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Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse's Unofficial Blog

I actually can't wait for this next heatwave.

Yet another balmy, warm, evening, decent breeze blowing through the French Window, Gosforth Park Cup coming up, there is nothing not to like.
 
Blimey, it's hot.

28 degrees to be precise here in Hampshire and I'm loving it.

What possibly ought to have been a very successful day has instead been a moderately good one.

I managed to back Fivethousandtoone three times and under the odds every time. 😂

But he had the rub of the green and won a short-head so that was good,

I bet Wisper and Archivist too.

But nothing else has gone right so, unless a few later bets cop, the wolf has just about been kept from the door, that's all.

What's also somewhat vexing is I ceased backing a model that had done back the profit since March and reverted to paper trading it.

It's had a banging last few days so, while it's not technically cost me anything, it feels like missed opportunity.

But I'm paper trading it still for a reason and I can always return to it.

My gut feeling is worst-case scenario it won't ever do any damage, but the turnover is horrendous and the ROI is truly pitiful, it's got to show me more and I've been tinkering with it since April last year now and, while it's in front, it's just not done well enough.

Anyway, all's good overall, so I'll leave it at that for now.
 
Patagonia Girl, Pralognan and Mindframe kept the wolf that bit further from the door in the end. 😂

I actually really like Sierra Leone, but I think he needs all of 1m2f - and to come off an absolutely insane pace - to be seen to best effect.

Since winning the Blue Grass Stakes last year, he's only won once (when getting what he needs in the Breeders' Cup Classic) and he's been beat six times.

I opposed him for a proper decent result at Fair Grounds first time out in some egg and spoon pace race over 1m1f (the winner was double-digit odds on the machine) and again tonight, where the pace was better, but still not the attritional War he needs, nor was it the right trip (1m1f again).

Sierra Leone might not get his ideal conditions until the autumn, when I hope he goes for the Classic again - if he keeps getting beat in the interim he might be a bit of a price once more.

Good night.
 
Sunday morning weekly anecdote....


I was invited to a Warwick University 60th anniversary reunion last week.

As I've never been interested in unions, never mind reunions, and I couldn't get out of the place fast enough to get on with real life in 1984, I found this hilarious and was actually still laughing as I declined.
 
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That I highly doubt. 😂

I do actually have some very fond memories of my time there 1981-1984.

But all those memories are very personal and have little or nothing to do with the actual people there.

As I said to my friend: "I'm being invited to drive up there to spend time with people I mostly never much liked 40 years ago, I've hardly seen any of them since for a reason and I need to set eyes on them again like I need a hole in the head." 😂

I have actually been back up there a few times - 2008, 2015 and about three years ago from memory - when in the area and enjoyed the nostalgia blast of driving and strolling round the campus and the places where I used to live.

But it's not for me.
 
I enjoyed the Irish Derby and Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud yesterday.

It's going to be very hot today, but that's ok, and I'm looking forward to Saturday entries/confirmations.
 
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My personal highlight today was constructing a feta cheese and potato salad, which I made short work of while savouring an exquisite ice-cold soft beverage of global repute.

To say I'm looking forward to Eclipse Day at Sandown Park would be to make a colossal understatement - can't wait.
 
I just had a Lamb Biryiani for it supper.

In this (still 29 degrees) heat.

I must be mad.

It was nice, though.

Plus perspiration is meant to cool the person down, as Eustace said in "Voyage Of The Dawn Treader."
 
It's been a funny old day.

I could have got free tickets for either Newbury or Kempton Park this evening - ditto Sandown Park tomorrow and Eclipse Day on Saturday, actually - but once again I felt zero motivation to go.

But I just think my enthusiasm is more selectively focussed nowadays and I'm really looking forward to following remotely both days at the Esher venue, ditto Haydock Park on Saturday and a couple of races at Saratoga tomorrow and Saturday.
 
As if there wasn't enough going on already this weekend, it's the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday.

