FA CUP 2nd ROUND WEEKEND.

This weekend we see the 2nd round of the FA Cup with 20 ties taking place over the next few days. Tonight of course we start with the televised game on BBC TV which is SALFORD vs HARTLEPOOL. 

All the teams will be looking to progress and seek a money spinning tie in round three against one of the Premier League teams. But first things first they have to win.

Here is a summary of the matches;

Friday 4th December

Salford 1 - 1 Hartlepool [FT]


Saturday 5th December

Barnet 0 - 1 Newport [FT]
Chesterfield 1 - 1 Walsall [FT]
Leyton Orient 0 - 0 Scunthorpe [FT]
Millwall 1 - 2 Wycombe [FT]
Northampton 3 - 2 Northwich Victoria [FT]
Portsmouth 1 - 0 Accrington [FT]
Sheff Utd 1 - 0 Oldham [FT]
Stourbridge 0 - 2 Eastleigh [FT]
Yeovil 1 - 0 Stevenage [FT]

Sunday 6th December

Rochdale 0 - 1 Bury [FT]
Bradford 4 - 0 Chesham United [FT]
Cambridge Utd 1 - 3 Doncaster Rovers [FT]
Colchester 3 - 2 Altrincham [FT]
Dag & Red 1 - 1 Whitehawk [FT]
Exeter 2 - 0 Port Vale [FT]
Oxford Utd 1 - 0 Forest Green Rovers [FT]
Peterborough 2 - 0 Luton Town [FT]
Welling 0 - 5 Carlisle [FT]

Monday 7th December

Grimsby 0 - 0 Shrewsbury


The draw for the 3rd round will take place LIVE on BBC 2 on Monday 7th December at 7pm. 

KEMPTON PARK RACES WEDNESDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2015

Good evening all.
After a losing week last time out we move ever closer to the end of the year and we are still ahead (but only just) with a small loss figure of -1.78. The Jumps season is now well under way and the AW season will carry on with more races at Lingfield, Wolves, Chelmsford and of course here at Kempton. Newcastle should be added to that list during next year and we will see how that starts whenever it actually happens.

I am sure that the Kempton staff are looking ahead to their big meeting of the whole year on Boxing Day but the weekly bread and butter meetings are just as important.

If we can get this back to profit for the end of the year that'll be impressive enough for me whatever the final figure. We have been on the go nearly every week since January and being selective with our races too. In addition our results are to a level stake at SP, it's very likely that we've gone better than our final figure actually represents but never mind.

Anyway lets crack on with tonight and target a few more winners across this line once again....

A link to tonight's race card can be found here;
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/kempton-park/02-12-2015/fast-cards

Tonight is another 8 race card, with the division of the 6f Maiden event, and we have four handicaps to ponder over once racing commences here at 16:05 with a 5f Handicap event and concludes at 19:40 with our final Handicap over 7f.

The going on the polytrack is Standard, and there is rain currently forecast during the day the cold weather is here so wrap up warm, take a hip flask, give a stranger a hug or whatever you need to do to keep warm.

Here we go with our selections for tonight's handicaps;

16:05 -- 5f Handicap
Our opening event over the minimum trip has 10 declared, the first to look at is PROMINNA who is looking for a hat trick but his last two wins have been at Nottingham and Bath so this track will be a new experience.

PERFECT WORDS won at Wolves last time but has never run here in 42 starts, so another to avoid, and I will be on FROZEN PRINCESS [10th 14/1] for Jamie Osborne who can ready his filly after a year off.


16:40 -- 5f Handicap
A similar event to the opening over the same trip albeit a couple of grades higher. Still got 10 runners, and its PEARL ACCLAIM [5th 7/1] that I am drawn too here.

Considerably down in class and is available at 20/1 which you don't often see for a Dandy Nicholls sprinter. A big win/place fancy tonight.


19:10 -- 1m 4f Handicap
A big field of 14 for this poor contest, a race where the 3yo's appear to be 5lb "better off" so will side with the likes of SILVER LINING [3rd 7/1] and ARTESANA [10th 14/1] against their elders, both seem to be a decent price too in a race that lacks strength in depth.


