Bank Holiday catch up

A fairly frustrating few days to reflect on as we catch up on the Bank Holiday weekend action.

Let's start on Friday when we had:

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

7.45 Bangor Soulard 1pt 10/1 Lads/VC

8.05 Fontwell Act Gold 1pt 10/1 Hills/Boylesports (may be some 11/1 at Paddy Power/Betfred)

Soulard was also a selection for us earlier this month when he finished unplaced at Ascot, and wasn't helped by being hampered. The money came again and this time he ran into a place, finishing second, albeit well behind the easy winner, after starting at 9/1.

Act Gold drifted out to 16/1 at SP but ran well in his first outing for well over a year, and for a new yard. Going really sweetly about with a couple of hurdles to jump he was trading at evens in running, but just couldn't find anything when asked and ended up finishing third.

On to Saturday and we had:

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

3.35 Thirsk Our Joe Mac 2pt 14/1 Lads/Hills 12/1 generally BOG

3.50 Uttoxeter Lean Burn 1pt 5/1 Lads/Paddy Power

4.00 Goodwood Kanaf 1pt 6/1 Lads/Hills/VC/Betfred/Boylesports

5.30 Uttoxeter Millers Dawn 1pt 9/1 Lads 8/1 Bet365/Betfred

After the thrill of watching Frankel pulverise the opposition in the Guineas, it was off to Thirsk for our first selection of the day, but Our Joe Mac was well beaten in the Hunt Cup, after starting at 14/1

Lean Burn was supported into 7/2 and ran fairly well, always prominent, trading just above evens at one stage, but he couldn't quicken when it mattered and he finished third.

Kanaf got bumped at the start, and lost a couple of lengths and it was always going to be difficult after that. He was allowed to coast home in his own time after meeting some trouble in running too and may be one to look out for.

Millers Dawn was backed down to 9/2 at the off, and traded at 1.30 in running as he approached the last in the lead still moving well, but he made a right hash of things and lost all momentum. Then came the favourite to "win" the race before poor old Peter Carberry mistook the winning line, allowing our selection to get up for second, beaten a neck in the end.

Yesterday we had:

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

4.25 Newmarket Rio Grande 1pt 13/2 Hills 6/1 BOG generally

It was Rio Grande's first appearance on a racecourse and is clearly highly regarded, nicely backed for the Future Stars contest at Newmarket, but refused to go in the stalls. The way the winner won the race, Commissar it may have been the best result for us, but who knows.

Rio Grande NR

And then today we had:

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

2.50 Bev Surely This Time 1pt 11-2 VC, B365

4.20 Bev Seldom 1pt 5-1 general BOG

5.25 Winds Welsh Inlet 1pt 6-1 Lads, 5-1 WH

Surely This Time started at 7/1, and fluffed the start and was never in it.

Seldom went off at 4/1 but was below par, weakening out of things tamely.

Then came Welsh Inlet, who was pretty unlucky, Luke Morris didn't get the best of starts out of him, and then he had a tough passage, just not seeing much daylight at all until it was too late and he flashed home to beaten a neck after starting at 6/1.

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

29th April 2011:

Soulard, 2nd/5, 10/1 --- 9/1

Act Gold, 3rd/7, 10/1 --- 16/1

30th April 2011:

Our Joe Mac, 13th/15, 14/1 --- 14/1

Lean Burn, 3rd/7, 5/1 --- 7/2

Kanaf, 11th/11, 6/1 --- 6/1

Millers Dawn, 2nd/12, 9/1 --- 9/2

1st May 2011:

Rio Grande NR

2nd May 2011:

Surely This Time, 9th/11, 11/2 --- 7/1

Seldom, 7th/7, 5/1 --- 4/1

Welsh Inlet, 2nd/9, 6/1 --- 6/1

So all in all on another day or two we would have had a couple of winners, but that's racing for you, we'll brush ourselves down and get going again tomorrow!