Happy New Year

Over the Christmas period I have been playing The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game with the family and jolly good fun it is too. By suggesting the game is played for real money, astute parents will give themselves a decent chance to 'win back' pocket money which offspring would otherwise only fritter away on non-essentials such as CDs, DVDs and iPod accessories.

Players accumulate cash either by winning races or by betting. In a two horse race earlier in the week, the horses were priced up at 6/1 and 33/1; I'm only allowed to bet one horse but I happen to be in control of one of the horses. There are no odds on shots and in a matter of forty minutes I had over £4 million in my hand. Why can't real horse racing be like this?

There are some disadvantages. Although admission is free, viewing can be limited (I was squashed up on the stool next to the TV) and the living room could do with a lick of paint. In addition the catering was uninspiring (cold turkey sandwiches or a call out to Papa John's pizza house).

Still, these are small tribulations set against a potential earnings rate that would embarrass any Premiership footballer; I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.

Boxing Day selection box

For those of you in the mood following your Christmas celebrations...

Huntingdon
12.15 Christdalo - ran in much hotter company last time; stable in form.

Kempton
1.10 Boychuk - trappy race but tough stayer; jumping concerns for Yes Sir and Knowhere.
1.45 Noble Request - conditions suit; Straw Bear vulnerable.
2.20 Kauto Star - unopposable.

Towcester
3.30 What A Buzz - big horse who was backed from 18/1 to 9/1 here last time and made brave attempt to win.

Wetherby
1.25 King Killone - conditions in his favour.

Suggested TV viewing this Christmas

If East Enders and the impending death of Pauline Fowler doesn't make much appeal as your Christmas viewing, try following the series of Royal Institution Christmas Lectures delivered by mathematician Marcus du Sautoy which Channel Five are broadcasting daily at 7.15 from Christmas Day onwards.

The lecture on Tuesday 27th is billed as showing how maths can provide strategies for 'optimising success in game shows and gambling'. I'm hooked already.

In a similar mathematical vein, it looks as though the (rather modest) number of pounds I bid for a day at the races with The Times' Alan Lee as part of their charity auction event happened to be too small.

A happy Christmas to all (three) readers of this blog.

Christmas is coming...

No matter what you say, there is something awful about Christmas. This year, as always, my survival pack will include a copy of The Weekender, published on Friday, which will give details of all the Boxing Day entries.

Traditionally Boxing Day is one of the biggest racing days of the year with eight meetings scheduled to take place, the highlight being the King George VI Chase run over three miles at Kempton. By way of contrast the week before Christmas tends to be pretty low key. Racing hacks with a hatful of tips 'to cover the Christmas expenses' tend to predominate.

At this early stage Kauto Star looks the proverbial good thing in the King George and is priced accordingly. Looking (somewhat forlornly) for something to upset the applecart, the two I will concentrate on are Monet's Garden and the French horse Mid Dancer should he take his chance.

In the meantime, sorting through some old mail, I came across an invitation to join The Racgoers Club. A year's single membership costs £20; I'll give that serious consideration in the new year.

Racing Post put up for sale

With a move that was widely predicted in the business community, Ms Sly Bailey, Trinity Mirror's chief executive, put the Racing Post up for sale yesterday with a price tag in the region of £200 million. I was intrigued to learn that the late Robin Cook, an avid racing fan, had tabled a bid for the title two years ago.

It's not really been a year for the racing press - the demise of The Sportsman a couple of months back also comes to mind.

Indecision is my downfall

Sometimes finding winners is as easy as bumping into a bishop with a black eye.

You wouldn't normally associate a Tuesday at Sedgefield with a reasonable card but today there were three Class 3 races and some decent prize money on offer. A couple of weeks ago at Towcester races I backed Tom George's Good Citizen and watched his rather indifferent jumping. Last night I'd spotted his entry in today's 1.50 at Sedgefield; it was hard to be confident, although I think the stable feel he has plenty of ability. Early in the morning Betfred had him priced at 9/1. I took the sensible option, left well alone. I knew my fate as soon as I came to check the results - he'd won at 4/1.

At that same Towcester meeting The Outlier was impressive carrying top weight to victory over 2 miles 6 furlongs on heavy ground. Tomorrow he runs over 3 miles 2 furlongs on soft ground at Newbury; that's a new trip but my guess is he'd stay. Priced up at around 4/1 he's in with a shout. Thing is, I don't know whether to have a bet or not.

