Good day

Well what a strange day.

Benny be Good wins 5/1 early price backed into 10/3

Lease Lend drifts from 11/4 to 9/2 wins

Gamesters Lady wins by a country mile at 8/11

Nearby a non runner and Overlaw beaten, still terrific stuff for once, I can hardly believe it. I’ve put a few bets on at Kempton tonight though they are all pretty long prices so don’t expect much of a return

• 6.20 1PT WIN Lunar Limelight 11/4
  
• 7.50 0.5PT WIN Kinky Afro 9/1 – I’d have taken this one e/w but annoyingly its a 7 runner race so just a small win bet, the favourite is a higher class but having it’s first run.
• 8.50 1PT E/W Whodunit 5/1
• 9.20 1PT E/W Louisade 7/1

Just to clarify with the 1PT Each Way bets this would mean 0.5 on the win and 0.5 on the each way. Good luck to all betting tonight and I hope you were on Benny be Good or Lease Lend!

edit – Kempton sucked! 6.7 Point profit on the day though, I just had to get this photo up it’s very rare to get a winner so even rarer to find a photo of one!

Painful stuff

Okay so at long last I’ve updated the results page for March, I’ll be graphing it all at some stage - wait for the downward slope.

Cheltenham was as predicted a bit of a nightmare, the fact it took me until 4.40 on the Thursday when BallaBriggs used up all his reserves to win to notch my first win says it all. The only positive results really were that one, Soldatino and Dee ee Williams being placed at 33/1. Pretty disastrous really – but as I said the other it could have been so much better. If only The Package and Somersby had another 50 yards to run I’m certain both would have won and if only Hey Big Spender and Restless Harry had both stayed on their feet it’s possible they would have at least placed. The overall result at Cheltenham then was a loss of 11.03 Points which does sound pretty bad in the cold light of day.

The overall running total for March is also looking pretty bleak now with a loss on the overall month of 21.63 Points. The only saving grace is that by doing this blog thing I’m honest to myself with how much I’m down! Hey Hugh Taylor’s tips have been pretty average lately also so one has to remain positive.

I’d add yesterday’s personal selections were made a little beetter by the fact I had a few pounds on Newcastle beating Doncaster thanks to another blog. The only sad thing is I also had them in a double with Colchester so that negated the win from the single!

Today’s selections are below in what looks a pretty interesting day.

• 2.30 2PT WIN Gamesters Lady
• 2.40 1PT WIN Nearby
• 3.50 1PT WIN Lease Lend 11/4
• 4.25 2PT E/W Benny be Good 5/1
• 4.50 2PT WIN Overlaw

Have a few I like at Kempton also, so I’ll post these up and prices taken on the above after getting some kip. Benny be Good is the Racing Post NAP today so 5/1 looks a decent price, I’d expect it to go off shorter it’s last outing was behind the impressive Double Expresso and there’s nothing of that standard in this race.

Kempton, Southwell and Exeter

Must be three of the more fun places to visit! Anyhow had a look at the cards for today, mainly because yesterday lo and behold was a rare positive day with 3 winners from 5 and all three at evens or more, yay for Flaxen Lake who drifted out to 11/4 and returned a nice profit … I promise I’ll update totals today or tomorrow. I’m going to start graphing them soon also be a lot more visible that way.

• 2.20 2PT WIN Samurai Way
• 2.40 1PT E/W Calzaghe – depends on price on this whether it’s E/W if above 5/1 I’ll be taking the each way price.
• 3.15 1PT WIN The Jazz Musician – I’m wary in this race of Qulinton as I’ve backed it profitably before, however it’s last run at Ffos Las was so dreadful I can’t have and as such will take it on.
• 3.50 1PT WIN Sir Winston
• 4.05 1PT E/W Dunaskin – again price dependent this one, will edit once early prices are up.
• 4.15 2PT WIN King Brex
• 5.10 1PT WIN Painted Sky

I’m also going to have a little bet on Newcastle tonight against Doncaster courtesy of a tip from another blog, I may also lay Ipswich at Plymouth at 4/6 for personal gain of course!

Best of luck to all playing today.

Photo time I feel ..

Ok maybe not ..

