CHELTENHAM NH FESTIVAL 2019 -- THURSDAY 14th MARCH (STAYERS HURDLE DAY)

It can get a bit busy at the bar...

Congratulations to ALTIOR once again winning The Queen Mother Champion Chase and now unbeaten in 18 starts matching the record of Big Bucks.

CHELTENHAM NH FESTIVAL – THURSDAY MARCH 14TH 2019
1.30pm 2m 4f JLT Novices Chase	JLT Novice's Chase And we’re off…for day three of this years festival. Kicking off with a Novice chase for a change today and just a relatively small field of 10 are declared. Big case can be made for the pair of DEFI DU SEUIL along with LOSTINTRANSLATION who are closely matched on their Sandown running.  REAL STEAL and VOIX DU REVE [Fell] represent the strong Willie Mullins team and appear to be the best from Ireland in this opening chase.  Result -- 1st: DEFI DU SEUIL 3/1F.
2.10pm 3m Handicap Hurdle	Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle) Much more competitive for this handicap hurdle now with a field of 24 facing the starter. First selection has to be SIRE DU BERLAIS (WON 4/1) for very powerful connections and no surprise if the owner has a big punt on this (he probably already has Ante Post).  Couple of interesting types from strong yards in THERMISTOCLES (Joseph O'Brien) and CHAMPERS ON ICE (David Pipe) in a wide open race good to have a couple of decent price options against the field.  Result -- 1st: SIRE DU BERLAIS 4/1 .
2.50pm 2m 5f Ryanair Chase	Ryanair Handicap Chase  With nearly £200k up for grabs for the winner there are 12 declared here and would have been a match between FOOTPAD and UN DE SCEAUX on their best form but this contest seems wide open for a change.  BALKO DES FLOS won this last year and while doesn't seem to have shown the same form in three races this season would be foolish to dismiss a big run in a repeat bid at 20/1 very attractive odds.  Result -- 1st: FRODON 9/2 [Well done Bryony Frost].
3.30pm 3m Stayers Hurdle	Sun Racing Stayers Hurdle Feature race of the day now and it's been given it's original name again the Stayers Hurdle (I couldn't ever bring myself to call it the World Hurdle I mean what was all that about.)  Decent field of stayers here with 18 declared, the first selection is still available at odds against PAISLEY PARK would be a wonderful winner for many reasons, his owner Mr Andrew Gemmell (a massive Prince fan hence the name) is blind and has the races described to him in running, the joy watching this one win his last four is outstanding. .  A return to form for FAUGHEEN would be amazing given his problems over the years but if the ability is there could be stunning over this trip, but I fear his best days are long gone now. While consistent SUPASUNDAE will probably run into a place again having been second on 5 out of last 6 runs. Result -- 1st: PAISLEY PARK 11/8F.
4.10pm 2m 5f Handicap Chase	Brown Advisory Stable Plate Chase Another massive field of 24 for what is really a run of the mill chase at the festival (only worth £60k) .  SIRUH DU LAC [WON 9/2] for Lizzie Kelly is very game and saw off JANIKA here in January and looking for the four-timer. It should be fairly close between the pair but I do fancy the former to have enough in hand this time and is proven on the Soft ground.  Result -- 1st: SIRUH DU LAC 9/2.
4.50pm 2m 1f Mares Novices Hurdle	Dawn Run Mares Novices Hurdle A field of 22 line up now for the Mares Novices hurdle, and a race that kind of revolves around the potential of Nicky Henderson's ex French inmate EPATANTE. She has won both starts since coming from France without breaking sweat and is part of a strong Henderson assault on this. She could be very, very good..  In opposition it's interesting that Ruby Walsh has sided with MY SISTER SARAH while I also find another Irish raider SINORIA of interest. Result -- 1st: EGLANTINE DU SEUIL 50/1.
5.30pm 3m 2f Kim Muir Chase	Fulke Walwyn : Kim Muir  National Hunt Challenge Cup (3m 2f) The finale is for Amateur riders and will be a test as the ground will surely be worse for the previous races today, at least the lack of further forecast rain hasn't made it an impossible task. Obtaining the services of a fairly experienced rider is a huge benefit around here and Paul Nicholls has snapped up William Biddick to ride TOUCH KICK.  Hopefully we'll see a good effort from top weight LIVELOVELAUGH and I do also like THE YOUNG MASTER for Sam Waley-Cohen Looks like a good competitive renewal here. Result -- 1st: ANY SECOND NOW 6/1. ENJOY YOUR CHELTENHAM BET SENSIBLY

Results should appear here through the afternoon and Friday's details updated shortly.

KEMPTON PARK RACES 2019 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #7 13th MARCH

Back we come for the next instalment of what I hope will prove to be a productive year throughout 2019.

