Sunday's Meetings Wolverhampton A/W 8 Races 1:20-5:00p.m. Pontefract Flat 7 Races 2:00-5:10p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 7 Races 2:10-5:20p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Skeltons can't seem to do much wrong lately and although they only have 3 runners today the one I'm backing is MRSROBBIN in the last at 6/4. Should complete the 3 timer.
Good morning 15.35 Pontefract: Another Touch @ 7.0 on the exchanges. I’m no way near as articulate as the forum’s favourite economist I’m afraid… Gabr: Three-year-olds don’t have a fantastic record in this and has the misfortune of having Jim ‘lights out’ Crowley onboard. Big Country: Will not want the rain, nor the trip. Best over further. Ventura Knight: Joe ‘takes a pull at the start’ Fanning rides. Weak as kittens in a finish. Pass. Salateen: Best at 7f; won LTO at 6f. Nothing suggests to me that 1m and a big step up in class is what the horse wants. Secret Art: No chance at the weights. Another Touch: Won this last year off the same weight and in what will likely be similar conditions. IMO this years renewal is far weaker than last (Gabriel, Custom Cut, Tashweeq). Form since then has been good and with Tony back on board, I’m expecting A big run for my money. N.B. Would normally look to lay a Crowley fav, but it looks to me a two horse race, so happy to run with Another Touch only for a win.
Gabr is the form horse if you look at who has beaten him but all those races were slowly run, so I'm not convinced he warrants being favourite in this. Big Country may lack the pace in what could be a tactical race Salateen, although racing mainly over 7f, in first time tongue strap, won unchallenged at Haydock, with the odds on Salsabeel 5l behind. He has the tongue strap again so I think the 11/1 on offer understates his chance Ventura Knight will appreciate the drop back to a mile over which he has posted some decent times so I think he is overpriced at 6/1 Secret Art has posted a decent time over a mile and I wouldn't be laying him at 33/1 (and he's only an "a" and a "t" away from Secretariat Another Touch doesn't have the ground he had when winning last year's race but on gf he was recently only 4l behind yesterday's winner Thundering Blue and looks the likely winner today, as tipped up by KF above. I would take Salateen for the forecast in what looks a dodgy old race. Warning. I haven't been able to pick a winner all week.
Listening to Radio 5 Live talking about Welshman Geraint Thomas winning the Tour de France, they were saying about how unpopular his team Team Sky are in France. One of the pundits pointed out how ironic it was that the man who runs Team Sky is a former French cyclist. Maybe they will like the Welshman because of the historical ethnic connection.
Some of the most disgusting behaviour I have ever seen by "sports fans" anywhere. To spit on someone is quite simply revolting. I assume all driven by jealousy of a superb team operation and the fact that the last French winner was in 1972? Anyway, Team Sky stuffed it right back down their throats, well done the team and well done Geraint Thomas
Could you explain something to me Oddy? The cycling was on TV and my wife said the Welsh chap had already won. So I asked if it was a recording and it wasn't. Curious, I asked how can he have won if the race hasn't finished? She said that they aren't allowed to overtake in the last mile. She didn't think much of my next question, which was "So why don't they make the race a mile shorter?" "It's like saying if a horse is winning with a furlong to go, it's won" I'm confused
Tradition Ron. The GC is decided on the penultimate day and the last day is a procession and a final chance of glory for one of the sprinters. All Thomas had to do is not crash out. Problem this year was that most of the top sprinters got timed out a week or so ago on one of the gruelling mountain stages. Well done to Geraint Thomas. Fantastic achievement from a cyclist who has certainly earned his yellow jersey the hard way (to be fair I don't think there is an easy way).
