Saturday, March 28, 2009

28th March

It's the start of the UK Flat season & thank god. I hope to make a good a start to the UK as I made to Irish season.

I'm very pushed for time so I'll list out what going on today from Doncaster and the Dubai world cup, €50 on win bets & €25 for place bets.

They'll be a summary tomorrow night.

Nad Al Sheba

13:40 : Two Step Salsa win
Kalahari Gold ew

14:15 : Desert Party win
Soy Libriano ew

14:55 : Diabolical win
Force Freeze ew

15:55 : Archipenko win
Lady Marian ew

16.40: Dr Dino win

17.30: Asiatic Boy win

Doncaster

14:10 : Swilly Ferry win

15:20 : Icelandic win

14:45 : Mangham win

15:55 : Benandonner win

Good Luck

JB

Sunday, March 22, 2009

22nd March

Opening day of the flat season here in Ireland at the Curragh, got a decent Group race to look at.

Firstly from yesterday, the race was run at a total crawl so the extra two furlongs that I was laying the favourite on wasn't an issue but he got beat by a nose. I was very disapointed at Re Barolo who never got mentioned at the business end of the race.

3.10 @ Lingfield

Re Barolo €100 back @ 6 - €100
Premio Loco €50 lay @ 3.45 + €50

End of day balance.... €1,310

Today I shall be interested in three races from the Curragh, it's officialy soft down there today so not really ideal conditions for flat racing but it narrows things down somewhat.

3.15 -

First in Command won a handicapp on course, ground & distance in similar company last September is is kindly weighted and nicly priced.

First in Command €50 win @ 7

3.45 -

Group 3 contest for Fillies & Mares, hot favourite in this in Mad About You but they age trends sway towards three year olds and those who have showed good form in a listed contest.

Oh Goodness Me €50 win @ 17
Oh Goodness Me €25 place @ 2.5

Mad About You €50 lay @ 1.48

4.15 -

Big field here but some course ground and distance form at a long price is He Stands Alone which 8's he can get into the frame for a top four finish.

He Stands Alone €25 place @ 8

Good Luck Folks

JB

Saturday, March 21, 2009

21st March

Today marks the official opening day of the Flat season, this is my prefered code of racing. There's more I can work with in terms of the form book, form obviously, draw, weight, ground, straight course, left handed, right handed but the big plus is brreding.

Example...Last years Epsom Derby was the easiest race to pick the winner of the whole season. New Approach was 5th in the market at 7/1 having not run over 1 mile 4. One look at his family tree of Sadler's Wells & Gallieo he was bred for the Derby and won!

Lingfield is the venue for todays Winter Derby, 1 mile 2 furlongs I'm looking for a horse that will stay along the long straight, has won on Lingfield's brand of all weather surface and has shown speed in the finish.

I like Re Barolo in this, won the trial from last to first stayed very well and beating three horses who line up today, nice price also. Looking at it the favourite does not stay the distance, is a sitting duck & I'm going to take him on.

3.10 @ Lingfield

Re Barolo €100 back @ 6
Premio Loco €50 lay @ 3.45

Good Luck folks....next week I shall be coming to you from Dubai where I shall be attending the Dubai World Cup carnival.

Cheltenham Review

Back from Spain, slightly tanned but the relaxing week didn't really happen for me as Cheltenham became a war of attrition with the bookies.

A big priced each way shot in injury time on Friday meant we got out alive!

Here's the tale of Friday...


1.30 ... Master of Arts $50 win @ 8 - €50

2.05 ... Aachen $50 Win @ 5 - €50

2.40 ... On Raglan Rd $25 place @ 3 + €100

3.20 ... Exotic Dancer $50 win @ 12 - €50

4.00 ... Baby Run $50 place @ 10 + €550

4.40 ... Big Eared Fran $25 win @ 6 - €25

5.15 ... French Opera $25 win @ 5 - €25


End of Cheltenham balance €720, profit of €220 from the €500 I set aside to play with.

On Friday I feel I missed a sitter by not backing Denman & Exotic Dancer for places but the Gold Cup is an emotional race. From a pure racing fans point of view I was willing Denman on and after just one prep race where it was all wrong for him to get 2nd was a monumental run. I'd love a 3rd rematch next year.

It was the bookies week with only one of the bankable favourites coming home, we have many close shaves but came out on the right side thanks to a 40/1 shot who went off at 16/1 in the end so most of the big hitters must have spotted on Friday morning what I'd spotted on Thursday night.

First big flat race of the year today so onwards and upwards

Total Balance €1,360

Friday, March 13, 2009

Cheltenham Day 4

THe end of this betting marathon is in sight, it´s not been easy out there with the two bankers of the week going down yeaterday. Still, that´s done now.

Today I have 270 left to play with and here´s what it´s going on.

1.30 ... Master of Arts $50 win @ 8

2.05 ... Aachen $50 wim @ 5

2.40 ... On Raglan Rd $25 place @ 3

3.20 ... The big one of the week, I´m not confident with Denman bless and I feel bad deserting him last year after his heroics for the smart punters last year but Exotic Dancer is the form horse going left handed this season after his Lexus Chase win.

Exotic Dancer $50 win @ 12

4.00 ... Baby Run $50 place @ 10

4.40 ... Big Eared Fran $25 win @ 6

5.15 ... French Opera $25 win @ 5

Good Luck folks and remember it´s only two months until the 2000 Guinees!

It´s been a tough weeks punting but a great week racing

JB

Cheltenham so far

I set aside 500 euros to go to war with this week and it´s been a brutal week with the smart punters down, mug punters up and bookies laughing their heads off.

