Much as I enjoy the sight of big National Hunt racing festivals, I think we all know that opening up our wallets to celebrate is one sure-fire shortcut to the booby hatch. Very seldom have the occasions been when I have left the days with a bulging wallet.
Traditionally, I have always borne in mind the Cheltenham hangover effect. It has paid to note that, for many runners, the target has been the Cheltenham festival and many come to Aintree having left their best on the Prestbury Park turf. Whether it will be the same after this weather-beaten season we shall see.
To compound that truism and further complicate affairs, we are faced tomorrow with, unusually, near-on heavy going.
It looks like that there will be a plethora of winning short priced favourites tomorrow and I will probably, like half the world, have some sort of collective bet on a combination of these.
Grey Dawning 1.45 I’ve followed this one in all his races this term and it would be churlish of me to desert him now.
Gerri Colombe 2.55 Won at this meeting last year after a second at Cheltenham
Bob Olinger 3.30 Missed Cheltenham and comes here.
There are only two horses that be of real interest for me, though:
Cat Tiger – 4.05. - 50/1 Ew
I’ll never forget backing this one in April 21 over these fences when he looked to be just loving them, cruising at the last but tiring at the elbow and finishing third. The way he handled the fences that day was an eye-opener. He returned the following year in the same race, going down this time by just over a length, finishing second. Both those races were on G/Sft going but, you know, all his winning has been on soft or heavy ground and I’m happy to see that he’s at 50/1 in the market. It doesn’t take a wild mind to imagine that this has been the target this season. The ground has come in his favour, too.
One of my disappointments at Cheltenham, and one of my few real bets was:
Saint Roi – 4.40 - 5/1 Ew
I had him strongly noted after his unfortunate run at Fairyhouse in January. Had he not met interference from a faller, I think he might well have won that day. He ran a fine race at last year’s Aintree meeting over the Mildmay fences when finishing second to Banbridge in a Grade 1. He’s back again and this isn’t Grade 1 but a handicap and I do love it when a graded horse drops into a handicap; the weight never bothers me. Here's a repeat of my pre-Cheltenham blog entry:
So, The last big NH meeting before the Ayr Scottish National meet gets underway and I'm looking forward to this.
Traditionally, I have always borne in mind the Cheltenham hangover effect. It has paid to note that, for many runners, the target has been the Cheltenham festival and many come to Aintree having left their best on the Prestbury Park turf. Whether it will be the same after this weather-beaten season we shall see.
To compound that truism and further complicate affairs, we are faced tomorrow with, unusually, near-on heavy going.
It looks like that there will be a plethora of winning short priced favourites tomorrow and I will probably, like half the world, have some sort of collective bet on a combination of these.
Grey Dawning 1.45 I’ve followed this one in all his races this term and it would be churlish of me to desert him now.
Gerri Colombe 2.55 Won at this meeting last year after a second at Cheltenham
Bob Olinger 3.30 Missed Cheltenham and comes here.
There are only two horses that be of real interest for me, though:
Cat Tiger – 4.05. - 50/1 Ew
I’ll never forget backing this one in April 21 over these fences when he looked to be just loving them, cruising at the last but tiring at the elbow and finishing third. The way he handled the fences that day was an eye-opener. He returned the following year in the same race, going down this time by just over a length, finishing second. Both those races were on G/Sft going but, you know, all his winning has been on soft or heavy ground and I’m happy to see that he’s at 50/1 in the market. It doesn’t take a wild mind to imagine that this has been the target this season. The ground has come in his favour, too.
One of my disappointments at Cheltenham, and one of my few real bets was:
Saint Roi – 4.40 - 5/1 Ew
I had him strongly noted after his unfortunate run at Fairyhouse in January. Had he not met interference from a faller, I think he might well have won that day. He ran a fine race at last year’s Aintree meeting over the Mildmay fences when finishing second to Banbridge in a Grade 1. He’s back again and this isn’t Grade 1 but a handicap and I do love it when a graded horse drops into a handicap; the weight never bothers me. Here's a repeat of my pre-Cheltenham blog entry:
So, The last big NH meeting before the Ayr Scottish National meet gets underway and I'm looking forward to this.