BillyHills Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Never saw you John, should have gave us a shout or was i too embarrassing in my hat?:p Kept me warm and dry anyway on a cold miserable old day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Never saw you John, should have gave us a shout or was i too embarrassing in my hat?:p Kept me warm and dry anyway on a cold miserable old day! I did give you a shout as you shot off to get by the winners for the presentations but you didn't hear me & I thought I'll let him get his pictures but I got collared by someone else & by the time he'd finished bending my ear you'd gone again. You usually need a hat at Wetherby... & a scarf... & two pairs of socks... & thermals.... that's just for the May meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share Posted November 9, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Doncaster brings to an end what has been in punting terms a disappointing flat season. On a better note at least we had a Summer this year & I've enjoyed my time on the tracks in general, it's clear though I need a change of plan if I'm to continue along these lines & I'm working on a few things at the moment which I'll be rolling out for the turf season next Spring. Back to today & I have a highly speculative small stakes punt at Donny & I'll probably be playing the place market on Betfair. Early start with two legs of a 6f 2yo maiden. Jazz sets the form standard in the first but has had several goes to get off the mark & Resolute should be thereabouts having been runner up on his sole start late last month. Interesting though that this ones already been gelded which makes me think he's been less than straightforward so far & I'll be having a look to see if anything takes the eye before the race. Penny Drops is odds on after a Listed race 2nd last week & this looks a bit of a penalty kick but they get missed & again I'll see if anything takes my fancy in the parade ring for an ew or a place only. The interesting one in the nursery is Penina who won at Beverley back in April & then wasn't seen for six months till returning in a warm York nursery last month where she was a decent 4th. The winners run well in a Listed race since & the runner up's won twice, Penina's on the same mark & if she goes on the ground she should run well here. The pin lands on Magistral in the 7f cavalry charge at 1.50, he's only a 3yo so more to come? The 2nd to Haaf a Sixpence LTO on this sort of ground looks fair form & off just a pound more there should be improvement in him yet. All his runs have been at a mile+ but they won't be hanging about here & he should be running on when others have had enough. The Listed sprint is a nice race with Jack Dexter who was behind Eton Rifles when a bit of a let down in this last year. The Ayr Gold Cup winnner Highland Colori & others like Mass Rally, Hallelujah & Hoof It, all of which I have a bit of history with. I'm with Spinatrix though, she's improved again this year, ran well over C&D LTO & is well worth a crack at this level. Connor Beasley can't use his claim in this but she gets the sex allowance which would have her quite well in on the official ratings, all her wins have come with a bit of juice in the ground too. Cushion's got form in similar sorts of races to the 3.00 & is only a 3yo & I've gone with her here. Another 3yo takes the eye in the season's last big handicap. Nearly Caught looked a big improver in handicaps after winning at Haydock in September & then ran a blinder banged up to Group 2 level at the Arc meeting. It's a big ask for a 3yo off this mark but he goes on the ground, the drop back to 12f's should suit & this has the look of a Listed/Group horse in an handicap. I'll be playing these in the place market if prices allow & at the moment the bet is.... Penina 5/1. Magistral 8/1. Spinatrix 9/1. Cushion 6/1. Nearly Caught 18/1. 0.25pt lucky 31 Betfred, BOG = 7.75pts staked. Right time to go. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 10, 2013 Author Share Posted November 10, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Only just got there in time yesterday, having got through the turnstiles the bell was sounded for the jockeys to mount for the first so then it was a mad dash to get a look at them as they went out. In the end I had a small bet on Percy's Gal who at least had soft/heavy ground form & Gemma Tutty was taking off 7lb. She ran alright for a long way before fading into 4th behind the form horse Jazz who finally got his head in front at the 9th attempt. With more time to look at the runners for division two I decided to take on the hotpot Penny Drops with a newcomer from David Barron's called Indy who looked a good sort & whatever he did here he looked like he'd be one to follow. With Betfair fired up on the phone I had a small win at 19.5 & a bit more on the place at 3.75. He traveled well & followed the jolly through at the 2f pole where it was clear he was getting placed at least & then Graham Gibbons asked him to go & he quickened up like a good horse on the very soft ground to score by 4l's from Penny Drops with another 3.5l's back to the 3rd. I'm not sure what he's beat here but he goes on the list for next season. In front now whatever happens, Penina's up next & 2.75 for a place is acceptable. She runs an absolute shocker, never gets in the race & is stone last, not a peep from the stewards but they're not asleep because they have De Sousa in & do him for over using the whip on Torchlighter who looks like he's going to win under the drive but gets beat a neck in the end. De Sousa's been referred to the BHA because this would have been his 5th whip ban in the last six months so instead of the usual two to six days he's going to get a good bit longer. The race is run in a downpour & the day has turned from bright & cold to pretty dreadful in no time, I've had to take shelter in the clock stand which was the old silver ring stand so no pics from that race just the bookies getting wet. A dash round to the new main stand & up to watch Levitate who won the Lincoln at the season's start bolt up in the 7f handicap off 8lb more than the big Spring event & a hefty rise from the 98 here will see him going to Listed class at least I would think. Magistral never gets into this race either & another place only bet bites the dust. At least it's stopped raining so I can have a proper look at them before the Listed sprint. Spinatrix looks a picture going round & runs a blinder, breaking well, making the running & 2f's out she's got plenty of them at it behind her. In the last furlong though Jack Dexter & Highland Colori sweep past her but she hangs on for 3rd to get me a place bet up & I'm quite happy with that. Now it's getting dark again, the shot of Jack Dexter coming in is not too bad but the brightness of the big screen shows how gloomy the light is & the rest of the shots I took haven't really come out. Back to the stand because it looks like it could hose it down any second. Cushion looks like another that's not going to make a show but then runs on very late in the piece to grab 3rd close home for another place only return. They're strung out like washing & looking at the times for the whole card it's obviously very testing out there & I'm doing well to be in front really. It would be nice to round off with Nearly Caught at least placing but Richard Hughes is after him pretty early in the race & it's clear he's not getting involved from a long way out. In the end he lets him walk home in next to last & the official result has him beaten 114l's:eek Conduct wins the race by 5l's & again it looks more like the finish of a 3m+ chase than a flat race. Time to go but I see that Ross Atkinson rode his first winner of the year in the closing apprentice race, this lad rode Coconut Ice a few times back in 2010 which is when I started this thread & in fact he was on her when she won at Folkestone. That year he had just over 200 rides & had 18 winners but the rides & the wins have dried up for him & the last three years he's had 144 rides & just five wins with that sole win this year from just 28 mounts & it makes you wonder how long he can go on? I suppose he makes a living riding work but it must cost plenty to get to the track for the odd ride & I suspect that he'll be another that just disappears before long. Another quiet week in store with Wetherby next Saturday the next likely day out. Stakes 7579.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1571.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1350 Noted horses W/R 5-30 Stakes 30 return 38 P/L +8 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 132.75pts Returns 7.5pts P/L -125.25pts Blue skies as Jazz returns from winning the first Uploaded with ImageShack.us Indy inde winners Uploaded with ImageShack.us Those nice bookie chappies getting wet Uploaded with ImageShack.us Levitate dots up Uploaded with ImageShack.us Spinatrix passing the winners to go to 3rd Uploaded with ImageShack.us Jack Dexter in the gloom Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHills Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Nice read as always, see you by the paddock at Haydock next week. (keeping away from the drunks!) Been re-routed from Newbury due to Tidal Bay going in the Betfair. Might go Cheltenham Sunday, Mad Moose duty!!!! :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 16, 2013 Author Share Posted November 16, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Wetherby today with Mowgli & an early start again. A spot of two way trixie betting, a patent punt with double stakes on the singles & a short price double in an attempt to "Hit the cow's arse with a banjo" to quote Harry Bassett. I want to look at them before the Wetherby opener, I'm thinking of taking on the Jolly Run Ructions Run who I'm not sure is going to be suited by the drop back in trip & I'm thinking it's one of the hurdle debutants I'd go with, Villa Royale maybe? We'll see. Only five runners for the novice chase. Apart from Jimmie Brown it's hard to rule any out so a watching brief here. I have the 1.30 between Flicka Williams & Lookout Mountain, both have been stuck up by the handicapper for recent good wins but they still look open to more progress in a race with not a lot of strength in depth. These go in the two way trixies. I don't see No Planning getting home at 3m 1f round here & Scotswell needs to find a bit but might do so on just his second chase start so I've have Grouse Lodge & Denali Highway who both were progressive last season & can fight this one out. Midnight Charmer is on a hat trick & should go well but is up 15lbs from the first win & this is a slightly better race than the two he's won. Tresor de L'Isle is also raised for a win (7lb) but looked much improved for a breathing op when winning at Ayr at around this distance. Badger Foot would have gone close at Hexham LTO but for a blunder two out after a long lay off & is chucked in here on some of his old form, if he doesn't "Bounce" he ought to be thereabouts & I'll have him & Tresor de L'Isle here. Full cover two way is 2x2x2=8 but I've gone with four trixies, if I hit the three winners of the races it's evens they line up but if they don't I'll have two doubles. Two winners in the three races will give either one or two doubles depending how they fall & should cover the outlay. The last race looks between Blakemount & Sir Managan & the latter needs to come on a ton for his bumper run at Aintree three weeks back where he was a remote 3rd having led. He might just do so but Blakemount's Carlisle 3rd at this trip looks fairly solid & he'd be the pick even at odds on. Whether I'm up for staying to watch is probably down to what happens to another skinny one Royal Irish Hussar in the first at Cheltenham. I was impressed by him at Wetherby despite the last flight scare & he is the clear form pick. Azza is on a hat trick but even the Listed win in France two runs ago before he changed hands is below what Royal Irish Hussar has done. There's one of these "Bought from France" Nicholls types in here as well, might be owt or nowt. Not my usual sort of punt but I'll have Royal Irish Hussar & Blakemount in a double. A bit more of a punt is Conquisto in the Paddy Power. I liked him when I saw him at Doncaster last season & he's been very consistent since sent over fences with four wins & four places from eight starts. Up 4lb for winning the Old Roan LTO but I liked the way he finished there & he's a fair price in a wide open event. Silver Eagle ran very well in 2nd at Cheltenham on his seasonal return four weeks ago & can go one better with the step back up in trip sure to suit in the 3.00. Back at Wetherby Zafaranger ran very well for a long way over C&D a couple of weeks back & with that run under his belt he can turn the tables on those that were not that far in front of him in that race. He's not on a bad mark on his old form & the slightly better ground here will help. Bets Lookout Mountain 5/2 & Flicka Williams 11/4 Denali Highway 11/4 & Grouse Lodge 11/4 Tresor de L'Isle 7/2 & Badger Foot 4/1. 4 x 1pt trixies, Betvictor BOG = 16pts. 10pt double Royal Irish Hussar evs & Blakemount 8/11 Paddy Power BOG. Conquisto 28/1. Silver Eagle 6/1. Zafaranger 6/1. 