Originally Clare Balding was rostered to cover the Welsh National at Chepstow for the BBC so there's a certain irony in the fact that, due to mitigating circumstances, nine days on she fronts this year's renewal for her new employers at Channel 4.
Channel 4's brand new racing coverage didn't get off to the most auspicious of starts on new year's day. Cheltenham was called off so Balding gave us a whirlwind tour of Nicky Henderson's stable instead; a couple of races from Musselburgh were thrown in for the sheer hell of it while Nick Luck, Jim McGrath, Graham Cunningham and Tanya Stevenson spent a sizeable chunk of the airtime available impersonating a job interview panel.
Their appearance brought to mind a previous occasion when one such panel enquired of me 'What was the last work of fiction you read and what do you remember most about it?' I replied 'Mr. Little's Noisy Car. The thing I remember most was Mr. Little finding a tiger in the boot of the car.' The kids were quite small at the time; I didn't get the job.
It's early days for Channel 4's new team and I don't want to appear too judgmental. Mrs Tips, never one to keep quiet for no reason whatsoever, tells me the jury is out...
18 have been declared for the Chepstow feature tomorrow but the picture is complicated somewhat by the fact that both Across The Bay and Alfie Spinner have also been declared for the 3.40 at Sandown. The perceived wisdom is Across The Bay runs at Chepstow while my Welsh National fancy, Alfie Spinner, is heading to Sandown. Gutted.
Teaforthree has an obvious chance with underfoot conditions sure to suit; this has been the target all season. He's tipped up everywhere - the layers appear to be taking the name literally as several offer no more than a rather miserly-looking 3/1. I share John Francome's view on Michel Le Bon - the horse just doesn't jump anywhere near well enough.
The last winner older than nine was Riverside Boy back in 1993, a stat that knocks out half the field. I've looked for something with course form that's aged under ten and with less than 11 stone to carry - Charlie Longsdon's Universal Soldier fits the bill. This one finished just over 13 lengths behind Teaforthree in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March and is now six pounds better off; the first-time blinkers are a cause for slight concern. I'll take a small each-way interest in Universal Soldier at 10/1.
The Tolworth at Sandown (2.25) looks most intriguing with layers offering 7/2 each of three this evening. Geraghty rides Royal Boy rather than course and distance winner Golden Hoof; the latter-named boasts the same official rating as Melodic Rendezvous (135) who had Royal Boy threequarters of a length behind at Cheltenham three weeks ago. That was Royal Boy's first run for nearly two years and connections will fancy their chance of turning the form around. Clive Cox's Poet, a winner of Group Three races on the Flat, jumped like an old-hand on his first try over hurdles at Newbury 17 days ago; an article in yesterday's Times indicated John Francome has done much of the work with this one with the Champion Hurdle the target if things go to plan here. Of the principals, I have to oppose both Poet (on account of age - eight) and Melodic Rendezvous (his handler was decidely downbeat about his charge's chance on heavy ground before the Cheltenham race.) Court Minstrel is not lightly dismissed and appeared a little unlucky in running when bumped and hampered after the last behind Dodging Bullets at Cheltenham - Henderson has a benchmark in River Maigue, second that day and a winner since. Royal Boy gets the nod; whatever happens, the race will prove useful for future reference.
I won't play in the finale at Sandown. I suspect Team Tizzard are giving Hey Big Spender a runout before another crack at Warwick's Classic Chase (next weekend) while at the time of writing my former Welsh National fancy Alfie Spinner is priced up favourite. Triolo D'Alene has had a breathing operation and could come on for his seasonal debut but to date hasn't proved he stays this trip. Fruity O'Rooney definitely does stay the trip and could well make a bold bid (seventh in Hennessy) but in the past has tended to jump out left when racing on right-handed tracks.
Showing posts with label mrs tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mrs tips. Show all posts
Friday, January 04, 2013
Friday, March 09, 2012
Dreaming of winners
The Festival is just around the corner and you just couldn't have dreamt it.
In the past week or so at least two commentators, ATR presenter Matt Chapman and former Raceform editor Bernie Ford, have composed a compelling case for the defence; that is the four defending champions, namely Hurricane Fly, Sizing Europe, Big Buck's and Long Run, successfully retaining their crowns.
And Cheltenham MD Edward Gillespie was forced to defend the first day's card with three favourites - Sprinter Sacre, Hurricane Fly and Quevega - looking likely to start at very cramped odds.
To put the top hat on it all, my wife has started to dream winners. Except she didn't have the good grace to tell me beforehand that she'd started. Mrs Tips woke this morning saying she had just dreamt that Sam Waley-Cohen had fallen off Long Run on the way to post - 'I knew it was him because of those ghastly colours.' Spooky.
Sensing the slightest hint of an opportunity, I enquired what had won the race. Clearly in that all-too-familiar Proustian penumbra between waking and sleeping, Mrs T. replied along the lines of 'something with the word "rum" in it.' Naturally I thought she was off on one again, as is her wont, as everyone knows none of the remaining Gold Cup entries contains any semblance of the word rum. So I thought no more of it until the result of this afternoon's 3.40 hunter chase at Leicester flashed up on screen. First past the post was Rumbury Grey, trained by one S Flook and ridden by amateur Mr R Jarrett claiming five, returned at odds of 14/1.
Makes you wonder why you bother, doesn't it?
Still, I am wondering whether to ask William Hill what odds they'll give me about Sam Waley-Cohen being thrown on the way to post for this year's Gold Cup. And I've started to question the hearing as well, which isn't what it once was - did she say 'rum' or did she say 'run'? The irony is I've been pretending I couldn't hear her properly for years... I've asked but she has no recollection whatsoever of our early morning conversation.
Anyway, here's an update on some of the Festival horses I'd previously indicated I was dreaming about. In the past horses I've dreamt about generally don't win.
Arkle - Cue Card is still on track but the defection of Peddlers Cross has taken something away. Cue Card is likely to race from the front and I'm put off by the stat that no horse has made all to win this in the past decade (and possibly to as far back as 1988?) Sprinter Sacre is a formidable-looking opponent.
Champion Hurdle - Oscars Well makes some each-way appeal, as does Overturn (25/1) who was well-touted at Haydock's Festival preview evening.
RSA Chase - Invictus has been declared a non-runner.
Champion bumper - The booking of Barry Geraghty to ride New Year's Eve catches the eye but both that one and Royal Guardsman are short enough in the market now. Yesterday Peter Bowen helpfully pointed out that Sir Johnson had Royal Guardsman seven and a half lengths behind at Aintree in October while conceding seven pounds. I've taken the hint and backed Sir Johnson at 20/1.
Gold Cup - Kauto Star delighted connections in a gallop after racing at Wincanton earlier today and is rated '95% certain' to line up; a final decision will be taken on Monday. The Giant Bolster comes with risks attached but 66/1 struck me as reasonable each-way value so I struck a small wager.
As always, more detailed postings on Festival races will be available nearer the time. In the meantime, I'm still living the dream...
In the past week or so at least two commentators, ATR presenter Matt Chapman and former Raceform editor Bernie Ford, have composed a compelling case for the defence; that is the four defending champions, namely Hurricane Fly, Sizing Europe, Big Buck's and Long Run, successfully retaining their crowns.
And Cheltenham MD Edward Gillespie was forced to defend the first day's card with three favourites - Sprinter Sacre, Hurricane Fly and Quevega - looking likely to start at very cramped odds.
To put the top hat on it all, my wife has started to dream winners. Except she didn't have the good grace to tell me beforehand that she'd started. Mrs Tips woke this morning saying she had just dreamt that Sam Waley-Cohen had fallen off Long Run on the way to post - 'I knew it was him because of those ghastly colours.' Spooky.
Sensing the slightest hint of an opportunity, I enquired what had won the race. Clearly in that all-too-familiar Proustian penumbra between waking and sleeping, Mrs T. replied along the lines of 'something with the word "rum" in it.' Naturally I thought she was off on one again, as is her wont, as everyone knows none of the remaining Gold Cup entries contains any semblance of the word rum. So I thought no more of it until the result of this afternoon's 3.40 hunter chase at Leicester flashed up on screen. First past the post was Rumbury Grey, trained by one S Flook and ridden by amateur Mr R Jarrett claiming five, returned at odds of 14/1.
Makes you wonder why you bother, doesn't it?
Still, I am wondering whether to ask William Hill what odds they'll give me about Sam Waley-Cohen being thrown on the way to post for this year's Gold Cup. And I've started to question the hearing as well, which isn't what it once was - did she say 'rum' or did she say 'run'? The irony is I've been pretending I couldn't hear her properly for years... I've asked but she has no recollection whatsoever of our early morning conversation.
Anyway, here's an update on some of the Festival horses I'd previously indicated I was dreaming about. In the past horses I've dreamt about generally don't win.
Arkle - Cue Card is still on track but the defection of Peddlers Cross has taken something away. Cue Card is likely to race from the front and I'm put off by the stat that no horse has made all to win this in the past decade (and possibly to as far back as 1988?) Sprinter Sacre is a formidable-looking opponent.
Champion Hurdle - Oscars Well makes some each-way appeal, as does Overturn (25/1) who was well-touted at Haydock's Festival preview evening.
RSA Chase - Invictus has been declared a non-runner.
Champion bumper - The booking of Barry Geraghty to ride New Year's Eve catches the eye but both that one and Royal Guardsman are short enough in the market now. Yesterday Peter Bowen helpfully pointed out that Sir Johnson had Royal Guardsman seven and a half lengths behind at Aintree in October while conceding seven pounds. I've taken the hint and backed Sir Johnson at 20/1.
Gold Cup - Kauto Star delighted connections in a gallop after racing at Wincanton earlier today and is rated '95% certain' to line up; a final decision will be taken on Monday. The Giant Bolster comes with risks attached but 66/1 struck me as reasonable each-way value so I struck a small wager.
As always, more detailed postings on Festival races will be available nearer the time. In the meantime, I'm still living the dream...
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Five years on...
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!
Here's to the next five years!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Cheltenham's coming...
Thought I'd start this round-up with an update on the possible Festival longshots put up last week...
