It always seems strange that just after the jumps season has reached its crescendo with Cheltenham and Aintree the flat has one of its feature weekends so early as the Guineas meeting arrives at the start of May.
Good to see such an open look to both races and I have gone for one of Richard Hannon's less fancied runners in the 2,000 with a bit each way on Kool Kompany at 33-1. For the 1,000 I think Jim Bolger's Rockfel winner Lucida is good value at 9-2.
At the Market Examiner we have gone through a most frustrating period with a relentless run of seconds - it is now 10 in the last two weeks. It was interrupted by Rosie Crowe winning at Redcar on Thursday but then the very next day with our only selection, Miracle Ninetynine, at Chepstow,we were once again beaten on the nod, going down by a short head. In nearly all the cases the money was right and the horses ran as expected but have just kept finding one too good - often, as yesterday - something unfancied.
Things will doubtless turn to our advantage so it is not something for us to get too downhearted about. If only William Hill had their "finish second for a free matched bet" going all the time rather than just for C4 races!
M of the Market Examiner Team.
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Saturday, 2 May 2015
Monday, 13 April 2015
A Brave Friend
Just three days after doing us a favour by sending out 6-1 Gurkha Friend to win at Leicester, trainer Karen McLintock today brought us Gurkha Brave to win at advised odds of 8-1 (7-1SP). In her last four runners she has had these two winners and a second of 10 at Hexham. She's obviously one to keep an eye out for at the moment.
Our other runner today was the 5-1 shot Finn Class who was staying on but could not get closer than 4th at Redcar. On to tomorrow then and let's hope for more success!
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Our other runner today was the 5-1 shot Finn Class who was staying on but could not get closer than 4th at Redcar. On to tomorrow then and let's hope for more success!
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Sunday, 12 April 2015
Grand National thoughts
What a great Grand National win for Many Clouds and at just eight and carrying the biggest weight since Red Rum perhaps this is a National winner who can come back and not only win another race but win another National. As one of those who backed the horse to win the Gold Cup and then ignored him in the National it was once again a big losing race for me but great to see such a good winner.
It would have been great for racing had AP won it but defeat at least means he will be around for another few weeks and I should think that he is also quietly content at the fact that it's not time to hang up his helmet just yet. And talking of helmets, wasn't it great to see those shots from the Jockey Cam on C4? The camera is strapped to the helmet and unlike the Go-Pro camera which was so dangerous, this one is totally safe and provided some of the greatest bits of film seen from our great sport. It really is a massive step forward and well done to all those involved in its formation.
But with the National out of the way and the flat yet to warm up it's the run in to the end of the season which is now getting the attention. Supporting a team trying to get out of League 2, the Premier League is another world but the fight for survival there is lining up to be a classic. I just hope the 3 to go down aren't the three who have stuck by their managers, ie Leicester, Burnley and Hull. But it really could go any way and a mate of mine who is a QPR fan and moans constantly about performances against Chelsea, Arsenal or Man City should see what it feels like to lose to Dagenham and Redbridge....
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It would have been great for racing had AP won it but defeat at least means he will be around for another few weeks and I should think that he is also quietly content at the fact that it's not time to hang up his helmet just yet. And talking of helmets, wasn't it great to see those shots from the Jockey Cam on C4? The camera is strapped to the helmet and unlike the Go-Pro camera which was so dangerous, this one is totally safe and provided some of the greatest bits of film seen from our great sport. It really is a massive step forward and well done to all those involved in its formation.
But with the National out of the way and the flat yet to warm up it's the run in to the end of the season which is now getting the attention. Supporting a team trying to get out of League 2, the Premier League is another world but the fight for survival there is lining up to be a classic. I just hope the 3 to go down aren't the three who have stuck by their managers, ie Leicester, Burnley and Hull. But it really could go any way and a mate of mine who is a QPR fan and moans constantly about performances against Chelsea, Arsenal or Man City should see what it feels like to lose to Dagenham and Redbridge....
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Tuesday, 3 March 2015
All the way winner
A great ride by the useful conditional Tom Bellamy saw our 9-2 selection Greybougg gallop away with the last at Exeter to put us into a profit for March after two losing bets to start the month. There was never any doubt as Bellamy drove his mount into a clear lead from the start and it was justification for the handicapper giving the horse what looked at first sight to be a stiff opening mark of 107.
