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 …
Day 1
Quick today as I have to rush to Cheltenham. We had a box for the whole week but unfortunately it blew away yesterday. I’m still going for the week, but I won’t have a base, which is annoying. I think most of the favourites look solid today. There are only three bets I like, Noland – Catch Me and Ashkazar.
Double handed
A busy week, and a difficult one with Jane being ill with flu and me not being able to drive. I still managed to fit in three visits to the racecourse, and with Cheltenham coming up I’m going to be raced out be the end of next week. On Wednesday I went down to Fontwell, where Betfair were hosting a …
Decisions decisions
Cheltenham approaches and I have a few potential runners, but it brings a few dilemmas. Currently I have both Mon Michel and Prince Ary declared for the Imperial Cup on Saturday and the County Hurdle on the Friday of Cheltenham, and they could both run in both races. I also have King’s Head and Hope Road declared in the same …
King’s Head is a non-runner
Bert is en route to Lambourn and has asked me to report that King’s Head won’t be running as Gary Moore is concerned that the ground will be softer than he wants. The times and jockey comments from yesterday suggested that it’s unlikely to dry out enough despite a bright and breezy day today. At least it means that Bert …
The name game
The time has come to name the 2yos, and the Comic Strip Heroes horses are always good fun to do. Jeremy and I compiled a list of around 40 names and we sat down with Ed to hammer it out. We have three colts with Pete by Rock of Gibraltar, Bahamian Bounty and Fasliyev – they will respectively be named Maxwell Hawke, Skid …
Moving on
I’ve finally got myself sorted with a reliable internet connection, and I can get back to my blogging. It’s been a busy week. Last week I finally moved into my farm – 330 acres in the rolling Surrey countryside. Four woods making 55 acres, one decent sized lake, six ponds and a little brook running through the middle. They haven’t had horses on …
Just the One
A longer blog in due course as I have a fair bit to write up. Several horses I’m watching today, but for the most part I’ll be watching. I’m backing in the bumper, opposing the well fancied debutante from the powerful Henderson yard with the Gifford trained Dee Eee Williams. Nick thinks a lot of this horse, and he is a …
Hope at Warwick
Bert and his family moved yesterday and are without internet access today, so he has asked me to add a quick comment about a runner at Warwick this afternoon. Bert has a share of Hope Road, Tom Dascombe’s only hurdler, who runs in the first. I spoke to Tom this morning and he thinks the horse has an each way …
Another day
Not a great day Saturday for the Black family coffers, although I managed a little late damage limitation. The football wasn’t great either with Swindon losing 1-0, but my man at the game was reasonably positive about how we played. Pete C-H runs two at Lingfield today, both trading at very short prices. As far as I know they are …