Mille Chief Took the Kingwell by a nose from Celestial Halo. The latter-named made a right hash of the last; Mille Chief looked booked for the runner's up berth before that error. Trainer Alan King tells us he'll be better on better ground and I'm sure he will but it was still disappointing in a race in which both Silviniaco Conti and Overturn didn't appear to run to their marks. 14/1 available in a number of places - if you're not holding an ante-post voucher at this point, I wouldn't be rushing out to get one.
Cue Card Trainer Colin Tizzard indicated the Supreme Novices' Hurdle rather than the Champion Hurdle is Cue Card's intended race at the Festival.
Tarablaze Jumped abysmally in the four runner novice chase won by Aiteen Thirtythree at Newbury on Friday. William Hill still go 25/1 for the RSA, Sky Bet offer 66/1. No longer of interest.
What A Friend Another I was ready to ditch after Newbury on Friday but, having seen the recording, I'm going to hold fire. The horse struggled on the ground, appearing to run in snatches. He's not the easiest of rides at the best of times; with Noland getting very tired after the last, there was a suspicion he could still have collected the spoils had Harry Skelton not switched his run. Of course, on official ratings he should have won with something to spare - handler Paul Nicholls indicated this performance wasn't anywhere near good enough to get placed in a Gold Cup and he'll consider applying the blinkers in the big race. The horse will improve for the better ground, something he hasn't had in his two races this season. Stan James and William Hill stand out with quotes of 50/1 - Boylesports go 20/1. Tempted?
China Rock Interesting to see Alistair Whitehouse-Jones make a similar case for this one in the Weekender. Trainer Mouse Morris confirmed his charge has come out of the Irish Hennessy well and goes for the Gold Cup. The $64,000 question is - will this son of Presenting stay? Whitehouse-Jones describes it as a grey area, with the dam from the same family as Zongalero and Garrison Savanagh. 66/1 still available with William Hill - a bigger price than What A Friend - I think I'm going to have an each-way dabble.
Other Cheltenham snippets - Imperial Commander had a racecourse gallop at Warwick on Monday. Afterwards handler Twiston-Davies said he was 'pleased' with his charge and was quoted as saying 'He went really well...' Later in the week the quality of that workout appeared to have deteriorated - in Friday's TV coverage it was described as 'satisfactory' while by Saturday the workout had become 'indifferent'. In the past fortnight the stable have had just two winners from thirty runs - the team at Grange Hill Farm have a month to get last year's winner to peak fitness.
Updated Festival prices following yesterday's action - Riverside Theatre 7/1 Ryanair Chase; Master Of The Hall 20/1 RSA Chase; Back In Focus 10/1, Court In Motion 10/1 Albert Bartlett.
If you make just one pre-Festival purchase make sure it's Paul Jones' Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2011 due to be published February 25th. On his Twitter account (@sportspunter01) Paul has put out some taster stats to whet your appetite... For example, all Gold Cup winners in the past 20 years had had at least one run after Christmas Day that season; over half the winners of the William Hill Trophy had been placed at the Festival previously; of the last twelve Arkle winners to contest the Champion Chase the following year, five won, five finished second and two were placed third. I'm off to place my order now!
Those who have in the past used the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to arrive at Cheltenham Racecourse station for the Festival should be aware they will be unable to do so this year as the railway has had something of an annus horribilis with two separate landslips, one at Gotherington and the other at Chicken Curve, Winchcombe, causing damage that will cost over £2 million to repair. An emergency appeal has been launched which has the backing of that well-known railway fanatic, Pete Waterman.
A piece in the business section of Saturday's Times told us something betting shop regulars will have suspected for quite some time. Ladbrokes reported a 7.3% fall in their 'over-the-counter' bets last year but gaming machines were up 7.2%...
Finally, if Ant and Dec are to your taste, there's a chance you'll bump into them on a racecourse this summer. They've bought Primaeval, a four year old chestnut colt trained by James Fanshawe. Apparently Dec bought the horse for his father as a Christmas present - I've been dropping subtle hints to Mrs Tips along similar lines but, to date, I've nothing concrete to report. Rest assured, you'll be the first to know should the unlikely ever come to pass.
Mille Chief Took the Kingwell by a nose from Celestial Halo. The latter-named made a right hash of the last; Mille Chief looked booked for the runner's up berth before that error. Trainer Alan King tells us he'll be better on better ground and I'm sure he will but it was still disappointing in a race in which both Silviniaco Conti and Overturn didn't appear to run to their marks. 14/1 available in a number of places - if you're not holding an ante-post voucher at this point, I wouldn't be rushing out to get one.
Cue Card Trainer Colin Tizzard indicated the Supreme Novices' Hurdle rather than the Champion Hurdle is Cue Card's intended race at the Festival.
Tarablaze Jumped abysmally in the four runner novice chase won by Aiteen Thirtythree at Newbury on Friday. William Hill still go 25/1 for the RSA, Sky Bet offer 66/1. No longer of interest.
What A Friend Another I was ready to ditch after Newbury on Friday but, having seen the recording, I'm going to hold fire. The horse struggled on the ground, appearing to run in snatches. He's not the easiest of rides at the best of times; with Noland getting very tired after the last, there was a suspicion he could still have collected the spoils had Harry Skelton not switched his run. Of course, on official ratings he should have won with something to spare - handler Paul Nicholls indicated this performance wasn't anywhere near good enough to get placed in a Gold Cup and he'll consider applying the blinkers in the big race. The horse will improve for the better ground, something he hasn't had in his two races this season. Stan James and William Hill stand out with quotes of 50/1 - Boylesports go 20/1. Tempted?
China Rock Interesting to see Alistair Whitehouse-Jones make a similar case for this one in the Weekender. Trainer Mouse Morris confirmed his charge has come out of the Irish Hennessy well and goes for the Gold Cup. The $64,000 question is - will this son of Presenting stay? Whitehouse-Jones describes it as a grey area, with the dam from the same family as Zongalero and Garrison Savanagh. 66/1 still available with William Hill - a bigger price than What A Friend - I think I'm going to have an each-way dabble.
Other Cheltenham snippets - Imperial Commander had a racecourse gallop at Warwick on Monday. Afterwards handler Twiston-Davies said he was 'pleased' with his charge and was quoted as saying 'He went really well...' Later in the week the quality of that workout appeared to have deteriorated - in Friday's TV coverage it was described as 'satisfactory' while by Saturday the workout had become 'indifferent'. In the past fortnight the stable have had just two winners from thirty runs - the team at Grange Hill Farm have a month to get last year's winner to peak fitness.
Updated Festival prices following yesterday's action - Riverside Theatre 7/1 Ryanair Chase; Master Of The Hall 20/1 RSA Chase; Back In Focus 10/1, Court In Motion 10/1 Albert Bartlett.
If you make just one pre-Festival purchase make sure it's Paul Jones' Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2011 due to be published February 25th. On his Twitter account (@sportspunter01) Paul has put out some taster stats to whet your appetite... For example, all Gold Cup winners in the past 20 years had had at least one run after Christmas Day that season; over half the winners of the William Hill Trophy had been placed at the Festival previously; of the last twelve Arkle winners to contest the Champion Chase the following year, five won, five finished second and two were placed third. I'm off to place my order now!
Those who have in the past used the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to arrive at Cheltenham Racecourse station for the Festival should be aware they will be unable to do so this year as the railway has had something of an annus horribilis with two separate landslips, one at Gotherington and the other at Chicken Curve, Winchcombe, causing damage that will cost over £2 million to repair. An emergency appeal has been launched which has the backing of that well-known railway fanatic, Pete Waterman.
A piece in the business section of Saturday's Times told us something betting shop regulars will have suspected for quite some time. Ladbrokes reported a 7.3% fall in their 'over-the-counter' bets last year but gaming machines were up 7.2%...
Finally, if Ant and Dec are to your taste, there's a chance you'll bump into them on a racecourse this summer. They've bought Primaeval, a four year old chestnut colt trained by James Fanshawe. Apparently Dec bought the horse for his father as a Christmas present - I've been dropping subtle hints to Mrs Tips along similar lines but, to date, I've nothing concrete to report. Rest assured, you'll be the first to know should the unlikely ever come to pass.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
One day after the Hennessy
Diamond Harry's victory in yesterday's Hennessy appears to have generated a difference of opinion amongst the odds compilers; Nick Williams' gelding is quoted 16/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Coral while Labrokes and totesport offer a miserly-looking 8/1.
Although coming home some 15 lengths third behind Diamond Harry, Denman still put in a fantastic performance at the weights. Owner Paul Barber reported his pride and joy was in 'mint condition' following the race; that's very good news indeed - just for a fraction of a second as they walked back to the unsaddling enclosure I wondered whether, understandably, the great horse looked a little unsteady on his feet. I've just finished reading Jonathan Powell's Kauto Star and Denman -it's easy to forget that this horse was very ill suffering from atrial fibrillation of the heart (irregular heartbeat) after his Gold Cup victory in 2008.
There's more positive news this evening concerning Noel Fehily - it was feared the jock had broken his wrist in a fall at Newbury on Friday. Agent Chris Broad reports the wrist may not be broken; Noel goes back to hospital early in the week for an X-ray after the swelling has gone down a little.
The cold spell looks set to play havoc with this week's turf fixtures. Monday's card at Ffos Las together with Tuesday's meetings at Hereford and Southwell have been abandoned while Saturday's Tingle Creek fixture at Sandown has already been deemed at risk.
It's envisaged that Tony McCoy will be named as one of the ten personalities who will contest the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2010. The continuing rumblings about the ride McCoy gave Get Me Out Of Here at Ascot on 30th October have generated some unwanted publicity for the champ at a time when he could really do without it. At The Races presenter Sean Boyce gives a detailed exposition of events on his blog while The Guardian's Greg Wood accuses McCoy of petulance.
Finally, on Saturday evening, after the excitement of the Hennessy, Mrs Tips and I settled down for the next installment of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Half way through the live show a pre-recorded piece was shown in which the remaining contestants, dressed in cowboy-style uniforms, assessed their chances using suitably extravagant Wild West language. The backdrop for Pamela Stephenson's monologue included what looked to be a rather large plastic horse; quick as a flash Mrs Tips pipes up, 'That plastic horse - it's showing a damn sight more interest than your each-way selection in the Hennessy.' Cutting.