In his first seven outings the shortest price he had been was 33-1 and the last four runs saw two at 100-1 and two at 150-1. But the Nigel Hawke yard clearly had faith in him doing the business today and it was a canny move to bring in the experienced claimer Bellamy for the horse's first try in a handicap. The only horse who got anywhere near was Powderonthebonnet who was the subject of a late market move but it was the early money for Greybougg which was again significant.
With our other selection a non runner it was a gratifying day as we get ever closer to Cheltenham. Missing from the Festival this year will be Sir Peter O'Sullevan who in his retirement as the Voice of Racing has attended each year but he spent his 97th birthday today in hospital where he has been for several weeks and apparently has been keeping up with the horses. A great man!
M of the Market Examiner Team.
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In his first seven outings the shortest price he had been was 33-1 and the last four runs saw two at 100-1 and two at 150-1. But the Nigel Hawke yard clearly had faith in him doing the business today and it was a canny move to bring in the experienced claimer Bellamy for the horse's first try in a handicap. The only horse who got anywhere near was Powderonthebonnet who was the subject of a late market move but it was the early money for Greybougg which was again significant.
With our other selection a non runner it was a gratifying day as we get ever closer to Cheltenham. Missing from the Festival this year will be Sir Peter O'Sullevan who in his retirement as the Voice of Racing has attended each year but he spent his 97th birthday today in hospital where he has been for several weeks and apparently has been keeping up with the horses. A great man!
M of the Market Examiner Team.
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Monday, 2 March 2015
Great end to the Month
February ended with a great run for us, with winners at 8-1 and 5-2 before firing in two 4-1 winners on Saturday to make it four winners out of the final six selections for the month. March opened with a setback but hopefully things will be back on track soon.
That now gives us four profitable months in a row and leaves the betting bank in a healthy state going into Cheltenham. I've only had a couple of ante posts this year - Many Clouds in the Gold Cup and Mr Mole in the Champion Chase - bur I have a couple I fancy, the principal one at the moment being All Yours in the Fred Winter. I saw this one win at Taunton and Paul Nicholls then stepped him up in class markedly for the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton which is always a good trial for the Triumph Hurdle.
Beltor won that race in impressive style but All Yours was nine lengths clear of the third horse and the Fred Winter looks a much better option than the Triumph and at 14-1 with Hills and Coral he is definitely on the radar.
The bookies will have so many offers flying around during Cheltenham it is tough to know whether to go in now on one you fancy or wait till the day. The market there is so strong that a lot of horses drift on the day but the age-old question is what will mine do?
I will be going there on the Tuesday and if I have a winning day may extend that to the Wednesday. In the old days I used to go for the three days but since it's gone to four and the stamina is not what it was, I am as happy to watch most of it on the telly.
Cheltenham has been good to us at the Market Examiner on occasions and you can bet your bottom dollar we will doing our best to come up with one or two during the week!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Sunday, 22 February 2015
Won like an odds on shot
A convincing winner for us yesterday after two setbacks when Comeonginger led from start to finish and ran the legs off everything else in the opener at Kempton and bring our recent record to five winners out of the last eight.
There are plenty of odds on shots who are nowhere near as convincing so to have secured 9-2 or 4-1 was most gratifying. In fact, once he jumped the first two and was looking so fresh and fluent I went in again myself at just over 2-1 and apart from when Richard Johnson gave him a breather going to the final bend there never looked to be a danger. It was a perfectly paced ride from a man who will be eyeing the jockeys' title next year with AP no longer around.
I was very impressed with Beltor's win in the Adonis Hurdle and it must be fantastic for Robert Stephens to have such a horse in his small yard. The going was soft and sticky but Beltor made it look almost like good ground as he skipped clear. The Triumph Hurdle always takes a lot of winning and Peace and Co and Hargam have already shown their class but Beltor will be going there with a live chance, I would think. He is currently a 10-1 shot and at that price I won't be going in ante post but definitely one to bear in mind on the day.
Here's to a good week's punting ahead!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Tuesday, 17 February 2015
Four out of Five
Cresswell Breeze has just blown in for us at Taunton and while not a great price - 5-2 adv and SP - she maintained our great run since Saturday with four of the last five selections going in.
