Recent content by archie

Some evidence already but decent action in the next month so fodder for discussion. Without getting hung up on Cheltenham, you'd have to say that Kopek des Bordes and Final Demand are worthy favourites for their respective targets. Of the others, and just my view... Romeo Coolio - Drinmore...

Think Mange Tout (dark horse in archie2) should have 15 more points for her win yesterday.

I'm almost certain that, when NJH gave a bullish report on Constitution Hill's health a couple of months ago, he mentioned that they'd even checked his eyesight. I thought at the time that, while you can check for disease or physical issues, you can't be certain about how well the eyes are...

Gaelic Warrior stayed 3m1f around Aintree which is something of a left-handed Kempton. This time last year there was much talk that he couldn't go left-handed but that's all gone quiet now. It may be that he just doesn't like Leopardstown but it may still be that he's better right-handed...

This wasn't a bad field for a novice chase at Towcesrer. https://www.racingpost.com/results/83/towcester/1990-01-19/33020

https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/now_and_next.asp?location=Cheltenham+Racecourse&locationID=2431118&lat=51.500000&lon=-2.000000 People can judge for themselves but Metcheck seem to be saying that rain will move in this evening with up to 20mm before racing and 15mm or more during racing.

There's a yellow warning for heavy rain (up to 50mm) on Friday. The latest from the course is that the going stick was 6.3 yesterday with the following about the weather: Weather: 5mm on Monday and 5mm Tuesday evening. 6mm so far on Wednesday morning (@06:30) with further rain forecast until...

Plenty of rain about. Like Robi, I wouldn't be backing anything until we get a proper steer on the going.

Recently, the going at Bangor went from 6.3 on the stick at 7am to 6.6 at 1pm. At this stage of the season, you'd think twice about giving a novice it's first run of the season on ground drying that quickly. It's a long season and you hope that NH horses will have lengthy careers.

The Peter Green concert was organised by Mick Fleetwood and he released an album of a selection of the material. Quite an impressive list of musicians. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrate_the_Music_of_Peter_Green_and_the_Early_Years_of_Fleetwood_Mac This gives a flavour of the event.

I was reminded of this, one of the finest songs of the 60s, by a recording of a Peter Green tribute concert where this was sung by Neil Finn. Absolute classic.

Generally speaking, there seem to be more horses in the 80-105 range than in 120-145 range, ie. those in the handicap, and the relative marks are generally better established at the higher levels. I suppose that I was using competitive as an indicator of more horses of an unknown ability that...

Different trainers have different 'tells'. An early trainer used to say "you couldn't kick us out of the first three" but, as I said earlier, at the lower levels it is very competitive so all you usually get is things like "it's the right race" or "as fit as I can get him". Orbys started at 22/1...

Archie 1 Brighterdaysahead Fact To File Galopin Des Champs Haiti Couleurs Kopek Des Bordes Marine Nationale The Jukebox Man The New Lion The Yellow Clay DH: Wendigo (Snowden) Archie 2 Brighterdaysahead Derryhassen Paddy Fact To File Inothewayurthinkin Lecky Watson Lossiemouth Marine...

I believe that you are miles off it here. I stopped backing my own horses nearly 40 years ago, considering it good money after bad. I can't think of any owner at the lower level of racing who is in it for the money and would suggest that it's at the higher levels where most of the tricks are...