Although coming home some 15 lengths third behind Diamond Harry, Denman still put in a fantastic performance at the weights. Owner Paul Barber reported his pride and joy was in 'mint condition' following the race; that's very good news indeed - just for a fraction of a second as they walked back to the unsaddling enclosure I wondered whether, understandably, the great horse looked a little unsteady on his feet. I've just finished reading Jonathan Powell's Kauto Star and Denman -it's easy to forget that this horse was very ill suffering from atrial fibrillation of the heart (irregular heartbeat) after his Gold Cup victory in 2008.
There's more positive news this evening concerning Noel Fehily - it was feared the jock had broken his wrist in a fall at Newbury on Friday. Agent Chris Broad reports the wrist may not be broken; Noel goes back to hospital early in the week for an X-ray after the swelling has gone down a little.
The cold spell looks set to play havoc with this week's turf fixtures. Monday's card at Ffos Las together with Tuesday's meetings at Hereford and Southwell have been abandoned while Saturday's Tingle Creek fixture at Sandown has already been deemed at risk.
It's envisaged that Tony McCoy will be named as one of the ten personalities who will contest the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2010. The continuing rumblings about the ride McCoy gave Get Me Out Of Here at Ascot on 30th October have generated some unwanted publicity for the champ at a time when he could really do without it. At The Races presenter Sean Boyce gives a detailed exposition of events on his blog while The Guardian's Greg Wood accuses McCoy of petulance.
Finally, on Saturday evening, after the excitement of the Hennessy, Mrs Tips and I settled down for the next installment of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Half way through the live show a pre-recorded piece was shown in which the remaining contestants, dressed in cowboy-style uniforms, assessed their chances using suitably extravagant Wild West language. The backdrop for Pamela Stephenson's monologue included what looked to be a rather large plastic horse; quick as a flash Mrs Tips pipes up, 'That plastic horse - it's showing a damn sight more interest than your each-way selection in the Hennessy.' Cutting.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Mixed musings of an inconsequential nature
In last month's Yorkshire Oaks Sariska refused to leave the stalls allowing Henry Cecil's Midday to collect the spoils. Three and a half weeks on and something remarkably similar happened in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp this afternoon; once again Sariska failed to come out of the stalls and Midday took the spoils. Connections immediately retired Sariska while Skybet have shortened Midday to even money for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
There was a bit of a turn-up in yesterday's St. Leger at Doncaster where the Godolphin even money hotpot, Rewilding, failed to fire, coming home a well-beaten sixth behind John Gosden's 12/1 chance Arctic Cosmos. Corsica (40/1) from the Mark Johnson yard ensured there was no hanging around, setting a searching gallop and staying on stoutly to finish third, beaten a nose for second by the Aidan O'Brien trained Midas Touch. Meanwhile over in Ireland Olivier Peslier brought 13/8 favourite Sans Frontieres to the front with a well-timed run to record a comfortable three quarter length win from market rival Profound Beauty. This represents a first Group One win for owner Sir Robert Ogden; connections have indicated that the Melbourne Cup in November is 'very much on the cards.'
Some potentially interesting race readers to keep an eye out for with (the threat of) Christmas just around the corner...
Ruby: The Autobiography by Ruby Walsh [publication date to be announced];
Kauto Star & Denman by Jonathan Powell;
Gentlemen and Blackguards: Gambling Mania and the Plot to Steal the Derby of 1844 by Nicholas Foulkes;
Race Profiles - Jumps 2010-2011 by Dr Peter May;
No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone by Tom Bower [publication date to be announced].
Plenty has been written over the past week on the antics of England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney. By some distance the most amusing article I came across was Frank Skinner's piece in Friday's Times. I had to smile at this particular line: 'Ms Thompson said, on one occasion, when Rooney approached her in a hotel, that Michael Owen looked at him with disgust. Apparently this caused Owen to pull a muscle in his face and he has been out of action for six weeks.'
Last night the contestants in Strictly Come Dancing 2010 were allocated their dance partners and told to go away and practice for three weeks. The layers, never ones to miss an opportunity, have already priced up the field. Mrs Tips comes into her own with this sort of stuff - her verdict on Gavin Henson was particularly harsh (in case you were tempted by 20/1); personally I thought Gavin bore a remarkable resemblance to Fireman Elvis Cridlington of Fireman Sam fame.
Finally, one of next Saturday's features is the Ayr Gold Cup; the Morning Line guest, advertised in advance, is the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP. Forget the politics, Alex Salmond rates an entertainment in his own right and ranks high on a list of people I'd care to have dinner with. I shall rise early in time for next Saturday's scheduled transmission.
There was a bit of a turn-up in yesterday's St. Leger at Doncaster where the Godolphin even money hotpot, Rewilding, failed to fire, coming home a well-beaten sixth behind John Gosden's 12/1 chance Arctic Cosmos. Corsica (40/1) from the Mark Johnson yard ensured there was no hanging around, setting a searching gallop and staying on stoutly to finish third, beaten a nose for second by the Aidan O'Brien trained Midas Touch. Meanwhile over in Ireland Olivier Peslier brought 13/8 favourite Sans Frontieres to the front with a well-timed run to record a comfortable three quarter length win from market rival Profound Beauty. This represents a first Group One win for owner Sir Robert Ogden; connections have indicated that the Melbourne Cup in November is 'very much on the cards.'
Some potentially interesting race readers to keep an eye out for with (the threat of) Christmas just around the corner...
Ruby: The Autobiography by Ruby Walsh [publication date to be announced];
Kauto Star & Denman by Jonathan Powell;
Gentlemen and Blackguards: Gambling Mania and the Plot to Steal the Derby of 1844 by Nicholas Foulkes;
Race Profiles - Jumps 2010-2011 by Dr Peter May;
No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone by Tom Bower [publication date to be announced].
Plenty has been written over the past week on the antics of England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney. By some distance the most amusing article I came across was Frank Skinner's piece in Friday's Times. I had to smile at this particular line: 'Ms Thompson said, on one occasion, when Rooney approached her in a hotel, that Michael Owen looked at him with disgust. Apparently this caused Owen to pull a muscle in his face and he has been out of action for six weeks.'
Last night the contestants in Strictly Come Dancing 2010 were allocated their dance partners and told to go away and practice for three weeks. The layers, never ones to miss an opportunity, have already priced up the field. Mrs Tips comes into her own with this sort of stuff - her verdict on Gavin Henson was particularly harsh (in case you were tempted by 20/1); personally I thought Gavin bore a remarkable resemblance to Fireman Elvis Cridlington of Fireman Sam fame.
Finally, one of next Saturday's features is the Ayr Gold Cup; the Morning Line guest, advertised in advance, is the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP. Forget the politics, Alex Salmond rates an entertainment in his own right and ranks high on a list of people I'd care to have dinner with. I shall rise early in time for next Saturday's scheduled transmission.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Odds 'n' ends...
The stewards' inquiry following Midday's victory in yesterday's Nassau was the first to be televised live on British television; jockey Tom Queally incurred a two day ban for careless riding after his mount and Stacelita came close together about 100 yards from the line.
Goodwood may well have been glorious but issues surrounding the sport's funding continue to rumble on in the background; earlier in the week William Hill announced it is to move its telephone betting operation to Gibraltar in order to benefit from significant tax advantages. Victor Chandler (who, I think, led the move to Gibraltar several years ago) then chipped in with a commitment to pay levy on his offshore operations if the betting exchanges were to be taxed in a similar manner to traditional layers. Chandler may have extended his shirt sponsorship deal with Championship side Nottingham Forest but is on record as saying that racing is the only sport he deals with where 'revenues are declining'. In a similar vein, from the Mintel report on Betting Shops - UK - August 2009: ''In 2008, FOBTs (Fixed Odds Bettng Terminals) became the first product to earn more for Ladbrokes than horse racing in the company’s entire 122-year existence."
A gentle reminder - don't forget to tune in to Channel 4 at 9.00pm this Thursday 5th August when Paul Fisher, Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club, takes his turn as The Undercover Boss.
Finally, the best tip(ple) of the week... Champagne Louis Chaurey Brut at Marks & Spencer - reduced from £30 to £15 a bottle. Light, fresh, with pineapple and biscuit overtones - I've just sent Mrs Tips out to get another bottle.
Goodwood may well have been glorious but issues surrounding the sport's funding continue to rumble on in the background; earlier in the week William Hill announced it is to move its telephone betting operation to Gibraltar in order to benefit from significant tax advantages. Victor Chandler (who, I think, led the move to Gibraltar several years ago) then chipped in with a commitment to pay levy on his offshore operations if the betting exchanges were to be taxed in a similar manner to traditional layers. Chandler may have extended his shirt sponsorship deal with Championship side Nottingham Forest but is on record as saying that racing is the only sport he deals with where 'revenues are declining'. In a similar vein, from the Mintel report on Betting Shops - UK - August 2009: ''In 2008, FOBTs (Fixed Odds Bettng Terminals) became the first product to earn more for Ladbrokes than horse racing in the company’s entire 122-year existence."
A gentle reminder - don't forget to tune in to Channel 4 at 9.00pm this Thursday 5th August when Paul Fisher, Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club, takes his turn as The Undercover Boss.
Finally, the best tip(ple) of the week... Champagne Louis Chaurey Brut at Marks & Spencer - reduced from £30 to £15 a bottle. Light, fresh, with pineapple and biscuit overtones - I've just sent Mrs Tips out to get another bottle.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Some short snippets...
Harry Findlay's successful appeal on Wednesday has received plenty of press coverage this week - Greg Wood argued for a change in the BHA rule book in Friday's Guardian. Meanwhile the exchange operator Findlay used to lay his own horses, Betfair, appears to be considering a stock market flotation in the autumn which could value the group in the region of £1.5 billion. Saturday's Times reported that the two founders, Ed Wray and Andrew 'Bert' Black, will share a paper fortune of £375 million if the float goes ahead. Betfair is the world's biggest betting exchange with over three million customers in 140 different countries.
In future 'Bert' Black is likely to pump some of that money into Manor House Stables where Tom Dascombe trains a number of horses for Michael Owen. However it was trainer Tim Vaughan who provided Owen with his first double as an owner when Paddy Partridge and Holoko Heights took the opening two races on the card at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.
It looks as though trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies intends to try and keep the Plates spinning. Grand Slam Hero won the Summer Plate at Market Rasen yesterday and connections have indicated they now have the Galway Plate on July 28th in their sights. Bet365 still offer 16/1 this evening but William Hill go 10/1.
