Tatty's Racing Tips - Wednesday 30th November 2011

First of all may I wish a very happy St Andrew's Day to all of my Scottish friends.  

I also wish a good day to all the public service workers who are on strike here in the UK today over changes to pension arrangements. I will not say whether I back them or not, but if I mention that Mrs Tatty is a teacher and is spending her day away from the classroom by going Christmas shopping, it doesn't take Einstein to work out where my sympathies lie.

Yesterday we managed 2 winners and a 2nd place which meant we made a little profit on the day.

Today there is an all-weather evening card at Kempton Park, so here is a runner in each race to keep an eye on.

• 4.00 Shaunas Spirit - 2nd 7/1
• 4.30 Snowed In - won 3/1
• 5.00 Wiltshire Life - unplaced
• 5.30 Laaheb - unplaced
• 6.00 Amba - non-runner
• 6.30 Perfect Act - unplaced
• 7.00 Fenella Fudge - unplaced
• 7.30 Doctor Hilary - unplaced

Last night, the mighty Biggleswade United entertained big spending Southern League outfit St Neots Town (a level above United) in the Hinchingbrooke Cup and only went down by 3-2. Well done lads, sorry I wasn't there to cheer you on.

Come on United!

Tatty's Racing Tips - Tuesday 29th November 2011

Even though I say so myself, Monday turned out to be a pretty decent day at the office. 8 choices, 3 winners at 5/1, 3/1 and 3/1, along with a 3^rd place at 14/1 giving us a nice little profit and almost making up for the disastrous, preceding Saturday.

Anyway, enough of the self patting on the back and onto the business in hand, namely Tuesday’s pony gymkhana at lovely, leafy Lingfield (actually I never did like the place much, but I digress). I cannot get very excited about many of the following choices either, except for the class 2 handicap over 6 furlongs at 2.50, which sparks a little interest.

Anyway, here goes......

12.10  Carlton Scroop- Unplaced

12.40  Henry Holmes - 2nd 5/2

1.10     Osiris Way - Unplaced

1.45     Emmuska - Won 13/8

2.15     Beat Route (E/W) - Unplaced

2.50    Capone - Won 9/2

3.20    Shelagh - Unplaced

Tatty's Racing Tips - Monday 28th November 2011

Well Saturday’s selections at Wolverhampton were pathetic and that’s being kind. At least my suggestion of Don McCain’s OVERTURN for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle came up trumps, going off at odds of 9/4. Should you have checked earlier in the day, you would have joined me in getting a better value 7/2. I thought Binocular actually ran quite well, considering how much he generally needs his first run of the season.

OK then, on to Monday’s little lot, again at Wolverhampton’s Dunstall Park. 

• 2.10 Storm Hawk (E/W or place) - Unplaced
• 2.45 One Way Or Another - Won 3/1
• 3.20 Atlantic Beach - Won 5/1
• 3.50 Griffin Point - Unplaced
• 4.20 Masters Club - Won 3/1
• 4.50 Dutchman’s Field (E/W or place) - 3rd 14/1
• 5.20 Boa - Unplaced
• 5.50 Yellow Printer - Unplaced

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Lastly, I said that on Saturday afternoon I was going to Biggleswade United’s Second Meadow stadium to watch their Spartan South Midlands League clash against high flying Haringey Boro’. Somehow, the visitors from North London managed to scrape a 2-1 victory, much to the amazement of most people there. On the balance of play, United definitely deserved at least a point.

Here are a couple of snaps I took before the match got underway.

View from the Main Stand

Players lining up before kick-off (United in Red)

Tatty's Racing Tips - Saturday 26th November 2011

Friday was quite a good day with 7 winners from 15 choices giving a £5.12 profit from £1 level stakes. Admittedly some of the prices were a little on the skinny side, but a winner is a winner (winner-winner-chickendinner!).

All-weather Saturday action is limited to just one evening meeting at Wolverhampton. Here are a few to keep an eye on....

WOLVERHAMPTON

·         6.20 Littlesuzie - Unplaced

·         6.50 Kames Park - Unplaced

·         7.20 Kidlat - 3rd 13/2

·         7.50 Snow Dancer - Unplaced

·         8.20 Haaf A Sixpence - Won 8/13

·         9.20 Lethal - Unplaced

Away from the sand, the highlight of the Saturday National Hunt cards is the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, but as I cannot make my mind up about that I'll post a few thoughts on the Stan James Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle (2.20). Sadly only 5 line up for the 2 mile, Grade 1 contest, and arguments can be made for the chances of BINOCULAR, OVERTURN and CELESTIAL HALO.

2010 Champion Hurdler BINOCULAR will most likely go off odds-on, but he may be up against it having been off the track for over 6 months, as opposed to his 2 rivals who have run far more recently. A class act however and is certainly capable of coming here fresh and winning, but in recent seasons has a habit of needing the run.

CELESTIAL HALO has certainly flourished since returning to hurdling after an ill-fated spell over the larger obstacles and won at Wincanton earlier this month. As much as I like him, in my opinion he is not quite in the same top class as his main 2 rivals in this contest.

I will therefore plump for Don McCain's OVERTURN, who impressed me greatly at Ascot last week, winning the Coral Hurdle. He jumped like a stag and set an unrelenting pace to score by 27 lengths. My only slight concern is that if he and Celestial Halo both try to set the pace, they may well run each other into the ground and leave an opening for Binocular or even one of the outsiders to slip through on the blind side.