1pt patent plus 3x 1pt singles, Coral BOG = 10pts. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Not a bad day in the end yesterday although I'm not sure Mowgli would agree. Having arrived just as the field were parading for the opener we both decided that seeing as Villa Royale had four legs we'd back her against Run Ructions Run & then got a spot on the rail down by the last. I got a half decent shot with my Box Brownie & I know Mowgli got some corkers too so I'm wondering what the on course (literally) snappers results look like? Now I'm not one for all this Health & Safety stuff, it has it's place of course but to me it's way over the top at times & really what you need is a bit of common sense & where the pros were taking pictures from, especially one of them (see first picture below) is not common sense. What happens if one runs out at the hurdle or there's a loose horse? You get mowed down while your peering through the camera lining up your shot that's what. Later on we're watching them coming up the walkway out of the parade ring & some dozy Herbert walks straight in front of one of the runners where the public can cross, totally oblivious, off with the fairies, nearly got flattened & could have had the jockey off & the horse running loose. Compare that to Doncaster or York where you have several security men holding you back while the jockeys make their way to & from the weighing room which most times is way OTT. Anyway on that showing Villa Royale will never make a jumper as long as she lives, the form doesn't say it but she never met one right & she's probably frightened herself to death & she trailed home 6th. Not the best start then but having gone round to watch them come back in we stayed there to watch Royal Irish Hussar do the business in decent style at Cheltenham despite being less than fluent at the last again. I see he's as short as 8/1 for the Triumph with some firms but Ladbrokes are not impressed & are 16/1 but they're only quoting two horses. The form looks reasonable if not top class with Azza a distant 3rd & the Nicholls one Art Mauresque bought in from France a 107l's stone last!!! I wonder how much they paid for that & did Mr Bromley buy him & did Mr Nicholls blow in his ear afterwards? Back to Wetherby & the novice chase. I've no financial interest but Mowgli likes the look of Imjoeking & Supreme Asset, he backs the latter. We go by the rail again. Supreme Asset leads & looks to be going well till starting to paddle coming off that long sweeping bend at the bottom of the straight. Imjoeking takes over & quickly bounds into what looks like a winning lead taking the second last but then Mwaleshi gets after him & wins going away on the run in. Back to the spot by the parade ring again because after they come back in I want to watch the rather warm looking novice chase at Cheltenham which features amongst others African Gold. African Gold is a well beaten 4th & didn't jump very well at all, Le Bec wins but the form doesn't set the pulse racing. Back to the 3m 1f handicap hurdle & I've got Flicka Williams & Lookout Mountain, Mowgli decides to back the latter & we take up our spot on the rail again. Coming to the last & the pair & Wayward Glance are clear, they get on top of Wayward Glance up the run in & Flicka beats Lookout by a length & a half. Mowgli's not happy but it's better for me because the 3/1 SP is a tad longer than the 11/4 I got in the morning & the better price of the two. We watch the staying chase at Cheltenham & then take our rail spot again for the 3m 1f handicap chase. I've Grouse Lodge & Denali Highway in this, Mowgli goes for the latter, No Planning has been well backed & goes off at 15/8f. Grouse Lodge is struggling off that long last bend like so many do but Denali is chasing after the jolly & I'm still thinking he won't get home at the trip & I'm further encouraged when No planning fluffs three out. Denali Highway tries hard but No Planning does see it out & wins by just over a length. Next up is the Paddy Power, the screen by the parade ring goes off so we go round the front to watch but Conquisto is struggling from a long way out & comes in last of the 14 to finish. This is now starting to have the look of the wheels coming off after a promising start. Mowgli decides to back Tresor de L'Isle who I have with Badger Foot & we stay by the winning post this time. Tresor de L'Isle is beaten before leaving the back straight & falls at the fourth last when legless, he really should have been pulled up before then & the stewards had a word after but to me they should have been asking why he carried on & in this day & age when the animal rights people are looking for every chance to have a go it's just handing them the ammo. The good news is the horse got up but he shouldn't have needed to. The representative of James Ewart, the trainer of TRESOR DE L’ISLE (FR), which fell, reported that the gelding ran flat. They ordered TRESOR DE L’ISLE (FR) to be routine tested. Badger Foot is running a big race & cruises into the the lead two out "He'll win by 10l's" says Mystic Mowgli. Over the last with a good lead but hang on here comes Goodtoknow with a wet sail, where's the line, I need the line. He gets there with three parts of a length left but a few yards more & he was caught, result & a check shows I have one double up in the trixies & the extra half a point on the 9/2 SP means that those bets are in profit. Nip to take a few shots of the winner but the screen by the weighing room is on the blink again so back round the front to watch Silver Eagle run no race at Cheltenham & we stay there to watch our 3.15. When Zafranagar ran well here two weeks ago he was up near the pace, this time he's held up & is a bit keen early but seems to settle. Round that long bend & he's cruising "Don't go too soon" I'm thinking. He hits the front before three out & that's a long way from home here but he's still pulling double taking the second last. At the last & instead of kicking into the flight he steadies up, rather walks over it & loses momentum, meanwhile here comes Zapamation, where's that line again!!! This time he doesn't hang on & gets beat a short head, I suppose if he'd not gone too soon & got beat I'd have wanted him to kick earlier, likewise if he'd booted him into the last & tipped up I'd have said why didn't he steady up. Just to put the tin hat on it for the lad on him... The Stewards held an enquiry into the use of the whip by Robert Mccarth, the rider of ZAFRANAGAR (IRE), placed second, from the last hurdle. Having heard his evidence and viewed recordings of the race, they found him in breach of Schedule (B)6 Part 2 in that had used his whip without allowing his horse time to respond. The Stewards suspended Mccarth for 3 days as follows: Sunday 1, Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 December 2013. At least it showed he was trying. At this point we decided to bail out to beat the traffic so I had to watch Blakemount win the last like a 4/7 shot should to land the short price double. Even then there was a non runner in that race & I got rule 4'd, not a lot though. Nothing from the patent. The trixies returned 22pts & the double 33.88pts, 55.88pts from 36pts staked. The next day out is probably Betfair chase day at Haydock next Saturday for which we have tickets. However I was thinking I might do the Friday to but it depends on the card, at the moment there are just the six races & the last is a bumper & I think that's a bit of a cheek on a card where there are two novice hurdles, a novice chase & a graduation chase which in effect is another novice chase & just the one handicap on the whole card. Looking at the novice hurdles the second one might divide but I doubt it & last year for the same card there were 5 runners (handicap) then 5, 6, 6, 7 & 13 in the closing bumper. Hardly stuff to get the blood flowing & probably not worth the expense, we'll see. I have had a small interest today. Evan Williams does a column in the Mirror on Saturday's now & seems quite sweet on Copper Birch in the first at Cheltenham. It was too soft for him LTO but he needed to get the run under his belt for this & the 2nd to At Fishers Cross this time last year is decent enough, Adam Wedge takes off 3lb & he's worth a small bet. In the Greatwood I'll stick with Pine Creek who's up 7lb for the Ascot win two Saturday's ago which is fair enough & if anything he ought to be more suited by today's ground. Stakes 7579.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1571.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1350 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 168.75pts Returns 63.38pts P/L -105.37pts Bets. Copper Birch 20/1 Pine Creek 7/1 2 x 2pt ew singles, 1pt ew double = 10pts staked Paddy Power BOG. Run Ructions Run at the last with the rather foolhardy snappers close by. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Run Ructions Run returning Uploaded with ImageShack.us Mwaleshi Uploaded with ImageShack.us Flicka Williams on the way to the start Uploaded with ImageShack.us No Planning & Denali Highway at the last Uploaded with ImageShack.us Badger Foot Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowgli77 Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Didn't even realise I'd had 2 seconds and a 3rd until I checked results again. (all backed to win of course) The day seemed to pass by in a blur and no sooner had I got in and I was off to the cinema. Managed to get some decent photos on the day. Hoping the weather stays ok for Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary The next day out is probably Betfair chase day at Haydock next Saturday for which we have tickets. However I was thinking I might do the Friday to but it depends on the card, at the moment there are just the six races & the last is a bumper & I think that's a bit of a cheek on a card where there are two novice hurdles, a novice chase & a graduation chase which in effect is another novice chase & just the one handicap on the whole card. Looking at the novice hurdles the second one might divide but I doubt it & last year for the same card there were 5 runners (handicap) then 5, 6, 6, 7 & 13 in the closing bumper. Hardly stuff to get the blood flowing & probably not worth the expense, we'll see. The Betfair Chase on Saturday looks one to savour & there are a ton of runners in the "Fixed Brush" Final & I suspect the rest of the card will be pretty competitive when the final decs are made tomorrow but I wasn't wrong with the Friday card. 13 in the opening handicap hurdle is fair enough but then you have a Graduation chase worth over £16k to the winner & there are four runners. Next up a Listed novice hurdle, just under £12k for winning here & five run. The novice chase has four runners with £16k+ on offer to the winners again. Nine go in the other novice hurdle (well at the moment anyway) chasing just under £6.5k for first & you can trouser a touch over £3k for landing the closing bumper, 10 are declared. Lets get the owners & trainers out having a bleat about crap prize money again:eyes Do they ever get any complaints from the paying patrons about being charged £15/£20 to get in Tatts, never mind if you want something to eat or a drink & this is the rubbish on offer. Anybody that's booked in advance must be feeling ripped off (nothing new there) & the ££30+ plus brigade in the Premier enclosure must be well chuffed Anybody that decides to go on the day must want their bumps feeling. