Early Tote Ten To Follow thoughts

Not much time today as getting back into things at the office after having a day-off yesterday for my birthday. Me and the girlfriend went to Tunbridge Wells for the weekend and stayed at the Hotel Du Vin in the town. Must admit, I was a bit disappointed with HDV. Couldn’t fault the room, nor the quality of the food and drink – but the service was a bit lack-lustre. Service is what separates the big hotel chains from the “boutique” brands. Perhaps it was just this hotel, but they need to pull their socks up or risk becoming another anonymous hotel chain.
We did visit a cracking good pub in Groombridge tho’, and I’m thinking of starting another blog on the relative merits of pubs in the area.

Today’s Horseracing
There are a couple of meetings today, at Exeter and Sedgefield.
Unfortunately, I really am not excited about anything at either of those meetings, so not selections today.

Looking back at the weekend, I read on the RTE website that Noel Meade was unsure of the reason for the nosebleed to PANDORAMA on Saturday that caused him to be withdrawn before the start of that race. So, it will be a racecourse gallop and then straight into the Hennessey.

Probably like most reading this blog, I am formulating my entry for the Tote Ten To Follow competition. I hope to be able to get off to a flying start by having the Paddy Power Chase winner (race being run this Saturday) in my lists, but it will not be easy as it looks highly competitive. Unfortunately, JONCOL put up a poor display of jumping on Sunday. I’m hoping that his canny trainer Paul Nolan went into that race with his horse having done little at home and that when stepped-up in trip to 3-mile (or thereabouts) that there will be a transformation of form.

Also, yesterday, the Horse Alert List had a runner with PRINCE DE BEAUCHENE. Unfortunately, due to the race conditions, he had little chance of beating Big Fella Thanks (OR151) off level weights when he is only rated OR140. Even so, he ran very well up to the 2nd-last suggesting his OR is perhaps on the lenient side. The winner of the race HEY BIG SPENDER is a cracking horse and will be on the verge of Gold Cup standard next March. He’s won his last 3 races with 11st 10lbs or more on his back and so connections will probably be undaunted about having to give weight away in handicaps this season. He is one I’d be seriously considering as an inclusion on my 10-2-Follow list.

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Thanks from Wayward Lad