19:40 - 7f Handicap
The finale for tonight gives us another max field of 14, nothing really leaps out it's probably best to grab your pin and take a chance.

TRENDING [8th 9/2] did fairly well after a poor start and over a furlong less than last time (plus a more level break) could feature, has a low draw too which is good. I'll take that one plus AFKAR [WON 7/2] against the field and lets see if December can be kind to us.

Staked -- 6 points

Returns -- 4.5 points

Was down -1.78pts going into tonight, despite the winner in the last another small loss of 1.5 points takes us to -3.28 down for the year, only a few weeks left to go.

We'll return here next week on Wednesday 9th December.

The sun goes down ... thankfully the lights are on.

KEMPTON PARK RACES WEDNESDAY 25th NOVEMBER 2015

Good evening all.

After a losing week last time out we move ever closer to the end of the year and we are still ahead (but only just) with a small profit figure of +1.22 The Jumps season is now well under way and the AW season will carry on with more races at Lingfield, Wolves, Chelmsford and of course here at Kempton. Newcastle should be added to that list during next year and we will see how that starts whenever it actually happens

I am sure that the Kempton staff are looking ahead to their big meeting of the whole year on Boxing Day but the weekly bread and butter meetings are just as important.

If we can keep in front for the whole year that'll be impressive enough for me whatever the final figure. Anyway lets crack on with tonight and target a few more winners across this line once again....

A link to tonight's race card can be found here;
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/kempton-park/25-11-2015/fast-cards

Tonight is an 8 race card, with the division of the 1m 2f Handicap we now have four 3 handicaps to ponder over, so we shall also take in the valuable Wild Flower Stakes a 1m 4f contest at 18:15 as well, a race worth over £20k to the winner.

Racing commences here at 16:15 with a 5f Maiden event and concludes at 19:15 with an Apprentice handicap over 1m.

The going on the polytrack is Standard, and there is rain currently forecast during the day the cold weather is here so wrap up warm, take a hip flask, give a stranger a hug or whatever you need to do to keep warm.

Here we go with our selections for tonight's handicaps;

16:45 -- 1m 2f Handicap Div 1

This event has been split into two divisions and the opening heat can go to PINK RIBBON who has won a couple of events at Lingfield in the past few months and having had a 6 week lay off could be good value to take another step forward here. [Result -- 2nd 15/2]

17:15 -- 1m 2f Handicap Div 2

The second division has 11 declared, a race where the fav seems to be SPRING DIXIE but I would want to lay a horse that has 5 seconds in a row to their name and was stone cold last when seen on the All Weather here.

CASTLE TALBOT doesn't have a lot of experience but should give a good account of themselves here for Richard Hughes. [Result -- 7th 5/2]

18:45 - 1m 4f Wild Flower Stakes

The valuable feature of tonight's card where 10 are declared and OSIPOVA [9th 9/1] can take full advantage of all the weight allowances she receives and record another win. 

The top weight FIRE FIGHTING [WON 4/1] should also give a good account, this is a slight downgrade and should be competitive despite top weight.

19:15 -- 6f Handicap

The spring handicap is up next, worth over 12k to the winner and of the twelve that line up I'll take INTRANSIGENT [2nd 7/1] along with HALLELUJAH [6th 8/1] against the field in an attempt to catch the winner.

19:45 - 1m Apprentice Handicap

Tonight's finale is a max field of 14 over the mile course, it's an apprentice race and "hand n heels" only so it does sometimes mean that form can be ignored, it's about how the jockey can coax the horse with the minimum of fuss. 

TSARGLAS [12th 20/1] won a similar event a few races ago and might be worth a look along with SUPA SEEKER [4th 14/1] but it's a race that could well be run several times over with completely different results.

Staked -- 8 points

Returns -- 5 points

One winner and a few places, but the overall balance is now into a loss for the first time in ages, not much but losing 3 points tonight means we take forward a -1.78pts loss to next weekend.

We'll return here next week on Wednesday 2nd December.

The sun goes down ... thankfully the lights are on.