A slow week ended in great style on Saturday with Lie Forrit putting in an incredibly gutsy performance to win the National trial at Haydock. Put up in the morning at a readily available 12-1, Lie Forrit went off at 8s and was in the firing line throughout. He took it up three from home and saw off all comers apart from a resilient Harry The Viking who then took the lead on the run-in. Our old boy, trying 3m5f for the first time, knuckled down though and in a stirring finish got back up on the line to win by a head, with Monbeg Dude back in 3rd beaten by 19 lengths. The Scottish National is now the target for Linda Russell's rejuvinated 11yo and he must have a chance if he maintains his enthusiasm. It made for a special day, with my son taking his 5yo daughter for her first match at our club, Plymouth Argyle, and the three of us watched them win 2-0 having seen the Haydock race via the mobile.
Sunday brought us back to earth with Macetown Gale well out of it at in a slog at Ffos Las but on Monday we shot back to form with both selections going in at Carlisle. Gold Futures (7-1adv, 6-1SP) looked to be out of it coming to the last but with half a furlong to run Brian Harding had him gunning down the leaders and he won going away from the well backed favourite Upswing, with AP on board. Then came Knock A Hand and Sam Twiston Davies had him ahead from the start and he won with something in hand at 4-1, having been put up at 6s in the morning.
With Cresswell Bay winning easily at Taunton we are on a good run and let's hope it can continue!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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A slow week ended in great style on Saturday with Lie Forrit putting in an incredibly gutsy performance to win the National trial at Haydock. Put up in the morning at a readily available 12-1, Lie Forrit went off at 8s and was in the firing line throughout. He took it up three from home and saw off all comers apart from a resilient Harry The Viking who then took the lead on the run-in. Our old boy, trying 3m5f for the first time, knuckled down though and in a stirring finish got back up on the line to win by a head, with Monbeg Dude back in 3rd beaten by 19 lengths. The Scottish National is now the target for Linda Russell's rejuvinated 11yo and he must have a chance if he maintains his enthusiasm. It made for a special day, with my son taking his 5yo daughter for her first match at our club, Plymouth Argyle, and the three of us watched them win 2-0 having seen the Haydock race via the mobile.
Sunday brought us back to earth with Macetown Gale well out of it at in a slog at Ffos Las but on Monday we shot back to form with both selections going in at Carlisle. Gold Futures (7-1adv, 6-1SP) looked to be out of it coming to the last but with half a furlong to run Brian Harding had him gunning down the leaders and he won going away from the well backed favourite Upswing, with AP on board. Then came Knock A Hand and Sam Twiston Davies had him ahead from the start and he won with something in hand at 4-1, having been put up at 6s in the morning.
With Cresswell Bay winning easily at Taunton we are on a good run and let's hope it can continue!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Thursday, 12 February 2015
Different jocks
In the week when AP McCoy announced his imminent retirement we saw a performance from a jockey which epitomised the McCoy spirit and another in the same race by a jockey which showed why someone like AP is head and shoulders above the average.
Unfortunately the latter jockey, Noel Fehily, was on our selection while James Best was the former who showed a never-say-die attitude to get Strawberry Hill home at Fontwell. By contract, Fehily seemed resigned to Attimo becoming detached well out and only when the horse started running past tiring rivals approaching the second last did he think that perhaps it was worth getting him to make an effort but by then it was far too late and he came home third behind Best on Strawberry Hill and amateur Tabatha Worsley on Sitting Back.
Would a McCoy-style rousting along of Attimo have given him a chance of victory? Difficult to know but to my eye the horse was far from a no-hoper when Fehily appeared to go easy on him from some way out.
A decent run from our selection Dainty Diva on Monday, with Matt Griffiths biding his time and sitting in behind as Pembroke House, the subject of a late plunge in the market, set a very strong pace. Unfortunately the SP favourite Catchintime was also conservatively ridden and as that one and Dainty Diva took over approaching the last, it was the favourite who stayed on strongest to win. Pembroke House faded out of it to foil the late money punt.
On Tuesday we were on the well beaten third Bryden Boy at Ayr and yesterday we had no selection but a 3-1 winner out of two entrants in the "Of Interest" section so it has been a frustrating and somewhat unrewarding week so far.
Hopefully some winners to come before too long to bolster the Cheltenham betting bank!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Unfortunately the latter jockey, Noel Fehily, was on our selection while James Best was the former who showed a never-say-die attitude to get Strawberry Hill home at Fontwell. By contract, Fehily seemed resigned to Attimo becoming detached well out and only when the horse started running past tiring rivals approaching the second last did he think that perhaps it was worth getting him to make an effort but by then it was far too late and he came home third behind Best on Strawberry Hill and amateur Tabatha Worsley on Sitting Back.
