Rock on ruby's price is an insult. he's been there and done it. There is a chance that darlan is exceptional, but he's priced up as if he is already.
Another Carroll runner attracting support at Donny is MR ROBINSON in the 3.30. Shown little so far but open to any amount of improvement. I backed ALI's BABA earlier but may have to have a saver!
I have two to put up early for tomorrow. Wolverhampton 3.20 Jolly Ranch 6-1 This horse has the same connections as another Tony Newcombe inmate named Spellmaker that I put up on Friday as it had been entered and pulled out 3 times before being allowed to run, that was a bet waiting to be had for them. This one is not put up with the same level of optimism but he last won of of a mark of 57 and drops below that for the first time since tomorrow when racing off of 55, I think he will go in. 5.20 Annelko 9-4 This is quite a poor race but I feel this horse will win tomorrow and 9-4 may not actually be a bad price for him.
Really hoping Darlan wins really well tomorrow then finally people might start respecting the horse for how good he actually is. I've thought all along that he is a bit of a machine and he has done pretty much everything that has been asked of him yet he still gets crabbed by everyone! He wins tomorrow and people finally start to see that he is a genuine champion hurdle contender
Countrywide Flame tomorrow for me. Forget lto, tomorrow we'll see whether his trainers assertions that he'll be competitive at the festival are justified. Only a win will do and I think he will. 6/1 with Bet 365 is a lovely price too. A nice win bet and a few combinations with Pindar Donc 4.05 and Worth a Kings Donc 4.35. Good luck all and come on the Flame. Just read on Neil Mulholland's blog that Mad Max has been retired after being pulled up at Sandown yesterday. One of my favourite horses who imho didn't quite reach his potential due to injuries and breathing issues. I was at Aintree to witness his trouncing of Sommersby in the 2010 Manifesto Novices Chase with a typically bold front running display. He jumped superbly that day. Hope he has a long and happy retirement.
Gorgeous animal MAD MAX. I was at Newbury and saw him in the paddock before his bumper debut. I was immediately a fan and thought he would really be something special. I guess he was but not quite as special as he might have been. Here's to a happy life after racing old boy.
Good luck Oddy. Hope RoR wins for you. Don't have any interest in Darlan. Never have. Most likely will always look to take him on. RoR is obviously not primed for tomorrow. None of them will be. Does that mean whatever you back is just a guess though? Is tomorrow's race effectively an all weather jumpers bumper but raced over hurdles? I'm not often soft about my bets but tomorrow is a step into the unknown for me and I've left it alone.
2 tomorrow for me: Ali Baba 6/1 - Doncaster 3:30, caught my eye the last day as i felt he ran on well and may be well treated now he get's an extra couple of furlongs. Wordiness 9/4 - Wolverhampton 5:25, thought this might be a match up between Wordiness and Annelko and the bookies think so too with little sperating them. I just feel Annelko has had chances to win similar races and not followed through perhaps a bit like the selection, but i think Wordiness' 2nd lto was a better race and i'm taking him to win this. Have also had a bit e/w on sticks selection as i'd hate to miss the party if it wins.
This game is fantastic. Ravens 5 up with 2 mins to play. 49ers looking certain to score to take the lead. If Ravens lose they'll only have themselves to blame. Miles clear in the 3rd quarter.
Amazing. No score. One and a half left. I'm still winning. 49ers last chance might have just passed them by. 2.86 was always the wrong price.
4.05 Doncaster It Is What It Is 8/1 Although I'm absolutely perplexed and slightly concerned as to why A P McCoy isn't riding this one given he has no ride in this contest, I think It Is What It Is has the potential to be absolutely chucked in off a mark of 76 on his handicap chasing debut and I'll be a little disappointed if he doesn't run a really big race. Jonjo O'Neill's 6 year old hasn't stood much racing in his career with only 4 runs under rules to date but handicaps were always going to be his port of call and being a half brother to the 135 peak rated chaser Major Malarkey his future clearly lied over the bigger obstacles. This son of Presenting made his debut last February over hurdles at Southwell over 2m when well beaten before being turned out quickly twice more in what clearly looked an attempt to get a lenient handicap mark before being put away for the rest of the season. It Is What It Is made his chasing debut at Warwick over 2m on the back of a 9 month absence in December where it was clearly evident that he was just out for an educational spin as he was held up at the back of the field under tomorrow's pilot Richie McLernon and allowed to come home in his own pace as he finished a comprehensively beaten 10th. Although that race doesn't look very strong at all, that run has now allowed him to qualify for handicaps off the mark he achieved over hurdles and you'd have to believe that if he wasn't capable of scoring off a mark of 76 that he won't be racing in the colours of JP McManus for much longer. Although he'll be suited over further in time, the step up to 2m3f for tomorrow's very weak contest should definitely suit and with his recent effort blowing away the cobwebs from his break and the experience he learned sure to stand him in good stead I'm confident of a very big run. Although Richie McLernon has been on board all 4 starts to date, the absence of A P is puzzling. However, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if there was a jockey change tomorrow and if that occurred I'd be very, very confident about his. Jonjo O'Neill has his string in fine order at present and I can see no reason why he won't be trying tomorrow given his trainer's record with handicap debutants and his very lowly mark. If all goes to plan, I foresee a massive run on the cards which should hopefully see him shed his maiden tag at the 5th time of asking.
I can certainly see why there has been quite a bit of money for 3.30 Doncaster Mr Robinson 17/2 as he is upped to 3m for the first time on his 2nd start for Tony Carroll and given that he is a full brother to the talented hurdler and chaser Possol and it would be pretty disappointing if he wasn't good enough to score off a mark of 87 on his first start beyond 17f.
Nice article by Greg Wood this morning in the Guardian on SPs (I bet nass has already read it): http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2013/feb/03/horse-racing
