Day 1 didn’t get off to the best start when my Nap of the meeting Rock on Ruby’s race was over after 2 fences, went further downhill when Hurricane Fly ran well but just wasn’t good enough against the new pretenders this year. I don’t really subscribe to the fact the The New One was unlucky he was near enough 2 out if good enough. It didn’t end well when my most confident bet of the day Ataglance was robbed of the race by circumstances, possibly rider error as all he had to do was continue on the outside for a relatively easy success. That result didn’t augur well for the rest of the week as I’m usually able to bang in one of the handicaps at a big price and its difficult enough to pick one.

Day 2 had one of the silliest priced horses I’ve seen in a while in Sire De Grugy, one look at the Tingle Creek on good ground made any hope of Captain Conan having any chance at all remote and from that race I thought Somersby had a great chance of coming second. Ladbrokes had a huge 14/1 available in the W/O market and he duly obliged just. We had a larger than usual bet on Sire de Grugy as well so it couldn’t have worked out any better. He also was the second leg of a treble started by Faugheen.  One of my bets of the week was the 3^rd leg of the daily treble and Balthazar King scraped home against my other selection Any Currency, mainly due to a sublime ride. That treble paid near 80 points and it was going to be a good festival after that regardless. Note to self if I have 2 reasonably confident selections do the fecking forecast, that race the forecast paid 60/1.

Day 3 was the single worst day I’ve ever had selection wise at the festival with all mine coming last. I kid you not every selection came actually last other than Oscar Whiskey who fell at the first after being backed into 11/2. My wife who came over for the Thursday thankfully had Fingal Bay so it was our one cheer of the day. Annie Power let me down for a 4 Horse Accumulator but ran a great race really and looks a huge prospect as a staying chaser.

Day 4 for me was all about Briar Hill, I had 2 trebles with him as the last leg and was confident enough. The day started well with Montbazon running huge race in 3^rd after looking the winner before the last. While checking out Briar Hills previous form I noticed Very Wood flying at the finish of his last race and figured 50/1 was value. Though Briar Hill falling cost me a much bigger win money wise, I would prefer 50/1 Selection to win any day of the week. He got a great ride from Paul Carbury and won going away in the manner of a decent prospect. This gave us a nice collection and  with 2 legs of a EW Yankee and a nice 2 possibilities in the last 2 handicaps.  Local Hero ran a great race but just didn’t stay. I was very confident of Asctracad placing at least and he was going well until a huge mistake about 4 from home, which put paid to his chances (he ran on well at the finish afterwards)

Overall I made over 63 Point Profit from all my selections. Ante-post results were poor, thankfully I only put up NRNB or NRFB on most so non-runners cost me only 1 point. I’ll be updating the spreadsheet later on today for the year and it should make for a nice profit on the year.

2:05 County Hurdle

This race takes a very good horse to win and I think Montbazon has a decent chance of fulfilling his potential from 2 years ago, when he ended his novice season with a very good 4^th in the Supreme. To my eye he travelled well in the betfair before getting tired towards the end, which is understandable after 2 years off and very soft ground. His mark looks well within his grasp and 25/1 make the risk of a somewhat unknown quantity worth taking.

1 Point EW 25/1 5 Places Various

5:15 Grand Annual

Gutted to be even bothering to look at this race as I was sure I had the winner already sorted in Tataniano (who may be running tomorrow). Astracad looks the value here with plenty of good form on good ground over 2 miles here and looks sure of giving a good account of himself. He will need to improve to have a chance of winning this but is only 7 and that may be possible. 33/1 simply too big with 5 places in Stan James and his chances here of getting into the 5 are huge

2 Points EW Stan James 5 places 33/1

2:40 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

I was looking at Briar Hills races this morning and spotted one making ground quickly at the end of his last race, looked it up and he is also here today over the longer trip that will surely suit. Very Wood could well improve here and although he really should be winning this 50/1 EW is too tempting. He has solid looking form overall and is worth a small gamble at those odds.

1 Point EW 50/1 Various

4:40 Martin Pipe

Very difficult race to find the winner here, so I’m going to go with consistency. Local Hero has been running well lately on unsuitable soft ground and although this is a step up in trip for him that may suit him judging by the way he generally finished his races. He will love the quick ground and could well be flying at the finish here. He is worth the risk at 33/1 with 5 places.

