Racing today comes from Haydock Park, Beverley, Yarmouth, Hamilton Park, Kempton Park and Clonmel. Nice to see that Bluey and Bucks got among 'em yesterday. Ron even got in on the act late in the day. Well done gentlemen. I also has a major windfall today, about a thousand dollars. The wife was on the way to the pool in the car at 5am when there was a huge boom and the car stopped. The lady, full of fear, was straight on the dog and bone. Sounded like an expensive job. After seperating the facts from the fears, I got to the bottom of the problem. The car was just cold, and the good lady had tried to feed more fuel into a cold engine that was already overloaded. BACKFIRE ... STALL. As there was nothing wrong with the car, I saved a grand. All naps and comments welcome. NAPS. HAYDOCK. 14:50 Viola D'Amour. E.W. Ron. WON. 20-1. 14:50 Proud Pearl. E.W. Nass. 14:50 Dare To Dream. cyc. BEVERLEY. YARMOUTH. 5:10 Sweet Possession. Filon. HAMILTON. 18:00 Almaty Express. E.W. Bomb. KEMPTON. CLONMEL.
Is that the car you won Cyc? Are you sure it wasn't the horse back firing? I forgot to give you the fuel instructions.
Cyc.The car was cold now thats funny. I will send you an engine block heater,just plug her in or set the timer about 1hr before you want to leave and its all warm ideal for when it gets down to -30c and windchill to -45.,should work wonders in your +10c winters.
Ron, it wasn't the same car mate. It was the one with the windows. I don't take the prize car out too often, it tends to attract loose women with low expectations in their men folk. (which would be fine, if I knew how to live up to their sexual desires.) Thanks for the kind offer of you engine warmer Islander, but I think I've solved our problems. I've got the cat trained to sprawl all over the rocker cover. He ain't too keen, but he knows that there's no free ride at our place. The bastard is going to earn his keep, whether he likes it or not.
Cyclonic: You try that with my cat and she'd bite right through your car's AC hose. She knows how to make it hot for people!
Todays two year old races - Haydock looks a very good maiden (2.50) with so many nicely bred sorts in opposition, along with a couple of once raced sorts that have shown enough form to win a maiden. Hannon has the jolly (Dare To Dream) who has course and distance form when showing up nicely to finish second on debut, however some of the others eclipse him on pedigree. Eraada is related to the Dubai World Cup winner Almutawakel amongst many other classy horses (Guineas runner up Muwakleh included) and he runs for the very good Mark Johnston yard. However the one that really caught the eye is Brian Meehan's Proud Pearl who is a full sister to Proud Spell the very talented US raced filly, this one cost a cool 250000 USD at the sales and holds big entries in the Moyglare. Meehan's horses normally come on for the run, so any bet would have to be EW but he is capable of readying one to win. Godolphin also have an expensive purchase in Mahkama who is a filly by the great Bernardini, she is related to a Group 3 horse, but I worry that its with the wrong trainer (SBS) and I can't be backing it at 4/1 on debut. Mick Channon has an expensive sort in Savanna Days, another who is entered in the Moyglare, she is related to a good German horse and she could easily be good enough to win this on debut. Proud Pearl @ 7/1 is an EW bet At Beverley Pint Size should win again (won yesterday in fine style) but I worry that Mousie may be able to take him on in the early stages and I wouldn't be surprised to see them both fall in a hole in the closing stages, however the rest are a motley crue and I can't find anything that could run up to their form. A no play race. We have a decent race at Kempton in which Main Focus looks the be the one to beat, a rare early runner for K Abdulla, he showed a good deal more at Newbury last time out and that form should entitle him to go close in a normal Kempton maiden. However we have a Meehan horse second time out (anyone who wants to follow a system should follow that one) and a few interesting newcomers from Hannon, Beckett and Jane Chapple-Hyam, all of which tempers enthusiasm for Main Focus. Flying Trader looks like the best of the newcomers as its drawn reasonably low and the yard know how to ready one for its debut. If the market allows I will be having a small bet on Main Focus. Finally at Yarmouth, a race in which I could win with an arthritic dwarf as the rear legs of our pantomime horse, its dire with a capital D, yet we have a 4/11 favourite!! I think the price is ridiculous for the jolly and I would lay it if I played on betfair, as no horse who is going to be banded class should be that short in a maiden which contains runners from the Wigham yard and one that is visored. Not a race to be going in big in, but watch the market to see if one of the outsiders are backed.
Nass, I'm not for a moment disagreeing with your assessment of the Yarmouth race with the 1-3 favourite. I suppose it should win, and win easily, but it's a very risky way to make a few bucks. What do you think of newcomers who are backed into favouritism, then do little? The bottom one Willies Diamond didn't have a clue. It badly got onto the heels of another, then quickly threw it in. I had a look at the race and can't make up my mind whether the cash for the horse was from idiots, or whether he actually has ability. I suppose it's not possible to know until he steps out this afternoon.
Cyc, The jolly is far too short, you will go skint if you back horses like this one at ridiculous odds. In regards the Wigham horse, it is interesting that he was backed into favouritism on debut, Wigham used to love to land plots but last season he stated that he no longer bets. That is not to say that the yard didn't fancy it but she was very disappointing on debut, she took a very keen hold and that lost her the chance in a dreadful seller. That said this race is probably no better than that one, and if she does have the ability that the market suggested then she could go close. I do think that it could be the sort of horse that Wigham could do well with in early weak nurseries. Dire race with dire horses!
This isn't the place for this comment but I have to post it while it's in my mind. The thought came to me as I was reading Nass's comment about dire races with dire horses. I suppose I need to start with a question as the answer may render my idea ridiculous. What % of betting money is spent on "dire races". If it is a big % then no need to go any further. But, if it is not significant I would like to suggest that such races are labelled as non betting races and maybe put in a separate category. Maybe only amateur riders should be allowed to ride them in these races. This would make these races more honest and fun, give amateurs more rides to gain experience more quickly and allow owners/trainers to use such races as part of the training régime for below average horses without the jockey being "done" for not riding out".
Ron, 25 grand (21 on the jolly) has already been traded on Betfair for the Yarmouth race that I 'previewed' compare that to the good Haydock maiden which has 14 grand traded as of now. I will try and do a comparison of amounts traded on all of the maidens today, suffice to say it doesn't matter what the quality of the race is like, its just about people finding 'views'. Also take into account how many bookmaker regulars will be putting the short priced jolly in their Lucky lines. Quite a bit will be staked on it!!
There is always the chance that the previewed race has a skewed betting pool. Some heavy hitters might be trying to "buy" money.
Claimer at Beverley has 20 grand too (also Pint Size is a non runner) with Mousie as short price favourite. The best racing at Haydock is getting some decent money but the rest is mediocre stuff and the trades are all of similar levels. Ron, key is that people are in the bookies whether its the Derby or a claimer at Yarmouth.
viola d'amour 250 haydock 20s VC sun fisher 620 clonmel 5/2 bet365 almaty express 600 hamilton 14/1 eway boyles NAP
Cyclonic: Yes indeed, you'd have her beat with your new prize car! Nassau/Ron: In North America, as we all know, they have loads and loads and loads of "dire" races in each daily offering. They are called, simply, "Claimers". If you're lucky, the 8th or 9th might be a half-decent race. I'm talking about a normal weekday, not weekends or the Breeders' Cup!!!
Same in France, we had some dire racing from Longchamps on yesterday, they had a 1m7f race that took about half an hour to run!!
Yes, the French do like to conserve energy. Guess everyone had gone home by the time the race finished?
