Hay dock Betfair Chase Day.

Paddy Power GC 2012

Apologies for auto correct on CollonGes. Dammit.

A very exciting Paddy Power is ahead today. Competitive doesn't describe the race well enough. I still feel with Paul Nicholls' horses unsurprisingly in flying form already this season, that course specialist Poquelin could squeak into a place at a huge price. That price doesn't reflect his ability, especially around Cheltenham, but reflects the fact that there are better horses than him in the race. In fact, I'm sort of grimacing for a losing bet now. But you know me by now, I like plummeting my money on horses that are pretty much passed their best but who can still run a good race and finish... 4th. Dammit.

Old Roan Chase. (Monets Garden Day)

Battles of the heart and brain are ripe as the old favourites start making their seasonal debuts. Here are my Aintree ew picks.

1.50 Nampour
2.25 Mumbles Head
3.30 Mahogany Blaze & Nacarat
4.00 Catch The Fire

Mahogany Blaze particularly, is a favourite of mine for backing ew despite his losing run. When he doesn't fall or unseat, he's usually in, or close to being in the frame. The big price is always there. Risky fella but he's got amongst the heart strings. Nacarat has the dab of class if acting over the trip. Of course we all know Paul Nicholls is pretty sure Pascher Du Polder, new resident of Denmans old box,is going to be a star, so expect
a big run from him.
Other notes for the day are Peter Bowens horses do well at Aintree, especially early and late in the season. Keep an eye on them.
It's decidedly chillier this morning and everything's making way for a new season of jumping. Get your tweed out folks!

Adding a couple at Chepstow to the mix:
4.15 Kitegen
4.50 Renard

The Showcase (Saturday).

Simple stuff today with a ew Accumulator, and 4 single each ways.
All for Twiston Davies runners!

2.00 According To Trev
2.30 Mad Moose
3.40 Billie Magern
4.20 What An Oscar

The Showcase

So, here we are back on the day of the Showcase meeting at Cheltenham, and this means I'm going to have my head back in the race cards and eyes pinned on the racing channels until at least next April.

Starting myself off this season with a little place pot at Cheltenham:

2.10 Thomas Crapper
2.45 Go All The Way
3.20 So Fine
3.55 Sire Collognes
4.30 Softsong
5.05 Runshan

Day 3, Cheltenham Festival 2012

Okay, so, don't speak to me. Not a good first two days.

Today's choices:

1.30 - PEDDLERS CROSS

2.05 - BUENA VISTA and ACROSS THE BAY

2.40 - ALBERTA'S RUN and MEDERMIT

3.20 - BIG BUCKS and THOUSAND STARS

4.00 - GIORGIO QUERCUS

4.40 - START ME UP and PIRAYA

Also, good luck to my biggest fan NIALL HANNITY (nap), in the charity race at the end of the day.

Cheltenham 2012, Day 2.

Ok, so I'm out for some pennies today! Keeping it brief I'm afraid as I've been up vaccinating cows since 4.30 and I need myself a Nanna Nap before the racing starts.

Here are today's bets:

1.30 - Soll

2.05 - Close House

2.40 - Grand Crus, Walkon

3.20 - Kauto Stone

4.00 - Megastar

4.40 - Lemon Drop Red

5.15 - Royal Guardsman

All each way, except for Grand Crus of course.

Happy Day 2!

Cheltenham Day One Results.

STEPS TO FREEDOM (ew) 14th

PROSPECT WELLS (ew) 5th

CUE CARD (win) 2nd

THE PACKAGE (ew) 4th

MON MOME (ew) 12th

CELESTIAL HALO (ew) 9th

GARDE CHAMPETRE (ew) PU

ALASI (ew) 4th BY A NOSE!!!! :(

BLESS THE WINGS 10th

FALCON ISLAND 13th

As you can see, not a great start to the Festival for me! Frustrated by Alasi just missing out in the Mares Hurdle especially as she ran a very game race considering she got badly hindered in running.

The Package didn't find anything extra after jumping the last, and Prospect Wells looked to me like he needed an extra furlong!

The day has sadly been marred by 3 equine fatalities today. SCOTSIRISH, EDUCATED EVANS, and the much loved GARDE CHAMPETRE all suffered fatal injuries. Two deaths on the unwatered Cross Country course will need to be examined.

Garde Champetre.

The day did hold many highs, including what can only be described as beautiful race by Sprinter Sacre. Ok, yes, I'm finally giving in to the fact he's brilliant! I was however, extremely proud of Cue Card, who I thought ran the best race he's run since winning the Champion Bumper 2 seasons ago.

It was great to see the Irish get off the mark, and no greater mare to get them into winning ways than Quevega, who was as impressive as ever, leaving everything else to have their own race behind her.

Hunt Ball was the emotional story of the day. The most improved chaser ever? He won it with pure ease under his top weight, giving his quirky owner Antony Knott another day to remember. I just hope he hasn't got to get up to milk in the morning!

Ready to Roar! Cheltenham Festival Day 1, 2012.

The Cheltenham Festival is upon us once again, so I really should pull my finger out as do some sort of blog. I’m afraid my blogging has taken a back seat along with a lot of other past times, but as a special occasion of four days of amazing Jumps racing is about to start, I’m dusting off the typewriter.
It’s a bittersweet week for me, as for the first time in 7 years, I won’t be attending the Festival. After a busy February and having to have lots of days off work (unpaid holiday – damn you self employment), March is playing catch up month, so hopefully I’ll get to Aintree in April to make up for it.
Anyway, you don’t want to hear about my finances and no Cheltenham sob story, you want to hear which horses I’m going to jinx by backing this year!

