Here’s hoping

My information was terrible yesterday, which is a bit worrying.  I think there are a few bugs flying around. One runner today – Hope Road, who goes in the first at Kempton and I’m pretty hopeful.  He’s high in the handicap but this is a maiden and he’s well in.  He has a bit of pace and he’s reliable enough – …

Three of diamonds

Good news from the courts – I had my ban reduced from 6 months to 6 weeks.  There is a downside – all of the points stay on my licence, which means I’ll have 10 points until December 2009.  Still better than a poke in the eye, and it shows that it’s worth appealing these things.  Good racing today – I …

Once more into the breach

It was a big day for Betfair yesterday, with an important high court ruling coming through from Australia.  The Western Australian government had introduced legislation that banned betting exchanges in WA and gave the racing authorities the right to decide who could and could not offer betting on WA racing.  Betfair had little choice but to challenge the ruling and take the …

Easy Peasy

A nice result for Bouguereau, winning very much as he liked and doing it in good style.  Realistically he only did what he had a right to do – on all known form he was in a different league to anything else in the race, and so it proved.  It’s a small hurdle negotiated though, and if he comes out of the …

Bougie Baby

A poor betting start to the flat on Saturday, and missing out on backing an easy winner of Pete’s.  Don’t Panic looks the business – I wonder if he has worked with Winker. Bouguereau runs in the first at Pontefract, and he needs to win well if we are to keep on believing that he could be special one day.   …

Go on the flat

I’ll post a few notes about tomorrow’s racing now as I have a busy day tomorrow riding on Thomas the Tank Engine around the Watercress line.  I may even take the kids with me. At this time of year, and with little evidence to go on, I tend to concentrate on looking for 4yos with a progressive profile.  There are a …

Inalienable wrongs

A busy day yesterday.  I’m still trying to name my 2yos after my last name (Ming Ming, apparently too like minger) was rebuffed last time.  I decided I liked “Killer Queen” for my Kyllachy and I called Pete – he liked it.  I also told Tom Dascombe that I wanted to call my One Cool Cat colt “Marine Boy”.  I texted the …

Roll on the Flat

Back from a long week at Cheltenham and a lot to catch up on. Mon Michel didn’t run his race.  He needs to come off a strong pace and there was no pace on early.  He needs half decent ground and he didn’t get it.  The horse is fine and he’ll be winning again soon.  I don’t think Kauto Star …

Centre of the universe

One day and a false start in and I’m loving it – I’ve got to know a lot of people who I only see at Cheltenham, and being away from Betfair makes it even more of a social occasion.  The racing almost takes a back seat for me these days, but it’s top class this year, and as the Racing …

Bring it on

It’s slightly irritating to come to my blog today and see that the post I wrote yesterday didn’t get posted for some reason.  I was waxing on about how amazing it was to be sitting in the Betfair tent listening to Harry Findlay and Clive Smith with Jim Lewis sitting on the side – Betfair is briefly the centre of …