Deja Vu at Wincanton?!

In the 2.40pm at Wincanton I think Consigliere may have a bit in hand even though he’s now a 10yo. He hosed up by 20 lengths in this same race last year off 136 so has C&D form and a fortnight later he finished 4 lengths 3^rd behind According To Pete in the Gr2 Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock in heavy ground off his new mark of 145. He has since run on Good ground twice, then Good To Soft twice (both of which were at 2m even though his 2 best runs recently have been at 2m4/5f) and has dropped to a mark of 138. He has another 7lb claimed by Kieron Edgar so looks to be off a nice mark (lower than his C&D win in race last year given the claim) and a racing weight of less than 11st is likely to come in handy given the testing conditions as he steps back up to 2m5f. Pipe (pictured below) likes to have winners at Wincanton and the yard sponsors (Bathwick Tyres) are again sponsoring tomorrow’s card.

 

 

New Years Day Horses of Note

EXETER

12.25 Florida Quays (more to come over obstacles)

1.30 Ambion Wood (could be near top class)

2.40 Gullinbursti (could be top class)

 

CATTERICK

12.40 Special Catch (decent form, should go in again)

1.45 Nicene Creed (has to win soon!)

3.30 Dungeel (beat a decent one easily last time)

 

FAKENHAM

2.30 Likearollingstone (good claimer offsets penalty)

How Do You Pick Just 5 - A Few Racing Highlights From 2012!

To pick just 5 racing highlights from 2012 is like picking your favourite member of Girls Aloud – not fair!! If I was to go through everything I’ve enjoyed in racing during the past year you would be celebrating the start of 2014 by the time you had finished reading it, so I’ve picked out 5 that were probably the most enjoyable or admirable:

 

Those of you who read this blog will already know I’m a member of Cheltenham Racing Club, and I must include having a winner as an “owner” in my racing highlights for 2012. Though only very small time, it is still a great buzz when one of the horses wins and we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy 4 this year! We had Kings Story at Newton Abbot, Keltic Crisis at Bangor, Is It Me at Perth, and Old Magic at Chepstow, but I’d have to say Old Magic (pictured below with us in the winners enclosure!) was the one I enjoyed most as I’d missed the first 3 through work and a holiday!! To be on course cheering one home is a fantastic feeling and I’ll never forget that day. Seeing him being saddled up (he looked in great nick!), chatting to jockey/trainer in the parade ring (avoiding one of his rivals who was trying to kick anything he could!), cheering him on and being presented the winners prize, before supping the complimentary champagne post-race (thanks Chepstow!). We had an amazing day from start to finish and I hope to enjoy a few more similar days in the (not too distant) future!

 

Another 2012 highlight has to be the “black aeroplane” that goes by the name of Sprinter Sacre! He always looked a chaser in the making but until he proved it we were always going to be watching closely – and boy did he prove it! Having won on debut and then again at Christmas, the superstar from Seven Barrows was always going to be high in the Arkle Chase market and he soon became the short priced favourite after demolishing a reasonable bunch of established horses in the Game Spirit at Newbury. Still, he had his doubters for March, most of whom claimed he wouldn’t get up the hill. Barry Geraghty rather coyly suggested that his only worry about the hill was if he would have enough room at the top of it to stop his mount! As expected by many, he duly hacked up and was arguably the most impressive winner of the week (and the first of many for the Henderson team!). Sprinter Sacre (pictured below) is a hugely talented horse and it would appear the sky is the limit, so you flat fans can cling onto your Frankel memories, we have our own machine!!

 

It doesn’t take a genius to realise that Paul Nicholls is a superb trainer of racehorses, but 2012 has shown yet again how unbelievable he really is. At the beginning of the year, the Master of Ditcheat had never won the Champion Hurdle, Grand National or PaddyPower Gold Cup – he’s now won all 3! Noel Fehily and Rock On Ruby stormed up the hill to become Champions before that old boy Neptune Collonges got up by a whisker to land the ultimate prize in racing under Daryl Jacob in April; with Ruby Walsh partnering Al Ferof to another big Cheltenham pot in the November showpiece. What a year the Champion Trainer has enjoyed, and wins like this help quantify how successful he really is. However, one of the highlights of my year was the rejuvenation of Tidal Bay (in a similar way to Kauto Star last year!), turning him into one of the biggest names in jump racing (well, nearly). For a horse who won an Arkle in his younger days it is fair to say he somewhat disappointed thereafter, but his move to Ditcheat has seen him win the Bet365 Gold Cup (a Gr3 chase), win the John Smith’s Hurdle (a Gr2), finish runner up to Gold Cup favourite Bobs Worth (giving him 6lb) in Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup (a Gr3 chase), and then win arguably the race of the season in the Lexus (a Gr1 chase) at Leopardstown last week!!  All this from a horse who had won just once in his last 15 races before joining the Nicholls camp following the ban given to former trainer Howard Johnson. It makes you wonder what heights Tidal Bay (pictured below) may have scaled had he been in the right hands from the start.... To turn a horse around in such tremendous fashion is almost unheard of and we are truly lucky to be blessed to enjoy such expertise in our sport and the training performance has been one of my highlights of the year!