And so here we go:

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2012, DAY ONE.

THE SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE 1.30PM

A race that the Irish love to win, and at a glance the two Irish runners that stand out for me are MIDNIGHT GAME, and the well fancied STEPS TO FREEDOM. The latter has of course won round Cheltenham already, beating a couple of these runners in the process, and looks like the best challenger from over the Irish Sea. The current price available for him seems very big to me, for a course winner who will come into the race fresh. MIDNIGHT GAME looks the best of the Willie Mullins runners and beat home 2 outsiders from this field, but the main man, Ruby Walsh has chosen to partner the oldest horse in the field at 7, PROSPECT WELLS for Paul Nicholls. Could this be a pointer?
A horse likely to start favourite is DARLAN, a lovely horse who’s put in some very smug wins this season and would have won at Newbury last time out if not for giving A.P McCoy a very nasty fall. The price will of course be too short for my Each Way tendancies, as well as the fact that favourites do not have a good record in recent renewals of this race.

MY EACH WAY SELECTIONS:

STEPS TO FREEDOM
PROSPECT WELLS


THE ARKLE 2.05PM

The buzz is all about SPRINTER SACRE, but as a bloody minded sod, partial to cheering on a lively longer priced horse, I’m going to be opposing him, no matter how well fancied he is. He’s still to prove himself around Cheltenham, so like many others I’m backing something else with the tiny doubt that he’s unproven over the course. I’m a bit gutted that the field is reduced to 5, which narrows out my each way bets. For me, this race is still very much open, with AL FEROF, MENORAH, and CUE CARD having fantastic race history around Cheltenham. For me, MENORAH has still got something to prove in regards to his jumping of the bigger obstacles, although reports that he has had some intense jumping tutorials with Yogi is something that might show a transformation. AL FEROF was an impressive winner of the Supreme Novices last year, and unlike Menorah has also proved himself a goodun over fences. A real contender for me, who’ll have no trouble getting up that hill.
CUE CARD, however, has been a favourite of mine for a long time. I adore this horse. Joe Tizzard has reported he’s going to go out and make it, so expect this horse to set a fierce pace out in front, and watch him leave the others for dead as he scampers up that hill after not seeing another horses back end throughout.

WIN BET:

CUE CARD.


JLT SPECIALITY CHASE 2.40PM

THE PACKAGE, missed out narrowly at the Festival last year and comes here this year on a good weight. Although getting on in the years, MON MOME has finished 3^rd in a Gold Cup, and was 2^nd here in January so at a whopping price, I’ll nibble at him each way.

EACH WAY BETS:

THE PACKAGE
MON MOME @ 50/1!!!


THE CHAMPION HURDLE 3.20PM

Wow, this race is never dull. HURRICANE FLY has to be the dead cert of the meeting for me, but there is some big prices for good horses, so some each way returns are at the ready to be picked at.
Out of his 6 starts at Cheltenham CELESTIAL HALO has only been out of the places once, and has looked back to his best this season. He was beaten by BINOCULAR who also looked like something of his old flashy self, last time, and probably hasn’t come up against any big gun company this year. He’s probably the least fancied of the Nicholls runners, but I’m keeping the faith in the old boy. Yes, I’m all sentimental, which is why I could never be a professional punter!

EACH WAY BET:

CELESTIAL HALO


THE CROSS COUNTRY CHASE 4.00PM

The Cross Country race is shunned by many, but equally as loved by many, and farmed by the Irish – noteably Enda Bolger in recent years, . The trainer is single handed this year, so the each way choice is simple for me. He’s a specialist around this course, as is his jockey, and although this race does seem to be getting more competitive these days surely to rule him out, even at the age of 13, is for a fool.

EACH WAY BET:

GARDE CHAMPETRE



THE MARES HURDLE, 4.40PM

Another race that looks more competitive this year, although the tough mare QUEVEGA is surely untouchable as the winner.
My only antepost bet has been on a horse in this race, who finished 4^th last year. ALASI returned successfully to hurdles recently at Doncaster after a dabble over fences, and to me looks like a good each way bet.

EACH WAY SELECTION:

ALASI

THE PULTENEY LAND CHASE 5.15PM

Simply going for a horse that has all the right signs at a big price. FALCON ISLAND. A shorter, yet still decent price is available for BLESS THE WINGS.

EACH WAY CHOICES:

FALCON ISLAND
BLESS THE WINGS


As you can probably tell, I’m pressed for time, so the last race was rather rushed.

Although I’ll be on my sofa instead of in the stands at Cheltenham Racecourse, I’m so excited about that ROAR tomorrow at 1.30PM. That ‘falling in love’ feeling just cannot be beaten.

Good luck to you all!

First Ante Post Bet of the year!

I've held off for long enough, so here is my first each way Ante Post Cheltenham bet.

ALASI - in the Mares Hurdle. Each Way @16/1

4th in this last year, recently switched back to hurdles after average runs Novice Chasing. Not good enough to catch Quevega, but good enough for a place at 16s.

@eachwayemily