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary A very early start at Haydock tomorrow & I'll not have much time in the morning so I've pretty much done what I'm doing punting wise this evening. Before I get to that though I must pass comment on Ascot tomorrow Having had a pop at today's Haydock fare I see that Ascot are "slightly disappointed" by the turnout for their two Grade two events, apparently the clerk of the course is more disappointed that there are only seven in the handicap Chase at 3.15 but if I'm reading between the lines correctly I think he's more than a bit miffed that the Grade two's have managed to attract just three & four runners. There's £50k prize money added for the chase & the hurdle has £90k in the pot & this is clearly not enough for those poor hard up owners & trainers to make the effort for, perhaps the Ascot patrons will have a whip round for them:eyes Anyway back to the excellent Haydock card. I like John Ferguson as a trainer, even if Pine Creek was a bit of a let down last week (must add that to the returns) & I've gone with his Honour System in the first. This one was a bit useful on the flat in France & then Dubai at around 10/11f's but took time to find his feet at the hurdling game in the Spring till he hosed up in a nothing novice hurdle at Newton Abbot in May. With that under his belt & given a bit of time off he can start to make further progress now, he's got soft ground form & it's likely to be quite testing tomorrow & the race should be run to suit. I've stuck him in a lucky 15. I'll swerve the second race where Far West should go well, although I may be tempted by Runswick Royal who's got some smart form himself & is getting 8lb from Far West & the Henderson runner Rolling Star. A 3m 5f slog for the handicap chase at 1.15. Gorgehous Lliege won on heavy ground at the very stiff Towcester at 3m+ last season & was a decent 2nd at Sandown at the same sort of trip two weeks ago in a similar class race to this. He ought to be plugging on off his low weight when others will have cried enough & I'll bung him in the lucky 15 as well. A horse I was sweet on last year was Clondaw Kaempfer, after winning an Aintree novice in good style he then scored on the Friday of this Haydock meeting in a Listed event & was again quite impressive. I backed him for Cheltenham ante post & was hoping for a good run in the Challow hurdle at Newbury between Xmas & the New Year which I watched while I was at Doncaster. Unfortunately he was just making some eye catching headway when he stumbled three out & was pulled up straight away, there was some debate has to whether he was injured or not at the time but he hasn't been seen since. I think this is his trip & he goes with plenty of give underfoot & I'm hoping that time will show that he's chucked in here off 136 & despite this looking quite a hot handicap I've had my first "proper" bet for some time on him:hope I'll leave the "Fixed Brush" for now. Just for a change we have a Grade 1 at this time of the year that's worthy of the name & unless the King George attracts a similar field then I doubt there'll be a better race outside the festival at this level all season. With Bobs Worth supposed to be swerving Kempton on Boxing Day one would assume that Henderson has him ready to run the big race that they seem to be talking up, if he has then he wins for me. The slightly longer trip than usual is in his favour, he handles the ground & loves going left handed. Silviniaco Conti won this last year but was allowed to dictate from the front, I don't see that happening this time with Cue Card & Roi du Mee in here. Would he have been close when he fell three out in the Gold Cup? Maybe but he was a bit of a let down at Aintree after for me, perhaps the fall left it's mark & he may be better fresh, a bit too many if's & but's for me. Cue Card was legless at the end of the King George last year, maybe they won't make the running & try to save a bit, I still don't see him getting home. I can't have Long Run after the Wetherby run just three weeks ago when he scoped badly afterwards & he's on the downgrade anyway. Roi du Mee shouldn't be up to this despite a career best LTO & thr Giant Bolster isn't good enough. Dynaste might be, then again he was disappointing in the Jewson, the extra distance will suit though & he does go on heavy ground but he still has a good bit to find for me. If Tidal Bay wins this he'll bring the house down, we know he's in form from the hurdle win three weeks back & he was giving Bobs Worth 6lb when beaten just over 3l's by him in the Hennessy, he can't can he? I hope not. While Mr Stickels may be disappointed by the turn out for the Ascot 3.15 I'm not, I think Drumshambo can continue to progress & beat Lancetto again on the revised terms from their C&D clash of three weeks back. Apart from the 5yo Kie the rest look quite exposed & he usually finds one too good, Drumshambo goes in the Lucky 15. Whether we stay to watch the last where I have gone for Gas Line Boy depends on how things have gone before I suspect & it can be a pain getting out of Haydock at times. He again looks the progressive one having scored at Exeter at 3m LTO & he at least looks in form. The others open to more improvement are Noble Legend, but he was a big let down at Wetherby on his return & Sydney Paget but he seemed to lose his way last backend. Mac Aeda's another that doesn't win many & Silver By Nature goes well here but is getting on a bit now & the rest all have question marks. Bets. Honour System 5/1 Gorgehous Lliege 5/1 Drumshambo 7/2 Gas Line Boy 4/1 1pt Lucky 15 Betfred. Clondaw Kaempfer 40pts @ 4/1 Bet365. Bobs Worth 60pts @ 5/2 Stan James, all BOG. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Having given myself a bit of time after Saturday to take stock & indeed calm down a bit Mowgli sends me a text last evening which promptly chucks a bucket full of petrol onto the smoldering embers. "Hope you backed Dansli Dutch" No I bloody well didn't:@ Dansili Dutch runs for that other racing club I've joined. She won at Wolverhampton the Saturday before last, I didn't go I was at Wetherby but I knew about her running & I backed her. I had an e-mail later though from another member who told me there had been a foul up with the badges, he'd heard nothing but had gone anyway & managed to get in. I'd looked Saturday & there had been sod all on the website as to her running yesterday, after Mowgli's text I had another look & the notice that she was declared was put up sometime Sunday, I suppose if I'd looked I might have seen it. I'm not saying I'd have gone but I would have backed her & I could do with a 5/1 winner at the moment. To further fan the flames they posted on Monday that we have a new horse, it also says that O'Meara bought her at the sales in France in July but she's running at Wolverhampton today!!! I suppose he could have bought her & was waiting for an owner but that's a long time to sit in a yard for me & suddenly here's a new horse & it's running tomorrow, not happy. Mandarin Bar runs at 4.50, she's a maiden after seven starts in France & runs in this 6f handicap off 64 which they say they think is a workable mark, David Bergin takes off 5lb. I get the feeling that if I back her she will sink like the Bismark & if I don't she'll hose up pulling a bus, I don't know what to do, take up knitting I think. Back to Saturday's shower of S$%&. The good news was that going a little bit earlier meant that the roundabout off the M6 near the track wasn't snarled up, there ends the good news. Busy round the parade ring all day so pictures were hard to come by. Looking at them for the first Henderson's Golden Hoof was twice the size of everything else & ought to jump a fence in time, in the race though he was dreadful & was struggling halfway down the back straight. The one I had in the lucky 15 Honour System wasn't much better & curled his toes up early in the home straight. At this point I was a bit worried by the form of the Henderson yard but Rolling Star eased those doubts a bit by taking the next in good style, Nicholls looked up to his grumpy best when stalking off to see where Far West had disappeared to. Gorgehous Lliege then proceeded to come stone last of the nine that finished the 3m 5f chase. Up next is Clondaw Kaempfer, Gordon Brown is on parade ring duty & it seems they had a punters panel before racing & Gordon informs us that Donald McCain "Thinks he might need the run" That's trainer speak for "It's no chance & I'm running it to get fit" Clondaw is, to quote the form Held up, not fluent 6th, some headway approaching 2 out, never troubled leaders, well held before last I am seriously considering having GUM tattooed on my forehead so that when I look in the mirror I am reminded of what I appear to have turned into. I've had a bit of a head cold & have gone deaf in the right ear, shame then that Mowgli is standing on my left side whilst he's screaming home McCoy on More of That who'd looked beaten at the last. At least he's had a win & now I'm nicely balanced up because I'm deaf in the left ear as well. Not only am I deaf I'm also daft(er) as I decide to back Two Rockers in the "Fixed Brush" Mowgli's on him as well & he runs like he's carrying the pair of us as well as Wayne Hutchison. By now I'm in full "Having one of those days" mode. You can't get near the parade ring to get any decent pictures of the Betfair field & I manage a few as they come out to parade on the track but the lights not the best for the box brownie. I really need Bobs Worth to run a big race, he runs a stinker, "Never travelling" Geraghty tells the stewards, he's not wrong. I've seen a few theories, sharp track, faster ground than the official going, not the correct race distance, well you can put all those together & it was still too dreadful to believe, get beat yes but not like that. I'm still waiting to see if anything comes to light, bug in the yard or an injury, anything really but it's runs like that that make think it's time to pack up. Mowgli's not happy either, he was looking to back Bobs Worth but the price was too short, decides he'll back Dynaste or Cue Card instead & picks the wrong one!!! We decide to bail out & pause to watch Drumshambo run a fair race for 3rd at Ascot. We're on the M62 when Mowgli tells me that Gas Line Boy has managed the same place in the last. Not a happy bunny & the mood further blackened by the Dansli Dutch affair. While I have been writing this I have decided not to back Mandarin Bar "Ding, ding, fares please" 115pts plus the 10pts from last Sunday returns nothing. Stakes 7689.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1681.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1370 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 183.75pts Returns 63.38pts P/L -120.37pts Wetherby tomorrow I shall look at the card later. Rolling Star Uploaded with ImageShack.us Bobs Worth Uploaded with ImageShack.us Cue Card Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Mandarin Bar was pretty dreadful in beating one of the 11 runners home at Wolverhampton, early days though & O'Meara will probably get her to win something somewhere at some point, some notice that's she's running would be nice though. Anyway it's off to Wetherby today where the card could hold some future pointers more than anything with three interesting races from that angle & a decent chase to watch too. The card opens with a conditional jockeys claiming hurdle which seems to revolve around Connectivity & Neptune Equester. The latter is 12lbs better off for the 15l's he was behind Connectivity when that one won a similar claimer at Southwell a couple of weeks back. Neptune Equester also loves this track having won here five times from seven starts so he ought to be closer today. At the prices though it's a leave alone. A couple of promising types in the beginners chase at 12.50 in Indian Castle who makes his fencing debut & Seymour Eric who ran a nice race on his first chase start when 3rd to Smad Place, Karinga Dandy could improve taking on fences now for Sue Smith as well. Seymour Eric had the better hurdle form & if pushed I'd pick him but not at a shade of odds on. The novice hurdle up next contains the McCain hotpot Diamond King who won both his bumpers last season including one here & is around 1/2 to get off the mark hurdling. Clan William has won a hurdle despite not jumping that well & has to give them all weight because of that. Beaujolais has some reasonable form & is from a yard I like but really if he stands up then Diamond King should win this. The handicap chase at 1.50 is a nice race. Ultra du Chatelet was well backed when flopping on his British chase debut at Hexham in October but was still going well when unseating at Carlisle LTO, I have a sneaky feeling this one might run well. Allanard is a C&D winner off 2lb less & was in front of Ultra du Chatelet in that Hexham race LTO, none too consistent though & just as likely to throw in a stinker. Goodtoknow is up 5lb for the close 2nd to Badger Foot here at 2f's less last time & also should go well. Hollow Blue Sky is another who's up in the weights, 7lb for winning a Carlisle novice handicap on his first chase start, I'm not sure the extra distance will suit this one though. Frank the Slink might run alright but then again he chucks in a few stinkers too, Jewel in the Sun looked out of form when last seen & Glen Countess looks in the handicappers grip now. Whiskey Ridge sluiced up over C&D when last seen in May in this class & I am tempted by this one but a 16lb rise for that win is rather a lot. No bet as yet & I may play when I've had a look at them but even if I don't it should be a good watch. Juvenile hurdlers at 2.25 with Rutherglen around the 11/10 mark to make a winning debut for John Quinn who does well in these races & Rutherglen has some fair flat form for George Baker. Marju's Quest ran alright on his hurdle debut at Bangor but the one I want to have a look at is Stephen Hero for Dan Skelton. He's another making his hurdle bow having run quite well on the flat in Ireland & if he looks the part I may have a nibble. The one bet I've had so far is in the handicap chase at 3.00. I think the favourite Firth of the Clyde needs taking on here, he's looks a bit of a weak finisher on his hurdle form & while he ran well for 2nd on his chase debut at Carlisle he again had no much left at the end. Tahiti Pearl looks a bit high in the weights but Granville Island ought to go well dropping back to this 2m having found 2m 4f too far LTO. I quite like Sacre Toi here though, he looked progressive last season till he looked to stall LTO at Ayr in April but that was a big leap in class up to Listed level along with a fair old hike in the weights & it was on good ground with his best form on softer. Back down in class & 3lb less than Ayr along with the lad on him claiming another 7lb on more suitable ground & he can go well here racing from the front & hopefully getting them at it behind him. I'll give the bumper at the end a miss. Bet. Sacre Toi 20pts @ 9/2 Bet365 BOG. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Quite an interesting day at Wetherby with one or two nice sorts in action. In the claimer Neptune Equester managed to turn the form round with Conectivity passing him late in the day having looked to be struggling down the back. However the pair of them were soundly beaten by Makhzoon who was backed from 28/1 to half those odds so somebody must have had ten bob each way on him (not me) In the beginners chase the best looking one was Karinga Bay who was still in touch arriving at the first one down the back the second time round & ended up on the floor. It catches a few out that fence, maybe it's because it's a long run on the flat from the last in the home straight, anyway I think I may keep an eye out for that one next time. Seymour Eric looked alright as well & he was leading but idling in front & Ian Popham gave him a right clout with the whip passing the winning post for the last circuit. He made a mistake at the last in the back & at that point Indian Castle was going best, his jumping sealed it down the home run & I thought he looked like he just might need the run so he could come on enough to defy a pen for the win but they do make it hard for novices to run up a sequence these days. Diamond King ended up going off at 30/100 & he looked to be cruising as he took it up at three out but a couple of them went with him & Maguire had to push him out a bit to put it to bed, nothing serious & he won well but it may do him good in the long run, he was 33's for both the Supreme & the Neptune before this & is now 25/1 for both. He will improve but I wouldn't be in a hurry to back him for either just yet. The runner up Secrete Dream looked quite nice & will win a race, Rozener also took the eye & made a lot of the running before fading around two out, this one might pop up at a price in a handicap somewhere down the line. More good looking sorts in the 2m 6.5f handicap chase. Hollow Blue Sky won the best turned out & probably deserved to, he was 4th under the curse. Goodtoknow also looked well & ran a cracker for runner up spot again & will go up another few pounds for not winning. I ended up backing Whiskey Ridge who also looked well & he was running a big race & was just about in front & still going fairly well till he capsized at three out. I don't think he would have won but he wouldn't have been far away. The winner was Glen Countess who I thought the handicapper had & he will probably make sure after this. Even more good looking ones for the juvenile hurdle. Marju's Quest looked well but he folded up a bit tamely about two out. At this point the good looking Rutherglen was making ground on the pick of them for me Stephen Hero who had cruised into the lead at two out. I'd hopes that I might collect on the bet on Stephen Hero but Rutherglen held him well enough after the last. The pair were 8l's clear of the 3rd & while they may not trouble the top juveniles the pair will both win more races. Sacre Toi ran well for a long way but started to paddle off that last bend, the one I thought wouldn't stay Firth of the Clyde actually saw it out best to score by a length. I wouldn't take anything from this race though. 20pts down on the posted bet then but a few for the notebook. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1380 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 183.75pts Returns 63.38pts P/L -120.37pts Doncaster on Friday, I've had a quick look & I'm 99% certain I'll be going. Indian Castle Uploaded with ImageShack.us Diamond King Uploaded with ImageShack.us Stephen Hero Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rutherglen Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Off to Doncaster today for another interesting card. Today betting wise it's not so much the scattergun approach as the bunderbuss, I have three races at Doncaster with two selections in each & a race each at Newbury & Musselburgh also with two picks. Full cover would require 32 lines of five, I have seven lines of five with the doubles & the four & fivetimers covered in each line, 16 bets per line times seven, 112 bets. Two winners from the five races would give at least a double, all five must give a fourtimer & it's just over 7/2 that they line up. Anyway the card opens with a novice chase. This looks between the chase debutant Ericht, Funny Star & Bar de Ligne. The latter has won a chase at Market Rasen back in June so he has to give all the rest 7lb for that which makes it hard. Funny Star ran quite well on fencing debut at Exeter in October but then was beaten a long way in 2nd at Plumpton. The pick of Ericht's hurdle form would be the Coral Cup 5th in March, he'd probably be the one to beat but the in & out form of Henderson & the fact he may not take to fences make this a watching race. An interesting novice hurdle up next. The 9yo King's Grey is second favourite & he's had 15 chase starts & it's a bit of a joke that he's qualified still to run in novice hurdles, he ought to go well enough but I'd be a bit surprised if there isn't at least one to beat him. With Rolling Maul out the pick of the novice hurdle form is with Devon Drum who was an 11l's 2nd on his hurdle bow at Kempton earlier this month. Lemony Bay won both his bumpers but was a bit disappointing on his first hurdle start at Wetherby on Charlie Hall day but he should at least improve on that. There's a few making their jump debut here the obvious one being Mijhaar who's one of those John Ferguson runners that's come from the Maktoum family, in this case Sheikh Ahmed & he boasts some useful flat form & won a Listed handicap at Hamilton off top weight in May. Having said that he only beat one home in three Group 3 starts after that & while they might not see which way he goes he could just as easily flop & I'm not playing at around 6/4. I may have an ew or a place bet should something take the eye. Novice handicap chasers at 1.20 where Highbury High is a best of 15/8 to defy the 7lb pen for breaking his fencing duck at Wincanton last week. He may just do so but then again his jumping was hardly top drawer there & these fences at Doncaster take a bit of getting over. He would appear to be the one to beat but it wouldn't be a shock to see him on the floor. Another chase at 1.55 where I have two against the field. Bellenos has his first run for Dan Skelton having arrived from France where he has some fair form, he was pulled up when favourite when last seen there just over a year ago so I'm taking a punt he's ready but the trainers made a fair start & looks a yard to watch. The other one was Atlanta Falcon but I see he's just been taken out. At 2.30 Fix it Right can go well back on decent ground for the in form Emma Levelle. The other one here is Bold Raider & the faster going can help him see out the 3m half a furlong, the form of his last run looks solid enough, the lad on him is a complete unknown to me but takes off 10lb. Down at Newbury & Niconefrankie must go well under a 6lb pen for an improved looking win at Ascot last week. I like Upsilon Bleu as well, decent French form & he ran quite well at Kelso LTO at 2m 1f & the extra 3f should suit, he's only a 5yo so more to come & I don't think the trainer would be wasting her time sending him down here if she didn't think he'd at least run well. Up to Musselburgh for the 2.55 Where Lysino & Rhymers Stone both have the look of improving sorts on resent handicap runs & they are the pair taken here. Finally back to Donny for the 3.05 & a pretty ordinary looking lot for the novice handicap hurdle. Reyes Magos & Portway Flyer make their handicap debuts having shown a bit of promise in novice events & bumpers & these two are the choice in what looks a weak race. The total stake is 22.4pts at 0.2pts. Must dash or I'm going to be late. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Only just got there yesterday, they were down at the start when I got in so no chance to look at them. Funny Star put his previous fencing experience to good use to take the race, he went for home a fair way out & while Ericht got to half a length of him at the line he was always doing enough. 35l's back to the 3rd so the form looks fair but the winner needs good ground at least. Nothing really took the eye before the novice hurdle but Mijhaar did in the race. He was slick over the hurdles & having tracked the pace he sauntered into the lead early in the long straight & ran away from them. The winning distance was 7l's but he was eased right down on the run in & was value for at least twice that, I'm not sure what he beat but he couldn't have impressed more doing it. He was available at 9/4 too & I was kicking myself after for not having a bit on but like I say he, along with the rest didn't catch the eye before. I did say it wouldn't be a shock to see Highbury High end up on the floor & it wasn't when he blundered & unseated Paddy Brennan at the 9th, he'd already tried to take a couple with him before that & he'd need to improve his fencing to win at a good track. Clondaw Flicka deserves a mention, there were pretty much three in a line at the last where he made a pigs ear of it to hand the initiative to the other two but then he battled back bravely between them & was going away at the end. Atlanta Falcon was taken out of the 1.55 but I'd put my bet on before he was taken out so I knew I had him as a non runner. The other one was Bellenos & he made some eye catching progress coming round the long turn from the back but he'd no sooner got into it than he went backwards just as quickly, maybe he needed it & might do better next time. Off the Ground who looked well before absolutely careered away from them down the straight & had them strung out like washing, he can win again unless the handicapper clobbers him really hard for this. The Lavelle/Aspell team landed a quick double despite Fix it Right running in snatches & he took it up at the second last & looked like another that was going to scoot clear but he was tying up in front on the run in & got home by just over a length, Bold Raider was 3rd. Off & running then & a quick dart inside to watch the Newbury 2.40. Soon back down to Earth though, Upsilon Bleu ran alright & looked like being involved round the last turn but was going nowhere from two out. Niceonefrankie was just never going & I've been let down by him before, never again I suspect. Rhymers Stone was even worse at Musselburgh with the lad on him belting hell out of him just to get him to race, always at the back he was pulled up. Lysino ran a bit better but a couple of them scooted clear off the bottom bend & he wasn't one of them. Portway Flyer to the rescue though back at Donny, I needed something to warm me up because the clouds had disappeared & it was bloody freezing in the sneaky wind. He took it up off the bottom bend & like a few before him just ran away from the rest, 9l's at the line but he walked the last 50 yards, the stewards had the trainer in after The Stewards held an enquiry to consider the apparent improvement in form of the winner, PORTWAY FLYER (IRE), ridden by Will Kennedy and trained by Ian Williams, compared with its previous run at Uttoxeter, on 22 September 2013, where the gelding finished sixth, beaten around 70 lengths. They interviewed the trainer who had no other explanation than that the yard had come back into form. Having heard his evidence they forwarded his explanation to the British Horseracing Authority so that the previous performances of PORTWAY FLYER (IRE) could be reviewed. They ordered PORTWAY FLYER (IRE) to be routine tested. Anyway that had me happy enough, I'd landed two doubles & because of the non runner five singles & even though I had a 10p rule 4 for a non runner in that last race I made a small gain, I think I may try that approach again. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1390 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 206.15pts Returns 89.10pts P/L -117.05pts No day out for me today, I did toy with the idea I might go up to Newcastle for the Fighting Fifth but decided not to, it's the first Saturday I've not been racing since the end of June when I decided that the chance to listen to Ronan Keating was only slightly less appealing than the Doncaster card that preceded him. Possibly Catterick next then in midweek, next Saturday is Wetherby but I'm pretty sure I'm going to go to Aintree for the Becher/Grand Sefton card, I enjoyed that last year. I've had a patent for a bit of interest today. The first one's not on C4 Newbury's 1.20 where I am with Violin Davis who now sports cheek pieces having been a bit disappointing at Cheltenham on her return. I don't think she really likes it there & with be better suited by Newbury, she has won off this mark & is still open to more progress. I'll go with Lord Windermere to continue the fine record of resent RSA chase winners in the Hennessy & up at Newcastle Vintage Star looks another progressive type in the Rehearsal chase at 2.40. Bet. Violin Davis 14/1 Lord Windermere 10/1 Vintage Star 4/1 1pt Patent Betvictor BOG. Funny Star Uploaded with ImageShack.us Mijhaar Uploaded with ImageShack.us Off the Ground Uploaded with ImageShack.us Fix it Right Uploaded with ImageShack.us Bold Raider Uploaded with ImageShack.us Portway Flyer Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Nothing from Saturdays patent, they all ran well enough with Vintage Star the closest with a neck 2nd. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1390 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 2013.15pts Returns 89.10pts P/L -124.05pts I'm going to Catterick today, it's a fair card for the track & I was hoping to get the owners head out of the box for Spiekeroog in the opener but I've been knocked back for a badge. A little disappointing but I don't see him winning anyway, there's a few in here in decent form & he looks to have a bit on his plate to get involved from a winning perspective, what's in his favour is he likes the track having won on the flat & been placed here & the supposed decent ground will help too. However he's not really gone on over hurdles having beaten Bourne at Newcastle in Feb 12 & last time he was a 13l's 2nd in a selling hurdle at Hexham & this is a better race today. Civil Unrest is on a four timer but is up 14lb which makes it a bit harder. Amir Pasha is another that likes this quirky course & is on a hat trick & would need a career best under a 7lb pen. Funky Munky is also a winner here but again is a bit high in the weights & might want it a touch softer. I quite like Smadynium who ran a good race in a better contest than this LTO at Haydock in first time blinkers & is on a fair mark now having looked to have been a bit over rated on two novice wins around this time last year. Sambelucky ran well after an 18 month layoff when 2nd at Sedgefield about three weeks ago & providing he doesn't "bounce" he can take the 12.50, he has winning course form over hurdles & the rest of these don't look up to much. Keith Reveley does well here & can land the other handicap chase at 2.50 with Categorical, the 3rd off this mark in a class 2 at Aintree LTO looks pretty strong form & a run to close to that level would probably do here. Nodform Richard won this off 2lb less last year but then took a crashing fall at Doncaster which seemed to shatter his confidence & on his last two starts he'd have a bit to prove now. O'callaghan Strand ran quite well at Exeter on his seasonal return but then not so good at Wincanton after, all his winning has been done at a good half mile shorter than this as well. Honest John would be a danger on his best form but he lost his way after Xmas last season & was pulled up in April at Perth & then unseated when looking to be struggling at Market Rasen on last months return. Everaard won a handicap hurdle here in February but is a Musselburgh specialist with his over five jumps wins all there, he was pulled up LTO in July as well. I have those three in a patent with an extra point on the singles. In the juvenile hurdle at 1.20 Forced Family Fun has to give them all 7lb for a win at Hexham two weeks ago. He should confirm that form with Baraboy & Most Honourable who unseated in that race. There are a couple of flat sorts who if they stay should go well in Like a Diamond but he's only been as far as 9f at Wolves till now & Morning With Ivan who won at up to 10f in Ireland for Jim Bolger but she seemed to lose her form towards the end of the Summer. Forced Family Fun is not my usual sort of price but I'll stick him in two singles & a double along with Run Ructions Run who I was quite impressed with at Wetherby. She's similar in that she has to give all bar one weight for that win. That one is Sultana Belle who won a four runner Hexham novice in October having had umpteen goes at getting off the mark. McCoy is on Maison de Ville for O'Meara but her bumper form is nothing to shout about & unless one of the two unraced ones is anything it looks a weak race this. Bets. Smadynium 7/2. Sambelucky 13/8. Categorical 2/1. 1pt patent plus 3 x 1pt singles = 10pts, Paddy Power BOG. Forced Family Fun 5/4. Run Ructions Run 6/4. 2 x 4pt singles, 2pt double Bet365 BOG. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev2oo9 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Wondering if you had any thoughts on Jeffersons Eternal Vine in the bumper ? Gets a stone from favourite and full brother Mac Aeda won on debut , Jefferson has most of the offspring of dam so knows family well , 10s seems a bit big. Enjoy the racing Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Wondering if you had any thoughts on Jeffersons Eternal Vine in the bumper ? Gets a stone from favourite and full brother Mac Aeda won on debut , Jefferson has most of the offspring of dam so knows family well , 10s seems a bit big. Enjoy the racing Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2 Hi Kev, didn't see this till quite late last evening. I don't usually back in bumpers & with them normally being the last race on the card I tend to bail out before then to get out of the car park, although Catterick is one of the better tracks for getting away from. Unless you had a bit more than ten bob on somebody else seems to have been thinking along similar lines because it went off at 6's & it says in the form opened at 10/1. Might be worth keeping an eye on that one although it was beaten a long way & from a long way out. From a punting point of view the day started well & then went down like a lead aeroplane. Things went a little sour before that though. Having not got an owners badge I was more than a bit miffed that there was one bloke in the parade ring with the girl from the yard & he'd come with her from the saddling boxes & looked a bit more than just a club member. After the race I popped to the owners & trainers desk & asked them how many badges they'd allocated for Spiekeroog? None, the lady on the desk told me they hadn't heard anything from them. Needless to say I'm less than impressed & have e-mailed them to tell them so & ask for an explanation, coming after the fiasco of last week & the late notice to run plus the new horse that by the way is running tomorrow & you will probably guess that they are not on my Xmas card list! Good job then that Smadynium dug deep to win by a neck having looked like getting caught close home, SP of 4/1 too. Spiekeroog was a (very) distant 6th. It didn't take long for the wheels to come off though with Sambelucky beaten a long way out, it seems that he has broken a blood vessel, however he also drifted from 6/4 to 9/4, can a bookie know a horse is going to do that? It happens often enough to make me wonder. Now comes the first of two rather sharp kicks in the nuts. Forced Family Fun is backed to odds on, off they go & at the first he jumps a bit to the right, bumps the one next to him & the jockey falls off. I say falls off because I've watched the replay several times & I reckon he'd have got hit harder by a two year at the local playgroup. The rest of the field then went round with most of them trying to fall over at some point, Most Honourable & Morning With Ivan went over the last together where the former nearly went but Ryan Mania showed how to stay on one, gathered Most Honourable up & snatched it on the line. Another tight finish for the beginners chase where Hi George holds on by a head from the best turned out winner Holywell who even under the full McCoy drive can't turn over the curse of the BTO. Just to prove it he's on Maison de Ville in the next & that also wins best turned out & trails home 6th. Run Ructions Run hits the front two out & looks like she may go away from them but Bonnet's Vino is after her & closing. I'm on the rail in line with the winning post & I think she's held on & I'm wandering off to get a picture, the result takes a while & the second kick to the nether regions comes when Bonnet's Vino gets it by a nose. Having wondered about the bookie grapevine knowing something I'm less than confident when the other Reveley one I've backed also drifts going off at 11/4 when I took the best priced 2/1 in the morning & that was before Honest John came out. Sure enough Categorical is beaten before the turn in. Nodform Richard is backed to favourite but going round the first time he jumps badly, looks like he's going to tail off & then in the end he runs away from them down the straight to win easily, bloody daft game this. 10pts back from Smadynium from 20pts staked. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1405 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 2033.15pts Returns 99.10pts P/L -134.05pts Smadynium Uploaded with ImageShack.us Forced Family Fun Uploaded with ImageShack.us Most Honourable Uploaded with ImageShack.us McCoy & Holywell Uploaded with ImageShack.us Run Ructions Run Uploaded with ImageShack.us McCoy & Kirsty look delighted to win the best turned out Uploaded with ImageShack.us Categorical Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Aintree instead of Wetherby today, I enjoyed it last year & I'm hoping for a similar day today. I'll try the blunderbuss approach again, this time I've three races with two picks & one with three choices arranged in six lucky 15's, if I can find the four winners it's 3/1 they line up & if they don't there will be singles, doubles & a treble. I'll have a look at them before the first two races, I'm thinking I'd like to take Gitane du Berlais on in the juvenile race at 12.30, probably with Mystery Drama, we'll see. Clondaw Kaempfer gets another chance in the 1.00 & should strip fitter for that run at Haydock two weeks ago. I'll put Lieutenant Miller in with him, he's been running well on the flat this season & ran quite at Cheltenham last month & there ought to be more to come from him hurdling, this track could suit him better than Cheltenham as well. The 1.30 looks wide open & I'll have a dart at Unex Canaletto who won quite nicely when last seen at Kelso in May & may have more to come from a yard in decent form & that is two from three with it's hurdlers at this track. The other pick is Tantamount who is also open to more progress having had a small break since a fair 2nd LTO. 24 go in the Becher & this is the race with three stabs. Across the Bay has a touch of class about him & ran well for a long way in the National before fading. Ought to be better for the run in the West Yorkshire hurdle a month back & while the idea is probably another go at the big one he should be trying to win this. JP bought Wyck Hill to go for the National but straight away things went wrong with a pretty dire run in the Racing Plus chase last February. He was a bit better in Ireland in April & then probably needed it at Ascot last month & should be ready now for a try at these fences, he'll either go close or disappear without a trace. The third one is Vesper Bell who looks like he's relish every yard of this, is open to more progress & I think Willie Mullin's is seeing if he takes to it here with aview to coming back for the big one. National fences again for the last. Midnight Appeal returned to fences with a win at Bangor LTO after a spell hurdling again following a fall at the festival in 2012. That was his only blot on his fencing CV having won five & placing in his other three chases & if he takes to the fences he can continue to progress here. One who has been round here is Dunowen Point who was 4th in the Topham only fading very late & if he's ready to roll FTO he shouldn't be far away again. 6 x 0.15pt lucky 15's = 13.5pts staked 10/3 & 9/2 8 & 9/1 11, 12 & 14/1 6 & 8/1 , Stan James BOG. In the 2.40 I'm with Katenko. He looked a big improver after last Xmas & was on target for a go at the Gold Cup but had to miss the rest of the season. He was running a big race in the Hennessy last week under a big weight until he tipped up at the 14th. If that hasn't left a mark he can get back on track in this Listed contest. Strictly on some of his form The Giant Bolster ought to be winning this but he's never convinced me & the twice he's tackled the Mildmay fences he's tipped up & been 7th of eight. Not right clever on his return at Haydock either & he needs taking on. This is a stronger race than when Wayward Prince won it last year & I think it's too far for Wishfull Thinking, Our Mick looks to have lost the plot & sports the paint rollers for the first time so the danger looks to be Unioniste & he needs to find a bit more after being a bit disappointing in the RSA & then again in the Charlie Hall FTO this season but he's still only a 5yo & should strip fitter for the last run. I'll give Whiskey Ridge another go in the 2.50 at Wetherby. He tipped up three out over C&D ten days ago when still in with a shout & this looks a slightly weaker race today. Settledoutofcourt is clearly in top form but is banged up 17lb for his two wins & off the same mark a clear round can see Whiskey Ridge score. No Sprinter Sacre in the Tingle Creek. Captain Conan deputises for him & has smart C&D form but I just feel he might need a bit further than the bare 2m's now. Not a fan of Somersby & I think he's flattered by the Haldon Gold Cup run where Cue Card clearly wasn't fit enough. Kauto Stone seems to have lost his way & Sire de Grugy really ought to be winning this. He'd be giving them all 8lb & more in a handicap & while he was a tad disappointing at Cheltenham LTO the winner is quite useful & this track, where he is a C&D winner will suit him better. These three are in a Patent with an extra bit on the singles. Katenko 11/4 Whiskey Ridge 5/2 Sire de Grugy 2/1 2pt Patent plus 3 x 2pt singles = 20pts Stan James BOG. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Not quite as good a day out as last year but still enjoyable enough. Not a bad run across the motorways & like last year it was easy enough to get round the parade ring, unsaddling & up on the viewing balcony. Having had a look at them before the first I decided that Gabrial the Great looked the pick of them & had a small bet. He ran 2nd but none of them ever looked like catching Splash of Ginge who made every yard under Sam Twiston-Davies having been well backed, the stewards decided it was worth a word after. The Stewards considered the apparent improvement in form of the winner, SPLASH OF GINGE, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, compared with its previous run at Carlisle on 3 November 2013 where the gelding finished fourth, beaten 26 ¼ lengths. They noted the trainer’s representative’s explanation that the gelding was suited by the drop back in trip and the better going. Slightly more illuminating was the interview with the owner conducted by Gordon Brown after where the owner informed us that he was a local chap from half a mile up the road, unless the tax man was after him in which case he was from Spain. He let his Dad accept the prize & when asked who the rest of the large party were told us they were family, including in-laws & his Spanish connection "Funny how none of them were at Carlisle" he says. Actually it was all done in typical scouse banter & really rather funny & good luck to them. I decided I'd back Mystery Drama in the juvenile, this despite the fact she didn't really look anything special & was probably too short at 7/4. Gitane du Berlais made every yard here too, halfway down the back & I'm thinking "they're giving him too much rope here" Not just Hutchison on mine but the other three riders too. I've looked at the times & this was the nearest to standard of the four hurdle races & it was slow by a dead 24 seconds, I know that the Racing Post have altered how they take the times but even so you can't give a 10 length lead at the end of the back straight off that kind of pace & expect to pick the leader up, not unless you're on Pegasus. Yet again Clondaw Kaempfer was well backed in the morning & drifted on the track, he was 9/2 with the odd 5/1 a place at one point before shortening up again to 7/2f at the off. He'd flip flopped with Lieutenant Miller in the market & then they flipped back again. Clondaw ran in snatches, looked like he was going to beat a retreat off the bottom bend but then rallied a bit to take 3rd, he's not what he promised to be it seems & I'll not be backing him again methinks. Lieutenant Miller was held up, never looked like getting into it & plodded past beaten horses to take a never nearer 4th, either he's not that good as well or the bug in the yard is a bit more rampant that they think. Unex Canaletto is up with pace in the next but weakens quickly before the last bend. Tantamount is going well though & takes it up after the third last. The jump at two out is a bit iffy but he's scooted clear now & only has the last in his way, he's better at that & wins by 9l's easing up. Off & running then with three singles in the lucky 15's & still a chance of a couple of doubles & even a treble is still on. I've three running for me in the Becher. This quickly turns to two when Vesper Bell hits the floor at the first. Across the Bay is up in the lead but starts to struggle after Becher's & is going backwards from the canal turn. Wyck hill never gets involved & plods on for 9th which is one behind Across the Bay. The old boy Baby Run, who is rising 14yo's old, as been off the track for 959 days & then gets lumbered with the best turned out award runs a screamer from the front. He gets overtaken from two out but then rallies on that long run in & just for a few seconds it looks like he might get back up but is held close home by a length. I was shouting for him along with plenty of others, partly because he deserved it & partly because the one he was trying to catch was Chance du Roy. I'd backed this one last year when he tipped up when a handy 3rd & still going well, he'd shown little in four starts since but the law of Sod dictates that these are the sort that come back & bite you on the arse. The more I'd looked at the Listed chase the more I was fancying the chances of Katenko. Having had a wander to the parade ring to check on the number of legs he had I decided that he looked the pick of them going round as well & so it was off to strike a proper bet. I watched this one from quite high on the stand from just past the winning post, the view there is excellent & I was staying there for the Wetherby & Sandown races on the big screen straight afterwards. Off they go & last years winner Wayward Prince does the splits on landing from the first & is always struggling after & he pulls up quite early. They past the winning post three times & as they go past the 2nd time Our Mick leads them with the other remaining four close up, the Giant Bolster is in rear but in touch although Scudamore is scrubbing a bit. At the first in the back he clouts it hard & unships Scu. Wishfull Thinking takes it up heading to the end of the back, I don't think he'll last home but after the events of earlier I'd like Katenko to be closer. Coleman's at work on him though & he's having to push hard to stay with Wishfull Thinking & Unioniste who's gone 2nd. It's clear he isn't going to win & it's a question now of can't Wishfull Thinking see it out? No he can't & Unioniste sweeps past him & approaching the last, pops over & clears away to win by 7l's. Kateneko is that legless he walks home & Our Mick passes him to take 3rd. That was disappointing & perhaps the run/fall at Newbury took more out of him than it seems? I'm not sure what price Unioniste was for the Gold Cup before this but he's 33/1 & that doesn't appeal, this form looks suspect to me, Wishfull Thinking wouldn't stay 3m+ if he went round in the horsebox & the rest ran shockers. If that had me down in the dumps then the run of Whiskey Ridge at Wetherby straight afterwards had me thinking about doing a header of the stand. He was struggling from a long way out & pulled up before four out, the stewards had a word.. Brian Harding, the rider of WHISKEY RIDGE (IRE), which was pulled up, reported that the gelding ran flat. No, get away, did he? He wasn't the only one that was flat by now & it's a good job Sire de Grugy came to the rescue down at Sandown because it's a long way down off that stand. While he did it quite nicely I wouldn't be dashing off to take the best offer of 16/1 for the Queen Mother never mind the 7/1 that a couple of the bookies are going:eek I could still get a double up if one of my two in the last could win. I watched this down by the Chair, the light was going & the pictures are a bit grainy but Dunowen Point was leading here & did so until he stopped dead in a matter of strides before three out. Midnight Appeal was a never in it 10th & it was amazing he even got round with the number of mistakes he made. The singles from the lucky's returned 8.55pts & 12pts back from Sire de Grugy from 33.5pts staked. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1450 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 259.65pts Returns 119.65pts P/L -140pts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Not entirely sure what's happening but having done a preview on that last post as I usually do the site won't show the fonts etc so I can switch back from the bold type & the pictures I've loaded before either aren't there or are taking forever to load. Anyway I cocked up the numbers in the returns earlier in the week, I think I have them correct again now. Nothing for me now till Doncaster next Saturday. Finally some pictures from yesterday if they load:hope Gabrial the Great Uploaded with ImageShack.us Gitane du Berlais dots up Uploaded with ImageShack.us Lieutenant Miller Uploaded with ImageShack.us Clondaw Kaempfer Uploaded with ImageShack.us Like Minded Uploaded with ImageShack.us Tantamount Uploaded with ImageShack.us Wyck hill Uploaded with ImageShack.us Chance du Roy beats Baby Run Uploaded with ImageShack.us The Ginger McCain bronze Uploaded with ImageShack.us Katenko Uploaded with ImageShack.us Unioniste Uploaded with ImageShack.us Across the Bay leads over the Chair Uploaded with ImageShack.us At the elbow with the winner Rebel Rebellion in front Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Still no reply to my request for an explanation to the Catterick owners badge affair, I wasn't really expecting one but there you go. The club had a runner at Southwell yesterday, I didn't even bother asking for a badge, probably a good job seeing as the beast in question went from vying for favouritism at around 5/1 in the morning to an SP of 12/1 before coming a "Soon beaten" 9th of the 13 which would have cheered me up no end. They have two runners at Southwell today, both in the same race the 1.10. Dansili Dutch would look to be the more obvious one of the pair having followed the two Wolverhampton wins with a good 2nd off today's mark to an unexposed sort also at Wolves eight days ago, she has run well here in the past. The other one is Mandarin Bar who didn't show much on stable debut 18 days ago & is up to a mile here from that run at 6f's at Wolves. She's only a 3yo so still has time to come good & O'Meara is a dab hand with this sort. I'm not going here either, I'm off to Doncaster. I'm not backing them either, they've %&$ssed me off & I'm not happy & will be bending their ear again. Anyway a two way trixie perm & a lucky 15 for me today & an early start in South Yorkshire. Fix it Right scored for me in a C&D handicap just over two weeks ago & is up 6lb for that, he looked like he made hard work of it but he was idling he front, Any Given Moment was 2nd & is 4lb better off but looks a bit of an "After you Claude" & Fix it Right can confirm the form. I've two in here, the other one is Sir Frank who has a 9lb hike for a nose win at Exeter LTO which looks a bit harsh but there was 9l's back to the 3rd & this one does have a good win to run ratio over hurdles. I may back something in the novice hurdle after a look & then there's a novice chase at 1.00 which looks interesting enough given that there are only four runners which seems to be the norm these days, there's another one at Lingfield today. There's a trappy looking handicap hurdle at 1.35 with a Paul Nicholls pair, Empire Levant is two from two here, one was a chase in March & then he fell at Newton Abbot in April & has been off since. The other is Ranjaan who seemed to have lost his way last season but won at Kempton off 5lb less than today on his return last month & after a breathing op. Robbie won this last year off 9lb lower but is in form having scored over fences the last twice & off today,s mark. Ruler of All usually finds at least one too good & I'll have a go here with two novices making their handicap debuts. Franciscan was useful on the flat & followed two minor novice hurdle wins with a decent 4th in a Listed race at Haydock LTO. 128 seems a fair enough mark & the good ground today will suit. Just a nose behind Franciscan at Haydock was Purple Bay, they were off level weights that day & are on the same mark here so there shouldn't be much between the pair again. The profile is similar too, in that Purple Bay won two small novice hurdles before the Haydock run & while he never ran on the flat he is bred for it. He won a bumper at Doncaster on debut & then ran well in the big Festival bumper, again this ground should suit him. Royal Irish Hussar is on my list but is too short at 8/13 to back in the 2.05. They do get turned over, I have Diamond King on my list & he got beat at 2/7 at Bangor yesterday:eek Having said that he was leading at the last where he made a pig's ear of it & couldn't recover. the 2.40 looks to be between Off the Ground & Nadiya de la Vega. Off the Ground hosed up here two weeks ago over C&D & has been banged up 15lb for that, he ought to go well but that is quite a hike & he didn't beat anything quite up to the level of Nadiya de la Vega. She has some smart form & this is a right drop in class from the Paddy Power LTO, I have her in the trixie perm. In the last I'll take the progressive looking Bears Affair & put this one in a lucky 15 along with another progressive type in Eastlake in the Cheltenham 1.15. Colour Squadron must go well in the big handicap at 2.25 & the final pick is another improving sort Knight of Pleasure in the 2.30 at Lingfield. Bets. Fix it Right 11/4 & Sir Frank 11/2 Franciscan 6/1 & Purple Bay 9/2 Nadiya de la Vega 11/4 4 x 1pt trixies = 16pts staked Betvictor BOG. Eastlake 11/2 Colour Squadron 5/1 Knight of Pleasure 5/2 Bears Affair 4/1 1pt lucky 15 Betfred BOG. Must dash Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Bit late with the update due to me been laid low for a few days, perhaps it's the same bug that's doing the rounds at Henderson's because there's quite a few of his running well below par although I see he had