Would a McCoy-style rousting along of Attimo have given him a chance of victory? Difficult to know but to my eye the horse was far from a no-hoper when Fehily appeared to go easy on him from some way out.
A decent run from our selection Dainty Diva on Monday, with Matt Griffiths biding his time and sitting in behind as Pembroke House, the subject of a late plunge in the market, set a very strong pace. Unfortunately the SP favourite Catchintime was also conservatively ridden and as that one and Dainty Diva took over approaching the last, it was the favourite who stayed on strongest to win. Pembroke House faded out of it to foil the late money punt.
On Tuesday we were on the well beaten third Bryden Boy at Ayr and yesterday we had no selection but a 3-1 winner out of two entrants in the "Of Interest" section so it has been a frustrating and somewhat unrewarding week so far.
Hopefully some winners to come before too long to bolster the Cheltenham betting bank!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Sunday, 8 February 2015
Goodbye AP
I was sitting in the stands watching my team yesterday when I watched Mr Mole win for me on the mobile. What I didn't know was that immediately afterwards AP had announced his retirement but my dear wife sitting at home had seen it on C4 racing and immediately texted the news over.
Like all other racing fans I was shocked at the news but grateful to be given the notice so we can relish McCoy's final months all the more. I feel enormously privileged, as I'm sure many others do, to have been about to witness the AP's career. I can well remember standing in a bookmaker's in Hungerford in the early 90s and turning to an old boy to tell him: "This lad is going to be something special," after a youthful McCoy booted one home. I have thought the same of other young jockeys - James Doyle was one - but McCoy was extra special. We will all miss him and just hope against hope that he finishes his career safely.
A great card at Exeter today but unfortunately I won't be able to keep an eye on it and will have to rely on RUK replays later. Melodic Rendezvous is one of my favourite hurdlers and will hopefully signal his well being now chasing and we also have our one selection for the day going for us at the Devon track.
Hopefully the cold snap is now behind us and we can get back to a full fixture list in the week ahead so happy punting one and all!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Like all other racing fans I was shocked at the news but grateful to be given the notice so we can relish McCoy's final months all the more. I feel enormously privileged, as I'm sure many others do, to have been about to witness the AP's career. I can well remember standing in a bookmaker's in Hungerford in the early 90s and turning to an old boy to tell him: "This lad is going to be something special," after a youthful McCoy booted one home. I have thought the same of other young jockeys - James Doyle was one - but McCoy was extra special. We will all miss him and just hope against hope that he finishes his career safely.
A great card at Exeter today but unfortunately I won't be able to keep an eye on it and will have to rely on RUK replays later. Melodic Rendezvous is one of my favourite hurdlers and will hopefully signal his well being now chasing and we also have our one selection for the day going for us at the Devon track.
Hopefully the cold snap is now behind us and we can get back to a full fixture list in the week ahead so happy punting one and all!
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Friday, 30 January 2015
Nothing doing
Our only selection yesterday looked hopeful but after making progress four out, Flying Light's effort petered out and he came home fourth. The weather has taken its toll again today with just Chepstow on as a turf meeting and nothing to excite us there.
All weather action at Lingfield and tonight at Wolverhampton and while I don't follow the sand, I always look out for when Luke Morris has just one or two rides. Yesterday he was out of luck with plentiful rides but on Wednesday he went to Chelmsford for one with won at 7-2 and then on to Kempton where he won with one of two rides, again at 7-2. He has a full book of rides at Lingfield today but nothing at Wolves so I won't be doing anything today.
Best of luck if getting involved today.
M of the Market Examiner Team
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All weather action at Lingfield and tonight at Wolverhampton and while I don't follow the sand, I always look out for when Luke Morris has just one or two rides. Yesterday he was out of luck with plentiful rides but on Wednesday he went to Chelmsford for one with won at 7-2 and then on to Kempton where he won with one of two rides, again at 7-2. He has a full book of rides at Lingfield today but nothing at Wolves so I won't be doing anything today.
Best of luck if getting involved today.
M of the Market Examiner Team
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Wednesday, 28 January 2015
When 6-1 about a 16-1 shot is value
Getting 6-1 about a 16-1 shot is not the general idea but getting 6-1 about something bowling along in front and not looking like stopping makes sense and that is how things worked out for me at Taunton yesterday.
Having a slight fancy for Tornado in Milan I was not confident to lay down money but when Paul Maloney had him settled in front and clearly going better than anything else, I whipped out the mobile and got on at 6s. The price was gone seconds later and with Maloney doing the ultra confident looking between the legs routine to see the opposition, it was all looking good. He came home the easiest winner of the day and the pain of missing the 16-1 was eased somewhat.
