Search results

I know I’m probably miles behind the pace, but I’ve just asked ChatGPT to analyse a horse race for me. “Sure” it said “put up a photo of the race card”. I did that and it came back in seconds with reams of analysis and comment and a final conclusion for a safe bet, a value bet and a risky bet...

Anyone see Haggas on Luck on Sunday "He's got away with blue murder on the racecourse for a while." William Haggas has expressed his frustration at Oisin Murphy's riding, claiming he has been guilty of "professional fouls" on the racecourse. Sporting Life headline SL article - William Haggas...

The rugs are off the jumpers today

I was watching him bring home McMurray at Doncaster and thought what a good ride it was. Not only a very nicely timed run, but what impressed me most of all was the way he finessed the colt over the line in contrast to others who would have been hammering for all they were worth. It’s amazing...

Now the flat warm up act is into its last set I can hear the star warming up in the wings sending a frisson of excitement in anticipation of THE JUMPS coming centre stage.:drink: There will be plenty of stable tours coming, but I thought we might note anything that catches our interest and...

Thought I’d start doing my notebooks again - four today: 1:50 Ascot: Enamorus was quite strongly supported as 9/4f on her debut last time which was in a Class2 - 10/7 still last with a furlong go she finished strongly into third (dh) without having been put under that much pressure. This one...

DAY FIVE 3:05 I’ve got to put in Rebel’s Romance just for the sake of it. What a horse and what can you say that hasn’t been said. 5:00 More Thunder had a dozen or more horses ahead of him a furlong out. He finished like an express train to go down by a head, not helped by Tom Marquand...

DAY THREE 2:30 Wise Approach had nothing to race against towards the finish, so Buick edged him over to the leading trio. He picked off two of them, but couldn’t get near the winner. There’s a race in there. 3:40 Go Go Boots was second to last coming Ito the straight and didn’t get in the...

DAY ONE 2:30 Notable Speech didn’t like the slow pace and wouldn’t settle. Then, when push came to shove, there was no way through and Buick had to take him across to the rail which was away from the main action. It's disappointing when you have a race like that and they've gone the pace they...

Nice one again with Tropical Storm, reet Horrible again for me today with not a horse in the winner’s enclosure - two seconds and a fourth. Madam Random scored a winner and two seconds (at 12/1 and 16/1, too). Hell, surely to God I can better random selections, so I’ve run the random number...

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: Top bombing, Jon. Not a horse even appearing in the frame bar the winner I said I wouldn’t back because of the drift. You couldn’t make it up. I bet picking random numbers would do better than my considered choices, so I’ll try that today then just concentrate on enjoying the...

Looking forward to some great racing at York and plenty to watch. 2:10 Plage De Havre - has been running decently at this level, but Oisin Murphy couldn’t stop him getting involved in setting suicidal pace with Midnight Lion last time at Newcastle. They both paid the price, PU and last. If...

I suppose today is all about the jumps and the trainers championship battle. Fag end of the season is always a bit of a lottery so it’s probably just as well that I’m still on the betting sidelines. Can’t say I’m that enamoured of Mullins being able to pack the races with so many top horses, but...

I’m glad that MrB has just pointed out where the blogs can be found. My last blog post was in October when we were just back from Madeira - it’s April now, we’re there again and it’s a good discipline not being able to bet (not easily, anyway) in the fag-end of the jumps season and the new...

I spent time today re-running Cheltenham trying to find a few more for the notebook. A chastening experience it was, too. There were 187 runners in the Grade 1s and guess how many from the home team…………..42 is all, that’s just over 22%. Only 1 of the 11 runners in the Supreme, 0 (yes, zero) of...

I hope you all had an enjoyable Cheltenham, but I doubt any of you worked as hard as Desert in sorting out the handicaps. Nor as hard in posting up all the info and the rationale behind selections. It added immeasurably to my enjoyment of the week and was really appreciated. Thanks, desert.

When asked about “strength” in a jockey this is what Lester Piggott had to say. I wonder what he would make of all those jockeys who have adopted the style of bouncing up and down in the saddle which looks so awful.

Over the years everyone has kept telling me “if you don’t get value you’ll finish up in the poorhouse”. Value they define as a horse having longer odds than they should have. Fair enough, but the key word in that is “should” and what is that other than an opinion? By that token, “value” is just...

First big(ish) Saturday of the season at Cheltenham and guess what - the first four races were won by horses trained in Ireland. Did that cause a worried frown across the faces of the powers that be, or just another shrug of the shoulders as they turn and order another gin and tonic. How many...

Hi guys, been having a rough old time which a couple of weeks in Madeira has put right,so it’s good to be back in the fold. Missed some good racing yesterday, but there’s plenty to enjoy today and I might sprinkle a bit of ground bait around just to see what comes swimming along. I suppose you...