Dear All
Today I have backed Days Hotel for the 2012 Arkle Challenge Trophy. These are my reasons - all absolutely vital when looking for a Festival winner:
Size and stamp;
Jumping prowess;
Ability to travel;
Trainer with form in race
A winner
One missing tick on CV is the lack of a positive run at Cheltenham... maybe Mr De Bromhead will size (just my little joke!) up the opposition later in the season and add that missing tick... if he does I will be topping up..!
The winners are flowing right now - Mr Moonshine, Super Duty and Darlan all giving maximum encouragement recently... more to follow!
Happy punting!
Rm (Mark)
Monday 21 November 2011
Thursday 10 November 2011
Dear All
As promised, I have spotted six likely sorts to keep onside for the foreseeable future; one of them will now be put away until the new Flat season rolls back into view in early Springtime...
The first a novice to follow from the McCain yard - Super Duty - had already won a decent bumper on racecourse debut at Donald McCain's old stamping ground, Bangor-on-Dee. On this day, at one of my favourite tracks for identifying young talent, Carlisle, this grand stamp of a chaser achieved an outstanding RPR of 136 on his hurdling debut pulling 17-lengths clear of some useful types. Watch the video!
The second a fancy for the Paddy Power - there is an infectiousness about the confidence of David Bridgwater and Tom Scudamore about The Giant Bolster's chances in Saturday's big 2 and a half mile handicap. There is definitely more to come from this Black Sam Bellamy gelding. He ran in what I believe will prove to be a highly significant 3-mile + Novice Chase at Aintree back in April; a contest won by Quito De la Roque (winner of the G2 JN wine Chase at Down Royal last Saturday) who was followed home by Sarando (more of him later). The step back in trip will suit and a big run is expected...
The third a Ballydoyle inmate to keep the flames burning through the long, winter evenings is Twirl. She was strikingly impressive when winning an 18-runner maiden at Leopardstown by 6 and a half lengths on the final day of the Irish Flat season. Another daughter of the mighty Galileo; she exudes class; the Ballydoyle juveniles look a bit useful this season. She is unsurprisingly entered in next year's Irish Guineas and Irish Oaks...
The fourth an early Hennessy selection - the aforementioned Sarando - looks a tad under-rated even after his impressive seasonal debut in a Graduation Chase at Carlisle beating the promising Aikman with a large degree of comfort... I had taken some decent prices for the big about the Hernando gelding for the big Newbury handicap, even before this contest, with a view to laying off. In my humble opinion this one will be a serious contender on 26th November if he can lie up with the early pace; stamina is not in doubt...
The fifth a staying chaser primed for 2012 Festival glory perhaps - Sue and Harvey Smith's chasers are schooled until failure is not an option. The stable has come out of the blocks flying this season; the horses appear healthy and Mr Moonshine is my idea of this season's RSA Chase winner even at this early stage.
Another to have performed admirably at Carlisle recently; he was relentlessly backed into second favouritism on the day and left Charlie Longsdon's Hidden Keel (the apple of his eye it would seem!) toiling in its wake; achieving an RPR of 150. Comments from the Smith yard suggest that any amount of improvement is expected when the Double Eclipse gelding steps up to 3 miles - he ran several times at the distance over hurdles...
Fnally, the sixth - much darker but showing immense promise during last weekend's Wincanton fixture is Theatrical Star...Having won a Class 4 Novice Hurdle last month over 20 furlongs (not a maiden as I erroneously stated in yesterday's post) - clearly improving for the step up in trip - this imposing son of King's Theatre out of an Ardross mare (therefore sumptuously bred for chasing!) was never going to be suited to dropping back to the minimum trip and finished a promising 4th behind some useful (and speedier sorts) last weekend including Molatof who has form with the best of last term's Triumph Hurdlers...
The Tizzards have yet to hit form this season but when they do Theatrical Star is going to be one of the yard's flagship performers and may well be a player in one or other of the two Festival staying novice hurdles...
I hope these serve you well. Keep them in mind!
Happy punting...
Rm(Mark)
As promised, I have spotted six likely sorts to keep onside for the foreseeable future; one of them will now be put away until the new Flat season rolls back into view in early Springtime...
The first a novice to follow from the McCain yard - Super Duty - had already won a decent bumper on racecourse debut at Donald McCain's old stamping ground, Bangor-on-Dee. On this day, at one of my favourite tracks for identifying young talent, Carlisle, this grand stamp of a chaser achieved an outstanding RPR of 136 on his hurdling debut pulling 17-lengths clear of some useful types. Watch the video!