1 Point EW 33/1 5 Places Various

Worst day ever for tips on this site. Oscar Whickey fell at the first and all the other selctions finished stone last.. Less said about that the better.. Things can only inmprove for today.

4:00 Byrne Group Plate

Nadiya De La Vega is one I’ve picked a few times in the past around here after she had a few decent few runs of this course and distance. She has dropped below her last winning mark and has plenty of good form on decent ground. There is a visor applied today which could work well given her suspect temperament. She is a standout 25/1 with 5 places on SKYBET and that looks a good few points too big here.

1 Point EW 25/1 5 Places Skybet.

I’m also going to go back to my old failing of backing some of my favourite older horses here, in the form of Tartak. He has run well in this race for the last 2 years in 6^th and 3^rd  of higher marks and judging by his very decent 4^th over C&D earlier this year, he is overpriced at 33/1 with 5 places.

1 Point EW 33/1 5 Places BetVictor

ANTEPOST already selected for today.

Both of these have worked out well as they will go off at significantly shorter prices.

Ryanair Chase

In a race that could cut up significantly Menorah now great value at 16/1 nrnb with bet365. His last 2 runs last year would put him in with an excellent chance here, just getting beat by First Lieutenant at Aintree and then just about failing to give 17lbs to Champion Court at Cheltenham. He was poor on the King George in soft ground but has in the past has numerous times come back from poor runs to excel and I wouldn’t rule it out here.

1 Point win 16/1 NRNB Bet365

JLT Novice Chase

Oscar Whiskey just looks overpriced here. He hasn’t really set the world alight with his jumping but this could well be a week enough affair and I really can’t have the 2 above him in the market at shorter prices. It’s risky enough without NRNB but 10/1 is just too big here and I’ll have to go for a 1 point bet as I’d be more raging if I wasn’t on at that price before the race than if I lost it if he didn’t run.

1 Point win 10/1 Ladbrokes

3:20 World Hurdle

Celestial Halo stands out a mile here as the value in this race at 40/1. He looks clearly the 3^rd best of these on all known form and apart from his last run where the trainer has intimated he needed, he has been in top class for form the last year. He was a great 2^nd in this last year and has 2 wins already this year. He will like the ground and Paul Nicholls seems to think he shouldn’t be written off here.

1 Point EW 40/1 Stan James/Bet Victor

4:40 Kim Muir

I’m going with gut feeling here in Quinz. He is always best fresh on good ground and although we have a fair bit of poor form to overlook I just get the feeling that he will be right for today of a really great mark. He is 12 lbs below his really good 4^th in the Racing Plus Chase last year and if he can be revived at all today he is worth a speculative selection at 33/1 with 5 places.

1 Point EW 33/1 5 Places Sporting Bet Bet365 and others.

2:05 Pertemps Network Final

Had a huge amount of difficulty picking anything in this race but just stumbled across First Fandango at a huge price. He ran a decent race in this last year but then improved to a good 3^rd at Aintree. He is down again and if he can reproduce that run here with a new 10lbs claimer on today he might not be far away. 50/1 with 5 places with Stan James looks tempting

1pt EW 50/1 5 Places Stan James

Great day yesterday with 2 decent winners and picked the first 2 in 2 races in a row. Baltazar King held on well from our other selection Any Currency , and Somersby ran a great race to uphold the Tingle Creek form with Sire De Grugy. Just over a 20 point profit for the day.

4:00 Glenfarclas Handicap Chase (Cross Country) 

Balthazar King will have his ideal conditions for this tomorrow and although he is lumbered with top weight he has already won over the course & distance this year on good ground and looks sure to run a big race again here. I think the favourite could struggle of his new mark and I’m having  difficulty seeing a lot of the field being good enough particularly in these conditions. The 6/1 available now is at least 2 points too big and has to be taken.

2 Points win 6/1 Lads/Will/Stan

Any Currency is worthy of a small saver bet here as he has a huge turnaround with Balthazar King in the weights for a 6 length beating. He has great form on good ground and should be involved in the finish here at a decent looking 12/1.

1 Point win  12/1 Generally

As shocking as it seems to have 3 bets in this race I have to have a min saver bet on Sin Palo in this race at 80/1 on betfair. He had some decent form in Ireland but was poor in his last 2 runs. He has been given a break and has the assistance of Paul Townend here. Simply put no Willie Mullins horse is and 80/1 shot in this type of race, and something would get kicked if I hadn’t at least a min bet just in case.

