Saturday's Meetings Newmarket Flat 8 Races 12:40-4:33p.m. Musselburgh N/H 7 Races 1:00-4:23p.m. Down Royal N/H 7 Races 1:05-4:35p.m. Wetherby N/H 7 Races 1:20-4:50p.m. Ascot N/H 7 Races 1:35-5:05p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 8 Races 5:00-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
A superb card at Ascot and the opening Novices Handicap Chase is just about the best race of its type I can remember outside the big festivals.
Also just noticed that Envoi Allen starts his retrieval mission in the Grade 2 at Down Royal and of course the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner goes in the preceding race.
Certainly miss Grendel and his excellent analyses, especially those covering the big races of the day. Doesn't look very much like he will be returning, but I do hope he does.
A good day of sport today. A little ew lucky 15 on the horses for me and too many football bets to put up. 1.20 Wetherby Road Warrior 2.10 Ascot Soaring Glory 2.45 Ascot One For Rosie 3.20 Ascot Sojourn Have a good day all, all the best with yours
Bet you I could 'stop' any one of his army of horses, if I put my mind to it! Have to make sure we get all the shopping/goodies/beer in as Monday is a Bank Holiday in Bayern (Allerheiligen). Have a great weekend!
The German runner in the Ascot bumper has been smashed into - it was 4/1 last night and now in to a general 7/4.
Noticed too that the German-bred Megan goes in the 14:10 at Ascot. Going well when fell LTO in handicap att Chepstow. Suited by distance and ground conditions. Might be worth a modest punt at around 6/1 best price at time of writing. Stable jockey Ciarán Gethings is on board for the Stuart Edmunds yard.
I've just been looking through the previous winners of races on the Ascot card and there are some big names on there who won on this card at an embryonic stage of their careers - most notably Altior and My Tent Or Yours, who both took the novice hurdle in the middle of the card and Emitom, Puffin Billy and Riverside Theatre, who all won the bumper. There are a few on today's card who look to have the potential to go on to much bigger things: 1.35 Novices Handicap Chase - all 7 were rated 130+ in their (sometimes very) brief hurdling careers and both Solo and Nassalam were quite fancied for their respective Triumph Hurdles at one point. I can't wait to see Sizeable Sam in the paddock to see whether he his filled his huge frame over the summer. Massive horse and hopefully he will take well to chasing. 2.10 Handicap Hurdle (Listed) - sees the return of Betfair Hurdle winner and Supreme 4th Soaring Glory off a mark of 143 but the one I am keenest to see with an eye to the future is Boothill. Having missed most of last season through injury he might well need this today and I wouldn't touch him at 9/4 but it will be fascinating to see what level he can run to today. He might well dot up off 135. 3.55 Novices Hurdle - all eyes here will be on Gary Moore's Authorized gelding Shallwehaveonemore who won his bumper with authority at Kempton and is held in very high regard. 5.05 Bumper - Andreas Wohler sends over the Galileo entire Estacas from Germany and he continues to be backed (now in to 13/8). If zee German proves a dud then Kim Bailey's Chianti Classico (mmmmm lovely) could be the one to take advantage but there looks to be plenty of depth in this bumper.
Elliot's Fil Dor absolutely sluices up in the Juvenile Hurdle at Down Royal. Jumped beautifully in a race Qulixios won last year. Bet 365 put him in at 12/1 for the Triumph, other firms around 14s.
Gutted for Shan Blue and connections there - the way he shot away was explosive and he just had to jump the fences for a spectacular victory. Hopefully he is none the worse for the fall.
