Was I imagining it last night but when I looked at this I thought Timmy Murphy was the jock on board but now I see its Jason Maguire - anyone know why the change of jock as TM rides in the following race, (which is his only ride now) !
Drifting like a barge on the exchanges Heis, not sure if there has been any money for him with regular bookies but has been around 5's since midnight according to Oddschecker. I do quite like the looking of him, but the drift is slightly worrying.
Nice on Heis, on at 6s. Hope your well all! Can't wait for the festival! Will be back on here a bit more then.
Good man RV All the best with BPG Danbo mate - horse owes us nowt but must have a cracking chance now his ground has come. I'm on
lads good run behind Chatterbox first time out. Just Empire Levant left for me today. Not betting a lot sick of losing backing in nearly every race haha
3.30 Newbury Countess Comet 50/1 This looks an extremely open contest that I think will throw up quite a few future winners but I quite fancy Chris Bealby's 6 year old mare who I think will relish the step up in trip on her handicap chase debut off a mark of 112 and I really think she's going to run a mighty race. Formerly with Ralph Beckett on the flat, Countess Comet was pretty useful in that sphere with her best effort going down by a nose off a mark of 76 and she's a horse that stayed very well having won over 12f as a 3 year old. She joined Chris Bealby at the end of 2011 before making a rather fortuitous winning hurdling debut at Catterick in January last year. In a race where the 3 market principals didn't get round, Countess Comet looked booked for 2nd place when the leader Star In Flight came to grief at the 2nd last. However, this mare stayed on strongly up the run in to pick up the pieces in a race that isn't much form. However, there was no fluke about her next start as she made it 2-2 over hurdles when again her stamina won the day over the same C+D as she scored dogedly by 6L. Going around the home turn, she was outpaced but she stayed on resolutely up the home straight to score in fine fashion under a penalty. It's hard to decipher the form of that race given that the 2nd has only run once since but she did give that well fancied rival 15lb whilst she also conceded the 3rd Hidden Identity, who was a further 19L adrift, 7lb and she has come out and won 3 Novice Hurdles subsequently and it was an impressive victory. When attempting to defy a double penalty at Towcester last March, she was disappointing when sent off a 2/1 shot in a race that's best excused. Her final two starts of last season came in handicaps off marks of 115 and 114 when finishing a moderate 3rd and 4th respectively before she earned a well earned summer break. On the back of a 6 month absence, she made her seasonal reappearance in a hot Mares Listed over an extended 2m at Wetherby back in November when probably putting up a career best to finish an 11.5L beaten 5th of 6. In a race with the very talented Une Artiste, Alasi, She Ranks Me and Baby Shine finishing in front of Countess Comet, the race turned into a bit of a sprint as there wasn't much pace early on and Chris Bealby's mare was understandably caught a little for speed by her far higher rated rivals. However, under considerable riding, she plugged on quite nicely making up a bit of ground on those in front of her late on and it was a really promising effort. 10 days later she again shaped as if she badly needed a trip in an extended 2m handicap at Huntingdon in soft ground off a mark of 115 when finishing a 2L beaten 3rd. Pushed along from a long way out, Countess Comet was about 10L behind the leader jumping the 2nd last flight but she stayed on resolutely and was never nearer then at the finish and I think would have won if the race with another furlong. She was duly upped in trip on her next start off the same mark at the end of last year at Market Rasen to 2m3f in testing conditions and although she was leading at 3 out and looked as if she was a non stayer I certainly don't think this was the case as she faded to finish a 13L beaten 4th. I strongly feel that she was just unable to quicken in testing conditions that she doesn't like and I don't think the trip was the reason for her defeat that day. Her final start came at the start of March where she made her chasing debut and although she finished a 16L beaten last of 5 I was impressed. Over 18f at Market Rasen in soft ground, I thought she jumped immaculately for a chasing debutant and she was still travelling well within herself sharing 2nd coming to 4 out. All of a sudden, she dropped back to the rear of the field when the leader and eventual easy winner Gallox Bridge injected some pace and in the space of about a furlong she had dropped 2 or 3 lengths off the back of the field. Swinging into the home turn coming up to the last 3 fences, Countess Comet looked in danger of being tailed off as regular pilot Tom Messenger looked to be easing right off on her but under considerate handling she stayed on well to finish a little over 2L behind the runner up in a bunch finish with the rest of the field. It's a little difficult to quantify that form as the winner was set an extremely difficult task on his only subsequent outing when finishing last of 3 in a race where he had little chance against Kapga De Cerisy and ***o and the 2nd was disappointing in a handicap off a mark of 115 subsequently. However, the 3rd Megastar is quite a useful hurdler whilst the 4th Avoca Promise had shaped very nicely on chasing debut when 3rd behind Module and Colour Squadron and I think its a little too early to judge the form of that race too literally. What I can say is that she jumped extremely well for a chasing debutant and again shaped as if she badly needed a step up in trip which she duly gets today. As a result of that first start over fences, I think the handicapper has been lenient in giving her a 3lb lower mark than over hurdles of 112 and trainer Chris Bealby commented on his website that he was "pleasantly surprised" by her mark and he seems to share my opinion that she's on more than a fair mark. Sure to improve greatly for that experience, I am delighted to see Countess Comet upped to an extended 2m6f for the first time today as she has shaped on so many occasions that she has been crying out for a staying trip. Additionally, the return to better ground should also greatly suit as her best form has been on a sound surface and Bealby has described testing conditions as unsuitable on several occasions. This Class 3 contest looks extremely open and I'd be surprised if there wasn't quite a few horses on good marks but I am confident that Countess Comet also fits into that bracket given that she's proven competitive off a slightly higher mark over a trip that is a little too short in unfavourable conditions over hurdles. Moreover, I think the switch to fences will bring about further improvement for this 6 year old and I'd be very surprised if this mark proves beyond her. Moreover, her trainer has earmarked the Mares Final over this C+D later this month as her target and she'll need a penalty to get into that and it clearly shows the regard she is held in. Chris Bealby seems to have his horses in fine order at present with two of his last 3 runners narrowly beaten (one by a nose) and the drift doesn't concern me as Bealby is quite an unfashionable trainer. This represents both the trainer and Tom Messenger's only engagements tomorrow and this near 6 hour round trip is a rare visit to Newbury and will be only Bealby's 2nd runner at the track. Completely unexposed over fences and at this trip, I'm confident of a big showing from this 6 year old mare and hopefully she can land this contest at a huge price.
Probet will have the book thrown at him there, shocking stuff. One of the jocks I like but no excuse at all
Crickey that was an awful piece of riding by DP...he must deaf not to hear that one thundering up his inner.
These new clubs not doing the biz for the McIlroy fella just yet. Needs to play the last 12 in -3 to probobly make the cut. Was fav/second fav heading into this event.
Danbo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! get in my son. Many thanks for posting him up - splendid performance and lovely drift
My posts are being mod'dfor some reason so you won't see this for a few hours but top stuff Heis ... Nice drift to 9's too
Decent race at Newbury next. Italian Master is a horse I know Topclass likes a lot for when he goes chasing. Ruby's only ride of the day as well Kenai Peninsula impressed me when beating Suerte Al Salto at Taunton back in November. That horse should have won a handicap off 120 the other day but threw the race away. Kenai Penisula was disappointing last time out but I would expect a better run. Can get a place but not betting being more selective XD. Just a notebook horse.
