Melbourne Cup 2011

With fairly uninspiring racing today on UK shores I’m going to concentrate on a few fancies for the early hours of Tuesday morning at Flemington (04.00 GMT).

My three eachway fancies are:

• Niwot (9-1)
• Drunken Sailor (28-1)
• Red Cadeaux (25-1)

Niwot will be as sharp as a button after winning the Group 3 Lexus Stakes at Flemington just three days ago and qualifying for the weights. Any horse with some Sadler’s Wells progeny in it is good enough for me

Drunken Sailor has had a 17-day rest. I was very impressed by the manor in which this horse won the Glorious Stakes (Jukebox Jury behind in third) and I can see a similar late on the scene scenario happening here.

Red Cadeaux is a favourite of mine as I was always keen on Cadeaux Genereux too. He often gets outpaced mid-division but if there are any floundering out in front he often find the reserves to run them down.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yesterday’s sole winner at Carlisle was Arisea (Mr J Belbin, 7-1 ). Joel Belbin gave this one a patient astute ride for his first winner under rules and Joel looks a good prospect for the future.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Red - will he dare?

Remember to set your alarm clocks!

Carlisle Carlito

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” is pretty much a fair summary of the meagre 11 hits this weeks Over The Last podcast received especially given the fact that the delectable Miss Cathryn Fry (@cathrynfry) gave the thumbs up to the eventual Charlie Hall winner Weird Al. What’s that other phrase? “Snooze and you loose”

An absolute red letter day for myself and this blog at Ascot in the United House Gold Cup as my long standing favourite Exmoor Ranger won @ 12/1 with Razor Royale (22/1) bringing up the forecast. Back at Wetherby No Planning (H Oliver, 8-1 ) & Havingotascoobydo (A P Cawley, 3-10 fav) put some extra icing on top of the cake.

Today’s fancies are at Carlisle:

1.10 Carl- Claude Carter (e/w).

1.40 Carl- Signalman (e/w).

2.10 Carl- Henok (e/w).

2.40 Carl- Minella Boys & Etxalar (e/w).

3.15 Carl- Divers (e/w).

3.50 Carl- Arisea & Catspan (e/w).

4.20 Carl- I Got Sunshine (e/w).

Weird Science Al?

Have a great Sunday!

A right proper Charlie

Last night we recorded our third instalment of the Over The Last podcast were we discussed the Charlie Hall Chase. You can hear our ramblings and thoughts on Saturday’s racing here:

Episode 3 – The Charlie Hall Chase 

Yesterday’s double-header started off in glorious style with Crafti Bookie (H Oliver, 4-1 ) & Raya Star (R Thornton, 10-3 jf ) going in early doors but after that only a few scraps with the odd placed horse.

Today’s fancies are at Wetherby:

1.30 Weth- Tiptoeaway (e/w).

2.15 Weth- Whoops A Daisy (win).

2.45 Weth- Ashkazar (e/w).

3.20 Weth- Chicago Grey (e/w).

4.00 Weth- No Planning & Lucky Landing (e/w).

4.30 Weth- Havingotascoobydo (win).

5.05 Weth- Dhaafer & Risk Runner (e/w).

Other meetings:

2.30 Ascot- Baseball Ted (e/w).

3.00 Ascot- Via Galilei (e/w).

3.40 Ascot- Exmoor Ranger, Dovers Hill & Razor Royale (e/w).

Getting back to the whip debate and it’s implications on the punter, I’ve discovered a useful tool to assist oneself in the hurly burly of an afternoons racing. To me personally I think it’s fairly essential to know as soon as possible during the course of an afternoon who has picked up a whip infringement ban. Why? Well, I’m pretty convinced that if the penalised jockey has any further rides that day or evening they aren’t going to be putting in 100% effort. A sad state of affairs yes, but it’s information we now need to keep our noses ahead.

The Naughty List

I'm watching you!

I’m counting on a few winners today!