So I planned on taking a break, but then again I’ve changed my mind! I think what I need is more direction with the bets I’m putting on – today for instance I fancied Pollen and he was a nice early price yet I didn’t back it and miss out, almost as bad as a loser that one. I feel that my selections on the whole recently haven’t been too bad but again it all boils down to the P word – “profit”. I’ve been a lot more selective over the bets but feel I could still be even more so selective, mind I don’t really fancy spending an hour looking at the cards only to decide not to back anything. I’ve got to get wiser and mark selections down for future runs – take note of past form as such.

Anyways today I’ve been through the list and whittled it down to a dozen or so i liked, from there I’ve now whittled it down to the below.

• 2.10 2PT WIN Dr Livingstone
• 2.20 1PT WIN Top Flight Splash
• 2.50 1PT WIN Flaxen Lake
• 3.50 2PT WIN Srda
• 4.30 2PT WIN Willandrich

Going to have a Canadian on that lot aswell, see how it goes.

Time for a break

Going to recharge the batteries and try and come back afresh for the flat season and then the Aintree and Punchestown festivals. This last week has been hard on my wallet – or should I say balance – but the racing has been truly terrific. I watched today’s fare from Uttoxeter and it seemed a million miles away from Cheltenham.

It’s quite likely that I’ll be taking part in a little project with someone else soon also on Betfair perhaps revolving around trading and laying hopefully not just generally losing money. I’m still making too many thoughtless bets and just betting for the sake of it, if there’s any doubt regards a horse or I’m not confident then I ought to avoid the bet. Today was a good example of that the two on the flat I was confident over both and bar the photo in the 3.00 would have returned with both and a nice profit, however the Ballydub bet was more so a speculative one and as it proved a loser, needless to say the one horse I did fancy at Uttoxeter yesterday was Carrickmines and he won.

Looking at today’s racing it’s exactly that not a day to be confident off, there are a few I like but I’m not going to stick my neck out and consider backing them, no doubt they will win. The ones I like just for the sake of it 3.35 Ernst Blofield price sure to be short, 4.00 Forest Pennant though this is quite a tricky affair and 4.55 Wiesenfurst. So not backing any but we’ll see all three hose up now! I may though have a little nibble on Pollen in the 3.55 at the Curragh at a decent e/w price.

To recap – losing is fun!!

Been through my tips for the week. I will add up points and profits loss made. I made a loss on the week and March is becoming a tough old month. I did though have 2 ok days – Thursday and Friday weren’t bad although Tuesday could have been a hell of a lot better if Somerbsy and The Package had got up to win it was one of those nearly days. Wednesday was a disaster – though unless you plucked Peddlers Cross or Weapons Anmesty I think that’s the case for most people. Thursday actually wasn’t great but BallaBriggs did at least net me a winner.
Looking back I don’t actually think I did too bad some of my selections with a bit more luck could have run into a place or in the case of hey Big Spender had won. Restless Harry would have at least been placed and both Finian’s Rainbow and Easter Legend were only just shunted out. Tell Massini was one big dissapointment as was the highly fancied Alfie Sherrin. Worth noting though that I’ve not piled thousands onto the likes of Dunguib, Master Minded and Kauto Star or laid Binocular for 1000 on Betfair lmao fun and games.
I guess it goes to show how damn difficult Cheltenham is .. what was actually more gutting is that I needed French Opera to win the last to win a NAPs competition, yeah that hill saved me Thursday night but screwed me Friday. Still the best man won that ..

Friday

1.30 2PT E/W Soldatino – WON Returned 6/1 SP took 11/2 . I guess I was nervous when Barizan went so far clear, however if anyone was catching him Soldatino was, pretty glad I listened to tip off on this one. Best winner of the week for me personally.
2.05 1PT E/W Oldrik – LOST
2.05 1PT E/W Dee ee Williams – PLACED Returned 20/1 SP took 33/1. When Dee ee hit the lead two out I really couldn’t believe this, after a shocking week had a feeling it was all coming together, one of the better results of the week
2.40 3PT E/W Tell Massini – LOST – Not much to say, went off 100/30, was going well but then just faded and reportedly pulled up lame. The winner was beaten by Tell Massini by someway in November so it’s hard to tell.
2.40 1PT E/W Restless Harry – LOST – Gutted about this one. At least the horse got up ok I really thought 2 out it would win.
 
