Alright people, My fancies today, Over at Ascot Times Up e/w - Christoph Soumillion rides ascot as good as anyone, consistent this year and a decent price for a small go e/w Olympic Glory at 6/1 not had run of the race last time, and is just a solid proposition to be in the frame with doubts over a few of the market principles. Farhh is just an astonishing price and he's got a great record fresh and his defeats have come at the hands of Frankel, Nathainel and Moonlight Cloud of late and just has to be the bet at the price. Cheltenham 2:00 Kilbree Kid e/w - Running well and good chance to make the frame 3:45 LOST GLORY Massive price @ 16/1 in this competitive handicap, effectively top weight but suited by good ground, McCoy on board for Jonjo and will get a strong pace that he can come off.. Have a champion day all!
Had a decent dabble on David Pipe's Kings Palace in the opener at Cheltenham. I remember stick being very taken with him last year when he dotted up on debut and it was only greenness towards the end of the race that prevented him winning much more emphatically last time out. The third placed horse, Billy No Name (beaten 16 lengths) absolutely dotted up at Wincanton on Thursday and I think Kings Palace could turn out to be a very useful animal.
Nothing out of the ordinary for me today but these are my selections for Ascot and a couple for Cheltenham. Ascot Eye of the Storm EW Maarek / Cape of Approval EW Talent Olympic Glory - Such a great consistent horse hope he can grab top prize today / Kingsbarns EW (Kingsbarns was gambled on quite heavily in the Irish champion stakes on good ground but ran no race at all. Back to a mile and on softer ground we could see what the hype is really about. Farhh(NAP) Cheltenham Kings Palace Handazan Farhh/Olympic Glory/Maarek/Talent in a yankee and singles on all the above.
Going to take an ew chance on fingeronthepulse at 33s was in a close encounter with the fav last year and lost by a small distance is much better weighted now back down to an ideal trip and most importantly loves the conditions and is not back from a long break
I was just saying to my dad before the race, Johnny Murtagh has had a brilliant season and Royal Diamond could go close. Did I have an e/w saver on him? Did I **** Kings Palace at Cheltenham
Tentative tips at Ascot: 2.20 Maarek, will relish the soft going and step up in trip from 5 furlongs. Cape Of Approval E/W (beat Maarek in a listed race at Cork in June). 2.55 Dalkala, won the Prix de l'Opera last time out, Talent should run a big race. 3.30 Ascot Maxios, I simply can't be backing Dawn Approach. 4.05 Ascot Farhh, the one to beat the favourite if fully wound up. Morandi E/W
Whooooooooooooooooooooooooossshhhhhhhhhhhhhh - that was like watching the ghost of Brindisi Breeze - pinged his hurdles with fast low jumps and just galloped away from them. Very early marker for the Albert Bartlett - super performance from a beautiful horse
Grab a pen and stick a big line through that race with regards to Maarek. Slowly away, didn't get much cover and there is no point in even analysing it even more. Don't know why they put Maarek into the stalls so early. He's gotten wound up plenty of times in the stalls and missed the break and being in there so long would not have helped. He was last into the stalls at Longchamp for the Abbaye and away on terms and it's stupid not to request putting him in late.
The 2.35 at Cheltenham is almost a re-run of the Grand Annual with loads of the horses in the top half of the card having contested that event over the last 2 years. All good horses but all pretty heavily burdened by the handicapper and, mindful of day 1 of the festival this year where Colin Tizzard and Brendan Powell landed a big-priced winner, I'm going for an e/w dabble on the bottom-weight Sew On Target. He doesn't have that many miles on the clock for an 8YO and has won off 113 and 120 in the past. He has been on today's mark of 127 for his last 2 races - last time in May when 7 lengths second to West With The Wind (3rd has won since) and before that when 4th to Grouse Lodge at Cheltenham, and with another summer on his back that could be a winning mark today. 25/1.
John's Spirit did look a little thrown in and did it well. Sew On Target stuck on well for 3rd, nice e/w money.
Money for Belle De Crecy in the 2.55 at Ascot from 10/1 to 8/1 ridden by Johnny Murtagh. But only 7 runners now.
I thought Talent was a very impressive Oaks winner who, for one reason or another, hasn't gone on from that. But she ran a decent race in the Leger and it looks like the ear plugs have kept her calm so a decent win bet on her today. Would be nice to see her land another G1.
Champions Day is a ****ing damp squib A 99 rated filly, bottom rated in the field, wins the fillies G1. Shocking.