The second a fancy for the Paddy Power - there is an infectiousness about the confidence of David Bridgwater and Tom Scudamore about The Giant Bolster's chances in Saturday's big 2 and a half mile handicap. There is definitely more to come from this Black Sam Bellamy gelding. He ran in what I believe will prove to be a highly significant 3-mile + Novice Chase at Aintree back in April; a contest won by Quito De la Roque (winner of the G2 JN wine Chase at Down Royal last Saturday) who was followed home by Sarando (more of him later). The step back in trip will suit and a big run is expected...
The third a Ballydoyle inmate to keep the flames burning through the long, winter evenings is Twirl. She was strikingly impressive when winning an 18-runner maiden at Leopardstown by 6 and a half lengths on the final day of the Irish Flat season. Another daughter of the mighty Galileo; she exudes class; the Ballydoyle juveniles look a bit useful this season. She is unsurprisingly entered in next year's Irish Guineas and Irish Oaks...
The fourth an early Hennessy selection - the aforementioned Sarando - looks a tad under-rated even after his impressive seasonal debut in a Graduation Chase at Carlisle beating the promising Aikman with a large degree of comfort... I had taken some decent prices for the big about the Hernando gelding for the big Newbury handicap, even before this contest, with a view to laying off. In my humble opinion this one will be a serious contender on 26th November if he can lie up with the early pace; stamina is not in doubt...
The fifth a staying chaser primed for 2012 Festival glory perhaps - Sue and Harvey Smith's chasers are schooled until failure is not an option. The stable has come out of the blocks flying this season; the horses appear healthy and Mr Moonshine is my idea of this season's RSA Chase winner even at this early stage.
Another to have performed admirably at Carlisle recently; he was relentlessly backed into second favouritism on the day and left Charlie Longsdon's Hidden Keel (the apple of his eye it would seem!) toiling in its wake; achieving an RPR of 150. Comments from the Smith yard suggest that any amount of improvement is expected when the Double Eclipse gelding steps up to 3 miles - he ran several times at the distance over hurdles...
Fnally, the sixth - much darker but showing immense promise during last weekend's Wincanton fixture is Theatrical Star...Having won a Class 4 Novice Hurdle last month over 20 furlongs (not a maiden as I erroneously stated in yesterday's post) - clearly improving for the step up in trip - this imposing son of King's Theatre out of an Ardross mare (therefore sumptuously bred for chasing!) was never going to be suited to dropping back to the minimum trip and finished a promising 4th behind some useful (and speedier sorts) last weekend including Molatof who has form with the best of last term's Triumph Hurdlers...
The Tizzards have yet to hit form this season but when they do Theatrical Star is going to be one of the yard's flagship performers and may well be a player in one or other of the two Festival staying novice hurdles...
I hope these serve you well. Keep them in mind!
Happy punting...
Rm(Mark)
Tuesday 8 November 2011
Dear All
I haven't commented on the current whip furore preferring to keep my counsel principally because my love of this great game doesn't mean I know one jot about the physiology of the thoroughbred! So how much physical damage a stroke of the whip does to a horse's skin I really don't know.
At the moment the high-profile bans imposed on racing gods such as Ruby and AP have raised the profile of the issue even further. These leading exponents of horsemanship cannot surely be expected, in the heat of battle, to count the aggregation of strikes in the final furlong when riding furiously for their lives.
It is a farcical situation and must be resolved. Either, those who judge must use their honed judgement, rather than numerical measurement, to determine if unnecessary brutality has been used in lifting a horse to even greater effort or perhaps the authorities need to take the momentous decision of banning the whip altogether!
Enough said!
There are four outstanding minds currently plying their trade online and helping people like you and me make informed decisions.
Nick Pullen whose copy is published by Oxfordshire Press under the brand names of Racing Angles and Horse Racing Focus. Nick's copy is expertly crafted, incisive, well-researched; extolling the virtue of value and most of all packed with winning opportunities. This is quality stuff!
Nick's raison d'etre is profiling; identifying a shortlist of potential race winners based upon his highest-rated top 30 performances in the race...
Yes it's a subscription service but you will pay for the fee many times over; I guarantee it!
Gavin Priestley is the brains behind Festival Trends and Trainer Track Stats (TTS) through his blog Nag-Nag-Nag
Gavin's stuff defies belief. So much hard work number crunching and historical fact goes into creating a mindblowing array of race trend analysis. There is a modicum of profiling also plus Gavin's own Nag Ratings.
The TTS is based upon profitable trainer performance at each of the jump racing tracks; for a small fee you can receive the qualifiers daily. I strongly recommend Gavin's work; plenty of free copy also...
