Tough run, and roll on the flat

We're on a tough run run at the moment, with the last couple of days not yet getting us out of it, although we've had some better efforts than what we saw from our selections on Thursday.

Let's start with yesterday, we had:

TIME COURSE SELECTION 1pt/2pt win Bookmaker(s) / Price(s)

4.25 Newbury Big Robert 2pt 12/1 Bet365/Hills/VC/Lads

5.35 Newbury Screaming Brave 1pt 5/1 Bet365/Lads

Big Robert started at 12s and it was always going to be tough after Peter Carberry lost an iron in a second fence blunder, two more poor jumps after that made the task even more difficult and there was no way back, eventually pulling up.

Screaming Brave drifted to 7/1 at SP and didn't seem to really have the pace to go with them. He stayed on quite nicely in the closing stages but was never going to get there.

Confirmation of results with prices (advised --- SP)

Big Robert, PU/14, 12/1 --- 12/1

Screaming Brave, 4th/8, 5/1 --- 7/1

On to today and we had:

TIME COURSE SELECTION 1pt/2pt win Bookmaker(s) / Price(s)

3.30 Stratford The Paddy Premium 1pt 12/1 Bet365/Hills (14/1 BetFred)

3.50 Bangor Simarian 2pt 12/1 Lads/VC

4.05 Stratford Mad Professor 1pt 7/1 Totesport/Coral/Betfred/Boylesports

4.20 Bangor Merrydown 2pt 12/1 Lads/Bet365/Hills/Other BOG (14/1 BetFred)

4.30 Newbury Mister Matt 1pt 5/1 Hills/Lads

So a busy day, and three pretty decent performances from our bigger priced selections.

The Paddy Premium was really well backed, starting at 11/2, less than half the odds we had, with some hefty bets on course. He ran well, but a couple of mistakes made life a bit more difficult, and he was under pressure a little way from home, but stayed on well into second, unfortunately never getting close to the winner.

Simarian was also nicely supported in the 3.50 at Bangor, going off at 8/1. Continuing the recent theme of being outpaced before staying on, Evan Williams' six year old did just that, going down by three lengths at the finish, after just getting up for second.

Mad Professor started at 7/1, and finished sixth of the 14 runners, beaten quite a long way.

The 4.20 at Bangor was quite a hot handicap for the track, and Merrydown put in a pretty good showing, coming off and on the bridle at points and threatening to look a serious challenger. But it wasn't quite to be, and he was beaten around nine lengths in the end, back in fifth.

So it was left to Mister Matt to salvage some of the day, but after going off at 7/2, he couldn't manage it, finishing a well beaten third.

Confirmation of results with prices (advised --- SP):

The Paddy Premium, 2nd/6, 12/1 --- 11/2

Simarian, 2nd/7, 12/1 --- 8/1

Mad Professor, 6th/14, 7/1 --- 7/1

Merrydown, 5th/14, 12/1 --- 12/1

Mister Matt, 3rd/6, 5/1 --- 7/2

It's been a very interesting 2011 so far, with great profits posted (97.6pts so far - 50.31% ROI). However we're well aware that's not much consolation for those members who've recently signed up, and we can only hope to get back on the winning trail soon.

The new turf flat season is just around the corner, which is usually very kind to us in terms of profits. As normal there are bound to be many winners in waiting ready to be unleashed, from speedy 2year olds to those well handicapped types who've wintered well, matured and ready to go, we can't wait.