 

Though not one of my favourite horses, the meteoric rise of Hunt Ball is one of my favourite racing highlights for the year as he really is the racing equivalent of the “rags to riches” philosophy! Rated a mere 69 at the beginning of last season and still only 102 at the turn of the year, seeing this horse win at the Cheltenham Festival (with plenty in hand too!) was a real fairytale and provided his charismatic owner (pictured below celebrating the victory) with the result he had told everyone would happen. Hunt Ball improved a total of 88lbs from the start of the season to the end and gives hope to anyone who owns any horse – you never know how good they may turn out! At the Festival he won the final race of the day on a card that hosted the Supreme, the Arkle and the Champion Hurdle; yet he still received the greatest cheer on his return to the parade ring and winners enclosure which really does epitomise how closely the Hunt Ball story touched the hearts of racing fans.

Last of my 5 racing highlights in 2012 was seeing Silviniaco Conti (pictured below) justify the faith and optimism I have had in him since seeing him win at Chepstow on just his 2^nd British start. Those of you who know me personally will have heard me go on and on about this horse and how good I think he will be, so it was great to see him show everyone else the talent he has to offer. He was clearly not the finished article when disappointing around the middle of last season but returned to win impressively at Aintree after skipping Cheltenham in March. After a nice long summer break he returned to take the Gr2 Charlie Hall Chase in his first run outside of novice company, showing in the process that he had improved and was now looking more the finished article. His next run, however, was the real acid test as he was upped in class to take on former King George (now twice) and Gold Cup winner Long Run in the Gr1 Betfair Chase at Haydock, seeing off that rival and all others to confirm he is a serious Gold Cup contender. He’s not the biggest horse but in my (biased) opinion he is certainly one to be reckoned with and is one of the best jumpers around. Hopefully he will go on to enjoy more Gr1 success and make my 2013 racing highlights this time next year!

 

Well that’s 5, but as said above I could sit here all week listing my racing highlights over the past year. I’ve no doubt 2013 will be even better and I hope you enjoy following this blog ( give us a tweet with your 2013 racing highlights @kingofthejumps ), particularly as we draw closer to March! Happy New Year to you all and I hope you enjoy the racing ahead as much as I know I will!!

 

Short and Sweet - 2 of Note

Some excellent racing tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how the results shake up the Festival markets after races like the Challow. Plenty of horses to note but 2 in particular are down on my lists of horses to follow:

 

Blackwell Synergy could be interesting in the first at Newbury tomorrow. His Irish hurdles form isn't too bad (beat a couple on debut that are now rated 120+) and he won a handicap hurdle under Davy Russell off a mark off 114 which is the same as his current chase mark having dropped 2lb for his handicap chase debut. There could be more to come as he jumped slowly on debut for Jonjo before jumping a little better last time over a trip too short but 2m6f in testing ground should suit better. Would be one to follow when upped again to 3m I think but worth keeping an eye on the market in case the money comes.

"Dick Dundee is a good horse who hasn't made his racecourse debut yet but won a point to point for us last year and Jamie Codd thought the world of him. Unfortunately getting ready for last season he picked up an injury that has kept him out until now. It will probably be the New Year and we'll discuss it with Barry Connell whether he will go for his bumper or because of his age go straight over hurdles. He's a horse with a big engine and a horse we think an awful lot of so we are looking forward to getting him out."