In the world of golf, congratulations go to the new Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen. Mrs Tips reports Clare Balding saying on radio a racing acquaintance of hers had backed the winner at odds of 480/1. I wonder who that might be...
Finally, a quip from Johnny Vegas in a 60 seconds interview that appeared in a recent edition of Star magazine. Asked if he'd ever cheated on anyone, Vegas replied: "I have never cheated on anyone, certainly not in a relationship. I cheated on my dad when I said I put bet on for him, but I kept the money. That was 20 years ago." Of course, had the horse come in, he could simply have gone back to his father and handed over the stake, saying he forgot to put the bet on. Such an honest gesture from one so young may well have prevented the probable parental thrashing that loomed ahead. However, if the young Vegas had already spent his dad's stake money on several bags of sweets, then the only sensible course of action would have been to stuff an old exercise book down the back of his pants. Ah, the good old days - where did it all go wrong?
In future 'Bert' Black is likely to pump some of that money into Manor House Stables where Tom Dascombe trains a number of horses for Michael Owen. However it was trainer Tim Vaughan who provided Owen with his first double as an owner when Paddy Partridge and Holoko Heights took the opening two races on the card at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.
It looks as though trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies intends to try and keep the Plates spinning. Grand Slam Hero won the Summer Plate at Market Rasen yesterday and connections have indicated they now have the Galway Plate on July 28th in their sights. Bet365 still offer 16/1 this evening but William Hill go 10/1.
In the world of golf, congratulations go to the new Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen. Mrs Tips reports Clare Balding saying on radio a racing acquaintance of hers had backed the winner at odds of 480/1. I wonder who that might be...
Finally, a quip from Johnny Vegas in a 60 seconds interview that appeared in a recent edition of Star magazine. Asked if he'd ever cheated on anyone, Vegas replied: "I have never cheated on anyone, certainly not in a relationship. I cheated on my dad when I said I put bet on for him, but I kept the money. That was 20 years ago." Of course, had the horse come in, he could simply have gone back to his father and handed over the stake, saying he forgot to put the bet on. Such an honest gesture from one so young may well have prevented the probable parental thrashing that loomed ahead. However, if the young Vegas had already spent his dad's stake money on several bags of sweets, then the only sensible course of action would have been to stuff an old exercise book down the back of his pants. Ah, the good old days - where did it all go wrong?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
An Aintree 2010 analysis
The 163rd running of the Grand National will surely become known as 'McCoy's National', the champion jockey winning the great race at the 15th time of asking on the J P McManus owned Don't Push It. Given everything the man has achieved in the sport, I never really subscribed to the view that a win in this race was a necessity, an omission on the curriculum vitae, but clearly others did. Tony McCoy deserves every success. There are likely to be quotes aplenty in the coming days - I prefer to refer to a selection made on a wet Monday afternoon at Plumpton in February 2009 when he rode his 3,000th winner. The man's dedication was highlighted again earlier today when he rode Aberdale to victory in a humble Class 5 maiden hurdle at Southwell. Tony McCoy - we salute you.
Three weeks in the life of 17 year old jockey Mr Sam Twiston-Davies:
Friday 19th March 15:27 - father trains Imperial Commander to win Cheltenham Gold Cup;
Friday 19th March 16:08 - make all aboard Baby Run to win Christie's Foxhunter Chase;
Sat 20th March - Friday 9th April - take some more rides while studying for 'A' levels;
Sat 10th April - race prominently on Hello Bud in first National before fading two out to finish fifth.
Of course, a jockey's life is about lows as well as highs... Best wishes to Ruby Walsh who suffered a broken arm when falling from Celestial Halo in the Aintree Hurdle. Ruby missed his ride in the National on 10/1 joint favourite Big Fella Thanks; Barry Geraghty proved a more than able substitute, bringing the Findlay / Barber owned gelding home to take fourth spot.
Spare a thought too for Paul Carberry who struggled valiantly to get 28/1 shot King John's Castle to take part. The horse was having none of it - the tapes went up and the beast refused point blank to take one step forward. As they raced away and the TV camera cut back to the distinctive white horse standing in splendid isolation surveying all before him, there was something strangely magnificent about it all... Having said that, I doubt the punters who invested their hard-earned on the animal would see it in quite the same light.
Several will argue that racing had to play second fiddle to the ladies' outfits on Friday, Ladies' Day. Judge for yourselves with the Daily Telegraph's interesting selection of photographs published, no doubt, for your delectation. Coleen Rooney announced that the style contest winner was... Sophie Fairclough from Formby.
At this juncture, I thought I'd share with you the tale of a small time punter on Grand National day. As a family we arrived home from a few days' holiday Saturday dinner time; I was quickly dispatched to the local High Street to place selected shrapnel bets. Having diligently secured 20/1 with Betfred about Don't Push It for Mrs Tips, I walked into a William Hill shop where the TV screen displayed Big Fella Thanks - my daughter's selection - going out from 10/1 to 11/1. I decided to take the price. Walking away from the counter, I noted that the price on the ticket was recorded as 10/1, so I queried this with a William Hill assistant who was there supposedly to help punters such as myself. The conversation went something like this...
PG: I've just bet Big Fella Thanks. It's showing 11/1 on screen but I've just been given 10s.
William Hill Assistant (WHa): Ah, but when did you place the bet?
PG: Now, I've just done it.
WHa: Price must have changed as you placed the bet.
PG: It hasn't. TV was showing 11s when I made the bet.
WHa: Yes, but it's changed.
PG: So why isn't the screen showing 10s now?
WHa: It was, you've placed the bet and now it's 11s.
PG: No, it was 11s when I placed it.
WHa: Impossible - can't happen, mate.
PG: It was, I assure you.
WHa: Can't happen.
PG: It did, I assure you.
[repeat several times]
WHa:(eventually) Hang on, I'll check...
Five minutes later, WHa confirms I'm correct. I now have to wait to talk to the William Hill manager man (WHmm). Another five minutes passes and I'm then invited to tell this sorry tale to WHmm. I give him a polite resume of the above but make the silly mistake of saying '..it's marked up at 11s and you've given me 10s.' WHmm opts for the confrontational approach and replies, in a decidedly antagonistic manner, 'Hold on a minute, mate, I haven't given you anything! The machine has given you 10s, not me! If there's any query, the company is going to start talking about problems with the software and...' I wait another three or four minutes and WHmm eventually agrees 11/1 my £1 each-way wager. Such is the standard of customer care in a High Street bookmaking establishment on a Saturday afternoon.
And finally... This time last year I thought I'd hit my all-time punting low when the mother-in-law phoned to tell me she'd bet the 100/1 Grand National winner Mon Mome - that took some coming to terms with, but I was getting there, slowly. However all that was before Mrs Tips went and picked this year's winner. I'm seriously thinking of giving it all up...
Three weeks in the life of 17 year old jockey Mr Sam Twiston-Davies:
Friday 19th March 15:27 - father trains Imperial Commander to win Cheltenham Gold Cup;
Friday 19th March 16:08 - make all aboard Baby Run to win Christie's Foxhunter Chase;
Sat 20th March - Friday 9th April - take some more rides while studying for 'A' levels;
Sat 10th April - race prominently on Hello Bud in first National before fading two out to finish fifth.
Of course, a jockey's life is about lows as well as highs... Best wishes to Ruby Walsh who suffered a broken arm when falling from Celestial Halo in the Aintree Hurdle. Ruby missed his ride in the National on 10/1 joint favourite Big Fella Thanks; Barry Geraghty proved a more than able substitute, bringing the Findlay / Barber owned gelding home to take fourth spot.
Spare a thought too for Paul Carberry who struggled valiantly to get 28/1 shot King John's Castle to take part. The horse was having none of it - the tapes went up and the beast refused point blank to take one step forward. As they raced away and the TV camera cut back to the distinctive white horse standing in splendid isolation surveying all before him, there was something strangely magnificent about it all... Having said that, I doubt the punters who invested their hard-earned on the animal would see it in quite the same light.
Several will argue that racing had to play second fiddle to the ladies' outfits on Friday, Ladies' Day. Judge for yourselves with the Daily Telegraph's interesting selection of photographs published, no doubt, for your delectation. Coleen Rooney announced that the style contest winner was... Sophie Fairclough from Formby.
At this juncture, I thought I'd share with you the tale of a small time punter on Grand National day. As a family we arrived home from a few days' holiday Saturday dinner time; I was quickly dispatched to the local High Street to place selected shrapnel bets. Having diligently secured 20/1 with Betfred about Don't Push It for Mrs Tips, I walked into a William Hill shop where the TV screen displayed Big Fella Thanks - my daughter's selection - going out from 10/1 to 11/1. I decided to take the price. Walking away from the counter, I noted that the price on the ticket was recorded as 10/1, so I queried this with a William Hill assistant who was there supposedly to help punters such as myself. The conversation went something like this...
PG: I've just bet Big Fella Thanks. It's showing 11/1 on screen but I've just been given 10s.
William Hill Assistant (WHa): Ah, but when did you place the bet?
PG: Now, I've just done it.
WHa: Price must have changed as you placed the bet.
PG: It hasn't. TV was showing 11s when I made the bet.
WHa: Yes, but it's changed.
PG: So why isn't the screen showing 10s now?
WHa: It was, you've placed the bet and now it's 11s.
PG: No, it was 11s when I placed it.
WHa: Impossible - can't happen, mate.
PG: It was, I assure you.
WHa: Can't happen.
PG: It did, I assure you.
[repeat several times]
WHa:(eventually) Hang on, I'll check...
Five minutes later, WHa confirms I'm correct. I now have to wait to talk to the William Hill manager man (WHmm). Another five minutes passes and I'm then invited to tell this sorry tale to WHmm. I give him a polite resume of the above but make the silly mistake of saying '..it's marked up at 11s and you've given me 10s.' WHmm opts for the confrontational approach and replies, in a decidedly antagonistic manner, 'Hold on a minute, mate, I haven't given you anything! The machine has given you 10s, not me! If there's any query, the company is going to start talking about problems with the software and...' I wait another three or four minutes and WHmm eventually agrees 11/1 my £1 each-way wager. Such is the standard of customer care in a High Street bookmaking establishment on a Saturday afternoon.
