Tuesday the 18th of June...

18.50 Sligo: Celticnama @ 53/1 Betfair - 1pt win

Huge odds available on the exchanges and I think they are not reflecting the true chance of Celticnama. This gelding is still lightly raced and while he didn't show much yet, his most recent run gives hope as he was quite unlucky and the performance way better than the bare result suggests. He was slowly into stride, which is never an advantage in a 6f race. He made up all the ground he lost at the start soon though and travelled well in pack from 4f out and looked in with a chance until he got baldy hampered inside the final two furlongs. He was eventually eased down. He steps up to 7f today again which should be alright and the booked apprentice rides well at Sligo and the trainer had in the last year only a couple of runners at this track but then he was extremely successful. So it's worth a shout I think.

Magic Saturday - 2 from 2!

Sam Charp - a winner @ 9/1 at York

Magic Saturday! Sam Charp won the big Handicap at York in really good style. The suggestion that he was well in the weights according to his last performance was correct. He travelled like a dream through the race, well off the pace for most of the time, but made gradually ground in the home straight. He was obviously very much helped by a very fast pace. The field was strung out and no hard luck stories this time. He got clear run on the outside and the response was there when Richard Kingscote asked the horse for everything. He took the lead over 1f out and put the race decisively to bed.

Tatlisu was the pinnacle on the cake with his close win at Leicester. He was a bit slowly into stride and didn't look entirely comfortable throughout the race but appeared to travell well enough from 3f out or so and he mounted a big challenge in the closing stages, kicking away just to get tired then and it almost looked as if he got caught on the line. Fortunately that wasn't the case. He made it 2 from 2 for my selections yesterday. Fantastic results obviously after things going really well in recent weeks anyway. It's now 54pts profit for the last four weeks! 

Saturday the 15th of June...

14.40 York: Sam Sharp @ 9/1 Paddy Power - 2pts win

Sam Sharp produced a huge performance at Haydock three weeks ago. He didn't have much going for him in that race, travelling super well but having a bunch of horses in front of his nose as well as to the left and to the right with no chance for escape. He had to wait until all horses passed him, so that he had a chance to switch to the outside approaching the 1f marker and once in the clear he finished like a dream to end up in 3rd place. He remains on the same mark and with a clear run he should go really close here tomorrow I feel.


19.35 Leicester: Tatlisu @ 12/1 Bet365 - 2pt win

Thought Tatlisu ran a much better race than the bare form suggests lto at Ripon. He was unsettled throughout the race but looked to mount a big challenge approaching the 2f marker. He was then short of room there, tried to quicken again but was stopped abruptly again. I think he would have gone pretty close with a clear run. He's down to a very low mark now and could be better than this. A 5lb claimer on board is interesting too, and it wouldn't be a surprise it Tatlisu would make use of his low weight.

Friday the 14th of June...

16.20 Sandown: Shavansky @ 12/1 Ladbrokes - 2pt win

Shavansky doesn't get any younger but I really liked his most recent performance at Haydock when he travelled strongly on the inside rail, on the bridle until 2f out, but found himself short of room with no way to get out of a pocket. He had to sit and suffer. He got a bit of room over 1f out and ran on well under a light hands and heels ride, suggesting he's in fine form and might have a really big performance in him. He looks to have conditions to suit tomorrow with the step up in trip back to 10f in his favour, nice ground is perfectly fine too and he looks capable of his current mark. Atzeni booked for the ride is another plus.

19.15 Chepstow: Emiratesdotcom @ 16/1 VC - 1pt win

Looks a huge price for a horse that made a big impression at this track a couple of days ago. Emiratesdotcom had a horror run over 6f, missing slightly the break and getting outpaced early on, but then appearing strong travelling on the inside rail, just getting no run whatsoever. He tried to quicken several times when it looked for a short moment there could be a bit of room but he never found a way through until 1f out when finally a gap was there and he finished strongly in 3rd eventually. Judged on this performance he looks definitely on a dangerous mark as the handicapper left the mark unchanged and he's a couple of pounds below his last winning mark anyway. He steps up to 7f though, what is a slight worry, as he probably prefers shorter probably, but he won over this trip before and the ground should be suitable, so I think it's well worth a try at this big price.

Thursday the 13th of June...

20.00 Leopardstown: Celtic Dane @ 10/1 Bet365 - 1pt win + Carenza @ 14/1 Betfair - 1pt win

Celtic Dane was massively eye-catching a couple of weeks ago in a Handicap at Leoparstown on his seasonal reappearance, travelling well in rear, making a big move on the outside from 4f out but had to turn widest of all as a result which costs ground and energy. He appeared to have a lot to offer in the home straight but wasn’t all questions asked yet ran on well under a light hands and heels ride. He should be fitter with this run under his belt, no doubt, and he looks very dangerously handicapped now, being 24lb below his last winning mark. Big run expected here, with conditions to suit, there’ll be a bit of cut in the ground after loads of rain in the last 24 hours here in Dublin and he goes well enough on that sort of ground.