That's from Paul Nolan's ATR Stable Tour. The 2nd in that Point was leading by 2 lengths when falling (and dying I think) in his only subsequent run and that horse and Dick Dundee were 20 lengths clear of the 3rd. He hasn't run for 664 days but is obviously well regarded and with Ruby booked you'd think he'll go alright in the 12.55pm at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Leech Racing and Cheltenham Racing Club

 

A couple of weeks ago I enjoyed another stable visit, this time at Tudor Racing Stables in Gloucestershire, home to Sophie Leech (pictured above) and her husband Christian (who is also assistant trainer). I’d been to the Leech’s once before, when considering joining Cheltenham Racing Club, a fun, fairly small syndicate who lease a few horses with Team Leech. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning and shortly after paid the very reasonable membership fee for CRC and have since had a fantastic time following the horses we lease.

 

CRC is made up of around 26 members (some of which are pictured above at a previous visit) and always has 3 horses in training at any time of the year (which runs from April-April), meaning we regularly have runners which allows members to enjoy a slightly more involved experience of racing. Since April, we have leased 6 different horses, who have run in a total of 24 races (20 National Hunt / 4 All Weather) at 14 different racecourses. In the 20 races under National Hunt rules, CRC horses have operated at a win strike rate of 20% and a place strike rate of 50% (returning a £1 level stakes profit of £4.88). When also taking into account the 4 all-weather races the club has achieved 4 wins, 4 2nds, and 3 3rds; accruing total prize money of just over £12,000 in the process! One of the perks of membership is a share of prize money accrued by CRC horses at the end of the year which further adds to the excitement of having a horse win or place! Due to the small nature of the club (some racing clubs contain 200+ members) it is very rare not be allocated an Owners badge upon request when the Club has a runner, and combined with access to the parade ring for a pre-race brief between jockey and trainer (and a visit to the winners enclosure post-race on those lucky occasions!) and use of the O&T bar during the day; the value for money of membership is, in my opinion, unbeatable for passionate racing fans as it provides members with the opportunity to experience, albeit on a much smaller scale, the benefits of racehorse ownership. CRC are also fortunate enough to be invited to regular stable visits by the always welcoming Team Leech; so for someone who loves racing this affordable experience truly is worthwhile!

 

Back to the stable tour and after greeting us with mulled wine and mince pies on arrival, Sophie and her team paraded the 3 horses we are to lease for the next few months – Old Magic (recent Chepstow winner for the Club who is pictured above), Referent (formerly owned by Sizing Europe’s connections) and Gtaab (lightly raced horse coming back from a long injury layoff). Sophie provided a commentary of each horse and their likely plans for the near future, before taking us up to the gallop to watch all 3 being worked.

 

 

 

This was followed by Referent and Gtaab popping over a few hurdles in the schooling field before we returned to the yard to be shown a few more equine members of Team Leech who were entered to run in the week ahead. These included the eye-catching Grey Soldier (pictured above); new recruit Take Of Shocs; and a nice prospect for the future in Winston Churchill (a lovely looking son of Presenting who is pictured below). Then free to have a look around the yard and ask any questions, the morning was wrapped up and  most departed for lunch at the Apple Tree Inn at Minsterworth (though some of us rushed home to catch the football!). As always it was a thoroughly enjoyable morning and Sophie, Christian and their excellent team were all very approachable and more than happy to chat about their horses and all things racing. The team are fantastic and provide their inmates (and owners!) with the utmost care and consideration, whilst their smaller sized operation (in comparison to some of racing’s powerhouse training yards) arguably enables them to offer a more personable experience for their owners. Another bonus of owning horses with Leech Racing is that they are able to attract a great number of jockeys; a list which this season alone has included Paul Moloney (who regularly rides out and schools for the yard), Jason Maguire, Paddy Brennan, Noel Fehily, Richie McLernon, James Best, Donal Fahy, Donal Devereux and Stephen Clements.

 

If you are considering racehorse ownership, whether it be alone, with a friend, or through joining a racing club like CRC, don’t hesitate in contacting either Sophie or Christian (whose contact details can be found on http://www.leechracing.co.uk/ ) to discuss the different options available.

 

Racecourses at which Cheltenham Racing Club horses will have run between 1^st April 2012 and 1^st January 2013:

Bangor                         Cartmel                   Chepstow                      Fontwell

Hereford                       Ludlow                    Newton Abbot               Perth

Plumpton                      Southwell                Towcester                     Windsor

Wolverhampton            Worcester  

 

 

Boxing Day Bonanza!