½ Point win 85 Betfair

4:40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Solar Impulse is one I picked out when I saw him finish 3^rd to Actival trying to give that good horse 7lbs on his first run in this country. He ran and eye-catching race from the front and didn’t fold as could have been expected. He looks on a decent enough mark and 20/1 looks a decent price . 888sport are paying 5 places which is worth taking advantage of.

1 Point EW 20/1 888 5 places.

2:40 Coral Cup

Edgardo Sol is a huge price here for one with a decent festival record and a liking for good ground. He was 2^nd in the county hurdle 2 years ago and 6^th last year again. His last run needs to be forgotten but he was obviously in trouble there and has been given a break since. He has performed at a big price a few times in the past and 50/1 is great value for such a talented animal with good course form.

1 Point EW 50/1 Coral 5 places.

3:20 BetVictor Queen  Mother Champion Chase

Looking through the markets for an angle in this race, I fancy Sire De Grugy at the prices but I think Somersby is seriously underrated this year. He has looked better than ever winning his first start and 2^nd in the Tingle Creek. He looks to have the beating of Captain Conan on that form and is 14/1 with Ladbokes in the w/o Sire De Grugy market. He will be fine on the ground and in my mind is the forgotten horse here.

1 Point win 14/1 Without Sire De Grugy Ladbrokes

Close but no cigar today with Tour Des Champs just failing to get in the places in 5^th place and then Attaglance looking the winner until he ran out of space close to home. Rock on Rubys race was run after 2 fences after a terrible mistake at that fence.

2:40 Baylis & Harding Affordable Luxury Handicap Chase

Very competitive handicap which isn’t a surprise but I think Tour Des Champs has been underrated here after his very good run last time out. He has a very decent record at Cheltenham and ran a particularly good race over this course and distance earlier this year when 2^nd behind Baltazar King on good ground. He had 4lbs more that time and if he can improve at all on his last run where he really stuck his neck out when passed, he could well be very hard to knock out of the places here at 20/1. The connections know how to get a winner here and I expected him to be lower than 20/1

1 Point EW 20/1 Various

Arkle Chase ANTEPOST already advised

Looking at this race Rock on Ruby sticks out for me at the current prices. He will be suited by the much better ground that should be available on the day and I think his running style will lend itself well to this race. He’ll hopefully go out in front and should help him jump. Judging by his hurdling career if he is jumping reasonably well he should be very difficult to pass up the hill and I’m willing to take the chance at 10/1 NRFB  with bet victor. If he arrives on the day there isn’t any chance he’ll be going off at that price.

2 Points win 10/1 BetVictor NRFB.

Runs tomorrow very happy with the now as he is generally 9/2 and the ground has worked out well for him.

5:15 Rewards4Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase

Attaglance sticks out immediately on looking at this race. He needs good ground, was 4^th in the Paddy Power this year of this mark over this course and distance on good ground, which would probably be good enough to take a serious hand in this race. He has won at the festival before over hurdles and some of his form this year makes interesting reading like losing to Double Ross by 2 lengths, that horse is now rated 152. He hasn’t run over fences at all in the poor ground and should be primed for this race.

2 Points win 18/1 Bet Victor

 I’m also going for a ew bet on Ohio Gold, he was 3^rd in this last year of a 2lbs higher mark and is generally a very consistent animal, making his prince of 25/1 look great value. He hasn’t been over raced this year and hopefully he should be there or thereabouts again this year. He has more experience than most of the field and that could be invaluable in this novice handicap.

1pt EW 25/1 Betfred Ladbrokes

5:00 Naas

Panther Claw looks a bit overlooked here given that he has been very consistent of late in good races. He is down to a mark he is well capable of performing of given his 5^th in the Irish National of 4 lbs higher. He has since had 3 very decent runs this year and if his 7lbs claimer on today can ride at all he looks a great bet at the 16/1 generally available.

1 Point win 16/1 Generally

3:25 Sandown

This looks a poor enough renewal and I’m going with one near the bottom of the handicap with the prevailing soft ground. Gassin Golf has been somewhat of a disappointment since he went over hurdles but has a couple of performance’s which make his current mark look within his grasp. He was a good 2^nd at Punchestown with a couple of 130 horses around him and 121 looks to give him a decent shout here.  He ran a decent race last time out on his handicap debut when it didn’t look like he stayed the trip and the drop back here really should suit. He has drifted to 12/1 and that looks a bit of value.

1 Point win 12/1 Various