Richard Stoddart and his chums are Bet Catalyst Totally different approach - prepare for long losing runs but when you win you will win big. Catalyst is constantly seeking out the holy grail of the 50/1 winner and doesn't shirk a challenge. It is much more of a pure tipping site; there is no fancy analysis but the beauty is in its simplicity!
If you want some guy telling you to have a 4-point win bet on a horse which, upon further inspection, is trading just over even money then forget Catalyst. It's not for you. I have nailed my colours to the Catalyst mast. Can't wait for the new website and a tad more diversity but this site is a winner with me...
Finally, Ben Aitken on his Narrowing The Field site and his is from the Gavin Priestley school of hard work. Painstaking research goes into his dosage profiling; trends recording, pedigree analysis etc. covering all of the principal races He also identifies profitable angles showing trainers' competency in getting their horses back on the track after a 90-day or more absence.
Subscription service but good value; my own view is that Ben has a deeper knowledge of the jumps game so now is the time to get on board. You will make money. Like Gavin, there are many articles published free of charge.
Tomorrow - six to keep onside
The first a novice to follow from the McCain yard
The second a fancy for the Paddy Power
The third a Ballydoyle inmate to keep the flames burning through the long, winter evenings...
The fourth an early Hennessy selection
The fifth a staying chaser primed for 2012 Festival glory perhaps
The sixth - much darker; still a maiden but immense promise from last weekend's Wincanton fixture...
Happy punting!
Rm(Mark)
I haven't commented on the current whip furore preferring to keep my counsel principally because my love of this great game doesn't mean I know one jot about the physiology of the thoroughbred! So how much physical damage a stroke of the whip does to a horse's skin I really don't know.
At the moment the high-profile bans imposed on racing gods such as Ruby and AP have raised the profile of the issue even further. These leading exponents of horsemanship cannot surely be expected, in the heat of battle, to count the aggregation of strikes in the final furlong when riding furiously for their lives.
It is a farcical situation and must be resolved. Either, those who judge must use their honed judgement, rather than numerical measurement, to determine if unnecessary brutality has been used in lifting a horse to even greater effort or perhaps the authorities need to take the momentous decision of banning the whip altogether!
Enough said!
There are four outstanding minds currently plying their trade online and helping people like you and me make informed decisions.
Nick Pullen whose copy is published by Oxfordshire Press under the brand names of Racing Angles and Horse Racing Focus. Nick's copy is expertly crafted, incisive, well-researched; extolling the virtue of value and most of all packed with winning opportunities. This is quality stuff!
Nick's raison d'etre is profiling; identifying a shortlist of potential race winners based upon his highest-rated top 30 performances in the race...
Yes it's a subscription service but you will pay for the fee many times over; I guarantee it!
Gavin Priestley is the brains behind Festival Trends and Trainer Track Stats (TTS) through his blog Nag-Nag-Nag
Gavin's stuff defies belief. So much hard work number crunching and historical fact goes into creating a mindblowing array of race trend analysis. There is a modicum of profiling also plus Gavin's own Nag Ratings.
The TTS is based upon profitable trainer performance at each of the jump racing tracks; for a small fee you can receive the qualifiers daily. I strongly recommend Gavin's work; plenty of free copy also...
Richard Stoddart and his chums are Bet Catalyst Totally different approach - prepare for long losing runs but when you win you will win big. Catalyst is constantly seeking out the holy grail of the 50/1 winner and doesn't shirk a challenge. It is much more of a pure tipping site; there is no fancy analysis but the beauty is in its simplicity!
If you want some guy telling you to have a 4-point win bet on a horse which, upon further inspection, is trading just over even money then forget Catalyst. It's not for you. I have nailed my colours to the Catalyst mast. Can't wait for the new website and a tad more diversity but this site is a winner with me...
Finally, Ben Aitken on his Narrowing The Field site and his is from the Gavin Priestley school of hard work. Painstaking research goes into his dosage profiling; trends recording, pedigree analysis etc. covering all of the principal races He also identifies profitable angles showing trainers' competency in getting their horses back on the track after a 90-day or more absence.
Subscription service but good value; my own view is that Ben has a deeper knowledge of the jumps game so now is the time to get on board. You will make money. Like Gavin, there are many articles published free of charge.
Tomorrow - six to keep onside
The first a novice to follow from the McCain yard
The second a fancy for the Paddy Power
The third a Ballydoyle inmate to keep the flames burning through the long, winter evenings...
The fourth an early Hennessy selection
The fifth a staying chaser primed for 2012 Festival glory perhaps
The sixth - much darker; still a maiden but immense promise from last weekend's Wincanton fixture...
Happy punting!
Rm(Mark)
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