Monday the 1st of April...

16.10 Yarmouth: Smart Spender @ 4/1 VC - 3pts win

Thought Smart Spender ran promising on his seasonal reappearance which was also his first handicap start. He came a bit under pressure from 3f out and didn't have a chance with the winner but he ran on very well under an easy hands and heels ride to finish a decent enough third in a race that looked competitive. I expect him to improve fitness wise with this run under his belt, he also drops down in class but is able to race of a mark of 80 again. He's still lightly raced as last week was only his third ever start, before that he won at the second time of asking an ordinary 5f maiden at Southwell in really good style last year. So with more to come from from him I think Smart Spender should go close here.

Saturday the 30th of March...

Awful results for the last couple of days... and I only can blame myself. I'm not so unhappy about the selections itself but rather about the stacking. It was way over the top as on many more occasions in recent weeks which led to a fatal loss of the once so lovel looking profit. Anyway, flat season is looming - thanks god!


15.05 Doncaster: Bancnuanaheireann @ 33/1 boylesports - 1pt win

Bancnuanaheireann ran some fine races last year, finishing 4th in the Cambridgeshire in addition to some other fine performances in competitive handicaps. I'm really interested in him because of his most recent performance though, which came at Lingfield in December. He got a real horror run there in the home straight, having been badly hampered, what cost him every chance to win the race. Yet he picked up very well again and finished in eye-catching fashion. I would assume he would have gone very close with a clear run, maybe even would have won it, and would be for that reason a couple of pounds higher in the mark than he does tomorrow actually. Bancnuanaheireann also goes pretty well on soft ground, a vital ability tomorrow I suppose. He didn't run since this Lingfield race again, but I have no doubt that he'll be fit for this big race. His trainer is in good form as well in recent weeks, so there are loads of things to like about his chance and I think he'll run a huge race. Price is massive anyway.


17.10 Kempton: Ready @ 5/1 VC - 3pts win

This speedy gelding caught my eye for the first time when he appeared for the first time on the All-Weather at Lingfield in November, winning in really good style. He clearly looked like a horse that has much more to offer and indeed he followed up in impressive fashion a couple of days later winning in a conditions stakes at the same track. The form works out well enough and the time figures speaking in his favour but I was yet again really impressed by the visual part of this performance in particular as it was the case in his start before as well. Both times he produced a lovely turn of foot in a way you don't get to see it too often on the All-Weather. He steps up to a mile now, a trip he should get actually if I take in to consideration how he finished his races the last two times. While he's by a speedy sire there is also a good deal of stamina on the dam side as his mother was a multiple winner over 10f on the All-Weather. So I think there is a fair chance that he'll get the trip, it should even bring out further improvement and there is way more to come anyway I feel. His current handicap mark could be lenient in my mind.

Thursday the 28th of March...

14.40 Wolverhampton: Lady Of Burgundy @ 7/2 Bet365 - 4pts win

I thought Lady Of Burgundy ran a huge race over course and distance ten days ago when she clearly didn't have things going her way. She travelled well in rear for a long time but had to sit and suffer when the eventual winner, who the had run of the race, kicked away from the front from 4f out. Lady Of Burgundy was locked on the inside and had to wait until approaching the home straight to get out there and starting a challenge. The eventual winner was many lengths in front already at this point but Lady Of Burgundy really finished super strongly and was only 2 lengths beaten in the end. She looks well handicapped judged on this performance in my mind, now down to a career lowest mark. 

Wednesday the 27th of March...

15.10 Southwell: Caldercruix @ 9/4 Bet365 - 5pts win

He ran a huge race last Saturday over course and distance in a hugely competitive affair. He had the widest draw to overcome there and had to turn widest of all for home as a result, which isn't easy as you can lose easily a bit of momentum in these situations. He really fought on gamely to finish a very strong third to some excellent Southwell horses and as he has a very good record as this track and also presenting himself in excellent form recently, winning his penultimate start, which came also at this track, you'd assume he's a big chance next time out. Connections look to have found a suitable race, just a few days later here tomorrow, as Caldercruix remains on the same handicap mark and drops in class. He should prove too good for this lot here I think.



