Evening all, Hope you have all enjoyed this weeks racing and are having a lovely sunny weekend. I am off to Chester for an annual trip to the races and would love to hear your thoughts on the card before I head off up there early tomorrow morning. Ultimately the plan is to kick things off with a classic Full English and a brew, a swift couple of halves when we get there, a delicious Sunday lunch, and 6 or 7 winners. Anyway, send me your tips/thoughts/naps and I'll see how they fit in to my notes that I've just made on the races. Anyone else around tomorrow? -Toppy
Toppy I used to visit Chester regularly when I was a student in Manchester in the early 90s. Beautiful little course and always very entertaining racing due to the tight turns and relatively short home straight. Here my picks for what they are worth. Draw bias in sprints is massive of course, takes a pretty poor ride to get beat from the 1 stall over 5F. 2.20 Storming Bernard (nice draw, knocking on door) 2.55 Our Boy Jack (is Hanagan really doing 7-12 ?????) 3.30 Lexi's Hero (best horses all drawn wide here) 4.05 Fred Willetts e/w (C&D winner) 4.40 Red Art 5.10 Highlife Dancer 5.45 Gottany O's Best of luck and have a fantastic day
Cheers Oddy, the way they break from the stalls seems pretty important. If they break well from an inside draw they're hard to peg back. Think that opening maiden is more tricky than it looks on paper, Dascombe introducing Cool Hand Luke and Balding has a lovely sort on paper but bred for further in time. Gottany O's looks a good e/w selection for sure, most interesting horse of the day for me is Tom Dascombes I'm a Doughnut in the 4.40- straight itno a class 2 stakes instead of a maiden. Looks like it'll have plenty of toe on paper, just a shame about the draw. I spent a year at Manchester before I changed courses, student life there is amazing. Were you based in Fallowfield by any chance?
Nah mate, 1st year in Whitworth Park student residence (next to the famous Abdul's takeaway). 2nd and 3rd year shared a house in Withington. Happy days - used to see John Thompson and Vic & Bob in the pubs down there before they became famous
I am going to Newbury for the first time tomorrow - has anyone got any advice concerning draw bias etc? Any fancies too? Thanks.
Newbury 3.20 I think Orders from Rome will take all the beating. It will have to be a pretty decent newcomer to beat that one back at 6f. He's forecast at 9/4 at present which seems reasonable. Chester. Big Note looks good at 7/2 in the 4.40. I'm not saying back this by any means as it could be Dandy Nichols trying to get this horse's handicap down for the all weather but, if I were there, I would have to have a little dabble on Silaah at 20/1 in the 3.30 just in case. I notice both are drawn 5 so that might not be ideal over 6f; haven't seen the draw stats.
Newbury- 2.10- Rajnagan- Has Course form and just in general form this summer over hurdles- so should make a smooth transaction to flat!
Ron - concerning Orders from Rome - I too believe he is the best on paper, but I've never been crazy about Fergus Sweeney. Tried to convince myself that he's decent by looking at his riding form in the past 14 days: not a single winner from 34 races. Am I being too picky or am I right in turning to Gold Sceptre (second best in the race in my opinion) in light of Sweeney's stats?
And Woolcombe Folly, thanks for your thoughts! I am always wary of horses who suddenly improve drastically over obstacles, and then come back to the flat on a 'handy' mark (Spirit of Adjisa being a perfect example at Goodwood a couple of days back). I will probably end up backing that, as well as an outsider that I like in Formidable Guest - looks way overpriced to me.
She is massivley overpriced!! She has certainly proved that she can be up thier in this race but my money will probably still be Rajnagan
I remember Whitworth Park Oddy, just on the Oxford Road isn't it, and yes Abduls has about 6 chains on one road now! I was in Owens Park, that was a blast I can tell you. Bet those were the days mate, university in the 90s?! Cheaper for sure! Ron, Silaah would be a big danger if ir broke fast and grabbed the rail! I see Dr Koukash has a few runners there again, he usually picks up a race. I think Lexi's Hero will get turned over though.
Oddy- I know I just had to double take at that- he is doing 7;12 tomorrow! Must kill him getting down to that weight!! He did 8st 10 today on Barefoot lady- a whole stone he has to get down to incredible, what these jockeys get down to! Must physically exhaust them- not eating what you want- even some days probably not eating and a whole load of saunas! Hats off to them!
Wouldn't be for me WF - I like the old Becks and red wine too much Toppy Manchester was way cool early 90s - Madchester - Happy Mondays, The Hacienda, Stone Roses. Brilliant times. No idea what it's like these days though. Biggest memory of Chester was 1993 (I think) at the May meeting - there was a multiple C&D winner in the big handicap who I'd lumped on. Was well up by the last race and decided to have a big bet. Had 50 quid win (that was massive for me as a student) on a horse of Stoutes 11/1 ish on the tote, can't remember the name. As they came into the straight a horse of Abdullah's, Matador I think (ridden by Pat Eddery) was about 4 lengths clear of mine, but mine was closing all the way up the straight and went down by a neck. Backed it to win so no returns but can't remember being so exited on a racecourse.
Oddy there are some great tight finishes at Chester, that was a great story, I know that feeling. Hoping for a bit of good luck tomorrow, need it really at a course like Chester.
I don't fancy anything strongly enough at Chester tomorrow, it's quite a difficult card, all I will say is look for horses who get out the boxes sharpish and are drawn low, particularly in the 3 sprints on the card. Im not realy the biggest fan of risking the readies at places like Chester, but good luck with whatever you decide to risk the cash on Topclass
My selections for today Arley Hall - Brilliant effort on debut, and I am not too worried about wide draw. I wouldn't be surprised to see her at 3/1 or bigger as the money goes down on stall 1. Silvas Romanas - Course winner and has plum draw. Has a bit to find on the book but can defy the weight. Anne Of Kiev - I have a funny feeling that this sprint will change massively in the final furlong. I can see Rose Blossom taking them on early and setting it up for a closer and at the minute Anne Of Kiev looks the best of those. Sunrise Safari - Trappy heat. Redart - I think this is the best bet of the day. Especially as Alejandro and the other dangers are drawn wider. Unknown Rebel - trappy again Danderek - Another trappy race
Hope you had some cash on Rajnagan - peddlers! Wont make you rich in with those odds but winners still a winner!
