Mrs Tips would be the first to confirm I'm not a great one for birthdays and/or anniversaries but I couldn't let today pass without reference to this blog's first post which went out five long years ago. That initial post highlighted a couple of themes that have resurfaced on occasions - a general antipathy towards (the institution of) marriage and random racing stories thrown in to distract from the distinct lack of winners.
Here's to the next five years!
Showing posts with label blog birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog birthday. Show all posts
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Friday, April 03, 2009
Aintree Grand National selections
Forty go to post at 4.15 tomorrow for the Grand National marathon run over a distance of four and a half miles. Those who like to make up their own minds may want to use my Twitter Guide to the Grand National runners as a starting point; for everyone else, after hours of deliberation, here's how I see them finishing...
1. Rambling Minster Jumps, stays, has a racing weight and is in the form of his life. Provided he can stay out of trouble, he should be on the premises at the business end of the race; Mrs Tips' selection.
2. Butler's Cabin Tony McCoy doesn't need me to tell him this horse offers him a serious chance of winning his first National at the fourteenth attempt. The horse was going ominously well when coming a cropper at Becher's (second time) last year, having had a scare at the same fence on the first circuit. Mr. McCoy will be doing his utmost to ensure there's no repeat performance this time.
3. Himalayan Trail Won the Midlands National for Sue Smith last year; this has been his target since that day. Has a nice racing weight and is now trained by Jimmy Mangan who won the National with Monty's Pass in 2003.
4. Comply Or Die Last year's winner is now rated fifteeen pounds higher than when he won -he has a big task on his hands here. Has been badly out of form for much of the season but showed much more interest when running a decent trial in the William Hill Trophy at Cheltenham three weeks ago. Many think the re-fitting of blinkers at Cheltenham helped; provided he's in the mood I think he can make a place.
For those who like a dabble at bigger prices, Knowhere strikes me as overpriced at 66/1; this horse was close enough last year when falling at Valentine's on the second circuit - stable jockey Paddy Brennan takes the ride. Cornish Sett is a bit of a character but if he consents to put his best foot forward he looks certain to stay the distance and is currently available at around 33/1.
I wish you all the very best of luck!
The John Smith's People's Race is scheduled to take place before racing proper begins. Ten amateur jockeys have been in training over the winter and will race over a distance of one mile one furlong (I think) in front of the National crowds. This year the Tote is offering prices on the contestants. A couple of pointers for those who may be tempted... Of the ten jockeys, Clare Balding picks out Craig Brown for his fitness - Craig rides Thunder Rock. A quick look through the official handicap ratings of the horses shows there doesn't seem a lot to choose between Summer Soul, Some Touch, Thunder Rock and Mith Hill; Thunder Rock appears the percentage call.
PS - Today this blog is three years old; would have liked to celebrate with a winner at Aintree but, as I'm sure regular readers will recognise, I'm just not up to the job...
1. Rambling Minster Jumps, stays, has a racing weight and is in the form of his life. Provided he can stay out of trouble, he should be on the premises at the business end of the race; Mrs Tips' selection.
2. Butler's Cabin Tony McCoy doesn't need me to tell him this horse offers him a serious chance of winning his first National at the fourteenth attempt. The horse was going ominously well when coming a cropper at Becher's (second time) last year, having had a scare at the same fence on the first circuit. Mr. McCoy will be doing his utmost to ensure there's no repeat performance this time.
3. Himalayan Trail Won the Midlands National for Sue Smith last year; this has been his target since that day. Has a nice racing weight and is now trained by Jimmy Mangan who won the National with Monty's Pass in 2003.
4. Comply Or Die Last year's winner is now rated fifteeen pounds higher than when he won -he has a big task on his hands here. Has been badly out of form for much of the season but showed much more interest when running a decent trial in the William Hill Trophy at Cheltenham three weeks ago. Many think the re-fitting of blinkers at Cheltenham helped; provided he's in the mood I think he can make a place.
For those who like a dabble at bigger prices, Knowhere strikes me as overpriced at 66/1; this horse was close enough last year when falling at Valentine's on the second circuit - stable jockey Paddy Brennan takes the ride. Cornish Sett is a bit of a character but if he consents to put his best foot forward he looks certain to stay the distance and is currently available at around 33/1.
I wish you all the very best of luck!
The John Smith's People's Race is scheduled to take place before racing proper begins. Ten amateur jockeys have been in training over the winter and will race over a distance of one mile one furlong (I think) in front of the National crowds. This year the Tote is offering prices on the contestants. A couple of pointers for those who may be tempted... Of the ten jockeys, Clare Balding picks out Craig Brown for his fitness - Craig rides Thunder Rock. A quick look through the official handicap ratings of the horses shows there doesn't seem a lot to choose between Summer Soul, Some Touch, Thunder Rock and Mith Hill; Thunder Rock appears the percentage call.