19.20 Wolverhampton: Spark Of Genius @ 5/2 Paddy Power - 4pts win

Usually I don't like horses that made a big impression on the fibresand while appearing on the conventional All-Weather the next time, like it is the case with Spark Of Genius. She tried the fibresand for the first time two weeks ago and in the early parts of the race it looked as if she wouldn't get on with it. She was badly outpaced from the start on, loosing loads of ground and was then taken wide by the jockey. Spark Of Genius improved her position more and more however and was finally back in contention with the field turning for home. She really powered home in the closing stages, even looking a real threat for the win, until she got a bit tired in the final furlong and finished 3rd eventually. This was a huge performance but the handicapper dropped her 1lb, probably due to her modest looking performances on Wolverhampton before. According to this most resent performance she looks in fantastic shape though and with promising WT Davies booked for the ride, who claims very valuable 5lb, I think Spark Of Genius could be very hard to beat in a race where the rest of the field looks rather exposed.

Monday the 25th of March...

 Things look brighter now after another winner today. Still hard to believe that 7/2 was available for Buy Art yesterday and in hindsight I think I should have backed him for more than 3pts. Anyway, he won really well, pretty easily in this small field. Elna Bright though was disappointing.


17.10 Lingfield: Ogaritmo @ 9/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

This lightly raced filly has an interesting profile and ran an eye-catching race last time out over course and distance. She travelled nicely for a long time but found life a bit difficult entering the home straight with a few horses in front of her which made it difficult to get into full swing but once a gap opened she started to pick up and ran on really well in the closing stages. That was a lovely performance considering that the pace was slow and I'd assume she might be even better over a bit further. She might really explore her current mark then but for now 10f looks fine, particularly as it looks a decent enough pace on the card tomorrow and the talented Robert Tart claims very valuable 5lb. I feel there is more to come from here and if so her mark 0f 70 will be a very lenient one.

Sunday the 24th of March...

14.40 Lingfield: Buy Art @ 7/2 bet365 - 3pts win

Buy Art is much better then what he showed so far in his career and looks underestimated in this small field in my mind. His last two performances are not really ones to take seriously as there are excuses to make for him for why he finished a good deal beaten twice. I thought he travelled very well at Wolverhampton last month anyway, having every chance turning for home but found himself suddenly in a bad position in the home straight with a bunch of horses in front of his nose and no way to go through. His jockey clearly looked after him and didn't asked for a serious effort when finally a gap opened over 1f out because the bird was flown anyway at that stage. The penultimate race was a story of getting a run under the belt after a long break I think. He was never ridden to finish the race in the best possible position in addition to his probable unfitness. With two runs under his belt he should strip much fitter now and the drop in the weights will a big help as well. He races of a mark of 62 now and drops in grade, Ryan Moore is on board for the ride, so plenty to like about him and therefore I expect him to go really well here. It takes nothing special to beat the other two in this field anyway.


 16.10 Lingfield: Elna Bright @ 12/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

Big price I think. Thought he ran a tremendous race at Kempton three weeks ago, which clearly was a return to form. He bounced out off the gates and led the field by a very good pace. The final time of the race was 0.47 seconds faster than the standard, yet Elna Bright travelled well and fought hard when headed inside the final two furlongs. He just got tired in the final couple of yards but finished still a very creditable 3rd. He didn't win for a while but down into a class 4 handicap he looks to have every chance of his current mark to find back to the winning ways I think.

No racing...

Newbury off due to the bad weather. Not a big surprise. That makes it two non-runners in a row as Rocket Rob didn't make it to the track yesterday. What a shame, this weather is just awful and it doesn't look to get any better. We're halfway through March, yet it feels like dark and cold December days. At least the start of the Irish flat season looks still on the card tomorrow at the Curragh. And next week is Dubai World Cup. Some things to look forward to...

Friday the 23rd of March...

14.40 Doncaster: Bancnuanaheireann @ 22/1 VC - 1pt win

Bancnuanaheireann ran some fine races last year, finishing 4th in the Cambridgeshire in addition to some other fine performances in competitive handicaps. I'm really interested in him because of his most recent performance though, which came at Lingfield in December. He got a real horror run there in the home straight, having been badly hampered, what cost him every chance to win the race. Yet he picked up very well again and finished in eye-catching fashion. I would assume he would have gone very close with a clear run, maybe even would have won it, and would be for that reason a couple of pounds higher in the mark than he does tomorrow actually. Bancnuanaheireann also goes pretty well on soft ground, a vital ability tomorrow I suppose. He didn't run since this Lingfield race again, but I have no doubt that he'll be fit for this big race. His trainer is in good form as well in recent weeks, so there are loads of things to like about his chance and I think he'll run a huge race. Price is massive anyway.