KOSTA BRAVA and STORMY WEATHER, both available at up to 100/1, make up the field of 5.

NEWCASTLE

• 2.20 Overturn

We return on Monday, again at Wolverhampton, with what looks to be a very much run-of-the-mill all-weather flat card. Hope to see you then (all being well).

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Am off later to watch Biggleswade United v Haringey Borough, in the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, kick-off 3.00

For Twitter score updates, go to http://twitter.com/#!/Biggleswadeutd

Come on United!

Tatty's Racing Tips - Friday 25th November 2011

There are 2 flat meetings on the all-weather today, here is a choice in each race to keep an eye on.

Dundalk

• 6.30 Richelieu Won 9/2
• 6.55 Isabellareine - Unplaced
• 7.25 Choral Society - Won 9/10
• 7.55 Aloof - Won 4/6
• 8.20 Regal Tramp - Unplaced
• 8.50 Avanti Albert - Unplaced
• 9.15 Strandfield Lady - Unplaced

Wolverhampton

• 4.00 Prince James - Unplaced
• 4.30 Priors Gold - Won 4/9
• 5.05 Pipers Piping - Won 9/2
• 5.35 Bidable - Unplaced
• 6.10 Adranian - Won 11/10
• 6.40 Decision By One - Won Evs
• 7.10 Monty Fay - 3rd 9/2
• 7.40 Munsarim - Unplaced

Tatty's Racing Tips - Wednesday 23rd November 2011

Good morning everyone.

You may have noticed that most of my discussions are concerned with races on the flat (and all-weather). As much as I love watching National Hunt racing, I generally try to keep my investing opportunities to "on the level" only. My Dad always held the opinion that “these fences and hurdles get in the way of a damn good race”, and when my selection falls or unseats its rider, I can see where he was coming from.

On to today’s fayre, we have a varied selection of racing, with jump meetings at Wetherby, Fontwell Park and over the sea at Cork, along with 2 all-weather flat meetings, at Lingfield Park and early evening under the lights at Kempton Park, making up a fairly busy day. 

The best flat race of the day is the listed Class 1 “Come To Kempton on Boxing Day, Hyde Stakes” at 6.35 With a declared card of 14, containing some quite decent animals, it certainly isn’t easy to pick a winner. I like the look of Derek Shaw’s LOYALTY who, even though is taking a raise in grade, may well be good enough to find the frame. Sir Mark Prescott’s Clinical, going for a 4-timer, looks to be the one to beat however.
RESULT: Was never quite up with it to be honest. Ended in 7th place, about 4-5 lengths back.

Earlier at 5.05, the red hot team of trainer Hans Adielsson and jockey Nicole Nordblad are represented by 4 year old gelding SAND SKIER. Back in distance to a mile and a quarter, this may well be his best opportunity to prevail since his last win back in September 2009. 

Swede Nicole has burst on to the all-weather scene recently and has impressed many of us old race watchers, especially with her superb reading of pace in a race. She is certainly one to keep an eye on for the future, that’s for sure.
RESULT: A blanket finish with SAND SKIER coming 5th only a length or so back after seeming to take a wide route around the bend. Went off as 7/4 favourite and worth keeping in the notebook.

Last of all, one to lay. Over at Lingfield Park (1.05), we have a competitive 6 furlong handicap. TRIPLE CHARM from Jeremy Noseda’s yard, goes up into handicap company for the 1^st time after winning her maiden at Windsor last month. From a stable that is not particularly firing at present, she certainly has the scope for improvement, but I think there will be at least one too good for her today.
RESULT: Whoops! I'll hold my hands up, got it totally wrong - sorry!

TWO TO BACK

•      SAND SKIER Kempton 5.05
•      LOYALTY Kempton 6.35 (each-way)

LAY FOR TODAY

•   TRIPLE CHARM Lingfield 1.05

Tatty's Racing Tips - Tuesday 22nd November 2011

Hello all

First of all one to lay. WHERE’S REILEY (Southwell 12.10) returns to the track after a spring and summer break of 252 days. On his last foray at Southwell, he completed a two-timer and goes up 5lbs in the handicap for his success. Although his stable is currently in decent form, he generally needs the run after a break and the lack of blinkers today is noticeable. I can’t see him winning here, but the current lay odds of 7.8 does not seem conducive to betting. Keep an eye though, if that figure goes in to maybe between 6 and 6.5 then lay him to lose.

RESULT: Very much as I expected, WHERE'S REILEY was ceratinly in need of the run. Drawn on the outside in stall 12, he was in touch until about halfway when he weakened. Went off as a 5/1 second favourite, trading at 6.89 at the off on Betfair.

An hour later at 1.10 NIGHT TRADE makes her debut on Fibresand, after a reasonable spin on the Polytrack at Kempton last Friday when coming in 3^rd. It is noticeable that she dons the cheekpieces again (no headgear on Friday), when it seems questionable to me whether she really needs them (maybe something to do with her hanging left in the final furlong at Kempton though). I just think that if she takes to the softer sand surface (she has run well previously on turf with give underfoot), she could reach the frame, so back either each-way or place only.

RESULT: For whatever reason the headgear was re-applied, it didn't help and NIGHT TRADE always lagged behind and was a rather disappointing selection.

• LAY WHERE'S REILEY - Southwell 12.10 
• E/W or PLACE NIGHT TRADE - Southwell 1.10