And finally... This time last year I thought I'd hit my all-time punting low when the mother-in-law phoned to tell me she'd bet the 100/1 Grand National winner Mon Mome - that took some coming to terms with, but I was getting there, slowly. However all that was before Mrs Tips went and picked this year's winner. I'm seriously thinking of giving it all up...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Further Festival fallout...
Further Festival fallout noted recently... two articles by Ruby Walsh written for the Irish Examiner; in the first Ruby explains that Kauto Star's chance in the Gold Cup went with that mistake at the eighth while in the second the jockey questions the wisdom of marketing the Cheltenham showpiece as a two horse race.
Not to be outdone, Ruby's sister Katie gave an interview to the Irish Independent following her two wins at the Festival on Poker De Sivola in the National Hunt Chase and Thousand Stars in the County Hurdle.
Meanwhile on Friday The Guardian ran a piece that nominated the five unluckiest losers at the Festival - how many of your wagers qualified?
The celeb gossip website popbitch.com published an introductory guide to the Festival for those new to the racing experience. At one particular juncture the article states Denman's jockey is 'Rob Bryden, sorry, champion jockey AP (Tony) McCoy'. Mrs Tips comments: 'Rob needs to do a lot more wasting to get the real AP look.'
Earlier in the week there was fallout of a different type for Sky Sports presenter Chloe Everton who was ordered to take down her Twitter page after a number of her tweets were considered 'too racy' by TV station managers. Poor old Chloe - what's a girl to do these days? Just what she would have made of the five-year-old mare Big Knickers finishing third in the 5.30 at Plumpton on Monday evening is anybody's guess; the comments-in-running included 'held up towards rear'. I'm sure several racecourse commentators can't wait to include any of the following in future commentaries - Big Knickers pulled up / brought down; Big Knickers out the back struggling with a big weight; Big Knickers just held on; Big Knickers stayed on (up the hill); Big Knickers looking comfortable; Big Knickers squeezed for room; Big Knickers out with the washing etc, etc. Feel free to make up your own.
After all that I think I need a drink. Luckily, I know the just the place, pictured below...
Not to be outdone, Ruby's sister Katie gave an interview to the Irish Independent following her two wins at the Festival on Poker De Sivola in the National Hunt Chase and Thousand Stars in the County Hurdle.
Meanwhile on Friday The Guardian ran a piece that nominated the five unluckiest losers at the Festival - how many of your wagers qualified?
The celeb gossip website popbitch.com published an introductory guide to the Festival for those new to the racing experience. At one particular juncture the article states Denman's jockey is 'Rob Bryden, sorry, champion jockey AP (Tony) McCoy'. Mrs Tips comments: 'Rob needs to do a lot more wasting to get the real AP look.'
Earlier in the week there was fallout of a different type for Sky Sports presenter Chloe Everton who was ordered to take down her Twitter page after a number of her tweets were considered 'too racy' by TV station managers. Poor old Chloe - what's a girl to do these days? Just what she would have made of the five-year-old mare Big Knickers finishing third in the 5.30 at Plumpton on Monday evening is anybody's guess; the comments-in-running included 'held up towards rear'. I'm sure several racecourse commentators can't wait to include any of the following in future commentaries - Big Knickers pulled up / brought down; Big Knickers out the back struggling with a big weight; Big Knickers just held on; Big Knickers stayed on (up the hill); Big Knickers looking comfortable; Big Knickers squeezed for room; Big Knickers out with the washing etc, etc. Feel free to make up your own.
After all that I think I need a drink. Luckily, I know the just the place, pictured below...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
One small Valentine's Day massacre
I was cold-called by a computer software salesman on Friday morning.
Standard salesman practice dictates that, in the first instance, you should engage the potential customer in trivial anodyne conversation, thereby ensuring some form of engagement, before moving on to the business in hand, often referred to as 'the kill'. This salesman's opening gambit was along the lines of 'Doing anything nice for Valentine's Day?' That gave me the best belly laugh I've had this year.
The salesman, let's call him John, even though his real name was Pete, started to swap Valentine's Day notes with me, you know, the sort of you-can't-do-right-for-doing-wrong stuff; of course, I could only empathise. John told me that as he was about to walk out of the house yesterday morning, he heard his partner's voice coming from the bathroom - 'Think on!' she had cried. Just that and nothing else. Think on? What's that supposed to mean? You're immediately transported to that awkward bloke sort of situation from which there's no escape. You want to do the right thing but you're doomed; you may have had your own ideas but all of a sudden you're riddled with doubt - you don't know what to do for the best.
This year, unusually, I was ahead of myself and had managed to procure a reasonable card and thought of a gift all on my own for the first time in over twenty years. So, feeling confident, whilst supping a glass of wine on the Friday evening I told Mrs Tips the salesman story. Next day in town Mrs T spots something, comes up to me and says in that knowing way of hers... 'Think on!'
Needless to say, I did 'a Denman' and messed up, big time. And as if all that wasn't bad enough, Mrs T had told me on Saturday morning that Tricky Trickster was gong to win the Aon 'because it's a good name and I like Ruby Walsh'.
Still, it's a bit too early to totally write off Denman just yet...
Standard salesman practice dictates that, in the first instance, you should engage the potential customer in trivial anodyne conversation, thereby ensuring some form of engagement, before moving on to the business in hand, often referred to as 'the kill'. This salesman's opening gambit was along the lines of 'Doing anything nice for Valentine's Day?' That gave me the best belly laugh I've had this year.
The salesman, let's call him John, even though his real name was Pete, started to swap Valentine's Day notes with me, you know, the sort of you-can't-do-right-for-doing-wrong stuff; of course, I could only empathise. John told me that as he was about to walk out of the house yesterday morning, he heard his partner's voice coming from the bathroom - 'Think on!' she had cried. Just that and nothing else. Think on? What's that supposed to mean? You're immediately transported to that awkward bloke sort of situation from which there's no escape. You want to do the right thing but you're doomed; you may have had your own ideas but all of a sudden you're riddled with doubt - you don't know what to do for the best.
This year, unusually, I was ahead of myself and had managed to procure a reasonable card and thought of a gift all on my own for the first time in over twenty years. So, feeling confident, whilst supping a glass of wine on the Friday evening I told Mrs Tips the salesman story. Next day in town Mrs T spots something, comes up to me and says in that knowing way of hers... 'Think on!'
Needless to say, I did 'a Denman' and messed up, big time. And as if all that wasn't bad enough, Mrs T had told me on Saturday morning that Tricky Trickster was gong to win the Aon 'because it's a good name and I like Ruby Walsh'.
Still, it's a bit too early to totally write off Denman just yet...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Weekend notes
Big Zeb bounced back to form to take the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown earlier today; the trainer feels he has now sorted a problem the horse had with ringbone on his off-fore. This evening Ladbrokes bet 7/1 Colm Murphy's charge for the Champion Chase.
The abandonment of Doncaster yesterday meant that Nicky Henderson's Mad Max missed his intended engagement while Henrietta Knight's Somersby is likely to be re-routed to Doncaster next Saturday after Hereford was called off earlier today. One name missing from the list of runners in Saturday's Cleeve Hurdle was Karabak - Alan King's charge scoped dirty and as a result was kept at home in his box.
Paul Nicholls rightly took the plaudits for bringing Taranis back from a long layoff to win the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday. However, over the past couple of days a number of his more fancied chances have failed to deliver - both Tataniano (2/11f) and Aiteen Thirtythree (7/4f) were turned over at Newbury on Friday while Pistolet Noir (8/15f) and Royal Charm (5/4f) disappointed at the Festival Trials Day.
Well done to fellow blogger Ben Aitken whose book 'Narrowing The Field: Using The Dosage Method to Win at National Hunt Racing' received a favourable review in the Racing Post before Christmas but reached another level with a review in last Sunday's Observer. Perhaps now is the time to invest in a copy with just six short weeks before the Cheltenham Festival.
Tennis correspondent Mrs Tips' verdict on the Australian men's final: Federer awesome, Murray work in progress.
One footballing item - a Lee Dixon comment overheard in today's radio coverage of the Arsenal v. Manchester United game: 'It's hard enough staying on your feet when you're playing against Rooney, but if you're going to fall over, you're giving yourself a mountain to climb.' I'm not certain I know what he was trying to say there...
Finally a recent tweet from @Huntingdonraces suggested we ditch flowers and chocs for Valentine's Day and take a loved one racing instead. I tried that before but Mrs Tips was singularly unimpressed. Here's an alternative suggestion - ditch the loved one for the afternoon and go racing on your own - much more fun!
The abandonment of Doncaster yesterday meant that Nicky Henderson's Mad Max missed his intended engagement while Henrietta Knight's Somersby is likely to be re-routed to Doncaster next Saturday after Hereford was called off earlier today. One name missing from the list of runners in Saturday's Cleeve Hurdle was Karabak - Alan King's charge scoped dirty and as a result was kept at home in his box.
Paul Nicholls rightly took the plaudits for bringing Taranis back from a long layoff to win the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday. However, over the past couple of days a number of his more fancied chances have failed to deliver - both Tataniano (2/11f) and Aiteen Thirtythree (7/4f) were turned over at Newbury on Friday while Pistolet Noir (8/15f) and Royal Charm (5/4f) disappointed at the Festival Trials Day.
Well done to fellow blogger Ben Aitken whose book 'Narrowing The Field: Using The Dosage Method to Win at National Hunt Racing' received a favourable review in the Racing Post before Christmas but reached another level with a review in last Sunday's Observer. Perhaps now is the time to invest in a copy with just six short weeks before the Cheltenham Festival.
Tennis correspondent Mrs Tips' verdict on the Australian men's final: Federer awesome, Murray work in progress.
One footballing item - a Lee Dixon comment overheard in today's radio coverage of the Arsenal v. Manchester United game: 'It's hard enough staying on your feet when you're playing against Rooney, but if you're going to fall over, you're giving yourself a mountain to climb.' I'm not certain I know what he was trying to say there...
Finally a recent tweet from @Huntingdonraces suggested we ditch flowers and chocs for Valentine's Day and take a loved one racing instead. I tried that before but Mrs Tips was singularly unimpressed. Here's an alternative suggestion - ditch the loved one for the afternoon and go racing on your own - much more fun!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The weekend debrief
I've watched the finish to yesterday's Betfair Chase several times - every time I think Imperial Commander wins!