Cheltenham on Saturday

A trappy card looks on offer at Cheltenham tomorrow, particularly with the ground turning soft; here's a couple of selections opposing probable favourites. In the opener I'm siding with Katchit. General opinion is that he's not quite top class but he's done nothing wrong in my book; he'll be the value bet against Tritonix.

Only four runners in the race that was formerly known as the Bula hurdle which is due off at 3.15. The planners must be tearing their hair out as the first prize is worth over £114,000. Detroit City will be all the rage after a facile win at the track last time out but I'm going with Hardy Eustace who has the form in the book.

Cheltenham on Friday

Having won over course and distance last time and having beaten two of tomorrow's four opponents in the process, Standin Obligation has the look of a standing dish in the opener. He's likely to go off at around even money.

Paul Nicholls' Kicks For Free will be a warm order in the last. I think Twiston Davies' Battlecry has potential and rates a decent each way bet at around 10/1; a small reverse forecast / exacta those two horses may be called for.

What price a day at the races?

As one of the lots in their Christmas Charity Auction, The Times is offering a day at Newbury races on Totesport Trophy Day in the company of their racing correspondent Alan Lee.

A few years ago I offered a day at Warwick races as a prize in a works' auction that went for £30. I suspect a significantly bigger bid will be required to land this particular lot. Surreptitious sorties, carried out in the dead of night on sleeping children's money banks, will be required to bolster limited funds.

Racing rations

For one reason or another, I only took in one race yesterday, the 2.05 at Sandown, which saw Fair Along beat My Way de Solzen in convincing fashion. Jockey Richard Johnson wrote a bullish note about Fair Along in The Times on Friday; those who took the hint were rewarded at odds of 2/1 in what was essentially a two horse race.

Kauto Star's victory in the Tingle Creek half an hour later made the BBC's main evening news sports bulletin. A clip of the horse jumping the last would suggest he won this without ever getting out of second gear.

It's interesting to note that Richard Johnson commented he wouldn't be in a rush to back Kauto for the Gold Cup, citing horses that have failed to climb the Cheltenham hill in recent years, One Man being the obvious example.

As an aside, whilst browsing in a Warwick bookshop, I came across a copy of Graham Sharpe's tribute to Frankie Dettori's seven winners at Ascot - details below.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Seven-Winners-Achieved-Impossible/dp/1845131622/sr=8-1/qid=1165138441/ref=sr_1_1/202-2240261-7315831?ie=UTF8&s=books

Fallon banned for six months

Kieren Fallon's annus horribilis is to culminate in the former champion jockey being banned for six months after testing positive for a prohibited substance.

Further details from the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/6157167.stm

I would imagine this news will be followed in due course by the announcement of his retirement from race riding.

Towcester talkback

There was plenty of mud flying at Towcester yesterday; BBC Ceefax reported before racing that the course had taken 16 mm of rain overnight. The car park was on the soft side of heavy.

The tannoy wasn't fully operational during the first but they went pretty steady. I overheard one of the jockeys say the horses were going through it but you wouldn't want to try going any faster!

The Outlier gave the day's most impressive performance by leading from the front and carrying top weight to an easy victory. This horse jumped superbly and will surely get three miles. I backed What'sonyourmind but he was struggling to go the pace down the back straight, even though he was benefitting from his rider's 7lbs claim.

In the novice chase Flintoff took a walk in the market from 7/2 to 6/1. This may have been on account of the performace of England's cricketers or perhaps, more likely, on account of the comment in the Racing Post that the horse had weakened alarmingly when last seen on heavy ground. Whatever the reason, nobody had told the horse as he looked the winner coming to the last but was caught by Henry Daly's Principe Azzurro on the climb to the line. I backed Tom George's Good Citizen in this race. The horse didn't look the most natural of jumpers, losing ground at some flights and jumping left at others. Twiston-Davies' Billyandi showed a bit of temperment going to post, raced off the main group for a way and was then pulled up before the last.

The horse to take from the concluding bumper was 9/1 shot What A Buzz. Having his first run in public, this 'giant' of a horse, to use the course commentator's description, made a bold bid for victory on the turn for home. He was caught by Henrietta Knight's Bally Conn but there is surely a race in him. Favourite Mole's Chamber was easy to back and the market vibes proved correct.

A trip to Towcester is on the cards

There are some big races this weekend, including the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle. Having had my request for special leave approved by my wife, I'm travelling to Towcester. Towcester is still the best free view in sport.

The opener appears to be a penalty kick for Red Scally.

