Bets for Friday 24th January 2014

Finally off the mark for the new year! Took me a while but it the waiting was over today - yeah! Divine Call won well considering the position he came from in the race. He was a 6/1 SP as well, which makes it all a bit sweeter. Could have been even better as Ryedale Lass ran a big race, but finished 2nd in the end. Tammuz was disappointing though.

13.30 Lingfield: Tanojin @ 8/1 Bet365 - 2pts win 

Tanojin is back after a break and that doesn't have to be a problem. If she is fresh, well and fit I feel she could run a big race considering that she's completely unexposed and seems to have a lot going for herself here. She steps up in trip to 7f which should surly suit on pedigree, she is on a pretty fair mark considering what she has achieved so far and she has a decent seven pound claimer on board for the ride. Tanojin was a big eye-catcher on her last start, back in October at Wolverhampton too. She got hampered around 4f out but remained to travelled well. She made a big move on the outside from 3f out and finished her race strongly in 2nd place. The winner wasn't to catch though as having the run of the race from the front. If she runs to that sort of level and with a bit improvement left in her due to the new trip, I think she has every chance to be right in the mix when it matters.

14.30 Lingfield: Speedyfix @ 9/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Speedyfix was quite unlucky in his most recent start at Wolverhampton. He didn't break too well but travelled then strongly while trailing the field. He had loads to do turning for home as a consequence however. He made some promising headway on the inside as soon as approaching the home straight and might have gone pretty close if he wouldn't have got badly hampered around 1f out thanks to a rival racing in front of him. He almost crashed into the rails (good to see in head on) and lost his rhythm. He wasn't able to pick up again with running out of ground. This performance was an indicator for me that Speedyfix is back in form and capable of winning. He is well handicapped on old form. Lat year he won of higher on turf and won over CD at Lingfield's All-Weather back in March last year of a 1lb higher mark. So if he doesn't miss the break too badly this time and get a clear run he should be well handicapped enough to go really close.

Bests on Thursday 23rd Januray 2014

19.30 Kempton: Divine Call @ 9/2 Paddy Power - 4pts win

 Divine Call has been extremely unlucky in his last two runs and really gave me the impression that he is poised to win. In fact if he is not well handicapped, who is? At Wolverhampton on his penultimate start he was trailing behind a big field and had a whole bunch of horses in front of his nose when turning for home with nowhere to go, his headway after approaching the home turn was then stopped quickly when he got locked on the inside rail while it appeared to me that with a clear run he would have won that race. He looked the best horse, no doubt. Switching to Kempton didn't prove a problem, and why it should, he won here already in the past. Again he travelled very well but had a bunch of horses in front of nose when it mattered around 2f out again, while not getting quite a smart ride by his jockey, who steered him in all sort of trouble. He had to wait for bit of room and as soon as this happened he switched to the left and produced a nice little turn of foot to finish a strong 3rd in the end. He is able to run of the same mark again tomorrow, which is a career lowest mark, and while his wide draw isn't ideal he might simply try to get a clear run on the outside this time and then he should really win I feel.

16.30 Kempton: Tammuz @ 20/1 bet365 - 1pt win

 Missed the 40/1 that were offered early on, but still this is a huge price. Tammuz didn't run to the form she showed in autumn when she run two really strong races, one at Wolverhampton where she was unlucky, and subsequently won at Kempton over 1m in really good style. She didn't follow up but I thought her most recent run was better than the result suggested. She travelled well enough until approaching the home turn and in the moment when she tried to make some headway and really find his stride she got badly bumped and lost completely his rhythm. She wasn't able to recover and was eased down. As a consequence she drops down to her last winning mark, when she won so well here at Kempton in October, and the step up to 1m will clearly help tomorrow. 

17.00 Kempton: Ryedale Lass @ 14/ Bet365 - 1pt win

 I thought Ryedale Lass run a big race of a career lowest mark last week when she overcame a wide draw to make all from the front. She travelled strongly approaching the 2f marker and had everyone else of the bridle. She just tired within the final furlong and finished 3 3/4 lengths beaten in the end but she really shaped as if she is back in form and can be competitive of this low mark in these poor class 7 handicaps. She gets another chance of this mark tomorrow and the drop in trip should suit considering the way she travelled last time out. It's an awful race and doesn't take much to win it, so if Ryedale Lass can run to the same form as she did one week ago, she must have a good chance of going really close.

Come Fly with me - Irish Champion Hurdle 2014!