There was further reason for cheer when a morning gamble was swerved as a selection and was pulled up and with one of my only two other bets coming in at 4-1 it was a good day all round. I also had a most interesting chat with a chap in the Owners and Trainers bar who was at Taunton to seal a deal to sell a horse he had bred to Philip Hobbs. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday but was in splendid form, telling me that he had bred his first group winner last year, the Richard Hannon trained Flying Childers winner Beacon. He forecast that as a three-year-old he will be one of the top sprinters of 2015. He also has horses with Oliver Sherwood and confirmed the delight the whole yard felt at the weekend performance of Many Clouds, which has put him near the top of the pecking order for the Gold Cup and I think there is still value in him at the 10-1 available in places.
Unfortunately nothing going for us today as the selection was declared a non-runner just as the alert went out. A horse like this can be worth looking out for next time as there have been occasions when a well backed horse is pulled because the connections have not been able to get on themselves and want to save the ammo. I'm not saying that is necessarily the case here,.....
Plenty of racing ahead today so good luck to all those getting involved.
M, of the Market Examiner Team.
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Having a slight fancy for Tornado in Milan I was not confident to lay down money but when Paul Maloney had him settled in front and clearly going better than anything else, I whipped out the mobile and got on at 6s. The price was gone seconds later and with Maloney doing the ultra confident looking between the legs routine to see the opposition, it was all looking good. He came home the easiest winner of the day and the pain of missing the 16-1 was eased somewhat.
There was further reason for cheer when a morning gamble was swerved as a selection and was pulled up and with one of my only two other bets coming in at 4-1 it was a good day all round. I also had a most interesting chat with a chap in the Owners and Trainers bar who was at Taunton to seal a deal to sell a horse he had bred to Philip Hobbs. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday but was in splendid form, telling me that he had bred his first group winner last year, the Richard Hannon trained Flying Childers winner Beacon. He forecast that as a three-year-old he will be one of the top sprinters of 2015. He also has horses with Oliver Sherwood and confirmed the delight the whole yard felt at the weekend performance of Many Clouds, which has put him near the top of the pecking order for the Gold Cup and I think there is still value in him at the 10-1 available in places.
Unfortunately nothing going for us today as the selection was declared a non-runner just as the alert went out. A horse like this can be worth looking out for next time as there have been occasions when a well backed horse is pulled because the connections have not been able to get on themselves and want to save the ammo. I'm not saying that is necessarily the case here,.....
Plenty of racing ahead today so good luck to all those getting involved.
M, of the Market Examiner Team.
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Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Blogging Again
The Guvnor has been on for ages that we need to sort the blog out but no-one has taken it on. So it falls to me to get it going for the first time in months but as I'm off to Taunton today it will just be a brief update before hitting the road.
Unfortunately nothing for us today, which is a shame as we would have liked to carry on the good work after Sirop de Menthe fairly trotted up at Plumpton yesterday after being put up in the morning at around 8-1. This is an ex Tim Vaughan horse and there are not many of his who go and on and do better elsewhere so hats off to the Sue Gardner team. Lucy Gardner never looked in any doubt as the horse, which had been prone to jumping to its right, stayed straight as an arrow and afterwards Sue told Tommo on ATR that Lucy had said she would win, which was obviously the reason for the early morning confidence. The horse went off at 6-1 and and was 13 lengths clear at the line.
In the past week we have had winners at 5-1, 7-2 (twice) and 3-1 to add to yesterday's 8-1 so we are on a good run. Let's hope we can get back to business tomorrow.
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Unfortunately nothing for us today, which is a shame as we would have liked to carry on the good work after Sirop de Menthe fairly trotted up at Plumpton yesterday after being put up in the morning at around 8-1. This is an ex Tim Vaughan horse and there are not many of his who go and on and do better elsewhere so hats off to the Sue Gardner team. Lucy Gardner never looked in any doubt as the horse, which had been prone to jumping to its right, stayed straight as an arrow and afterwards Sue told Tommo on ATR that Lucy had said she would win, which was obviously the reason for the early morning confidence. The horse went off at 6-1 and and was 13 lengths clear at the line.
In the past week we have had winners at 5-1, 7-2 (twice) and 3-1 to add to yesterday's 8-1 so we are on a good run. Let's hope we can get back to business tomorrow.
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