Flintoff, owned by Paul Beck and Andrew Flintoff, is an interesting runner in the 12.45. I dare say 'Freddie' will be hoping his horse shows better form than England's cricketers have in Australia. Lydia Hislop gave some background on Paul Beck's racing year in her column in The Times on Wednesday. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,15009-2465078.html

This race looks a close call - in my book likely favourite Erica's Charm will be vulnerable on the soft going.

Alfa Sunrise could pop up at a price in the 2.15 while the stats point to Apple Joe in the 2.50. The Racing Post top rated horse has landed the spoils in each of the last six runnings; Apple Joe is top rated and, for good measure, won over course and distance last week, having been backed from 25/1 in to 12/1. Tomorrow's starting price will be around 7/2.

Living with administrative delay

Trying to get to the races this time of year is fraught with difficulties. I submitted the application for special leave form (ref: A12/BE) in triplicate to my wife some weeks ago but it's still waiting to be processed.

Every time I chase the matter, she throws terms such as 'Christmas shopping', 'presents' and 'the children', in no particular order, in my direction. Should my leave be approved, I intend to go to Towcester this Saturday; I'll let you know how I get on.

The Times' new typeface

As if finding winners wasn't difficult enough in itself, The Times today added significantly to that challenge with the introduction of the new Times Modern fount and the redesign of its racing cards.

Yes, I'm over fifty, breaking in my first pair of varifocals, but this is a step backwards. I'm looking for enlightenment not obfuscation.

Kauto Star - Superstar

What an exhilirating performance by Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Ruby Walsh's face returning to the paddock said it all; he thinks he can win a Gold Cup with this horse. After yesterday's performance I would be inclined to agree with him.

Haydock's Betfair Chase

Only six runners declared for tomorrow's Betfair Chase at Haydock but an intriguing race looks in store. The consensus opinion seems to be that if Kauto Star stays, he wins. With the going on the soft side of good, several of Kauto's opponents will be keen to ensure a true test of stamina. The value is L'ami priced up at around 9/2 on Friday evening. Trainer Francois Doumen has a decent record at Haydock, his horse has had a pipe opener over in France and L'ami's fourth in the Gold Cup looks good form.

Kanpai is a clear top rated in the concluding race at 3.55 and should not be opposed.

Over at Huntingdon Tritonix looks the winner of the 2.30 but will be long odds on. I take Monkerhostin to win the Peterborough Chase.

The concluding bumper at Ascot has some interesting sorts. Particulary noteworthy is Brendan Powell's West Ridge who finished third to the well regarded Kicks For Free last season. Priced up at around 8/1 this looked a horse to bet on but unfortunately the ground has turned up soft, thereby introducing an additional variable into the equation and effectively throwing the plan out the window.

Desert Orchid dies

Desert Orchid, one of the most popular horses in living memory, died today at the of age of 27. The distinctive grey's front running style and flamboyant jumping won him fans all around the world. I remember tipping him to win the Gold Cup; that day my washing machine broke down and flooded the kitchen but I didn't care. And then the following day, a member of library staff came up to me to complain his starting price had only been 5/2... Fond memories.

Cheltenham on Paddy Power Gold Cup day

I think Katchit is the best juvenile hurdler seen out to date and he looks worth an interest in the opening race at 12.55.

All eyes will be on Denman in the next. Whilst I expect him to win, his cramped odds mean he will not be a betting proposition.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup at 2.40 is ultra competitive. Vodka Bleu, 7/1 earlier in the week, has been well touted and will be vying for favouritism. Chilling Place each way would be my selection in this race.

Cheltenham Open meeting

Tomorrow sees the start of the three day Cheltenham Open meeting, the highlight being the Paddy Power Gold Cup run over two and a half miles on Saturday.

In recent years the Pipe stable has done particularly well at this meeting; all eyes will be on son David as he tries to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father. The media have played their part by running stories on several of their fancied runners.

David rates Standin Obligation the stable's best chance at the meeting; he runs in tomorrow's 4.10 race and I think the hint's worth taking.

On offical ratings two Irish horses, Cuan Na Grai, the likely favourite, and Kalderon have the 1.55 race between them. Cuan Na Grai won the Galway hurdle in impressive style over the summer. His trainer has opted for this race rather than the competitive looking Greatwood hurdle on Sunday. The negative is the stable hasn't sent out a winner for over three weeks. It's not certain Kalderon will appreciate the ground but he looks the value pick to overturn the favourite.