Friday the 22nd of March...

 Isis Blue ran a fantastic race, finishing a close 2nd. So happy with the performance, no doubt, but it also means, however, no winner as well and therefore no further profit. So things remain a bit annoying and as much as I look forward to the start of the flat season I fear I still have to wait a while until it gets interesting there as the weather forecast is devastating...



20.30 Wolverhampton: Rocket Rob @ 8/1 Paddy Power - 2pts win

It's always unfortunate if two horses of my eye-catcher list running in the same race as it is the case in this race. Usually I swerve these sort of races eventually but there are good reasons to do otherwise here. I suppose My Son May has made it into many notebooks in recent weeks and indeed he should have a huge chance of winning this race but I burned my fingers in the past on this one and he's a shade too short in the price for me. However I also have Rocket Rob on my list and I think he's quite a huge price in contrast. I thought his most recent performance was an absolute massive one. He had the widest draw to overcome what usually is not an advantage over 5f at Wolverhampton and he also missed the break, trailing the field early on by a couple of lengths, having been hard pushed to get back into contention. He suddenly appeared to be back on the bridle from around 3f out and travelled well enough entering the home straight. He made impressive headway then until getting a clear run denied over 1f out. He had to switch to the right, lost balance and momentum as a result, but picked up again and finished strongly.  I think only a horse in good form can finish a race in a way like that under these sort of circumstances.

Wendesday the 20th of March...

Finally a winner today! Sewn Up won nicely in the end and was simply too good for the rest. Follow The Flag was bitterly disappointing though. Anyway, got to get a winner on board again, so the bad run is broken and let's hope things work out better from now as recent weeks were unbelievable stuff with all the horses going close or having no in-running-luck whatsoever. 


20.15 Kempton: Isis Blue @ 12/1 VC - 1pt win

Looks a hot race and Isis Blue looks not the most exciting animal in this field but there is loads to like about him on handicap debut. I thought he ran a huge race on his second career start over 6f, a distance probably a bit too sharp, in a pretty decent maiden. He finished really well that day suggesting there is a bit of talent in him. He ended the year with an effort I'd happily ignore as he wasn't ridden to finish the race in the best possible fashion. I thought he'd be very interesting if tackling Handicapps over 7-9f and with a pretty fair looking opening mark I think he could run a huge race tomorrow. He's been gelded over the winter and I expect him to be race fit after his break as Andrea Atzeni is an eye-catching jockey booking, known as a "job jockey". Trainer Millman doesn't use jockeys outside his family too often and if he does it's often an important sign, so he has also a 18% strike rate with Atzeni. Both had a 25/1 winner at Lingfield two days ago btw.. So I wouldn't be surprised if Isis Blue would run a huge race of bottom weight here tomorrow.

Monday the 19th of March...

Another 3rd today and the questions remains: Will I ever find a winner again? Unbelievable stuff at the moment.


16.20 Southwell: Sewn Up @ 10/1 Paddy Power -1pt win

 He looks a well exposed animal in the grip of the handicapper but there are a few facts I like and therefore think it's a worth a small try. He appears for the first time on the Southwell fibresand and of course there is always a chance that he doesn't like it. But it also could be the other way around, bringing some further improvement out. I particularly liked his recent performance just a few days ago at Wolverhampton when he travelled like a dream, approaching the final furlong on the bridle just to get badly hampered then. He picked up again eventually, too late though. This was a nice performance nonetheless and showed he's certainly in good nick. Kirby is an interesting jockey booking, so I feel Sewn Up could easily outran his price.



16.50 Southwell: Follow The Flag @ 8/1 Paddy Power - 2pts win

 Think the old warrior should have a decent chance in this race tomorrow. It looks a poor enough affair this race but Follow The Flag looks to hold his form well while racing over trips too short for him at this stage of his career, still giving a good account nonetheless. It is his third last performance actually which booked him a place in my notebook, one month ago here at Southwell over 1m, when he was badly outpaced early on and lost loads of ground as a result of that. He was far behind the leading trio turning for home but ran on very strongly finishing even 2nd in the end. I wanted to see him back up in trip actually before getting involved with him so I easily ignore the last two races over 1m and am happy to see him now up in trip back over 11f, a distance he's 1/2 here at Southwell. Think he has a better chance in this race over this CD than reflected in his price at the moment.

Monday the 18th of March...