Wetherby & Uttoxeter

What is it they say about buses and them all arriving at once? Six winners yesterday out of the two combined meetings and the bumper winner was readily available at odds between 24-32′s on the exchanges when I  posted at noon yesterday. The six were as follows:

Petito (T J Phelan, 13-2 ), Runshan (T Scudamore, 7-2 ), Tour Des Champs (S Twiston-Davies, 7-2 ), Five Star Wilsham (Nick Scholfield, 6-4 ), American Spin (T J Murphy, 3-1 ) & Stock Hill Fair (N Fehily, 14-1 ).

I don’t intend to make too much of a habit of featuring fancies for two meetings a day but when I’ve got strong hunches at both I may do so from time to time. Tomorrow will be exclusively based on Wetherby.

Today’s Wetherby & Uttoxeter fancies:

2.00 Uttox- Paddy The Hare (e/w).

2.10 Weth- Crafti Bookie & Say No (e/w).

2.35 Uttox- Set In Her Ways (e/w).

2.45 Weth- Raya Star (e/w).

3.10 Uttox- Barliffey & Pobs Trophy (e/w).

3.20 Weth- Safari Adventures & Quartz De Thaix (e/w).

3.45 Uttox- Pena Dorada (win).

3.55 Weth- Alfraamsey & Kie (e/w).

4.20 Uttox- Gulf Punch & Vallani (e/w).

4.30 Weth- Outlaw Tom & Rebel Swing (e/w).

4.55 Uttox- Kikos (e/w).

5.05 Weth- Varkala & Miereveld (e/w).

5.30 Uttox- Peg Leg (e/w).

Back of the net!

Hoping some of these can score today!

 

Fontwell & Stratford

Plenty of runners knocking on the door yesterday at Haydock but once again no winners. Yikes-you’ll be unfollowing me in droves shortly

I think I got to the bottom to the main contributory factor causing my P.C to keeping crashing and turning blue…bloody iTunes!!! Even though I’m not a paying subscriber I downloaded the programme on Saturday to listen to the odd podcast and it appears this was the chief culprit. It seems iTunes does more shadowing than Hank Marvin.

Today’s fancies are from Fontwell & Stratford:

2.00 Font- Only Witness (e/w).

2.20 Strat- Petito (e/w).

2.30 Font- Guards Chapel & Parigino (e/w).

2.50 Strat- Fools Wildcat (e/w).

3.00 Font- Oponce (e/w).

3.20 Strat- Runshan & Persian Run (e/w).

3.30 Font- Grams & Ounces & Great Hero (e/w).

3.50 Strat- He’s Our Lad (win).

4.00 Font- Captain Becket (e/w).

4.20 Strat- Five Star Wilsham (win).

4.30 Font- American Spin (win).

4.50 Strat- Don’t Look Bach & Tour Des Champs (e/w).

5.00 Font- Stock Hill Fair & On Your Max (e/w).

5.20 Strat- Rebel Flag (e/w).

Will we see any brave Apaches today?

 

 

Hay Diddle Diddle

One thing that keeps infuriating me over the last week is my main PC. It’s been on it’s last legs now for about six months and I must get the blue screen of death at least two or three times a day. What is even more annoying is the untimely coincidence the PC appears to have of going tits up just before I want to write a blog post. I then have to boot up the trusty laptop and write the blog on what feels like teetering on the back of a postage stamp. For some reason I can’t seem to upload pictures from the Vista laptop to WordPress either. This all has me tearing out what little hair I have How did we ever cope in days gone by?

Rant out of the way, I had very little success  with the Tauntstow/Chepton fancies yesterday with Monsieur Cadou (12-1) the nearest the blog got to a winner.

Today’s fancies are at Haydock:

2.20 Hay- Another For Joe (e/w).

2.50 Hay- Border Reiver & Daldini (e/w).

3.25 Hay- Pippa Greene (win).

4.00 Hay- Badger Foot & Backfromthecongo (e/w).

4.35 Hay- Balnagore (e/w).

5.05 Hay- Glingerbank (e/w).

Shaking off those winter blues!

