Going close

We've been going close over these last couple of days, but it's not quite worked out, including a selection today who very possibly would have won had he not made a complete mess of the second last fence.

Let's start yesterday where we had:

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

1.50 Musselburgh Everaard 1pt 7/1 generally (bog)

2.10 Plumpton Manmoon 1pt 6/1+ generally inc. 13/2 HillsCoral, Boyles 7/1 Bet365, Skybet, Sportingbet

Everaard ran a solid race, always up there with the leaders but just not quite able to have that finishing kick to get in front, finishing third, beaten around six lengths, after starting at 8/1.

Manmoon put in a good showing, positively ridden he was bang up there throughout and looked a big player close to home, trading as short as 1.26, but he just couldn't finish the job, and came third, beaten less than a couple of lengths after starting at 15/2.

Then today we had another selection go short in running before being turned over:

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

3.10 Fontwell Caspar Of Tarsus 1pt 7/1 generally 8/1 Lads

3.40 Fontwell Pur De Sivola 1pt 8/1+generally 9/1 VC/Coral/PP 10/1 Lads/Bluesq 11/1 Totesport/Betfred/SportingBet

The horse in question being Caspar of Tarsus (sp 6/1), who always travelled strongly and looked a massive player in the closing stages, being asked to take the lead going over the second last. Unfortunately that's where he met the fence all wrong and Paddy Brennan did really well to stay on. To the gelding's great credit, he rallied again and took it up going over the last, but looked tired, with the energy used in staying on his feet two out possibly telling, and he was out on his feet close home, fading to finish fourth in the end. A really brave effort and after hitting 1.21 in running possibly one that got away.

Not so good from Pur De Sivola, who drifted on track to 16/1 on his first start for nearly a couple of years. He was up there for a while and just for a moment looked like being a player, but soon dropped through the field to finish well back

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

Monday December 5th 2011:

Everaard, 3rd/12, 7/1 --- 8/1

Manmoon, 3rd/10, 7/1 --- 15/2

Tuesday December 6th 2011:

Caspar of Tarsus, 4th/10, 8/1 --- 6/1

Pur De Sivola, 9th/11, 11/1 --- 16/1

So, four points dropped in the last couple of days and with a couple of our selections going pretty low odds-on in running we can probably count ourselves a bit unlucky to have not registered a winner. Still, selections continue to run well in the main and we look forward to hopefully getting back to the winners enclosure tomorrow.