Next Sunday it's time for the Irish Champion Hurdle! One of the great races in any jump season, this prestigious race over 2 miles is held at Leopardstown Racecourse. Hurricane Fly will try to defend his crown for third year running and it appears that he has every chance to do so. BUT it won't be easy. The Fly might be the world record holder if it is about winning Grade 1's, however he'll be facing a tough test. The presence of 2013 Cheltenham Festival winner Our Conor as well as Jezki is going to ensure that it'll be a terrific renewal. It's even more fascinating as these three meat each other at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival a couple of weeks ago, when Hurricane Fly got the better of his rivals - you could make some excuses for them though. Our Conor, who won so impressively the Triumph Hurdle last year, was racing over hurdles for the first time in more than half a year, while Jezki was an unlucky 2nd behind the Fly as he didn't get a clear run in the home straight but finished very strongly. So all is set for a really exciting Irish Champion Hurlde 2014 and another round of "Come Fly with me!".

Some of the best finishes of modern time of this prestigious race, put together in a lovely piece by At The Races. Sit back an enjoy the following moments of glory: 

Two bets for Wednesday 22nd of January

15.05 Lingfield: Munsarim @ 11/2 Coral - 2pts win

Munsarim was knocking on the door lately when he run with loads of credit on a couple of occasions. He was a huge eye-catcher at Lingfield on the last day of the old year when he travelled like a dream of a career lowest mark. He had the widest draw to overcome that day and consequently settled in rear trailing the field. He made headway from 3f out on the outside but lost loads of ground turning widest of all and needed a while to hit top gear. But once he did, he flew home from 1f out and came from an almost impossible position to nearly win it. He stepped up in grade afterwards and run fine in a very hot handicap, but once again could have done well with a bit more in-running luck as he was found out for space around the home turn. Last week then he appeared in a claimer at Kempton and was not suited by the lack of pace and the sprint finish, yet he stayed on very well inside the final furlong. That all suggest he is in good form and capable of running to his current mark without a doubt. Dropping in grade tomorrow will surly help to see him even more competitive. 

16.05 Lingfield: Penbryn @7/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Penbryn ran a tremendous race nine days ago here at Lingfield over 1m when he was beaten in 2nd by a short distance. He trailed the field that day and travelled very much the best but had horses in front of his nose turning for home and entering the home straight. He had to delay his challenge and needed to get switched to the outside in order to get a clear run. It was impressive the way he straightened up and quickened in a matter of strides and looked thundering down the final furlong with a winning run but just didn't get quite there. He can race of the same mark tomorrow and the drop in trip shouldn't cause any trouble. He won at Wolverhampton in November over 6f with loads in hand of an only 3lb lower mark under the same rider as booked for tomorrow.

Jockey Cam - Terrific Queen's Cup perspective

The Queen's Cup Steeplechase, held at Brooklandwood in North Carolina on the last Saturday in April, is one North Americas premier jump races. It usually attracts a huge attendance. I just found this lovely video below by accident. It's a recording of a race from the Queen's Cup day - but a unique recording since it shows the race from the perspective of the jockey. Absolutely terrific stuff! You can really get a sense for the pace of the race and the power of the horse. 

BBOTD - Tuesday 21st January 2014

16.15 Southwell: Orwellian @ 10/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Frustrating sort but seems to be finally on a mark he is capable winning of. In fact it's a career lowest mark now. He was not blessed with luck earlier this month here at Southwell when he had an awkward start, didn't travel at all early on while racing wide all the time and turning widest for home, when he got severely hampered by a lose horse. It was impressive to see him picking up so well as he did again and he really motored home to finish a strong 3rd. Surly Orwellian is not a horse you want to trust too much but if he can repeat this kind of performance and get a better run then he must go close in this weak affair. And therefore 10/1 seems a pretty big price to me.

Racing at Naas

Racing at Naas , a set on Flickr.

It was a grueling day of racing at Naas yesterday considering the weather and ground conditions. Was lashing down non stop. You had to be brave and mad to be there. But a very loyal crowd gathered at the track to watch some pretty decent racing. Two graded races and some potential Cheltenham runners were on offer. Naas is a lovely little racecourse, not pretty but has some character. Three different stands along the home straight is quite impressive, the view is great, everything is so close, you could watch the horses in the paddock, get your bets on and watch the racing without leaving one of the stands for example.

Enjoy the following photo gallery of images I've taking at the County Kildare track yesterday...

