Saturday
It was another very frustrating day with the suggested bets - and I was left pondering over how I’m going to be able to sort things out…
I think there are numerous issues - but one thing’s for sure, if I don’t find a way round them quickly, then the season is going to be a real struggle…
Limited opportunities today, meant that I ended up with just the 2 Best bets.
I really fancied them both - but I also knew that they had both been backed down to the point where there was minimal margin in the prices.
It’s a situation which is being compounded by tipping later - and gives me a real dilemma.
Do I put up a horse which I think has a good chance of winning - but when I know that the price is very tight ?
Or do I leave it alone and find something that represents better ‘value’ ?
So far this season, I have stuck with my initial intentions for the Best bets - and used the Matrix to get on side some of the more speculative ones where value prices have been available.
As a consequence, I can’t claim that the prices have caused me to suggest different horses - though I am conscious that even if they start winning, making much of a profit on them would be a challenge.
And unfortunately - like last weekend - neither of the Best bets quite managed to get their head in front.
Golan Future was first to run - and he ran a fair race.
However, he never really looked like winning, as the race ended up suiting the classier sorts (as opposed to the grinders).
I think I’d read him correctly - though the market kind of confirmed that, pre-race…
Ch’tibello was the other Best bet on the day.
I thought he would win - and he ran very well.
However, he couldn’t quite muster the turn of foot to run down Summervile Boy after the last. Instead, he became the 4th Best bet in 9 issued this season, to trade odds on in-running and lose.
There was always the possibility that he would struggle to pass Summerville Boy (who was very well ridden) - and why you do need a bit in the price.
However, I’m not sure we really got that with an SP of 15/8 and a similar BSP...
In response to early price drifts, I also suggested tackling a couple of the races with a very limited Matrix (5 units)…
The first was the mares handicap hurdle at Wincanton.
I sided with Molly Olly Wishes and It’s Probably me - and whilst both ran fair races, neither was good enough to win.
The race went to The White Mouse - who I thought had a chance - but who would have been a very speculative bet.
The other Matrix race was the Badger beer chase.
Again, I offered 2: Cobra de Mai and Champagne Court - but both ran shockers and were pulled up.
The ground could have been the issue for Champagne (as he was never travelling): whilst Cobra is an ‘enigma’ !
In truth, I would have been nowhere near solving the race - no matter how many goes I’d had.
The answer was to swerve it - which had been my original stance…
The other races on the day, were just as frustrating !
At Wincanton, I correctly called GA Law getting the better of Grand Sancy.
As I suspected might be the case, his front running and sound jumping put the favourite under too much pressure - and he cracked.
You were never going to get rich backing him, mind…
You might have got rich (ish), if you'd followed my advice in the Elite hurdle, where I suggested Teqany could be the one to follow Sceau Royal home.
I managed to get 27/1 on the forecast with B365 - and 11/1 on Teqany in the ‘w/o the fav’ market.
It’s just a shame that I can never make such bets ‘official’
Over at Aintree, Canelo cruised home from Quoi de Neuf in the novice handicap chase - after Northofthewall had fallen at the second last.
I had all the right horses on my ‘short list’ - but was never going to put up the winner.
I would have put up Modus tho - as a saver for Drumcliff.
However I decided to opt out of the race, because I didn’t feel I could narrow it down sufficiently.
Needless to say, Modus cruised home - and whilst he wouldn’t have been a Best bet, he might have made a small profit for the Matrix…
Alas, original plans count for nothing in this game…
TVB.
Sunday
I’m not sure quite what I’ve done to deserve the luck I’ve had the past 2 weekends - but I do know that it’s starting to wear a little thin !
I issued bets in 2 races today - and whilst I’ve no real complaints with how things worked out in the Troytown - the veterans chase was a different matter !
I put up Gold Present as a Best bet in that race - and was pretty sure he would run well.
However, that was assuming he consented to start !
And for whatever reason, a horse who has never shown any temperament previously, decided he didn’t fancy it and whipped round at the start !
Unbelievable !
There was still a chance that the race would be saved by Crosspark.
I quite fancied him as well - and whilst I didn’t put him up as a Best bet I did have him in the Matrix.
And everything looked to be going well for him to rescue the race, running down to the final fence.
However, he didn’t ping it - and Step Back did - and ultimately that was the difference between victory and defeat.
The ultimate irony was that Step Back was the third horse on my short list.
If Carlsberg could do ‘Frustrating races’….
Earlier in the afternoon, neither Portmore Lough or Fitzhenry had been able to lay a glove on The Jam Man in the Troytown.
There was always a chance that The Jam Man would waltz away with the race - and he did just that.
At least I had him covered in the Matrix…
The ground was clearly very demanding at Navan, and the two earlier races on the card were won by strong staying performances.
N’golo wore down his rivals in the novice hurdle: whilst Sire de Beralis surprised me by being sharp enough to win the Lismullen hurdle.
I say ‘sharp enough’ but in reality, it was him stamina - even over the shorter trip - which won the day…
Meanwhile back at Sandown, it looked as if I’d watched the meeting before I wrote the preview !
Gortroe Joe held off First Lord de Cuet and Espion in the opener: whilst Servano battled on gamely to take the novice handicap chase.
Pym did indeed steal the race from If the Cap Fits: and Master Coffey was way too good for his rivals in the handicap hurdle.
It was all therefore set up for Gold Present to finish things off nicely - but alas, he was the one horse at the meeting who hadn’t read the script….
TVB.
I’m not sure quite what I’ve done to deserve the luck I’ve had the past 2 weekends - but I do know that it’s starting to wear a little thin !
I issued bets in 2 races today - and whilst I’ve no real complaints with how things worked out in the Troytown - the veterans chase was a different matter !
I put up Gold Present as a Best bet in that race - and was pretty sure he would run well.
However, that was assuming he consented to start !
And for whatever reason, a horse who has never shown any temperament previously, decided he didn’t fancy it and whipped round at the start !
Unbelievable !
There was still a chance that the race would be saved by Crosspark.
I quite fancied him as well - and whilst I didn’t put him up as a Best bet I did have him in the Matrix.
And everything looked to be going well for him to rescue the race, running down to the final fence.
However, he didn’t ping it - and Step Back did - and ultimately that was the difference between victory and defeat.
The ultimate irony was that Step Back was the third horse on my short list.
If Carlsberg could do ‘Frustrating races’….
Earlier in the afternoon, neither Portmore Lough or Fitzhenry had been able to lay a glove on The Jam Man in the Troytown.
There was always a chance that The Jam Man would waltz away with the race - and he did just that.
At least I had him covered in the Matrix…
The ground was clearly very demanding at Navan, and the two earlier races on the card were won by strong staying performances.
N’golo wore down his rivals in the novice hurdle: whilst Sire de Beralis surprised me by being sharp enough to win the Lismullen hurdle.
I say ‘sharp enough’ but in reality, it was him stamina - even over the shorter trip - which won the day…
Meanwhile back at Sandown, it looked as if I’d watched the meeting before I wrote the preview !
Gortroe Joe held off First Lord de Cuet and Espion in the opener: whilst Servano battled on gamely to take the novice handicap chase.
Pym did indeed steal the race from If the Cap Fits: and Master Coffey was way too good for his rivals in the handicap hurdle.
It was all therefore set up for Gold Present to finish things off nicely - but alas, he was the one horse at the meeting who hadn’t read the script….
TVB.
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