PS - Today this blog is three years old; would have liked to celebrate with a winner at Aintree but, as I'm sure regular readers will recognise, I'm just not up to the job...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Bits and pieces
Tomorrow Great Leighs in Essex will go into the record books as the first new British course to stage racing since Taunton opened in 1927. I think it's fair to say that they've met with more than their fair share of delays on this project; let's hope everything operates smoothly from hereon in. To ensure the course's infrastructure is properly tested, the first few meetings at Great Leighs are 'invitation only' events and, yes, you've guessed it, they forgot to invite me. If you're keen to get to a meeting in the coming week, you could do a lot worse than Sandown's combined flat and jumps card on Saturday, with the Bet365 Gold Cup (formerly Whitbread Gold Cup) serving as the finale to the National Hunt season.
Watching a review of this week's Guineas trials on televison, Infallible looked impressive in winning the Nell Gwyn but John Gosden clearly rates Natagora. Twice Over held Raven's Pass, the pair clear, in the Craven; both John Francome and Jim McGrath envisage the same outcome should the pair reoppose in a fortnight's time. John Dunlop's Muthabara won the Dubai Duty Free at Newbury despite looking backward in her coat - you would expect her to improve significantly, although it was interesting to hear the trainer rate her as 'good but not fantastic' before the race. Mick Channon's yard is under a bit of a cloud at the moment; Nahoodh took a walk in the market and went on to disappoint but she is clearly held in very high regard. 6/1 shot Paco Boy took the Greenham and will probably be supplemented; Sir Michael Stoute's 11/8 favourite Confront didn't handle the soft ground. To my mind this Greenham form looks weaker than the Craven.
Missing a birthday - a mere peccadillo, isn't it? Three weeks ago this blog celebrated its second birthday with over three hundred and forty posts. I know what you're going to say - you wouldn't care if the tips were half decent. The truth is I only do blogging so I don't have to watch East Enders...
On the footballing front, Wrexham's 1-0 defeat of fellow strugglers Notts County appears to have postponed relegation from the Football League for another few days. The inevitable now looks likely to become reality at Edgar Street on Tuesday evening when promotion-chasing Hereford entertain The Dragons. I feel a little like someone who works on obituaries at a newspaper - I've done the preparation, I know what has to be said, it's just a question of when it comes about...
Watching a review of this week's Guineas trials on televison, Infallible looked impressive in winning the Nell Gwyn but John Gosden clearly rates Natagora. Twice Over held Raven's Pass, the pair clear, in the Craven; both John Francome and Jim McGrath envisage the same outcome should the pair reoppose in a fortnight's time. John Dunlop's Muthabara won the Dubai Duty Free at Newbury despite looking backward in her coat - you would expect her to improve significantly, although it was interesting to hear the trainer rate her as 'good but not fantastic' before the race. Mick Channon's yard is under a bit of a cloud at the moment; Nahoodh took a walk in the market and went on to disappoint but she is clearly held in very high regard. 6/1 shot Paco Boy took the Greenham and will probably be supplemented; Sir Michael Stoute's 11/8 favourite Confront didn't handle the soft ground. To my mind this Greenham form looks weaker than the Craven.
Missing a birthday - a mere peccadillo, isn't it? Three weeks ago this blog celebrated its second birthday with over three hundred and forty posts. I know what you're going to say - you wouldn't care if the tips were half decent. The truth is I only do blogging so I don't have to watch East Enders...
On the footballing front, Wrexham's 1-0 defeat of fellow strugglers Notts County appears to have postponed relegation from the Football League for another few days. The inevitable now looks likely to become reality at Edgar Street on Tuesday evening when promotion-chasing Hereford entertain The Dragons. I feel a little like someone who works on obituaries at a newspaper - I've done the preparation, I know what has to be said, it's just a question of when it comes about...
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
One year old
I've been writing this blog for one year now, over 160 articles with some winners and losers along the way. When I started I had the rather modest ambition to keep publishing longer than The Sportsman. By way of a celebration, my teenage daughter (Baby Tips) composed the following MC. If, like me, you don't know what an MC is, I am informed that indicates you're rather old.
Happy birthday to GeeDee
His blog goes down in history
Getting more news every day
As people read what he has to say.
PG's Tips is one year old
His good advice is worth some gold
Gets updates on the racing news
Sorts his blog then has a snooze.
Next there is his other half
Mrs Tips, they have a laugh
They do make a beautiful pair
Following racing everywhere.
Mrs Tips, she makes the tea
Then mends the roof, how tough is she?
While Gee reads form in his bath chair
Getting old and losing his hair.
Many happy returns to PG's Tips
GeeDee then sits down and sips
His cup of tea, you can hear the cogs
Turning as he thinks about blogs.
This was written by Helen Dee
GeeDee's daughter, class is she
If you wanna hear her style of rhyme
Check out mc squared, she'll last all time.
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