After a good couple of weeks, yesterday wasn't a good day for me; but then you can't win every day no matter how much you try.
I was absolutely right about the 3-mile handicap chase at Exeter and, in hindsight, I should have left well alone - or at least stuck with the advice I wrote in my own blog! Unfortunately, as the day progressed it played on my mind that Barry Geraghty had been booked for Cernunnos and I convinced myself that the key to the horse had been found, as he's a good deal better than his current rating when he wants to be. However, once the race started it was soon apparent that today wasn't a going day and the horse was pulled-up with about a mile still to run. Thankfully, I had a small "saver" on the 12yo Alvarado who, as I expected, stayed on strongly and looked like possibly winning after jumping the 2nd-last fence but it was not to be. It should be noted that 3-miles around Exeter is not for the faint-hearted and 7 of the 16 starters pulled-up, and 4 of the 9 finishers - including the 7/2 fav Vieux Lille - were beaten at least a distance, that is over half-a-furlong.
If that wasn't bad enough, my main wager of the day Midnight Glory in the 2m7f hurdle looked like she was going really well with half-a-mile to run but stopped quickly and was pulled-up so it's likely something went amiss with the mare.
Later in the afternoon, Yanworth confirmed his superior ability with a comforatable win over Sternrubin in the Beginners' Chase over 2m1f. Quite how good that form is we will have to wait and see, but the signs are that Yanworth is a 150+ chaser.
Nothing much doing today, despite there being a couple of jump race meetings at Sedgefield and Worcester. I may take an interest in the Class 2 handicap hurdle at Worcester at 3:55pm being run over 2m4f and, if I do, then I will post my selection on twitter.
Thursday brings us 3 jump race meetings at Carlisle, Ludlow and Southwell and, at Carlisle, we have a Class 3 handicap chase over 3m2f which - with the ground being soft there - could take some staying. Also on that Carlisle card is a Class 3 Beginners' Chase which has been an introduction to chasing for some decent horses with recent winners including Cloudy Dream, Pendra and Bury Parade.
Friday brings us the opening meeting of the season at Cheltenham, and it looks a cracking card with my particular highlight being the 3m1f, Class 3 handicap chase for amateur riders. Sure to be a big field for this race and, with riding ability as much a requirement as race-form of the horses, we should be able to quickly find a value wager. We are back at Cheltenham on Saturday, for another terrific card with at least 3 decent races in which I shall probably be wagering. I found the winner of the opening Class 2 handicap chase over 3m1f last season (with Coologue), but the 2-mile Class 2 handicap chase is also a race that can throw-up a decent winner. And as I've been paying attention to 3-mile hurdle races recently, I will be looking at the "Pertemps" qualifier too. Do not forget there is a meeting at Kelso on Saturday, and there is an attractive Class 2 handicap chase over 3m2f there which has a decent set of entries.
Finally, to make this weekend extra special, we have the Aintree "Monets Garden" meeting on Sunday - and I found the winner of this race last season (with Third Intention). There is also a good handicap chase being run on Sunday at Worcester so, all-in-all, we have a busy and entertaining weekend as jump racing gets into full swing.
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