 

Chepstow-it’s free entry today

Due to hard ground at Taunton the fixture has been rescheduled at Chepstow today due to its locality. The upside of that is that it’s free entry for those that can make it and that’s not to be sniffed at in these hard times Oh, and there’s even a free ice cream for kids too I’ve just read.

Today’s fancies at Chepstow:

2.10 Chep- Good Order & Bob Lewis (e/w).

2.40 Chep- Vincentian & Gorgehous Lliege (e/w).

3.10 Chep- Digger Gets Lucky & Monsieur Cadou (e/w).

3.40 Chep- Red Harbour (e/w).

4.10 Chep- Matako & Cantabilly (e/w).

4.40 Chep- Beau Fighter & Posh Emily (e/w).

5.10 Chep- Rileyev & Lord Singer (e/w).

5.40 Chep- Colour Squadron & Bold Chief (e/w).

We certainly can’t complain about the number of runners today for sure

@eachwayemily acting all posh

Let’s win enough for some posh nosh today!

 

Southwell Soundings

I had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend at Aintree. The weather kept fine and the racing was fantastic. A shame about the bans though. I still do not think the current rules are workable for the NH code. Penalising jockey’s for superb rides is not the way forward. At this rate we are going to be heading the way of Australian National Hunt racing. The sooner we educate people and change their perception that the whip is a beating stick the better. The whole thing is becoming one huge joke.

Today’s fancies are at Southwell:

2.20 South- Third Half (e/w).

2.50 South- Scrooby Do (win).

3.20 South- Elusive Warrior & Desert Icon (e/w).

3.50 South- Enchanted Dream (e/w).

4.20 South- Baileys Agincourt (e/w).

4.50 South- Gracies Gift & Lethal (e/w).

Enjoy your Monday!

Aintree Weekender

So Kuzzy got pasted by the Estonian lass this afternoon but onwards and upwards as they say and as I promised I’m back with my Aintree double header for Saturday and Sunday.

After a spot of podcast and post-podcast chatting on Skype this evening it was nice to gauge some other opinions on the racing on Merseyside this weekend.

Saturday at Aintree:

2.25 Aint- Dontpaytheferryman & Reindeer Dippin (e/w).

2.55 Aint- Brooklyn Brownie & Ballyholland (e/w).

3.30 Aint- Master Minded (win).

4.05 Aint- Fill The Power & Sound Stage (e/w).

4.40 Aint- Havingotascoobydo (win).

5.15 Aint- Fine Parchment & Categorical (e/w).

5.45 Aint- Cinders & Ashes (e/w).

Shaggy !!!! Close your eyes.

Sunday at Aintree:

2.00 Aint- Major Dance (e/w).

2.35 Aint- Champion Court (win).

3.10 Aint- Take The Breeze & Ernst Blofeld (e/w).

3.45 Aint- Quito Du Tresor (e/w).

4.20 Aint- Theatre Guide & Jackson Cage (e/w).

4.55 Aint- Highrate & Special Catch (e/w).

Lego Ernst

Good luck with whatever you’re up to this weekend!

Blog Off!

Just a quicky post now to say there will be no selections this afternoon, however late this evening there will be a double header for Aintree- woo hoo!

I’ve actually got 101 things to sort out today before that Merseyside racing place thingy like ironing my Monet’s Garden pyjamas, stocking up on  mini Melton Mowbray’s to put in my Kauto Star lunchbox, oh!- and a podcast to record tonight

There were plenty of eachway fancies knocking on the door yesterday at Carlisle but unfortunately only one winner in the shape of Frascati Park (S Twiston-Davies, 4-1 ).

Today’s afternoon tip is from the Kremlin Cup again, Take Kusnetsova (1.79) to beat Kanepi in their quarter final clash (starts approx 3.30pm GMT).

Kanepi will need her best game today to trouble our Kuzzy.

See you tonight!