Thursday
1.30 1PT E/W Hey Big Spender – LOST – Watching this race I could only see one winner and then HBS falls! Did look awesome until it fell, one to watch.
1.30 1PT WIN Kings Forest – LOST – Was it running?
2.05 1PT E/W Ainama – LOST – Didn’t seem to get the trip. Too much of a break perhaps. Perhaps a drop back in distance will help here.
2.05 1PT WIN Alfie Sherrin – LOST – Extremely dissapointing. Knew I should have ignored.
2.40 2PT WIN Poquelin – LOST – This race annoyed me. I knew I should have done Poquelin e/w fair play to Albertas Run who was tipped up in some places.
2.40 1PT WIN Barbers Shop – LOST – unlike Poqeulin ran no sort of race, very dissapointing.
2.40 1PT E/W Voy Por Ustedes – LOST – backed the wrong old timer.
3.20 1PT E/W Tidal Bay – LOST – Again another very dissapointing performance. The fact Time for Rupert ran so well puzzles me more as Tidal Bay should have confirmed form there. Still a masterclass from Big Bucks whatever. I should have just ignored the race and watched.
4.00 1PT E/W The Sawyer – LAST – Game but was only really praying for a sneak into the place. Albertas Run did lift my confidence for this one.
4.40 2PT E/W Ballabriggs – WON 9/1 – A lifesaver on Thursday, didn’t see the race until Friday and wow just wow. If he’d have been caught I have no idea what I’d have done.
7.20 2PT WIN Lucky Redback – LOST – late tip. Wish I’d not seen it.

Wednesday

1.30 1PT E/W Massasoit – LOST – ran below best
1.30 1PT E/W Abbeybraney – LOST – ditto
1.30 1PT E/W Noakarad de Verzee – LOST – had a sniff of a place, then hampered and tailed off 9th.
2.05 2PT E/W Finians Rainbow – LOST – Just too much class in this race. I think 3/4 in the Neptune will go on to big things. Reve de Sivola and Peddlers Cross especially. I wouldn’t give up on Finians Rainbow just yet mind.
2.40 2PT WIN Punchestowns – LOST – lost a shoe summed things up. Though I don’t think he’d have beaten Weapons Anmesty whatever. Glad I avoided Long Run
2.40 1PT E/W Burton Port – PLACED 12/1 – Great ride from McCoy and a battling run from the horse. Pleasing.
3.20 1PT E/W Twist Magic – LOST – shocking!!
3.20 1PT Combination Tricast – Master Minded/Kalahari King/Twist Magic – Summed up Wednesday.
4.00 2PT E/W Quantitiveasing – PLACED 8/1 – Thank B365 for paying 5th I guess.
4.00 1PT E/W Mamlook – LOST – nowhere
4.00 1PT E/W Sir Harry Ormesher – LOST – 7th, just goes to show how competitive things are.
4.40 1PT E/W Open Day – LOST – Sanctuaire hacked up and that was one of the most impressive winners of the week for me.
5.15 1PT E/W Shot from the Hip – LOST – the only positive was that I managed to get 13/2 and he went off 3/1. Fact is it ran no sort of race and pulled too early.
5.15 1PT E/W Al Ferof – PLACED 9/1 – Always one eh! Cue Card where did he come from.

Tuesday

1.30 1PT E/W Oscar Whisky – LOST – I think this form will stack up well. Get Me out of Here is a real progressive horse and this one the same. Dunguib is the new best thing? Well I’d certainly take 10/1 about next year’s Champion Hurdle on him that’s for sure.
2.05 2PT WIN Somersby – LOST – Gutting. No other words for it. Valiant run another 50 yards and it would have won. Sucked basically.
2.05 1PT E/W Sports Line – LOST – Clattered too many fences on the way round.
2.40 2PT E/W The Package – PLACED 6/1 – Even more gutting!!
2.40 1PT E/W Ogee – PLACED 10/1 – 2nd and 3rd is hard to take.
2.40 1PT E/W Razor Royale – LOST – fell i think
3.20 2PT WIN Go Native – My big nap of the day. Got a decent price I guess but ran no sort of race.
3.20 1PT E/W Zaynar – PLACED 10/1 – Chuffed with this one and at 10s a decent return.
4.00 2PT WIN Garde Champetre – LOST – Joke race should have ignored.
4.40 1PT E/W Easter Legend – LOST – 5th. Gutting.
Whilst I’m babbling on three bets for tomorrow.

• 3.00 2PT WIN Greyfriorschorista 9/4
• 3.15 1PT E/W Ballydub 9/1
• 3.35 2PT WIN Tranquil Tiger 11/4