Here´s how it´s panned out for us...

Day 1

1.30 ... Red Moloney -50
Aachen -25

2.05 ... Calgary Bay -50
Forpaddytheplasterer +118

2.40 ... Possol -50
Wichita Lineman +95

3.20 ... Osana -50
Ashkazar -25

4.00 ... Lámi -50

End of Day .... 420

Day 2...

1.30 ... Can´t buy time -50

2.05 ... Karabak -50

2.40 ... Cooldine +300

3.20 ... Big Zeb -50

4.00 ... Lough Derg -50

End of Day ... 520

Day 4...

1.30 ... Kia Kah -50

2.05 ... Don´t push it -50

2.40 ... Voy por Ustedes -50 (shakes head in disbelief)

3.20 ... Kasbah Bliss -50 (kicks desk)

4.00 ... Stan -25

4.40 ... Poke de Saviola -25

End of Day ... 270

Just Gold Cup Day to go

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Cheltenham Day 2

It´s all about Master Minded today but sadly there is no value in betting on him but plenty of value out there in a one horse race.

Yesterday was winnerless for the win selections but two of the place selections won so not a disaster by any stretch. I´ll do a summary of yesterday later on as I´m pressed for time.

National Hunt Chase...

4 mile slog this one, I´m looking for a progressive type who needs to go up in trip. One horse is in great form recently with a win on good to soft at Sandown is Can´t Buy Time.

1.30 .... Can´t Buy Time $50 win @ 5

Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle...

Winning form is essential and course form is a plus, I like Karabak in this but the untrustworthy Diamond Harry could be a danger.

2.05 .... Karabak $50 win @ 3

RSA Chase...

Only one winner in this for me and the fact Ruby Walsh has picked this horse over a Paul Nicholls runner says volumes, won well at Leopardstown last time out and like left hand tracks.

2.40 .... Cooldine 5

Queen Mother Champion Chase...

Biggy of the day, I was there last year to witness Master Minded destroy the mighty Voy Por Ustedes and he has progressed into pretty much an unbeatable horse so it´s who´s coming 2nd to think about.

Big Zeb won easily at Christmas in Leopardstown so I think he´ll get as close to Master Minded as any will.

3.20 .... Big Zeb $50 place @ 3.8

Coral Cup....

2 miles 5, you need a game horse who won´t mind a furious pace. Course winning form this season is needed and the love of spongy ground. Lough Derg has performed heroics on the race track this season and I´m shocked he is 28´s to back.

It might be one race to far for him but a course and distance winner can not be ignored.

4.00 ... Lough Derg $50 win @ 28

Good Luck folks

JB

Friday, March 6, 2009

Cheltenham Day 1

A change of tactic this year as I am doing all my bets in advance and will sit back and enjoy the spectacle of one of the greatest sporting events in the world, The Cheltenham Festival.

The BBC weather says rain so I'm going on a soft ground attack which will bring the bigger priced Irish horses into play & may see some of the short priced favourites founder.

The build up to this year has been one of 4 horses, Binocular in the Champion Hurlde, Kauto Star in the Gold Cup for the 3rd year running, Master Minded in the Champion Chase and Kasbah Bliss in the World Hurdle. The logic behind all these horses winning is a sound one but I have 3 form books, two supplements, a racingpost 10 year data base and a bottle of red wine to find the value and get the odds on beaten.

Day 1...

Supreme Novice Hurdle....

I love this race as Flat racing is my favoured code (read win more) of racing so I'm always keen to see a horse entered with strong flat form. History tells me I need a horse that has won it's last race, solid flat form, lightly raced over hurdles and will need to act on spongy ground if the weather forecast is correct so a French flat horse could pay off nicely. Two jump out off the page, Red Moloney who was placed in a Group race in the Summer and the French horse Aachen who has testing ground form.

1.30 @ Cheltenham -

Red Moloney €50 win @ 14
Aachen €25 place @ 26

Arkle...

I'm looking for a proper jumper here, with solid Grade 1 winning form over fences & will need my runner to be fresh so their last race being in January or one of the Christmas meetings.

Calgary Bay has been my Arkle pick since his 2nd at Ascot in January, he didn't like the right handed track there, he loves Cheltenham and he's scored over 2 miles 5 so the testing ground shouldn't be an issue.

Forpaddytheplaster gets my nod for a place after a battling display at Leopardstown over Christmas again his victories have come in the mud so I'm thinking he'll get up the hill.

2.05 @ Cheltenham -

Calgary Bay €50 win @ 6.4
Forpaddyhteplaster €25 place @ 3.7

William Hill Handicap Chase...

Lightly treated by the handicapper and rated at around the 140 mark gets my attention here, Wichita Lineman is a funny horse and take some persuading but gets there in the end ultimately so he gets my place vote and Possol who ran well at Kempton last time out is my win selection.

2.40 @ Cheltenham -

Possol €50 win @ 9.2
Witicha Lineman €25 place @ 2.8

Champion Hurdle...

The big race of the day with a very well fancied horse in Binocular, I don't think he wins & the Cheltenham Hill is going to eat up his stamina like it did last year. Osana is relativity fresh this term and will lead from the front and for my money will take the beating, Ashkazr likes Cheltenham and is in fine form so he gets my place vote.

3.20 @ Cheltenham -

Osana €50 win @ 12
Ashkazar €25 win @ 9.8

Cross Country Chase....

No easier race to bet on in the racing calender, a horse who is trained by Enda Bolger & won the Hogan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in February gets the nod.

4.00 @ Cheltenham

L'ami €50 win @ 3.4

So that's day one sorted.

JB