Carenza is a likely improver and could be ahead of her opening mark. She was very unlucky on her handicap debut last week at Fairyhouse when she travelled well in rear, tried to make ground on the inside turning for home but got there no run whatsoever, getting hampered with a wall of horses in front of her nose. She got a bit of room late and ran on well suggesting she has a bit of talent. Decent apprentice booked as well. Not sure about the ground, but well worth a try.

Monday the 10th of June...

16.45 Brighton: Good Luck Charm @ 5/1 Paddy Power - 2pts win

Good Luck Charm is a bit of a frustrating sort but is in good nick and was really unlucky not to win lto. He travelled really well in rear in a Lingfield handicap over 7f, but couldn't get a clear run on the inside rail, having always horses in front of his nose for almost the entire race. In the closing stages he got finally a bit of racing room and finished the race well enough but there is no doubt that he would have gone very close with a clear run. He remains on the same mark tomorrow, so gets a real chance by the handicapper and while the ground was soft the last time he won't mind the fast ground at Brighton either. Course form is crucial at this odd designed track I feel and the fact that he was only beaten on the line last year hear over 1m, and another good effort when placed here from just three starts is evidence enough that he goes well at Brighton. The two market principles in this race arereally interesting, no doubt, but I think Good Luck Charm is overpriced and will run a huge race.

More Questions a 14/1 winner...

More Questions a winner! The wide draw proved to be a good one today. He got a clear run on the outside, an ran away in the closing stages after a good battle. During the morning there was loads of money for him, he started a 13/2 chance eventually. No surprise. He surly was too big a price and dangerously handicapped. If he can win again, well that is a different question. But today was the day that mattered anyway. So lovely winner, after a couple of rather unfortunate results in the last two weeks. Some disappointments, some unlucky ones... but it's always important what you make in the long term. 

Saturday the 9th of June...

14.50 Navan: More Questions @ 14/1 VC - 1pt win

Was pretty unlucky lto at this track which produces hard luck stories no end. He travelled really well in rear of the field but had a bunch of horses in front of his nose all the time and when the race really unfolded he couldn't react, meeting loads of trouble. Once in a clear he finished well inside the final furlong but the bird was long flown. He gets another pound off his mark for this effort and looks dangerously well handicapped in my mind. It's "only" 15 runners today and I like to think to have the widest draw here isn't a big disadvantage, much the difference. For More Questions it should ensure a clear run actually. If he gets one, he'll be in the mix and the price is way too big.

Friday the 7th of June...

Unlucky today. Kelpie Blitz missed the break, but would have probably won with a clear run. He lost ground though - and the win - when short of room and very much hindered by the eventual winner 1f out. He finished a close 2nd in the end.


21.20 Haydock: Ambleside @ 10/1 Bet365 - 1pt win

Pretty competitive race with loads of lightly raced horses in the line-up. The favourite could be still ahead of the handicapper but is pretty short and probably a bit too short in the betting market. Ambleside is a really interesting horse though, only five starts to date, low mark, with a bit of talent, but looks a tricky ride as well.I think he might have a couple of pounds in hand though and is very dangerous tomorrow. He had an absolute nightmare run at Chester a couple of weeks ago, when he was short of room turning for home and got hampered as well. He finished the race decent enough for all the trouble he encountered in-running. Off a mark of 73 in this race he is too big a price in my mind.

Thursday the 6th of June...

21.00 Sandown: Kelpie Blitz @ 18/1 Ladbrokes - 1pt win

Kelpie Blitz most recent performance at Leicester was one of the strangest rides I've seen. The horse was keen throughout the whole race, even pulling entering the 3f pole! The jockey looked actually to have a good deal of horse beneath him 2f out though but he never asked the horse a serious question. Maybe he felt the horses didn't have anything left due to the hard pulling, but for me it looked rather like a case of not riding the horse to finish in the best possible position. Anyway, I think this horse is much better than this last performance, it was his first start this season as well. He should improve from that and it looks to me as if he could be ahead of his mark. He won at Kempton in November with a bit in hand, producing a nice turn of foot from well off the pace over 10f and I feel he is potentially very dangerous tomorrow and could go well for a big price, if the handbrake is off. Baker booked for the ride suggest that might be the case, as trainer Durack likes to use him for his better horses. 

Epsom Oaks Friday - 31st of May 2013...

Today wasn't the day for Bobbyscot, but keep an eye on him, he's poised to win in my mind. He didn't really was asked to many questions, he ran on a bit in the closing stages though, but didn't have a chance from well off the pace in a slowly run race anyway.

Epsom Festival is kicks off on Friday. The Oaks on Friday, the Derby on Saturday...