 

          Merry Christmas! Hope you have all had a great day! Although I’m almost too stuffed to move my hands and type, I’ll soldier on as we have a great racing day to look forward to tomorrow!

Kempton is obviously the best place to start and the King George looks a seriously competitive renewal! The only factor that disappoints me is that the going will be heavy, meaning it may not shed too much light on how the Gold Cup may pan out in March! Having had a couple of quid each way on Cue Card at 25s before his reappearance, I’m happy enough with that given his current price though I wouldn’t be 100% confident that he’ll stay this trip in heavy ground - we shall see! Long Run has to have a favourite’s chance. I like the horse and just feel he is more of a plodder these days as he doesn’t have the turn of foot the speedier sorts have (hence not quickening past Kauto last season!). Hopefully he’ll make the running tomorrow and if so I could imagine him galloping them into the ground and making it a gruelling test of stamina. The chief dangers in my eyes would be Kauto Stone (proven in heavy and won a Gr1), Riverside Theatre (pictured below, goes extremely well fresh and proven over C&D) and Grands Crus (top class in Feltham last season and if wind op helps him see out his races better, he could play a massive part). I won’t be getting involved but it certainly looks an excellent race to watch and I can’t wait to see what happens!

 

The first race on the card also looks very competitive, but I feel the likes of Spirit Of Shankly and New Years Eve will have their work cut out to get close to River Maigue. The latter of the pair in particular is unlikely to be suited by the ground conditions, but even on better ground I’d fancy Barry Geraghty’s mount as I believe the race he ran in last time could turn out to be one of the best of its kind this season. The winner, Dodging Bullets, looks decent value in the Christmas Hurdle later on the card in my opinion, and the third, Court Minstrel, is a horse I think will also play a big part in the Supreme at Cheltenham in March.

Although the aforementioned Dodging Bullets could be decent value in the Christmas Hurdle, it’s another race I wouldn’t be getting too involved in. Darlan (pictured below) is the horse I think could be the best in the race but I’d have worries about the ground for him. Another who seems to have people worried about the ground is Cinders And Ashes, but although flopping last time behind seriously impressive Countrywide Flame in tough conditions, he is proven on such ground and I’d be inclined to ignore that run as he was beaten first time out last season before racking up a few nice wins, culminating in the Supreme at Cheltenham. He’s around 4/1 tomorrow and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him improve massively on his previous run.

 

The 2^nd race looks set to be fought out by just 2 of them in my opinion and those 2 are Rajdhani Express and Coole River. The former looked set to win before departing last time and I’d expect him to go very close tomorrow, but Emma Lavelle’s representative made a more than satisfactory reappearance after a long layoff. He had some very smart looking hurdles form before his injury and if he has retained that ability he could take all the beating with some improvement likely, you’d just have to hope he doesn’t “bounce”.

The third race is an interesting one as there is a short favourite (quite rightly so some may say after the way Dynaste won impressively at both Cheltenham and Newbury), but I think I may take a chance on Paul Nicholls’ Poungach improving considerably for the step up in trip and serving up a shock. He was high class over hurdles and although not looking the finished article yet over fences, I feel there is more to come and at 11/2 he looks worth an each way bet as you’ll get your stake back if he places. Hadrians Approach is another who I think will continue to improve with every run and for that reason I won’t be including Dynaste in any multiples tomorrow.

 

The final race on the card is somewhat frustrating as both Saint Roque and Katkeau figure highly in my “horses to follow” notes! As mentioned when he was withdrawn a week or so back, I quite fancied Saint Roque having backed him on reappearance when he was brought down a few from home at Cheltenham when arguably looking like the winner. He should defy a mark of 118 as I feel he could make into a 145+ chaser in time, so would have to go close tomorrow. Katkeau was in the process of running a big race last time and was still cruising on the bridle when making a clattering error and smashing one of his hurdles, after which he was hardly touched and seemingly looked after. He’s proven in the conditions and is likely to run a big race with Tom Scudamore now taking the ride, so given the both relatively short prices it may be worth chancing a reverse forecast on the pair.

 

Kempton is by no means the only card tomorrow and a couple of horses catch my eye across both sides of the Irish Sea! David Pipe (pictured above with his King George hope Grands Crus) looks to have a big chance of taking the Ffos Las bumper with Top Gamble after he was beaten in similar conditions last time by a horse that cost a few quid. The other horse  of note at the Welsh track would be former Hennessy winner Carruthers who has dropped to what could still be a very winnable mark. He also drops seriously in class of race so could take the beating in what doesn’t look the best of contests.