Other notable performances this weekend included Diamond Harry carrying top weight to victory in the three mile one furlong fixed brush hurdle at Haydock and Zaynar displaying a rare turn of foot to take the Coral Ascot Hurdle. Earlier today Vic Venturi was another to carry top weight to victory on soft ground, winning the Becher Handicap Chase despite an alarming drift to 7/1 in the market. Dessie Hughes' charge asserted after the last to win by five lengths and is now a 20/1 chance with Paddy Power for the Grand National next spring.
Franchoek's chasing debut at Huntingdon was far more low key; he found very little at the business end of the race and came home thirteen lengths behind the other 11/10 joint favourite Bergo.
I thought Santa's Son ran a decent enough race behind Fix The Rib in Saturday's Carey Group Handicap Chase at Ascot. Howard Johnson's inmate was prominent for much of the way before fading into sixth, occasionally jumping to his left; that leads me to think he's better going the other way around, and probably with more cut in the ground. He won the Castleford Chase at Wetherby last year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see connections target the same race this Christmas.
What's Peter Scudamore up to these days? Well, he's assistant to Lucinda Russell 'whom he first met three years ago. They became a couple not long afterwards...' reports Martin Hannan of the Scotland On Sunday newspaper. Hannan's interesting profile points out that Russell is currently Scotland's top NH trainer. The article highlights the chances of two horses in particular, Silver By Nature and Etxalar who 'may be good enough for the Cheltenham Festival'.
How are Wrexham playing these days? Well, not particularly well actually, but the club is making headlines as it prepares to share its Racecourse Ground with Newport-based rugby league team Crusaders who are experiencing financial difficulties.
On Saturday viewers of The Morning Line were encouraged to email in names for 'the best jockey never to be champion'. There were plenty of worthy suggestions but not one mention of the first name that came into my mind - Richard Johnson.
Finally, with Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd nonchalantly ask Mrs Tips what she wanted during one of the many commercial breaks that litter Channel 4's coverage on a Saturday afternoon. Naturally I was expecting a modest request along the lines of chocolates or perfume following an appropriate delay while Mrs T. collected her thoughts, but her reply was out practically before I'd finished speaking. 'Sky TV, please!' Nonplussed, I stuttered something incomprehensible before she added, 'For the tennis!' Sorry I asked - I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that they're going to switch off analogue Teletext in the near future...
Other notable performances this weekend included Diamond Harry carrying top weight to victory in the three mile one furlong fixed brush hurdle at Haydock and Zaynar displaying a rare turn of foot to take the Coral Ascot Hurdle. Earlier today Vic Venturi was another to carry top weight to victory on soft ground, winning the Becher Handicap Chase despite an alarming drift to 7/1 in the market. Dessie Hughes' charge asserted after the last to win by five lengths and is now a 20/1 chance with Paddy Power for the Grand National next spring.
Franchoek's chasing debut at Huntingdon was far more low key; he found very little at the business end of the race and came home thirteen lengths behind the other 11/10 joint favourite Bergo.
I thought Santa's Son ran a decent enough race behind Fix The Rib in Saturday's Carey Group Handicap Chase at Ascot. Howard Johnson's inmate was prominent for much of the way before fading into sixth, occasionally jumping to his left; that leads me to think he's better going the other way around, and probably with more cut in the ground. He won the Castleford Chase at Wetherby last year, and I wouldn't be surprised to see connections target the same race this Christmas.
What's Peter Scudamore up to these days? Well, he's assistant to Lucinda Russell 'whom he first met three years ago. They became a couple not long afterwards...' reports Martin Hannan of the Scotland On Sunday newspaper. Hannan's interesting profile points out that Russell is currently Scotland's top NH trainer. The article highlights the chances of two horses in particular, Silver By Nature and Etxalar who 'may be good enough for the Cheltenham Festival'.
How are Wrexham playing these days? Well, not particularly well actually, but the club is making headlines as it prepares to share its Racecourse Ground with Newport-based rugby league team Crusaders who are experiencing financial difficulties.
On Saturday viewers of The Morning Line were encouraged to email in names for 'the best jockey never to be champion'. There were plenty of worthy suggestions but not one mention of the first name that came into my mind - Richard Johnson.
Finally, with Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd nonchalantly ask Mrs Tips what she wanted during one of the many commercial breaks that litter Channel 4's coverage on a Saturday afternoon. Naturally I was expecting a modest request along the lines of chocolates or perfume following an appropriate delay while Mrs T. collected her thoughts, but her reply was out practically before I'd finished speaking. 'Sky TV, please!' Nonplussed, I stuttered something incomprehensible before she added, 'For the tennis!' Sorry I asked - I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that they're going to switch off analogue Teletext in the near future...
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Noted this weekend
The two star performances over the weekend were St Nicholas Abbey winning the Racing Post Trophy and over in Ireland Dunguib taking the maiden hurdle at Galway. This evening St Nicholas Abbey is generally 3/1 and 7/2 for next year's 2000 Guineas and 3/1 for the Derby, but Stan James go as short as 2/1. Dunguib is generally a 5/2 shot for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.
Paul Nicholls may have come away from Chepstow without a winner yesterday but it was no surprise to see his Pepe Simo (5/2) take the Paul Nicholls Racing 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton today, beating the 13/8 favourite Henry King a length and a quarter.
During the BBC's coverage from Aintree on Saturday Clare Balding mentioned the John Smith's marketing campaign which is set to offer drinkers a share in the people's racehorse, a three-year-old called Smithy. Viewers were encouraged to check the John Smith's website for details. I've just had a quick peek - there are 'bogof' offers to several interesting meets but finding details of Smithy wasn't easy. An article from Marketing informed us we can register our interest from January 2010, and it was that article that pointed me in the direction of the link to Smithy's Yard, Home of the People's Racehorse.
With Christmas creeping ever closer, two more books of interest - Marcus Armytage offers some frivolous racing tales in 'Turn Me On Guv: 'Tails' from the Racecourse', while those looking for something a little more serious may want to consider fellow blogger Ben Aitken's 'Narrowing The Field - Using the Dosage Method to Win at National Hunt Racing', available from the High Stakes bookshop.
Several acquaintances have been quick to tell me about Wrexham's indifferent start in the Blue Square Premiership this season. Mrs Tips, ever the helpful one, suggested the club sent a scout to run his eye over some dolphins who were filmed off the north Wales coast, playing football with jellyfish... Staying with the football theme, I had to smile at the commentator's introduction to the Chelsea versus Blackburn Rovers match on Match Of The Day last night. "If football was played on paper," he boomed, "we would win the pools every week!" Doesn't sound a bad idea to me.
Finally, spare a thought for amateur rider Victoria Cartmel who made history yesterday by becoming the first jockey to be banned for misuse of the whip and dropping her hands in the same race, the finale at Newbury yesterday. Sometimes, you just can't do right for doing wrong...
Paul Nicholls may have come away from Chepstow without a winner yesterday but it was no surprise to see his Pepe Simo (5/2) take the Paul Nicholls Racing 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton today, beating the 13/8 favourite Henry King a length and a quarter.
During the BBC's coverage from Aintree on Saturday Clare Balding mentioned the John Smith's marketing campaign which is set to offer drinkers a share in the people's racehorse, a three-year-old called Smithy. Viewers were encouraged to check the John Smith's website for details. I've just had a quick peek - there are 'bogof' offers to several interesting meets but finding details of Smithy wasn't easy. An article from Marketing informed us we can register our interest from January 2010, and it was that article that pointed me in the direction of the link to Smithy's Yard, Home of the People's Racehorse.
With Christmas creeping ever closer, two more books of interest - Marcus Armytage offers some frivolous racing tales in 'Turn Me On Guv: 'Tails' from the Racecourse', while those looking for something a little more serious may want to consider fellow blogger Ben Aitken's 'Narrowing The Field - Using the Dosage Method to Win at National Hunt Racing', available from the High Stakes bookshop.
Several acquaintances have been quick to tell me about Wrexham's indifferent start in the Blue Square Premiership this season. Mrs Tips, ever the helpful one, suggested the club sent a scout to run his eye over some dolphins who were filmed off the north Wales coast, playing football with jellyfish... Staying with the football theme, I had to smile at the commentator's introduction to the Chelsea versus Blackburn Rovers match on Match Of The Day last night. "If football was played on paper," he boomed, "we would win the pools every week!" Doesn't sound a bad idea to me.
Finally, spare a thought for amateur rider Victoria Cartmel who made history yesterday by becoming the first jockey to be banned for misuse of the whip and dropping her hands in the same race, the finale at Newbury yesterday. Sometimes, you just can't do right for doing wrong...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Looking ahead
This is my favourite time of year - the leaves on the trees are changing colour, there's a nip in the early morning air and ever so slowly the National Hunt season is beginning to take shape. If anticipation is (more than) half the excitement of racing, then this is a time of excitement and anticipation. There was no jump racing last week but Perth holds its two-day meeting on Wedensday and Thursday (a meeting the Twiston-Davies stable regularly targets), Worcester race on Friday and then Market Rasen holds its two-day meeting over the forthcoming weekend. Of course, the big meeting on Saturday takes place at Ascot where the feature race will be the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes; a work colleague is going and has asked me for a few pointers - he really should know better. Last year I did promise myself I'd get to Ludlow's first jumps meeting (Thursday October 15th) but events have overtaken me and I don't think it's going to happen. As they say - the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Overheard comment from Mrs Tips while watching Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff during last night's Strictly Come Dancing: 'It looks as though she is trying to dance with a wardrobe.' In my time I've turned a few heads on the disco dancefloors of the country for the completely wrong reasons, but even I could see what Mrs T. meant. Before Joe had set foot on the dancefloor, he was the bookmakers favourite for this year's title; Betfred are currently offering 33/1.
Finally Guinness celebrates its 250th birthday on Thursday 24th September; I shall partake of the odd pint (or two) - it would be downright rude not to!
Overheard comment from Mrs Tips while watching Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff during last night's Strictly Come Dancing: 'It looks as though she is trying to dance with a wardrobe.' In my time I've turned a few heads on the disco dancefloors of the country for the completely wrong reasons, but even I could see what Mrs T. meant. Before Joe had set foot on the dancefloor, he was the bookmakers favourite for this year's title; Betfred are currently offering 33/1.
