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.

BBOTD - Thursday the 9th of January

17.10 Wolverhampton: Ewell Place @ 12/1 Bet365 - 2pts win

Big price and too big in my mind. Ewell Place ran a better race than his finishing position suggested last week at Lingfield. In fact he travelled really well turning for home but it was a big field and he not in the best position, pretty much stuck in traffic on the inside rail and the jockey realized he wouldn't have chance to get out there in time, so he was eased down with one furlong out and clearly saved for another day. He ran with credit the two races before, at Lingfield in November he was unlucky when short of room when it mattered, and at Wolverhampton I feel he didn't quite stay the trip despite finishing in 4th. Probably a mile is fine, not sure if 7f is too sharp, but he won over this trip a good conditions race back in 2012, leaving the likes of Arnold Lane and Producer behind him. He never could quite reach this level in 2013, but he is down to a very handy mark now and has the assistance of a promising looking 7lb claimer. So he should go really well tomorrow and has no excuses if not.

BBOTD - Wednesday 8th of January 2014

14.00 Lingfield: Munsarim @ 8/1 William Hill - 3pts win

Munsarim travelled like a dream of a career lowest mark lto at Lingfield. He had the widest draw to overcome and consequently settled in rear trailing the field. He made headway from 3f out on the outside but lost loads of ground turing 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 steps up in grade tomorrow, and a result he is the bottom weight here, while he is allowed to race of the same mark as last week. He also steps up in trip, which is sure to suit since he has one over CD already in the past. I feel he has an outstanding chance off his current mark under these conditions.

Photo Gallery - Irish St Leger 2013

Irish St Leger 2013, a set on Flickr.

A set of photos I've taken at - now - last years Irish St leger meeting at beautiful Curragh racecourse. Check them out on flickr.

Photo Gallery - Gowran Park

Gowran Park, October 2013, a set on Flickr.

Find a beautiful photo gallery from my visit at Gowran Park now on Flickr.com. I have a profile there now and you can find plenty more of my work over there.

BBOTD: Monday 6th January

Huge performance by Copperwood on Saturday. He finished 2nd, just beaten close to the line by a better horse on the day. Unfortunate, but I feel this was a good start into the new year. Copperwood good a really good ride, considering the way the race panned out. He looked to win it 1f out but then Ocean Applause simple found another gear when it mattered.

14.10 Wolverhampton: Lastkingofscotland @7/2 Bet365 - 4pts win

I thought Lastkingofscotland ran with more credit in a claimer over 6f last time out than the bare result might suggest. He had the widest draw to overcome that day and settled in rear where is was a bit rough though. He switched to the inside before turning for home while not getting a hundred percent clear run there. He probably hasn't quite the speed for this trip anymore these days but he was also never really asked for a serious effort in that particular, yet he kept going when room was there. That shows he is in good nick, following two nice performances in December. Now back in a Handicap, he can race off a career lowest mark. This race is a pretty poor one, and he looks the standout candidate for me, with conditions in favour, back over 7f now.

BBOTD - 4th of January 2014

11.50 Lingfield: Copperwood @ 6/1 Bet365 - 2 pts win

Copperwood seems to be in very good nick considering his latest impressive performances. He won well and with a bit of authority a seller at Lingfield on his first start over 10f which seems a distance to suit better now since he doesn't get any younger. That day he stayed on really well. He dropped in trip in his most recent start, back to 1m, when he got a really lenient and poorly judged ride from an inexperienced rider. He travelled still very strongly turning for home but had too much to do and the jockey was quite easy on him. He made some nice headway nonetheless and looked to have much more to give than the eventual result suggested. Now up in trip again, with a decent weight in this claimer and the jockey booked who gave him the winning ride two weeks ago, I think Copperwood has a cracking chance to win this contest.

A Day at New York's Aqueduct Racetrack

I have been recently to New York's Aqueduct Racetrack. The course opened in 1894 and is situated in Queens, close to the JFK Airport. Find a photo gallery of the visit here and on our Facebook page:

Post by Horseracing - International . COM.