a good day at Newbury yesterday. Anyway having taken 11/4 & 11/2 about Fix it Right & Sir Frank the writing was on the wall when both drifted going off at 7/2 & 9/1 with plenty of 4/1 available for Fix it Right in the ring. Not only do they drift but they almost always seem to run no sort of race at all & both were clearly not getting involved from a long way out, having said that you'd think the reverse would be true but those who helped back Presence Felt in to 3/1f from an opening 9/2 will also have been unhappy to see Noel Fehily giving him some serious reminders with over a full circuit of Town Moor to travel & the beast ended up tailed off last. Not a good start then, Warden Hill made hard work of beating Drop Out Joe in the novice hurdle which contained nothing to note. Then Karinga Dancer won the novice chase in fair style, Henderson's Woodbank who'd run a good 2nd here the time before hit the floor three out having just come under serious pressure, again nothing to note. With the big screen playing up it was then inside to watch Eastlake win at Cheltenham, to be honest I didn't think he would coming down the hill but McCoy got him into it at the last & he stayed on well up the hill, off & running then. Back to Donny where Franciscan drifted like the Kon Tiki & sure enough ran like his legs were tied together. Purple Bay was the one for the money & ended up 3/1f but having led at the last he was worn down on the run in by Makari who provided Henderson with his one bright spot on the day. It got worse for the champion trainer though when the odds on Royal Irish Hussar folded up like a cheap deckchair early in the home straight having gone off at 4/6, he was so bad the stewards actually roused themselves from their slumbers for a word. The Stewards considered the running of ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR (IRE), ridden by David Bass and trained by Nicky Henderson, which finished third beaten approximately 16 lengths. They noted the trainer's representative could offer no explanation for ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR (IRE)’s performance other than that the colt ran flat. They ordered ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR (IRE), to be routine tested. With the trixie bet dead in the water it was back inside for the next two legs of the lucky 15. Colour Squadron ran a decent enough race for 3rd at Cheltenham but again coming down the hill didn't look like getting there & even McCoy couldn't get him home in front & he's beginning to look like an always the bridesmaid sort. Straight to Lingfield for Knight of Pleasure where conditions looked awful & it rather resembled a ploughed field. Knight of Pleasure looked to be in with a big chance at the top of the home straight but then all of a sudden he was going up & down on the spot while the all the way leader Dolatulo, appropriately enough kept ploughing along in front to win by 18l's. Back outside where Nadiya de la Vega having been a best priced 11/4 in the morning was now an easy to back 4/1. I'm now in the dammed if you do dammed if you don't situation, if she wins I get nowt, if I back her again she won't win, I back her again & she doesn't:eyes Off the Ground dots up again & having been bashed up 15lb for his last win one dreads to think how the handicapper will react this time. At this point I'm a bit fed up, I'm not feeling right cracking & even though I have Bear's Affair running in the last I decide to bail out. This turns out to be the right thing to do as Bear's Affair is yet another drifter & trails home 6th of the eight to run. With Betfred paying three times the odds for a single winner in a lucky 15 this returns 17.5pts from the 31pts staked on the day. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1460 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 290.65pts Returns 137.15pts P/L -153.5pts Having then been laid low I swerved Catterick on Tuesday which was poor fare anyway, I may take in Haydock this Saturday, it depends on the card. Timesishard, the appropriately named winner of the first Uploaded with ImageShack.us Fix it Right Uploaded with ImageShack.us Warden Hill Uploaded with ImageShack.us Franciscan Uploaded with ImageShack.us Purple Bay Uploaded with ImageShack.us Royal Irish Hussar Uploaded with ImageShack.us Fox Norton who won the juvenile race Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary No racing in Yorkshire today so a trip over to Haydock for a good card. I'll continue with the multiple bet policy & have a patent with extra on the singles & a lucky 15. An early start at 12.00 & I did have one in the first but I placed my bets last evening & on rising today I see that Tara Muck who was a choice in the lucky 15 has been taken out this morning with a temperature. This means that the race now becomes a watch only affair along with the novice chase that follows at 12.30. The progressive & prolific As I Am has to give them all 5lb in the mare's Listed race at 1.00 because she won a similar event at Newbury LTO but I'll take her on with Carole's Spirit who has some decent bumper form & she's won both her starts over hurdles, the last of those was also at Newbury & the 3rd there has won since. She goes in the patent. Only six go in the handicap chase at 1.30 but this is a trappy looking affair where it's hard to rule any of them out & I'll swerve this one too. Safran de Cotte can go well in the feature race the Tommy Whittle chase, he was a fair novice last season, goes on soft ground & should strip much fitter for the run at Carlisle about three weeks ago. He goes in the lucky 15. Puffin Billy is out of the 2.40 having been operated on for colic last night:hope for him & for Special Catch who ran a cracking race in a warm handicap at the Betfair chase meeting last month, a run to that level should see him win this. The danger would look to be She Ranks Me who has some smart form from last season & probably needed the run on her return at Taunton late last month. Special Catch goes in the patent. Down to Ascot for the last leg of that bet & despite being stuck up 11lb for winning the Hennessy & therefore 13lb worse off with the 6th there Houblon des Obeaux Triolo D'Alene can continue his progress & land another big Saturday pot. I'll more than likely stay for the last at Haydock & then watch the Ladbroke down at Ascot while a few clear out of the car park. The last two in the lucky 15 are in these races & the progressive looking Sausalito Sunrise can take the Haydock finale, he's up 9lb for a Chepstow win LTO but seems an improving sort at the longer distances & will handle the ground. It's a big ask for a 4yo to carry top weight & win a race like the Ladbroke but Ptit Zig has the burden because he's a very classy hurdler, he won a Grade 1 in France LTO, he goes on soft/heavy & he likes to be up with the pace, he's a fair price in a wide open race. I note that the former Nicholls trainer Landscape that was part of the Timeform/Betfair racing club string makes his debut for new trainer Venetia Williams & his new owner in this, I hope he runs well for them but he was a funny type who seemed to win or run no sort of race, I'll not back him & hope he doesn't have me cursing. Bets. Carole's Spirit 15/8 Special Catch 11/8 Triolo D'Alene 11/4 2pt patent + 3 x 2pt singles = 20pts staked, Hills BOG. Tara Muck non runner Safran de Cotte 7/1 & 7/1 Sausalito Sunrise 10/3 & 3/1 Ptit Zig 20/1 & 16/1 1pt lucky 15 in total, Betvictor & Betfred BOG. The best odds were with Victor but Fred does the three times the odds for a single winner so I split the bet equally between them. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary A most enjoyable day yesterday although going over the top of the Pennines on the M62 it looked rather iffy with the rain banging down & the signs on the motorway warning to slow down because of the high winds. However by the time I'd picked up the M6 the sky was blue & the sun was shinning down & getting out of the car at the track it actually quite pleasant. Not much of a crowd but then both Liverpool & Man U were at home & it was the last Saturday before Xmas. At least this meant getting round was easy enough & getting a few better pictures than usual round the parade ring & winners was good too. Not much to note from the opener with Leviathan getting on top of the best turned out winner Hartside on the run in. I was quite taken by the performance of Mwaleshi in the novice chase, I'd seen him with Mowgli at Wetherby in mid November & he'd stayed on well up the long run in there & did the same here, on testing ground & even at a bit further than this bare 2m's he can win again. Now I've said it before but I could never do in running, As I Am had made most of the running but as they rounded the final bend she looked to be the first to down tools with Carole's Spirit & Keshi pearl both looking to be going better. Suddenly though As I Am picks the bit up again & bounds back into the lead & it's Keshi Pearl that's now running on empty. Carole's Spirit is after As I Am but she's got 3l's to find at the last & it's not looking good but it's a fair run from the last & in the final 100 yards she surges past & scores by 2.5l's. Off & running in the patent then & I already know that Triolo D'Alene has come out down at Ascot. Granville Island wins the trappy looking 2m handicap chase & there's nothing to note from the race. The big let down on the day is Safran de Cotte in the Tommy Whittle who's struggling from a long way out & the stewards had a word. Jake Greenall, the rider of SAFRAN DE COTTE (FR), which was pulled up, reported that the gelding was never travelling. At this point I decide to watch the Long Walk in the betting shop, I had briefly toyed with the idea of taking on At Fishers Cross with Celestial Halo but when he'd come out I decided not to bother, it was clear that At Fishers Cross was struggling from a long way out & no real surprise when he lunged at the last & ejected McCoy & I wonder where they go with him now? Anyway it's straight back out for Special Catch. He's always traveling well & saunters into the lead at the 2nd last where She Ranks Me downs tools. Hold your breath at the last & he pops over nicely enough & is well clear. I watched this from down by the parade ring & the angle on the big screen is not great & there is a worrying few moments as Art Professor looks to be closing fast but having seen the replay he was eased down a good bit & was always in charge. That's the patent up so nicely in front now. I watched the big Ascot chase in one of the bars & the bloke in front of me had given up on Houblon des Obeaux when it looked like Cedre Bleu was getting to him after the last but Houblon wanted it more & won by a neck. It looked a bit horrible down in Berkshire & it was back out for the last in the setting Haydock sun. Sausalito Sunrise was most impressive & cruised into the lead two out with Tom O'Brien sat motionless, a little shake of the reins after the last & he puts it to bed in style, the result says just over 2l's but he was value for a good bit more & he's going to get at least another 9lb hike & probably a bit more. That's one in the lucky 15 now & I go back inside to watch the Ladbroke in what I suspect is near darkness at Ascot. The 4yo Ptit Zig runs an absolute screamer to come 2nd to the bottom weight Willows Saviour who's a 6yo & is carrying 21lb less. A win would have been nice but I can't complain & if they all ran that well I'd be more than happy, I hope connections made a big fuss of Ptit Zig afterwards because that was some run under 11-10 in those conditions. Time to go & I'm in the car & out of the car park in no time, it can be a bit dodgy getting out of Haydock but staying to watch that race & the lack of a sizable crowd make it easy & this meeting is in the diary for next year. Now comes the sting in the tale. No bother with the Patent plus singles, I get paid out on Carole's Spirit at 2/1 & the return is 64.75pts from Hills. The lucky 15 with Betvictor returns 5.5pts & I get paid out at 4/1 on Sausalito Sunrise. Betfred however pay me 4.35pts for exactly the same bet, having had a chat with one of there reps this morning it seems that not only do they not do BOG on lucky 15's etc & have paid me at 3/1 but they have also rule 4'd me on one of the non runners. As I said the to chap in question "Do you think I'll be having a bet with you in future"? Anyway a total return of 74.6pts from the 35pt stake. Stakes 7709.4pts Returns 6007.43pts P/L -1701.97pts Ante post 136pts Ante post return -136pts Expense running total £1490 Lucky 15's etc Stakes 325.65pts Returns 211.75pts P/L -113.9pts Next up is the rather grandly named "Go Racing in Yorkshire Winter racing festival" which is four days on the spin starting with Boxing day at Wetherby, there again the next day, Catterick on Saturday & Doncaster on the Sunday. Having sat in traffic on the A1 two years ago on Boxing day it's a bit of a think for that day but I may try a different route, we'll see. All that remains is to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. Leviathan returns after the first Uploaded with ImageShack.us Mwaleshi in the glorious sun Uploaded with ImageShack.us Carole's Spirit Uploaded with