Finally Guinness celebrates its 250th birthday on Thursday 24th September; I shall partake of the odd pint (or two) - it would be downright rude not to!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Weighed in
The Glorious Goodwood meeting starts on Tuesday, with the Betfair Cup and the Gordon Stakes highlights on the opening day. Other races to look forward to include the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday, the two mile Goodwood Cup on Thursday, the Richmond Stakes on Friday while Saturday's features are the Nassau Stakes and the Stewards' Cup. A word to the wise - this isn't a meeting I've done particularly well at over the years.
Earlier in the week there was something of a shock when the Daily Mail reported that Michael Owen, currently on tour with Manchester United in the Far East, had sacked his trainer Nicky Vaughan. Now you can't help but feel some sympathy for Vaughan - the horses have the virus and you wake up one morning to be told by Owen's mother, Jeanette, that you've just joined the growing ranks of the unemployed. Reading between the lines, I don't think Mr Vaughan was particularly impressed with his treatment either... 'I haven't spoken to Michael, everything has been done by his mother. Working with high-profile people, these things are always likely to happen.' Mr Owen didn't appear to waste any time in arranging a replacement - the very next day both the Daily Mail and the Guardian reported that Tom Dascombe was set to take over the reins at the Cheshire stables, with financial backing coming from Betfair co-founder Andrew 'Bert' Black.
On the same day the Guardian also ran a story confirming that the BHA is investigating the running of Paul Nicholls' Predateur in a novice chase at Huntingdon on May 6th. Ridden by Christian Williams on this occasion, the horse, sent off second favourite in a field of four, went from 'every chance on bit 2 out' to 'ridden and found little' rather quickly. A trawl through his recent form would suggest this wasn't necessarily the first time this has happened.
Those of you who use the Racing Post website will know all about the recent introduction of charges for their Members' Club. I haven't subscribed and the other day, very helpfully, the Racing Post sent me an email pointing out the error of my ways. The mail lists the areas of the site I won't be able to access (thank you for that) unless I subscribe at a cost of £7.50 per month or 25p a day - 'that costs less than a third of a loaf of bread a day'. Now, I know what you're wondering - what's the price of a loaf of bread? Well, the loaf of bread the Racing Post has used for its comparison is the Hovis Wholemeal Thick (800g) from Sainsbury's which was on sale at £1.24 in June (but is actually reduced at the moment to £1). The mail finishes 'Use your loaf and make more dough. Keep in the know.' Lines like that - they're enough to make a grown man cry.
Finally, Mrs Tips spotted a potential bet in a snippet from Saturday's Times. Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have recently celebrated the birth of their twin daughters, Charlene Riva and Myla Rose. 'Bookmakers are offering 100-1 on either twin winning Wimbledon.' That has to be worth a tenner of anyone's money, doesn't it?
Earlier in the week there was something of a shock when the Daily Mail reported that Michael Owen, currently on tour with Manchester United in the Far East, had sacked his trainer Nicky Vaughan. Now you can't help but feel some sympathy for Vaughan - the horses have the virus and you wake up one morning to be told by Owen's mother, Jeanette, that you've just joined the growing ranks of the unemployed. Reading between the lines, I don't think Mr Vaughan was particularly impressed with his treatment either... 'I haven't spoken to Michael, everything has been done by his mother. Working with high-profile people, these things are always likely to happen.' Mr Owen didn't appear to waste any time in arranging a replacement - the very next day both the Daily Mail and the Guardian reported that Tom Dascombe was set to take over the reins at the Cheshire stables, with financial backing coming from Betfair co-founder Andrew 'Bert' Black.
On the same day the Guardian also ran a story confirming that the BHA is investigating the running of Paul Nicholls' Predateur in a novice chase at Huntingdon on May 6th. Ridden by Christian Williams on this occasion, the horse, sent off second favourite in a field of four, went from 'every chance on bit 2 out' to 'ridden and found little' rather quickly. A trawl through his recent form would suggest this wasn't necessarily the first time this has happened.
Those of you who use the Racing Post website will know all about the recent introduction of charges for their Members' Club. I haven't subscribed and the other day, very helpfully, the Racing Post sent me an email pointing out the error of my ways. The mail lists the areas of the site I won't be able to access (thank you for that) unless I subscribe at a cost of £7.50 per month or 25p a day - 'that costs less than a third of a loaf of bread a day'. Now, I know what you're wondering - what's the price of a loaf of bread? Well, the loaf of bread the Racing Post has used for its comparison is the Hovis Wholemeal Thick (800g) from Sainsbury's which was on sale at £1.24 in June (but is actually reduced at the moment to £1). The mail finishes 'Use your loaf and make more dough. Keep in the know.' Lines like that - they're enough to make a grown man cry.
Finally, Mrs Tips spotted a potential bet in a snippet from Saturday's Times. Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have recently celebrated the birth of their twin daughters, Charlene Riva and Myla Rose. 'Bookmakers are offering 100-1 on either twin winning Wimbledon.' That has to be worth a tenner of anyone's money, doesn't it?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Royal Ascot reviewed
A splendid meeting this year with the highlights including Canford Cliffs' sensational six length victory in the six furlong Coventry Stakes, Jealous Again's five length victory in the five furlong Queen Mary Stakes and Ghanaati thrashing some classy-looking rivals in the Coronation Stakes. The one exceptional performance was Yeats becoming the first horse ever to win a fourth Ascot Gold Cup - that will certainly live long in the memory.
On the punting front three winners from twelve wagers gave me a strike rate of 25% but I'm afraid the starting prices of the winners weren't big enough to ensure a profit - over the meeting I returned a loss of £2.67 to a £1 level stakes bet.
During the week I didn't catch an awful lot of the BBC's fashion coverage (thankfully) but on Saturday I did catch Rishi Persad coming on rather strongly to the racy Suzi Perry. Mr Persad commented 'You're hot, ' to Ms Perry and I don't think he was saying that just because the sun had made an appearance from behind the clouds. Mrs Tips, far more atuned to this sort of stuff than me, described his behaviour as 'serious flirting'. These days, one has to say, standards are slipping, aren't they? I'm sure I heard a character in 'Home And Away' use that line a couple of weeks ago...
Of course, while the great and the good go to the races, the big bad world keeps turning round. The scandal surrounding MPs' expenses fails to die down. The Daily Mail reports that amongst the many and varied expense submissions, Richard Spring, Member of Parliament for West Suffolk, claimed £39 for copies of the Racing Post 'necessary because Newmarket racecourse is in his constituency, he says.' Hmmmm...
I didn't see any televised racing on Friday as I went with my daughter to an open day held at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Now, I thought a conservatoire was a place double-glazing salesmen met to discuss strategy, security and safety-glass; I now know different. In the afternoon, while my daughter attended a workshop entitled 'Early Music & Historical Vocal Class' I went to the 'Jazz Jam Session' where a number of young, gifted musicians gave an impromptu concert that rates the best free event I've attended in a very long time - marvellous stuff. The date of the next open day is already in the diary...
On the punting front three winners from twelve wagers gave me a strike rate of 25% but I'm afraid the starting prices of the winners weren't big enough to ensure a profit - over the meeting I returned a loss of £2.67 to a £1 level stakes bet.
During the week I didn't catch an awful lot of the BBC's fashion coverage (thankfully) but on Saturday I did catch Rishi Persad coming on rather strongly to the racy Suzi Perry. Mr Persad commented 'You're hot, ' to Ms Perry and I don't think he was saying that just because the sun had made an appearance from behind the clouds. Mrs Tips, far more atuned to this sort of stuff than me, described his behaviour as 'serious flirting'. These days, one has to say, standards are slipping, aren't they? I'm sure I heard a character in 'Home And Away' use that line a couple of weeks ago...
Of course, while the great and the good go to the races, the big bad world keeps turning round. The scandal surrounding MPs' expenses fails to die down. The Daily Mail reports that amongst the many and varied expense submissions, Richard Spring, Member of Parliament for West Suffolk, claimed £39 for copies of the Racing Post 'necessary because Newmarket racecourse is in his constituency, he says.' Hmmmm...
I didn't see any televised racing on Friday as I went with my daughter to an open day held at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Now, I thought a conservatoire was a place double-glazing salesmen met to discuss strategy, security and safety-glass; I now know different. In the afternoon, while my daughter attended a workshop entitled 'Early Music & Historical Vocal Class' I went to the 'Jazz Jam Session' where a number of young, gifted musicians gave an impromptu concert that rates the best free event I've attended in a very long time - marvellous stuff. The date of the next open day is already in the diary...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The bottom drawer...
On Saturday the going at Newbury was described as soft while Ayr was on the fast side of good; for a moment I thought the two reports had been inadvertently mixed up! Hello Bud won the Scottish National in some style, managing to successfully make all over four miles. In that race Timmy Murphy was originally booked to ride Merigo, owned by his father-in-law, but the horse was withdrawn on account of the ground. Now I'm sure the thought must have crossed Timmy's mind that perhaps he'd managed to wriggle out of a potentially awkward situation there... None of it. Raymond Green, a big Rangers fan, had Timmy ride another of his runners, King Barry, named after the Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson. After recent events I'm sure Barry would have appreciated some decent publicity; King Barry did his best to oblige, running up with the pace for much of the race but he faded from five out, finishing a respectable seventh.
A week on the Flat - Fantasia wins the Nell Gwyn impressively, Brian Meehan's Delegator the Craven without breaking sweat. Mr Meehan must have thought he'd bagged the Fred Darling as well with Super Sleuth but Mick Channon's Lahaleeb claimed the spoils in the shadow of the post. Jim Bolger's Vocalised won the Greenham but looks likely to miss the Guineas.
My miserable existence has become that little bit more miserable with the news of the passing of Sir Clement Freud. There have been several tributes in the press. My two favourite Sir Clement stories are his managing to secure payment equal to the Prime Minister's (at that time) for appearing with Henry the basset hound when promoting Minced Morsels in a television advertising campaign, and his placing a bet of £1,000 on himself to win the Isle of Ely by-election in 1973 at the rather rewarding odds of 33/1.
With the Flat about to take centre stage, Mrs Tips has stated that one of my summer jobs is to read Eclipse by Nicholas Clee. I fully intend to do so (and write a comprehensive review to boot) but, as is the case with several married men I know, once my wife has told me to do something, I never quite get around to it...
