What a difference a neck makes

What a difference a neck makes, as someone once almost sang.. The Snail put in a terrific performance for us today at Market Rasen (2pt win @16/1) but went down by a neck, well clear of the third. It leaves the month still winless for us - not a good start to July, but these things can turn so quickly.

So let's have a look back at what's happened so far, starting on Friday.

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

3.35 Don Saint Pierre 1pt 11-2 gen BOG (6-1 Lads, Boyle (BOG), Sky.)

4.10 Don Mey Blossom 1pt 6-1 gen BOG (7-1 Lads, 13-2 P PowerBOG )

5.15 Don Aegean Destiny 1pt 5-1 gen BOG

Saint Pierre went off at 11/2 and was well beaten.

Mey Blossom faired even worse, detached at one stage though made late headway on the field, but still finished last after starting at 6/1.

Aegean Destiny (SP 7/2) looked to have a decent shout a couple of furlongs from home but her run flattened out.

So a poor start to the month and onto Saturday we went:

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

3.50 Leicester Too Many Questions 2pt 12/1 Bet365 14/1 Hills/Boyle 16/1 Bluesq

4.50 Sandown Aerial Acclaim 1pt 6/1 general BOG 7/1 Lads

8.10 Nottingham Standpoint 1pt 6/1 general BOG 13/2 VC Lads

Too Many Questions was the subject of big support in the morning, so much so that the prices we sent out weren't easy to get hold of, although 12/1 was around for a good few minutes. We're officially marking him as a 10/1 selection BOG, and he drifted to 12/1 at the off after being weak on course. All completely academic in the end anyway, he appeared not to be inconvenienced by the shambles of the flip start but pulled far too hard in the lead and although at one stage just for a moment looked to settle and get into a stride the early exertions soon took their toll and she faded away.

Aerial Acclaim was left at the start and had to thread his way through a wall of horses to have any chance, getting blocked for a run at least twice. He finished really strongly to go down by just over a length, after starting at 13/2, perhaps one that got away.

Then came Standpoint at Nottingham, who had a tardy start but soon got himself in contention and looked to have every chance a couple of furlongs from home, going really nicely and then powering clear for a moment, trading as low as 1.34 in running. But out of the pack came Art Scholar to surge past and leave us 4pts down for the day. Standpoint went off at 4/1, and finished well clear of third, a decent effort.

On to today and we had:

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

2.30 Market Rasen Valantino Oyster 1pt 10/1 generally 11/1 Lads/Bet365

3.30 Market Rasen The Snail 2pt 16/1 generally 20/1 Lads/Stan James

4.30 Market Rasen Chorizo 1pt 6/1 generally 13/2 Bet365 7/1 Hills

Valantino Oyster continued to be supported down to 7/1 at the off, but just never remotely jumped well enough to get involved.

Then came The Snail who put in an absolute blinder for us and just missed out on a really big return. He drifted on course to 12/1 after refusing at one stage to leave the paddock, and then had to be kept away from the others at the start, all very well handled by his jock Adam Wedge. In the race though he did little wrong, jumping really well and looking a very likely winner for a large part of the contest. One more decent jump at the last would have probably won it for him, as he was upsides the eventual winner and seemingly going the better, but he clattered it hard, lost momentum and with it his chance - although it did again look like he'd stay on past the winner in the closing stages. Not to be though, and he went down by a neck, after trading at 1.36 at one stage.

It then felt kind of inevitable somehow that that was our big chance of a return gone today, and so it proved with Chorizo fading out of things to finish well beaten, having tried to being in the front rank for much of the contest. He started at 11/2.

Friday July 1st 2011

Saint Pierre, 8th/11, 6/1 --- 11/2

Mey Blossom, 9th/9, 7/1 --- 6/1

Aegean Destiny, 5th/8, 5/1 --- 7/2

Saturday July 2nd 2011

Too Many Questions, 10th/11, 10/1 --- 12/1

Aerial Acclaim, 3rd/12, 7/1 --- 6/1

Standpoint, 2nd/9, 13/2 --- 4/1

Sunday July 3rd 2011

Valantino Oyster, 12th/15, 10/1 --- 7/1

The Snail, 2nd/12, 16/1 --- 12/1

Chorizo, 6th/8, 7/1 --- 11/2

So a poor start to July although if things had gone slightly differently we could have been sitting with a big profit. A funny old game this and we look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!