ImageShack.us Safran de Cotte Uploaded with ImageShack.us Special Catch Uploaded with ImageShack.us Tom O'Brien & Philip Hobbs Uploaded with ImageShack.us Sausalito Sunrise Uploaded with ImageShack.us Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Decided against Wetherby yesterday, having surfaced rather too late & with a bit of a thick head as well. anyway I'm supposed to be going today with Mowgli & I've had a small punt but if this wind doesn't ease I can see it causing problems. I have a few off the list running today one of which is down at Kempton so I'll deal with that one first. Stephen Hero runs in the opener having been a good 2nd to Rutherglen who's gone in again since at Wetherby at the end of November. He should improve for the experience & he has soft ground form from the flat in Ireland so should handle conditions. Vicenzo Mio was a tad disappointing on his debut for Paul Nicholls at Cheltenham but should also come on for that, he's won on heavy in France but I'm just thinking that this is more of a sharper track than he might want. The other one with French form is Astre de la Cour who won a bumper & then fell two out on his sole hurdle start when in front & still going well in April, he could be anything (or nowt) Memberof was pulled up on his British Debut at Aintree two months ago & has had a soft palate op but he's now out, I'd just asked for 5.0 on Betfair when he was scratched so I've been matched at 4.55 but only to small stakes. Wetherby is one of those cards with a few shorties to start & then ends with three trappy looking handicaps. Run Ructions Run ought to go well in the first but has to give them all 7lb for a C&D win here in mid November, she was just held at Catterick after & there shouldn't be much between her & Gold Show who was a length behind her at Catterick. The one to beat though looks to be Flementime who's won a bumper & was an excellent 2nd on her hurdles bow to the useful Legacy Gold at Uttoxeter, a run to that level would probably be good enough but she should improve for the run & while she's not my usual price I'll stick her in a trixie. I've got Secrete Stream from my list in the 12.45 & he ought to run well having been 2nd here to Diamond King a month ago, however John Ferguson runs the ex Godolphin Retrieve who's a Group 3 winner in Oz & a Listed winner over here, he's not run since last year's November handicap but he goes on the ground & if he's anything like fit & takes to hurdles then they won't see which way he goes. Also on the list is Indian Castle who's one of just a very disappointing three runners for the novice chase & looks to have a good bit to do to beat Many Clouds who already has a decent level of form. Just a watching race this. In the juvenile hurdle I'll take another John Ferguson runner Royal Skies who was owned by my mate Sheikh Hamdan & was trained by Mark Johnston, he's won at up to 12f's on the flat & ran to a decent level, not sure how he'll go on the ground if it's really soft though. He looks to have Handiwork, who won at Market Rasen on his hurdles debut & has to give them all 5lb & Pearl Castle to beat. He won at 10f's on the flat & John Quinn does well with these sorts & here too, same doubt about the ground for him too though. The Castleford Chase is a nice race. His Excellency has disappointed on both starts this season & Wilde Pastures was also below form on his return. Pepite Rose would go close at her best but wasn't so good on her last two starts in the Spring & would need to bounce back. King of the Wolds is on a hat trick but this looks a stronger race than the two he's won & I'll take Majala to defy top weight. Won a Warwick Grade 2 with His Excellency in 2nd in February & then after been out of his depth in the Arkle he won a nice prize in France. Decent enough return in 2nd to Sire de Grugy at Chepstow in October & he ought to go well for an in form stable here. The 3m 1f handicap hurdle has divided. In the first leg Crushed Ice seemed to improve for the step up to this kind of trip LTO but is still a maiden although he's only had five starts but that was his first bit of form. Jack Albert broke his duck at the 11th try LTO in first time blinkers but might want it a bit faster & could be better going right handed. Optical High is another yet to win but ran quite well LTO, not sure that he's going to want this far though. Definite Lady is another up in trip but she has won & placed & she should go on the ground, the last run at Warwick was quite good & she is down in class here & she's the pick. In the second leg Waywood Princess tries to win this for the the year running but is 5lb higher than last year & ran no race at Chepstow a month back. Sticklebacks a 14 run maiden in all codes & plodded on for a remote 3rd in a big field at Hexham on heavy LTO, he looks a false favourite here. Burnthill would win this on his best form but is none too consistent & might want it faster. One who won't mind the ground is Delightfully who is on a nice mark & goes well for the lad on her, she will stay no problem & was a good 2nd in this two years ago, she's the pick. Not a day for going mad so... Bets. Stephen Hero 5pts @ 4.55 Betfair. Flementime 8/11 Retreive 6/4 Royal Skies 6/5 2.5pt trixie = 10pts staked Betvictor BOG. Majala 9/4 Definite Lady 5/1 Delightfully 11/2 1pt patent + 3 x 1pt singles = 10pts staked Hills BOG. ​Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary I'll have to do a round up of the full weekend later because I'm going to Catterick today & there isn't a lot of time. There's a real oddity in the opener, a class 4 maiden hurdle with a Group 1 winner from the flat:eek Rainbow Peak won an Italian Group 1 in October 2010 & then was not seen again till a 3rd in a Newmarket Listed race in November last year & now he turns up hurdling for John Ferguson in deepest North Yorkshire. The only one with any worthwhile hurdles form is Yorkist who managed a couple of runner up spots in the Spring but has not done much in two starts since returning & the likely winner would be a newcomer. If it's not Rainbow Peak then it could be Benzanno who cost 60,000gns from Andrew Balding's & races here for the Peddlers Cross connections, he's not got the greatest strike rate from the flat but has a win on heavy. The other interesting one is Fair Loch who won a Catterick bumper last February & then was out of his depth in the big Aintree bumper. He was 2nd at Wolverhamprton at the end of November & I may have a little bit on him when I've had a look. The second division of this race has a similar story with Ferguson running the ex Godolphin Aaim who has had a run over hurdles & was a fair 2nd at Market Rasen. There's another for McCain off the flat, this time from Ireland in Zip Wire & Martin Chuzzlewit ran in some pretty hot flat races & goes hurdling now. Spin Cast has the only really decent hurdle form & again I'd be looking at a newcomer, Martin Chuzzlewit maybe? Again I'm playing small stakes multiples & I've taken River Purple in the 1.25. He's up 10lb for a win at Uttoxeter LTO but at least he looks like he's open to progress, the one to beat looks to be Milan Royale who won over C&D LTO & is up 6lb for that but River Purple is only a 6yo & may have more scope. I'll swerve the seller & go with Big Water in the 2.25. He's a bumper winner here & was a reasonable 2nd on his chase bow at this track when running out of steam over 3f's further than today. Suprise Vendor is on a hat trick but is up 18lb from the first win & Sir Valentino might be something or nothing at the bottom of the weights & on chase/handicap debut. I'll have a tilt at the Welsh National with two against the field. Well Refreshed looks the type for this, he goes on heavy & won the Sussex National at Plumpton last January & then another slog at Haydock after that. The problem with him is that he doesn't jump that well but he seems to find a way to get round & will be plugging on I suspect when plenty will have had enough. The other on is Vintage Star who was just held by Hey Big Spender at Newcastle & is 4lb better off, he also goes on a bog & looks the sort to land one of these marathon's. Radio Nowhere has come out of the 3.00 back at Catterick & the winner ought to be Twice Lucky but he's managed just one win from 26 goes & despite looking the best of a bad lot he's easy to swerve at 6/4ish. Pudsey House has gone up 4lb for a 3rd behind the deadheaters in a C&D handicap 11 days ago, again they look an ordinary bunch & at least that's a fair run & I'll have him in this. Bets. River Purple 9/4 Big Water 11/4 Pudsey House 3/1 1pt patent + 3 x 1pt singles = 10pts staked Hills BOG. Add Well Refreshed 8/1 to the above for a 0.5pt lucky 15 Hills BOG. The first three at 5/2, 11/4 & 5/2 with Vintage Star 14/1 0.5pt lucky 15 Bet365 BOG. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary The fourth (third for me) & final leg of the Go Racing in Yorkshire Winter Festival at Doncaster today. Low stakes multiples again with a couple of picks in two races. The opener is a fillies juvenile hurdle where Morning With Ivan who I saw run 2nd at Catterick at the start of the month just about setting the standard. She ought to go well but Maypole Lass is back at a more realistic level after a Listed run at Aintree LTO & she should also go well & there's one from Dan Skelton that's come the French route that I'd be wary of. Not played in this yet, I might when I've had a look. I've gone with Mwaleshi in the limited novice handicap chase at 12.40. He's got top weight in a warm looking race but I was taken with him at Haydock last Saturday & he's jumped well the twice I've seen him. There are a couple making there chase debuts that could be ought or nowt in God's Own & Sound Investment but I still don't see how you can handicap a horse that hasn't jumped a fence in public!!! Next Sensation won twice in decent style but then unseated at Newbury LTO having been banged up 15lb to the mark he's off here. Turn Over Sivola has racked up three chase 2nds but the winners all look decent & Doynosaur won a minor Newcastle novice LTO. Robbie is two from three in chases & ran well in a handicap hurdle here a couple of weeks ago. A tough race then but Mwaleshi's form has a strong look to it & 6/1 seems fair enough. Two stabs at the 3m+ handicap hurdle at 1.15. One or two of Nicholls have needed a run but I can't leave out Cowards Close who won his last two novice starts in the Spring at around this trip & the last of them was at this class & the mark seems reasonable. The other one is Don't Be Late who was 3rd staying on well at 2m 4f's in a much stronger race at Newbury LTO having looked a progressive sort. The 4lb rise for that run seems fair enough & the step up in trip should suit. A huge field of novice hurdlers at 1.45 where the obvious one would be Oscar Hoof of Henderson's who was 2nd in a Listed race on his hurdle debut at Haydock in November but I'm not a fan of the winner Zamdy Man & I'm wary of that form & I'm not backing Oscar Hoof at around evens especially with a lot of Henderson's running shockers. I may have a play on something if it catches my eye at the track. Two darts at the 3m handicap chase. Mart Lane finished quite well for 3rd in a better C&D race than this LTO & the softer ground & a 2lb drop in the ratings should help him too. The other one is Real Milan who was highly tried as a novice & this looks more his level & the stable are going well. Apart from Susquehanna River who doesn't look that well handicapped the rest of these seem to be struggling for form. Figaro seems to be going the right way & the Market Rasen 2nd LTO form took a right boost when the winner Captain Cutter won the Challow hurdle yesterday, ok Figaro was probably flattered by that run but he was still clear of the 3rd & he ought to go close today at least. In the last I've gone with Tara Muck who I backed at Haydock last week but she was a non runner, same scenario here in that she goes up in trip having shown improved form at Towcester the run before & makes her handicap debut. Favorite Girl would look the one to beat but she's up 6lb for a win LTO which was only her second in 22 starts in all codes. Bets. Mwaleshi 6/1 Cowards Close 7/2 Don't Be Late 13/2 Real Milan 5/1 Mart Lane 6/1 Figaro 3/1 Tara Muck 4/1 4 x 0.1pt lucky 31's = 12.4pts staked Paddy Power BOG. ​Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHills Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Not sure when i'll be back up north Rio so happy new year mate and thanks for your diary which is always an interesting read. Next on duty at Cheltenham trials day (jan 25th) then hopefully the Denman Chase at Newbury in Feb:ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoneedsrio Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Re: Rio's Racing Diary Not sure when i'll be back up north Rio so happy new year mate and thanks for your diary which is always an interesting read. Next on duty at Cheltenham trials day (jan 25th) then hopefully the Denman Chase at Newbury in Feb:ok Thanks & happy New Year, also congrats on the wedding. Happy New Year to all. Back in a while with a round up. Rio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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