Finally, it may have escaped your notice that on April 9th Kim Bailey's Max Bygraves won a novices' handicap hurdle at Ludlow. Rumours that the jockey, J M Maguire, dismounted and started his post-race debrief by saying 'I wanna tell ya a little sto-ry' are wide of the mark.
A week on the Flat - Fantasia wins the Nell Gwyn impressively, Brian Meehan's Delegator the Craven without breaking sweat. Mr Meehan must have thought he'd bagged the Fred Darling as well with Super Sleuth but Mick Channon's Lahaleeb claimed the spoils in the shadow of the post. Jim Bolger's Vocalised won the Greenham but looks likely to miss the Guineas.
My miserable existence has become that little bit more miserable with the news of the passing of Sir Clement Freud. There have been several tributes in the press. My two favourite Sir Clement stories are his managing to secure payment equal to the Prime Minister's (at that time) for appearing with Henry the basset hound when promoting Minced Morsels in a television advertising campaign, and his placing a bet of £1,000 on himself to win the Isle of Ely by-election in 1973 at the rather rewarding odds of 33/1.
With the Flat about to take centre stage, Mrs Tips has stated that one of my summer jobs is to read Eclipse by Nicholas Clee. I fully intend to do so (and write a comprehensive review to boot) but, as is the case with several married men I know, once my wife has told me to do something, I never quite get around to it...
Finally, it may have escaped your notice that on April 9th Kim Bailey's Max Bygraves won a novices' handicap hurdle at Ludlow. Rumours that the jockey, J M Maguire, dismounted and started his post-race debrief by saying 'I wanna tell ya a little sto-ry' are wide of the mark.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wedding day winners?
I have to go to a family wedding in Herefordshire tomorrow; as old age creeps up on me, in my mind I've found the terms Schadenfreude and weddings become ever more closely associated... What I tend to do on occasions such as this is go through the runners the night before, looking for names of horses with wedding day connotations and then, if asked, suggest to interested guests they bet those particular beasts. You won't be surprised to learn that over a ten year period the wedding day selections have performed much better than the selections I make using my normal methods. Mrs Tips and I have quickly perused tomorrow's runners at Doncaster and Kempton - Mrs T. likes Quiet Elegance, Bond Together, Grand Passion, Hearts Of Fire and Could It Be Magic while I much prefer Don't Panic, Against The Grain, Outrageous Request and Pullyourfingerout (those are the ones I was allowed to publish).
It's the first day of the Flat tomorrow. The highlight is the Lincoln at 3.55 which, as usual, has the look of a bookmakers' benefit. A decision on the participation of ante-post favourite Expresso Star is unlikely to be made before trainer John Gosden has walked the course. Earlier in the week the Racing Post informed us the layers were being kept awake at night worrying about this Expresso Star; now it's looking even money he'll run. I'm steering well clear.
It may be the opening day of the Flat but the big name jocks are riding at the Dubai World Cup fixture. If you fancy a flutter I recommend using Nick Mordin's analysis in the Weekender as a starting point; Nick is particularly bullish about Casino Drive and correspondingly negative about the opponents he faces in the Dubai World Cup due off at 5.30.
If I can find a betting shop in the local High Street, I'll cut away from the festivities for five minutes and stick a fiver on something at Uttoxeter or Lingfield. Tomorrow's meet at Uttoxeter is billed as 'Lambrini Classic Raceday' - make of that what you will - Scutch Mill gets the nod in the seller. Paul Nicholls is usually complimetary about his charges but this evening on Teletext he's not particularly complimentary about Predateur in the 3.45; I'll look to oppose the likely favourite, although making a case for any of the others looks hard work. The market says Sandhurst but Personal Column should handle the ground, has run in better class races and will offer some value against the front two.
Lodge Lane has been chalked up favourite for the 4.00 at Lingfield and would win if at his best but he's been nowhere near recently, pulling up on the last two occasions; connections try blinkers for the first time. Charlie Mann's Fair Point had a hard enough race in the Festival four miler so comes with reservations but makes more appeal than King Jack on his first outing over the larger obstacles. Quickbeam ran an awful race at Wincanton so I'll chance Lucy Wadham's Backbord to win my hotel bar expenses in what looks a rather trappy event.
It's the first day of the Flat tomorrow. The highlight is the Lincoln at 3.55 which, as usual, has the look of a bookmakers' benefit. A decision on the participation of ante-post favourite Expresso Star is unlikely to be made before trainer John Gosden has walked the course. Earlier in the week the Racing Post informed us the layers were being kept awake at night worrying about this Expresso Star; now it's looking even money he'll run. I'm steering well clear.
It may be the opening day of the Flat but the big name jocks are riding at the Dubai World Cup fixture. If you fancy a flutter I recommend using Nick Mordin's analysis in the Weekender as a starting point; Nick is particularly bullish about Casino Drive and correspondingly negative about the opponents he faces in the Dubai World Cup due off at 5.30.
If I can find a betting shop in the local High Street, I'll cut away from the festivities for five minutes and stick a fiver on something at Uttoxeter or Lingfield. Tomorrow's meet at Uttoxeter is billed as 'Lambrini Classic Raceday' - make of that what you will - Scutch Mill gets the nod in the seller. Paul Nicholls is usually complimetary about his charges but this evening on Teletext he's not particularly complimentary about Predateur in the 3.45; I'll look to oppose the likely favourite, although making a case for any of the others looks hard work. The market says Sandhurst but Personal Column should handle the ground, has run in better class races and will offer some value against the front two.
Lodge Lane has been chalked up favourite for the 4.00 at Lingfield and would win if at his best but he's been nowhere near recently, pulling up on the last two occasions; connections try blinkers for the first time. Charlie Mann's Fair Point had a hard enough race in the Festival four miler so comes with reservations but makes more appeal than King Jack on his first outing over the larger obstacles. Quickbeam ran an awful race at Wincanton so I'll chance Lucy Wadham's Backbord to win my hotel bar expenses in what looks a rather trappy event.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Weekend chit-chat
Philip Hobbs was the guest on Saturday's Morning Line and, as you'd expect, much of the talk centred around his Festival entries. He appeared quite keen on Snap Tie in the Champion Hurdle (provided the ground remained good) and put up Planet Of Sound in Tuesday's Arkle as his best chance of the week. Mike Cattermole highlights the same horse as one of his best bets in the Raceform Update Cheltenham Guide.
After masterminding a Liverpool victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, it was back to earth with a bump for Benitez on Saturday. At The Riverside Benitez, the Liverpool manager, saw his team beaten 2-0 by Middlesborough. At Kempton Park racecourse Benitez, the nine year old gelding, was sent off at 20/1, weakened up the home straight and was pulled up two out. It's interesting to note that the horse is owned by the Lord Helpus Partnership; Liverpool supporters, perhaps?
Spare a thought for four Chesterfield fans who travelled 150 miles down to Brentford expecting to see their team play on Saturday. The fans had misread the fixture list and were two weeks early - their team fought out a 1-1 home draw with Barnet, just around the corner from where the four unfortunate fans had started their journey!
My in-house tennis correspondent, Mrs Tips, informs me that at present Andy Murray would appear to be suffering from a mild form of glandular fever. Apparently Roger Federer suffered something similar last year which may have contributed to a loss of form. I mention this just in case you're thinking of backing Murray for the Men's Championships at Wimbledon in June...
Finally I'm indebted to Sandracer, editor of the excellent sandracer.com racing blog, for bringing to my attention two links that demonstrate perfectly the parsimony of our friends in the bookmaking industry. You may have followed the discussion in the comments under the 'Weymouth wagers win £1 million' post below, but if you never venture into such dark electronic places, here's a summary. Sandracer commented that he'd heard a bookmaking firm say they were around 30k down on the match in which Weymouth, fielding a teenage side, lost 9-0 to Rushden & Diamonds; I'd heard a figure of £100k quoted. All of which led us to agree that you can't always believe what a bookmaker tells you. Sandracer then goes on to recall how William Hill posted profits in the region of £64 million in 2007, two days or so after crying wolf when centenarian Alec Holden collected £25,000 having placed a £100 bet a decade previously that he would reach the ripe old age of 100. Here's William Hill representative Rupert Adams' reaction: "These age wagers are starting to cost us a fortune and from now on we are going to push out the age to 110." Marvellous stuff.
After masterminding a Liverpool victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, it was back to earth with a bump for Benitez on Saturday. At The Riverside Benitez, the Liverpool manager, saw his team beaten 2-0 by Middlesborough. At Kempton Park racecourse Benitez, the nine year old gelding, was sent off at 20/1, weakened up the home straight and was pulled up two out. It's interesting to note that the horse is owned by the Lord Helpus Partnership; Liverpool supporters, perhaps?
Spare a thought for four Chesterfield fans who travelled 150 miles down to Brentford expecting to see their team play on Saturday. The fans had misread the fixture list and were two weeks early - their team fought out a 1-1 home draw with Barnet, just around the corner from where the four unfortunate fans had started their journey!
My in-house tennis correspondent, Mrs Tips, informs me that at present Andy Murray would appear to be suffering from a mild form of glandular fever. Apparently Roger Federer suffered something similar last year which may have contributed to a loss of form. I mention this just in case you're thinking of backing Murray for the Men's Championships at Wimbledon in June...
Finally I'm indebted to Sandracer, editor of the excellent sandracer.com racing blog, for bringing to my attention two links that demonstrate perfectly the parsimony of our friends in the bookmaking industry. You may have followed the discussion in the comments under the 'Weymouth wagers win £1 million' post below, but if you never venture into such dark electronic places, here's a summary. Sandracer commented that he'd heard a bookmaking firm say they were around 30k down on the match in which Weymouth, fielding a teenage side, lost 9-0 to Rushden & Diamonds; I'd heard a figure of £100k quoted. All of which led us to agree that you can't always believe what a bookmaker tells you. Sandracer then goes on to recall how William Hill posted profits in the region of £64 million in 2007, two days or so after crying wolf when centenarian Alec Holden collected £25,000 having placed a £100 bet a decade previously that he would reach the ripe old age of 100. Here's William Hill representative Rupert Adams' reaction: "These age wagers are starting to cost us a fortune and from now on we are going to push out the age to 110." Marvellous stuff.
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