 15.20 Kempton: Gaelic Silver @ 6/1 Paddy Power - 4pts win

Was very keen on his horse two weeks ago already. In that particular race at Lingfield he was very unlucky, not getting a clear run, would have gone very close otherwise. He's been left on the same mark by the handicapper and must have a huge chance. Wrote this two weeks ago:

 "Already a seven year old, yet unexposed on the All-Weather. He came down a good deal in the weights since moving to the UK and is certainly down to a very lenient mark. He was a very eye-catching 2nd three weeks ago here at Lingfield when he had things not really in his favour. He travelled super well in rear, but the pace was slow and he had loads to do turning for home while the eventual winner had the run of the race from the front. Gaelic Silver really finished like a train in the closing stages suggesting he is in fine form and better than the current mark, but had to settle for second. The handicapper raised him by 1lb for that effort which won't make any difference I suppose and if you consider that he was back in 2011 still the winner of a class 1 Handicap chase over in France it looks obvious that he could be easily better than the rest of this modest looking field."

Saturday the 16th of March...

 Wondering at the moment if I ever find a winner again???


20.50 Wolverhampton: Off The Pulse @ 6/1 Blue Square - 2pts win

Thought this one ran a really eye-catching race on debut. He finished 2nd behind a very smart looking colt, and clearly no disgrace to finish runners-up. Off The Pulse showed a nice little turn of foot when asked for an effort by his jockey in the home straigh but was pretty green as well when drifting badly to the left. He wasn't asked for everything eventually and came in easily in 2nd place under hands and heels in the final 100y or so. This looked a nice performance to my eye and this form doesn't work out too badly with a few of the horses behind him having been placed subsequently in the meantime. Gibbons is booked for the ride again, he has a good record with trainer J. Mackie so a good run looks on the card for Off The Pulse who is overpriced in my mind.

Friday the 15th of March...

19.00 Wolverhampton: Capellanus @ 2/1 Bet365 - 6pts win

Expected this horse to be odds-on for his next run, so very happy to get this price! He was brutally unlucky lto, just seven days ago here at Wolverhampton over the same sort of trip. He travelled like a dream, on the bridle until 1f out, wanted to make a move then but was badly hampered, to lose momentum. It was hugely impressive how he picked up again and even almost won it. He's on the same mark today and would have definitely won with a clear run lto, he would have won decisively I suppose and think he must have something around eight pounds in hand at least. It's not the strongest of races tomorrow and everything else than an easy win would be disappointing in my mind.  

Thursday the 7th of March...

Not sure how much more I can take of this. Thought George Baker gave Gaelic Silver a shocking ride and brought the horse into all sort of trouble in the home straight. The horse looked fine actually, and remains on the short-list.


20.40 Wolverhampton: Apache Glory @ 12/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Not saying she would have won lto here at Wolverhampton but she was clearly a shade unlucky and could have finished closer if things would have worked more her way. She travelled nicely in rear but was then locked on the inside turning for home along the home bend while the leading trio and the eventual winner had the run of the race and kicked away at this point of the race. Apache Glory made some decent headway in the home straight then when space opened, unfortunately not long enough as then she was short of room over 1f out and had to wait until again her jockey switched her quite dramatically in direction of the inside rail where she had room and ran on well to the line. She didn't win for a long time now but showed a couple of good performance in recent time and is down to career lowest mark. With Andrea Atzeni again booked I'm hopeful that Apache Glory will provide at least a run for the money.

Wednesday the 6th of March...

 16.30 Lingfield: Gaelic Silver @ 10/3 Betfred - 5pts win

Already a seven year old, yet unexposed on the All-Weather. He came down a good deal in the weights since moving to the UK and is certainly down to a very lenient mark. He was a very eye-catching 2nd three weeks ago here at Lingfield when he had things not really in his favour. He travelled super well in rear, but the pace was slow and he had loads to do turning for home while the eventual winner had the run of the race from the front. Gaelic Silver really finished like a train in the closing stages suggesting he is in fine form and better than the current mark, but had to settle for second. The handicapper raised him by 1lb for that effort which won't make any difference I suppose and if you consider that he was back in 2011 still the winner of a class 1 Handicap chase over in France it looks obvious that he could be easily better than the rest of this modest looking field. Main danger is probably the Gosden horse with Buick up, but has only ordinary form to offer in maidens, even though the mark could be lenient on handicap debut. Will see but feel confident about Gaelic Silver.