15.20 Epsom: Hefner @ 8/1 Boylesports - 2pts win

I thought Hefner ran a huge race at Chester recently. He had the 2nd widest draw to overcome, had to settle in rear of the field, what is never an advantage at this track. He struggled with the pace from 4f out but kept going and made loads of ground on the outside finishing very strongly in the closing stages and landed even the 3rd place eventually. I thought that day, at a different track, with a better draw and a further trip he'd be very dangerous. He looks to have improved from 3 to 4 again and now trained by Botti he has every chance to be well capable of winning of his current mark. He's well drawn tomorrow and the 9f trip should be in his favour, so even in this competitive looking race I feel he has an excellent chance.



16.00 Epsom: Say @ 16/1 Betfair - 1pt win

I always liked Moth, I said this straight after her maiden win, which I saw with my own eyes at the Curragh that she's potentially a really, really smart filly. Not everyone believed me at that time, but her performance in the Guineas clearly backed the suggestion. I fancy her strongly for the Oaks, with the longer trip in her favour, but I can't have her for the short price in a race that looks wide open. The price is drifting into a direction I rather like now, but still it's too short and I feel her stable companion Say is underestimated. She looks a big price and is the value in this race in my mind. She made big impressions on all her three starts in her career and improved nicely from 2 to 3. It's interesting that she made her debut in the same race at Navan last year as Moth did and both finished fifth and sixth that day while Say looked actually the better prospect after having loads to do in the home straight staying on nicely in the closing stages though. She was put away after that an re-appeared at Leopardstown in April this year again in a Maiden over 10f. The sprint finish clearly didn't suit her that day and it took her a while to find another gear but she stayed on really strongly and beat the eventual winner a few strides after the line. She got then finally off the mark three weeks ago at Cork. A really poor maiden, she was a short favourite and entitled to win it easily. She did so in the end on gruelling ground in really impressive fashion however. She travelled always strongly in a prominent position and kicked easily away from the rest of the field in a matter of strides. it's a big step up from a poor maiden at Cork right into Group 1 class in the Oaks, of course, but she's lovely bred, bred to do exactly this job over this distance, and I think she is a bit of an unknown quantity here tomorrow, which makes her really interesting for the price though as she is bound to improve.



18.35 Goodwood: Short Squeeze @ 4/1 Paddy Power - 3pt win

Short Squeeze looks to have conditions in favour here tomorrow and should be hard to beat following a very strong performance at Nottingham three weeks ago. He travelled like a dream in rear that day, made lovely progress from 3f out on the inside, going much the strongest, but was slightly short of room and had to wait until he could get into the clear. The eventual winner had first run from the front and was already in top gear, which made it difficult for Short Squeeze to respond immediately. He couldn't live up to the speed of the winner in the end but came still a long way clear of the third. Step up in trip tomorrow looks perfectly fine now, and he goes definitely in the right direction, after his first start this year, also his handicap debut, at Doncaster a couple of weeks ago, was rather a strange performance. He dwelt at the start, pulled really hard then, was very green, pulled his way up to the front, turned very wide for home as he was hanging badly, but ran still well, just tired in the final furlong. So after all he looks to have a bit of ability and might be too good for this lot in this race tomorrow.

Thursday the 30th of May...

18.10 Sandown: Bobbyscot @ 16/1 Ladbrokes - 1pt win

This is a very interesting horse and I waited half a year to see it again on the racetrack, following a hugely impressive display at Kempton in December. It might be the case that tomorrow is not the day to release the handbrake, but this horse is so well handicapped now and a tasty price either so it's worth a chance here. Otherwise, he might be of even greater interest in his following start. The case I want to make for this horse is this one anyway: He is a generally lightly raced horse for a 6yo. He was a promising juvenile as well as through his classic season. His probably best performance ever came in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh in May 2010 when he finished runners-up to subsequent Derby favourite Jan Vermeer which brought him a career highest rating of 103. He had his problems afterwards, changed yards and appeared on a racetrack more than two years later again, then in the UK. He raced four times since his move to Britain, including this mentioned start at Kempton as the latest one. He worked his mark down to 75 now.

I have no doubts that this horse is better than a mark like that. In the race at Kempton he showed clearly signs of retaining some ability, despite not being ridden to finish in the best possible position. He travelled in rear that day over 10f at Kempton, a trip where it's usually way better to be close to the pace due to the short run-in. No surprise to see him having loads to do turning for home. Only a few stayed really on from off the pace in this race, in fact the race was dominated by the pair that lead the field the whole way. Bobbyscot then made his impressive run through the field, running on under a light hands and heels ride, finishing the race really well in a manner of a horse that is actually ahead of its mark. The 2nd in this race won two better races subsequently on the All-Weather. So this form is decent as well. So after all I feel this horse is dangerously well handicapped and will be able to pick up a few wins sooner rather than later. I hope he starts tomorrow to do this, if not, there will be surly another day.