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  • Jun 2014

Category - Free Tips

SATURDAY JUNE 27th: Despite the frantic urgings of those with vested interests in the gambling side of the racing game, not every Saturday appeals as a betting day. Doubts over the ground, some events that have attracted the dodgy brigade and an Irish Derby with a long odds-on favourite are among the components that comprise a lukewarm day for the players. NEWCASTLE: Northumberland Plate: This may not be so hard to solve as the numbers suggest, but to a degree the Lord giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other. Chester Cup form is represented by the winner Suegioo and the runner-up Angel Gabrial. Whilst they have[...]

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  • May 2014

Category - Blog

ENGLISH RACING FAILS TO COMPETE SUNDAY MAY 11TH On the day of the French 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Longchamp, and when Leopardstown were responsible for the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial as well as two other Group 3 events, the best we could come up with on these shores was Plumpton and Ludlow. Of course some of you may have been rejoicing that the jumpers (who never actually go away these days) were back. In essence, the French were at it again – stealing our thunder, something Paris was not devoid of on a damp Sunday. To an extent the weather did its best to dampen proceedings. It rained;[...]

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  • May 2014

Category - Blog

COPING WITH A LACK OF RACING You might have noticed there has been a lack of racing recently – at least racing to warrant betting interest. No wonder Sprinter Sacre’s heartbeat is normal. Apart from his welfare – of course we all wish him well – there hasn’t been much to occupy the mind on the racing front lately. That is unless you include weather forecasts and Blissful Park, where the going is always good, all the races are handicaps (I heard a Ladbroke commentator refer to the top weight in one such event the other day), and there is never a non-runner or a slow-starter. Sound blissful? Not[...]

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  • May 2014

Category - Horses to follow

RACING NOTEBOOK Based on races viewed, Spy's list of horses worthy of serious consideration next time: December 20th: Ascot Results It didn't take Nicky Henderson long to get on the score sheet. Back in action after a pottery round of chasing at Kempton, Royal Boy, third in the Tolworth in January, cruised to victory in the Class 3 over 2m 6f from stable mate Big Hands Harry and Pleasant Company. Responsible for the first two and the fourth, the Henderson stable is currently flying. Irving is gradually working his way up the novice ladder. Useful in , he took the Grade 2 but it would have been tight had not Prince Siegfried crashed[...]

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  • May 2014

Category - Results

May 30th: Newmarket: Summer is apparently here, with the first of the 2014 meetings scheduled to be run on the July course. Bitter Lake took the first race – a Class 4 for juvenile fillies over six furlongs. A good-sized daughter of Halling, despite having to be angled out to the centre of the course, once she hit her stride, even on holding ground, she showed an impressive turn of foot. Visually she was impressive, although it remains to be seen what she beat. She could be decent and has the scope to progress. Apparently her immediate target is the Albany. In second, Kinematic stepped up markedly on her[...]

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  • May 2014

Category - Free Tips

Thursday May 22nd Goodwood: 2.40: As a son of Danehill Dancer, GOTHIC was never going to be suited by conditions at Sandown last time when fourth to Windshear. Facing an easier assignment now and on a more suitable surface he is taken to recover the winning thread. Fast Delivery was too free at Nottingham when runner-up in a contest that did not look particularly good at the time and that has so far failed to work out. A facile win at Wolverhampton has done nothing to advance his claims in this much more complex event. 3.15: They appear to have found a good opportunity for LION BEACON who, despite[...]

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  • Apr 2014

Category - Horses to follow

April 25th: Sandown Results A cracking card was compromised to a degree by persistent rain. It opened with the Class 2 Esher Cup, for which impressive Nottingham winner Sacred Act – recently supplemented for the St James’s Palace Stakes – was the market pick. Holes could be picked in the race he won last time (both his main rivals having pulled too hard and failing to finish), but by all s the winning debutant had barely been asked a question at home beforehand. In this elevated company it has to be said he was never a factor. What About Carlo, last seen when three lengths fourth of five in[...]

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  • Apr 2014

Category - Free Tips

GRAND NATIONAL DAY SATURDAY APRIL 5th It might be the Grand National but to the professional gambler it is just another horserace. As such it is treated accordingly. Professionals dissect races they are interested in, reducing the field to those that in their opinions can win and eliminating those that can’t. Once they have stripped the field bare, they take a look to see if they can narrow it down further until they might be left with a handful of serious runners and hopefully the winner. To do this the professional assessor has to take an opinion and not to be frightened to be wrong. , the man who[...]

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  • Mar 2014

Category - Horses to follow

March 29th Meydan Results As one season started with Doncaster and Kempton, World Cup night signified the end of another in Dubai. Variety Club made up for his blip last time, returning to winning ways in the Godolphin Mile. Able to get across from an outside draw, he made all. He and runner-up, last year’s winner Soft Falling Rain, were the first two throughout. We know a bit about Soft Falling Rain; Variety Club is out of a similar mould. Flotilla flew late to grab third, just ahead of Gold City and the useful Japanese horse Brightline, who, posted wide, was prominent throughout only to tire in the last[...]

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  • Mar 2014

Category - Free Tips

GRAND NATIONAL DAY SATURDAY APRIL 5th It might be the Grand National but to the professional gambler it is just another horserace. As such it is treated accordingly. Professionals dissect races they are interested in, reducing the field to those that in their opinions can win and eliminating those that can’t. Once they have stripped the field bare, they take a look to see if they can narrow it down further until they might be left with a handful of serious runners and hopefully the winner. To do this the professional assessor has to take an opinion and not to be frightened to be wrong. , the man who[...]