despite having to shoulder top weight of 10 stone I'd be pretty disappointed if he can't be very competitive in a poor race of this nature. Emmett McNamara takes the ride for the first time and his traditional blinkers and tongue tie are retained. Although his draw in stall 11 isn't ideal, given the fact he comes from off the pace it shouldn't make a huge difference. With Gordon Elliott in belting form in the National Hunt sphere, I'm confident of a big run from Formal Bid which should hopefully see him deservedly land this very poor contest.
