Triskaidekaphobia

Lilac Moon runs in the 3:30 at Lingfield today in an all age 0-62 handicap.  Nicky says she is better than ever – looking great in her coat and dead keen to get on the gallops at home.  When we got her she was a little lame and for a while she was a bit reticent to train, but her …

My Way or the highway

A great day’s racing today with a lot of questions to be answered. The feature race of the day is the Betfair Chase at Haydock – I was going to go up but it’s difficult with the children.  Kauto Star looks to repeat his victory from last year, and is odds on at the moment.  I have him in my ten to …

England expects

Apologies for the aftertiming, but what was McClaren playing at last night?  I’m no expert on football, but yesterday’s game was the most important and high pressure game played in England for years – on occasions like this experience carries a lot of weight and youthful exuberance very little.  I spent most of yesterday puzzling why Scott Carson was in the …

Time for reflection

I had trouble accessing the blog over the weekend and wasn’t able to post.  This was probably a good thing as I gave Mon Michel a squeak in his pipe opener – he ran vaigly ok, finishing in mid division having tired on the ground and through the odd mistake.  We’ll be aiming him at the big handicap hurdles he can …

Two for today

A couple of small bets for me today. Short notice but I’ve heard Pravda Street (Ling 1:00) is half decent and may be up to taking this weak maiden first time of asking. In the 3:05 at Chelts I’ve heard good things about both Quaddick Lake and Petit Robin.  I prefer the latter who is a better price.  I may do a reverse …

Ten to follow

It’s the TTF time of the year, and I enter a local competition alongside a number of Betfair guys.  The overall winner collects the cash, the loser within Betfair has to pay for a team curry – I bought the curry last year, largely because I had the only list that didn’t include Kauto Star.  That was an oversight – I’ve taken more care …

Better forgotten ?

Bert has been tied up with work and I was remiss in failing to flag up his runner at Kempton yesterday. However, since Better Together was tailed off and pulled up 2 out, this was perhaps no bad thing. Whilst expectations were limited in a decent race, it was undeniably a disappointing run. I wouldn’t be surprised if a problem …

Tristesse

A long day yesterday.  It’s been a while since I’ve made it to the racecourse so I decided to take a day out – it isn’t a disaster for me work wise as I can work from home in the morning and I always get a lot done on my Blackberry when I take the train.  Ours was running at Chepstow …

Treble chance thwarted

Bert is on his way to Chepstow and has asked me to pass on this morning’s news. Nicky Vaughan reports that Shepherds Warning is running a slight temperature and was a little lethargic when trotted out this morning. He suspects she may be coming in season. As a result, she will not be running this evening. Lilac Moon is fine …

Long distance treble

Three runners today, which is a first for me.  Ours makes his debut in the 1:55 at Chepstow – he wasn’t a cheap purchase but 2 mile hurdles are not going to be his game.  Nick doesn’t have a clear view on how he will run as he’s working well some times and not so well others – on balance …