BBOTD - Friday 17th January

17.30 Wolverhampton: Arabian Music @ 9/1 Betfair - 3pts win

Arabian Music was massively impressive on her third maiden start while clearly not in the race to win. She travelled best of all in midfield, nicely on the bridle until turning for home. She made headway in great fashion once straighten up while not being overly hard ridden. Her jockey got a bit more vigorous on her in the final furlong when she really responded well finishing like a train, under what would be best described as a light hands and heels ride in the end. She clearly got three maiden starts to learn her trade while brought along for handicaps. Her opening mark may look high enough for what she has achieved to date but the way she travelled and finished last time out suggests she could be up to this or be even better and then she must have a fine chance to go close of a low weight in this class 4 handicap. Considering that she is completely unexposed, lightly raced, gave an excellent impression on her final maiden start, has a low weight to shoulder and probably shouldn't encounter any trouble in-running in this small field, makes her a big chance on my book at her current price.

BBOTD - Thursday the 16th of January

19.30 Wolverhampton: Vale Of Clara @ 5/1 Paddy Power - 3pts win

I have two eye-catcher to run in this race with Vale Of Clara and Chez Vrony and the later one appears to be extremely well handicapped after a huge performance two weeks ago when he had all but surly not the run of the race. However Chez Vrony was at least already in full swing approaching the home straight, this was not the case for Vale Of Clara. She travelled probably best of all in that race but at the crucial stage 3f out when the pace really unfolded, she got stuck in traffic and had to sit an suffer until a gap on the inside opened up approaching the home straight, when in fact she had to quicken instantaneously, which is not what horses at this level are usually capable of. She really motored home though, despite appearing to hang slightly to the right around 1f out, which cost a bit of momentum again. Her third place was quite a fine performance after all though. Chez Vrony finished a close 2nd and was visually more impressive, but taking all into account he probably didn't run a much better race than compared to Vale Of Clara in my mind. He just had a bit less against himself I think. For all of that he is a leading chance tomorrow and despite a 3lb rise in the mark is probably still well in. But he is too short for me to bet on and in contrast Vale Of Clara can race off the same mark again, so in fact has an advantage in the weights. She slipped down to a really low mark anyway, one she should be well capable of winning from. This most recent form works out really well too, since the eventual winner - who had the run of the race from the front - won again, and that really boosts the credentials of Vale Of Clara and Chez Vrony. Because of the better price and the more favourable weight I feel Vale Of Clara is better value though and she really has absolutely no excuses if not running a big race tomorrow.

BBOTD - Tuesday the 14th of January

14.20 Southwell: Illegal Action @ 6/1 - 2pts win

Decent handicap debut at Lingfield at the last day of 2013. Looked a bit outpaced entering the home straight but rallied home. Gets one pound off the mark, and switches to the fibresand. Should be perfectly suited for this and in fact is lovely bred by a multiple Group 1 winner and out of a Listed race winning mare, dam sire won Breeders Cup mile. So plenty of dirt form in there and top class form, so wouldn't be a surprise to see Illegal Action improving allot with time and for the surface. He should be better than his current mark and drops in class too.

BBOTD - Monday the 13th of January 2014

12.45 Lingfield: One Way Or Another @ 6/1 Paddy Power - 3pts win

One Way Or Another was a massive eye-catcher two races back at Lingfield when he travelled best of all while trailing the field, still on the bridle turning for home and than run on well despite not getting an overly hard race over a trip too sharp. He was back over 6f this weekend, what was a the reason why I left him unbacked that day, yet he was producing another decent performance, while clearly not having quite the speed for that trip. In addition he got badly hampered in the closing stages though. He clearly appears to be well handicapped in my mind and stepping up in trip is a huge plus as 1m is perfectly fine for him. He's two pounds above his last winning mark but he won two months ago really well off 61, so I quite fancy his chance as on visual evidence he looks ready to strike now racing over the correct trip. Slight concern is that he needs things to fall right for him, which at Lingfield can be difficult sometimes. But considering his big price it's well worth to take the risk.

Capetown Noir romps home in the Queen's Plate!

Capetown Noir won the Grade 1 Queen's Plate at Kenilworth today, the most important race over 1.600m in South Africa. Last years Cape Derby winner produced a lovely turn of foot from 400m out to win pretty easily in the end. He made the most of his top draw to secure a favourable position inside on the rails and got the gaps when needed, but also got a fantastic ride by Karl Neisius. Odds-on favourite Jackson finished 2nd as he did last year. It seems he simply isn't equipped with the change of gear which is so vital in these races over this sort of trip at this top level in SA. He stayed on as he always does and probably will go off a warm favourite for the J&B Met in three weeks time (7/4 currently) as he did last year too -and flopped though. Jet Explorer ran a tremendous race finishing 3rd, coming from an almost impossible position as the trailer when the field turned for home. Not impossible that these three will fight out the met as well come 1st February. Personally I wouldn't bet on Jackson to be able to reverse the placings.