"Excited" about this weekend's fare doesn't even come close.
 
Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse it notified to report a....losing afternoon, minus 20% ROI to be precise.

Kings Lynn and Yabher mitigated the damage - and it would have been a bangingly-profitable day had Sir Busker prevailed - but other activity, notably Ombudsman in the Eclipse and Sportingsilvermine, who I had too much on for the win after pressing up as he drifted, made it a losing afternoon overall.

However, it isn't over til it's over and activity this evening may yet salvage the losses! 😂
 
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I had a rather nice Vintage Cheddar & Caramelised Onion Quiche yesterday, which followed an equally-pleasant Duck & Seville Orange Pate.
 
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Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse is "unwell," but it's self induced so, on the million to one chance anyone is feeling a shred of sympathy, honestly, don't.

Here's the thing: I rather like food videos on social media and last night I was liking the look of a Chicago Deep Pan pizza.

So I bought one today and it was the size of Bournemouth.

And I ate all of it.

I dread to think what I'll be when I hit the scales tomorrow - my normal BMI of 25 (circa 13 stone for a bloke just short of 6ft) must be in severe jeopardy. 😂
 
Thanks to Penn Avenue, my main bet of the afternoon, and Royal Dress, once again the wolf was kept from the door and one's head was kept above water.

But Uttoxeter this evening could change all that!

In the meanwhile, Thursday's (nothing much interests me tomorrow) Newmarket declarations are in and I think I can see five worthwhile bets on the card.

Very pleasant evening here in Hampshire, French Windows open, cold drink in hand, looking forward to monitoring events at the Staffordshire venue.

It's another track I've only been to once - some sunny day in 1987 - and my recollections are the train station being very close to the track, walking upon early arrival into downtown Uttoxeter, taking one look at it and thinking: "nah, I'll eat later," enjoying the racing but only backing one 7/4 winner and having a surprisingly acceptable donor kebab just outside Crewe station while awaiting my connection back to The Metropolis/The Smoke (London to some).
 
I could have gone to Kempton Park with "Leafy," my main betting collaborator and oldest (he's known me on and off for almost 40 years) friend tonight.

But he's been in networking overdrive the last 48 hours (he was at Lingfield Park yesterday) whereas I literally never want to talk to almost anyone, so it would have been "awks," as they say, all round.

Plus, it's just as well as the one and only horse I was potentially interested in looked about as busy as an Octogenarian having a Sunday afternoon nap following a heavy lunch.

I'm on watering watch at the moment - I don't call lobbing 45mm since Friday on a track which also had 5mm rain on Sunday "watering to maintain."

It's nearly two effing INCHES.

I won't be getting involved until I'm confident I know what the racing surface is like.

In other news, the doorbell rang earlier - needless to say I ignored it.

French window open, yet another balmy, but breezy, evening - it's all good.
 
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Biggest bet I had today was a football bet - I don't say that very often.

"Leafy" has had his card marked by a "Beautiful Game" Judge about a Divisional Outright market, consequently I've had my card marked too, we have both organised getting on at 11/4 and an excited "Leafy" tells me our bet is 13/8 best now.

I replied I expect to be top of the table with a 💯% record by the end of September and for it all to be over by New Year's Day, with the bookies paying out early as a goodwill gesture as we're already mathematically as good as home and hosed.

I'd share, but "Leafy" would have to have me killed if I did and I already live in constant fear of assassination as it is.

I'll reveal all in May - IF I remember and IF anyone cares (doubtful, I wouldn't if I were you).

I've been knee deep in the Friday/Saturday racing this evening - no mean feat in this heat.

I've earned a nice beverage - anyway, I'm having one, whether I've earned it or not.
 
What sort of a narcissist gets bored with talking about himself?

A lazy one, I guess.

Not a lot to report tbh - just about managing to keep my head above water, still, but it's been tougher than last year so far.

And I had a very nice meatballs al forno for Sunday lunch on, err, Sunday. 😂
 
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