Over at Wincanton the 2.15pm is another very annoying race in that a good few are down on my lists! Connectivity looked a decent horse for Dr Richard Newland but has had a layoff since and The Pier certainly has a race in him for David Pipe but when that is I’m not sure. Rangitoto is one I’ve mentioned before and it appears worthy of note that he continues to take in Handicap Hurdles and not go back over fences (where he is bred to excel) as it suggests his connections feel he can win one of these before doing so. However, Holywell and Ardlui are the pair on which I’d rather concentrate. Holywell looked competitive last time out and should be winning a race soon if you ask me, but Ardlui certainly looks well handicapped on his Newbury 3^rd (see previous blog article “Could Be More To Come” to see why!) and the step up in trip looks sure to bring about further improvement so for those reasons I shall be having a punt on him tomorrow.

 

Though unlikely to back them other than possibly in the odd multiple, Umpact (Limerick), Fickle Fortune (Down Royal) and Ned Buntline (Leopardstown) all look to hold big chances in their respective races in Ireland. Another horse I’d like to flag up in the Emerald Isle is Gordon Elliott’s juvenile Fisher, who goes in the 1.20pm at Leopardstown. His form to date looks decent and his trainer is reportedly quite impressed by him, but even more interesting is that he has had a wind op since his last run so there could be more to come on the back of that. However, he is expected to improve a fair amount for better ground so I’d be willing to leave him alone tomorrow as it’s a half decent race (he could make the places) but then have an each way ante post punt on him for the Cheltenham Festival. I’d say the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle is the most likely race and if you could get a price on him with BetVictor it would be worth utilising their excellent Non Runner Free Bet offer in case he doesn’t go for the race. The final horse of note in Ireland is Old Kilcash who takes up an engagement in the 3.30pm at Leopardstown. He cost £300,000 so is worth keeping an eye on but, as with all these big money purchases, is likely to be a longer term project so may not be a good thing in a race like this. In any case, it could be worth making a note of him with a view to the future!

 

Best of luck with whatever you back and most of all, enjoy a top class day for racing!!

Never Too Early For A Grand National Bet!

 

The Grand National is one of the highlights of my year and is arguably one of my favourite races all season. My approach to betting in the race is simple – I back half the field! I don’t care about winning or losing money as I would never have a serious sized bet in a race of its nature, but there is nothing worse than waiting all year for the race, betting on 2 or 3, and having none left to follow by the 4^th or 5^th fence! I like to go into the race with a huge team, in an attempt to ensure I still have some chance a couple from home! I don’t have level stakes, I’ll have bigger bets on horses I actually fancy, and sometimes even £1 each way on huge priced outsiders whether it be because I like the jockey, the name or the silks (very professional selection eh!). Usually I will chip away at different points in the season and get a fancy price about something I feel will contract on the back of a particular race, meaning I only need tiny stakes. An example of this is the £2 I had at 80.0 on Join Together to win (and a little bit on the place at 27.0) before he ran in the Becher Chase a couple of weeks ago. My theory was that given I fancied him to run a massive race in that (he did, narrowly beaten by Hello Bud), his price would automatically be cut for the big race in April as connections would obviously consider that route for his season. He is now around 21.0 and 5.1 respectively.

 

Today I have added another horse to my portfolio and that comes in the shape of the soon-to-be 10 year old, Chicago Grey (pictured above). Having won the 4m NH Chase at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival, he would appear to have been a disappointment if reading his results literally. However, this could have played to his advantage as, having been campaigned in conditions by which I feel he is not best suited (shorter trips and soft ground); his chase mark of 150 has now dropped to 143. What this means in terms of the National is that he is very likely to be allotted a racing weight not much higher (if at all) than the bottom 10st; a factor that may prove highly beneficial to his cause. He is definitely targeting the race according to a stable tour given by trainer Gordon Elliott (pictured below); his stamina is proven; and although he was brought down fairly early in last season’s renewal (a risk that is ever present in the race for horses who are dropped out the back), he didn’t appear to be too troubled by the 4 obstacles he did negotiate.

 

 

For the above reasons, I’ve decided to invest each way at his current price of 50/1 (widely available) and will be hoping he can add another big pot to the one his trainer took at Ascot on Saturday with Cause Of Causes.