Festive catch-up

Running Total Since January 1st 2010: +278.07pts

So we've had a couple of days since Christmas Day, and we're slightly up from where we were from our last main update.

Let's start yesterday, Boxing Day, where we had five selections:

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

12.30 Wincanton Tuskar 1pt 7/2+ inc. 4/1 Totesport/Betfred 9/2 Bet365/Skybet
12.45 Huntingdon Eliades Run 1pt 11/2+ inc. 6/1 Hills 13/2 PP 7/1 Lads/Coral
1.15 Wetherby Trecase 2pt 11/1+ generally inc. 12/1 Coral/VC/Lads/Boyles 14/1 Hills/PP
2.10 Market Rasen River Dragon 1pt 13/2+ generally inc 7/1 Lads/PP/Coral&others
2.20 Wetherby Arctic Wings 1pt 7/1+generally inc. 15/2 PP/SportingBet 8/1 Hills

It's safe to say that things started off poorly to say the least.

Tuskar drifted like a barge (SP 12/1) and ran accordingly. His stable-mate was backed late but also ran poorly. This is a stable we approach with caution and we'll be even more vigilant going forward.

At least a little bit of value was had with Eliades Run who started at 6/1, though should have been 66/1 given the performance. Struggling almost immediately, it was only a matter of time before he was pulled up. Surely this wasn't the horse's true running.

Trecase continued the disappointment and wins the award for biggest drift of the year. Well let's just say 2pts at 33/1 would have been a good retun with BOG in play if he had made a mockery of those seemingly keen to lay at whatever price they could on the exchanges. Sadly, as is often the case, no mockery was had and the horse despite substantial morning support ran extremely poorly, although at least did get round! This was strange market activity and this one may just be one to keep half an eye out for going forward.

So with these results in the books we were certainly hoping for an upturn, and we got it from a cracking performance from River Dragon at Market Rasen. He looked a bit flat footed for a stride or two as the pace quickened but he relentlessly wore down the principles to win in the end very comfortably, after starting a very well supported 100/30.

So could Arctic Wings give us a quick-fire double to end the day very strongly? Sadly not, he stayed on nicely towards the end to get placed, but was never quite getting there, beaten just over five lengths in third, after starting at 8/1.

So when the dust settled, we were left with a profit of two points from our five selections.

On to today, Tuesday 27th December, and we had:

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

1.30 Chepstow Plein Pouvoir 1pt 6/1+generally inc 13/2 Bet365/Totesport/Betfred/SportingBet

Plein Pouvoir travelled sweetly for a long time in the testing conditions at Chepstow, trading just over 6/4 in running quite some way from home. But sadly it wasn't to be, as he began to struggle when things got serious and he ended up being run out of the places, after going off at 6/1.

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

Monday 26th December 2011:

Tuskar, PU/12, 9/2 --- 12/1

Eliades Run, PU/8 7/1 --- 6/1

Trecase, 9th/12, 14/1 --- 33/1

River Dragon, 1st/9, 7/1 --- 100/30

Arctic Wings, 3rd/11, 8/1 -- 8/1

Tuesday 27th December 2011:

Plein Pouvoir, 5th/14, 13/2 --- 6/1

So, not many days left of 2011, let's hope we can end the year with something of a bang.