Even though the  Cheltenham Festival is in full swing we still have racing on the all weather here at Kempton and we should be looking forward to the turf flat season appearing soon too and in the meantime we are back to focus on the all weather horse racing now while the lights still shine brightly here at Kempton Park throughout this year. We are hopeful of better season than we experienced last year but it's just some fun and excitement to mix up the week we have started the first quarter well though so it's positive thus far. 

Lets continue with our seventh Wednesday night of 2019, and will continue to focus on the handicap contests for each Wednesday evening meeting though we will also occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too if there is one available. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1 point level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds than this but for the purpose of these results here we simply record SP returns only. 

Following a mixed bag of results last week we lost -7.27 points to SP and are therefore slightly down by -8.02 points to SP returns. But I'm fine with it so far given 2 months have elapsed and how bad last year was for us. 

Once more this year we will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of anticipated short priced favourites too. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures we have been fairly successful with our selections so far and are 4/7 alas the 100% record went with further short priced favourite winning last time but it's still a good strike rate and we will continue into 2019. 

This Wednesday will be meeting number seven for the 2019 AW season and we are expecting an eight race card tonight with SEVEN handicaps this week for us to look through and enjoy now that two of them have been divided meaning that the action tonight will commence at 16:40 with a six furlong fillies handicap contest and the card ends around about 20:15 with another handicap over seven furlongs.

Here's a link to this Wednesday's race card; RACECARD

The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast for this Wednesday is for a cold day with some cloud cover and fair chance of rain during the day the temperature will only be about 12C by the time the meeting gets underway so please wrap up warm, maybe sneak in a hip flask too.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight, as we have a busy meeting plus Cheltenham to focus on we only have time for selections this week;

16:40 -- 6f Fillies Handicap (3yo).
We open tonight with a 6f sprint handicap for three year old fillies only, a field of 12 declared includes HALLE'S HARBOUR [5th 14/1] who was a course and distance winner on previous start, and GRANDEE DAISY [6th 5/1] another course and distance winner and runner up recently and seems well drawn. Both about 10/1.

17:45 -- 1m 7f 218y Handicap.
Our next handicap event is for the stayers, with just the eight declared, though will stick with the pair of BUSY STREET [WON 11/2]  // ULSTER [2nd 8/11F] the latter of which was a recent winner and still should have plenty going for them in this company.

18:15 -- 1m Handicap (3yo) Div One.
TYPSYN [7th 20/1]  //  IMAGE OF THE MOON [2nd 16/1].

18:45 -- 1m Handicap (3yo) Div Two.
DANCING JO [2nd 9/2] // LEE ROY [WON 11/4F].

19:15 -- 1m Handicap Div One.
GOLDEN GUEST [Non Runner]  //  CHIKOKO TRAIL [2nd 12/1].

19:45 -- 1m Handicap Div Two.
BAASHIQ [2nd 7/2]  //  STAND N DELIVER [6th 10/3].

20:15 -- 7f Handicap.

SHOWDANCE KID [10th 100/1]  //  VIOLA PARK [2nd 11/1]. 

Staked -- 14 points.
Returns -- 11.25 points.

Results will appear here later on Wednesday night as we seek to recover from the current deficit of -8.02 points to SP returns. Couple of winners, and a few decent seconds tonight, so sadly dropped another -2.75 points means we are behind to the tune of -10.77. 

LAYS -- 4/7.  Made a nice start to the year with successful lays in the opening few meetings but a few winning favourites since then has set us back a little, we will see if we can get a couple more beat tonight and improve the record. After a win and a loss tonight we are now on 5/9 shame. 

Tonight's Lays;

19.45 -- COLD FIRE  [LOST - 7th].

20:15 -- ELUSIF  [Won 9/4F].

Our next meeting for this year will be held on Wednesday 27th March so hope to see you then and throughout 2019 too.

CHELTENHAM NH FESTIVAL 2019 -- WEDNESDAY 13th MARCH (QUEEN MUM CHAMPION CHASE DAY)

ALTIOR WINNER OF THE 2018 CHAMPION CHASE

Congratulations to all the connections of ESPOIR D'ALLEN at 16/1 the 2019 Champion Hurdle winner yesterday. Now we move onto Day Two the feature race will be the Queen Mother Champion Chase which was superbly won last season by the fabulous ALTIOR. 

Enjoy your day.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – WEDNESDAY MARCH 13TH 2019
1.30pm 2m 110yds Ballymore Novices Hurdle	Ballymore Novices Hurdle  And they are off for day two of this years festival. We have a 16 runner novices hurdle to start us off today and we look to the Green and Gold colours of owner JP McManus here and CHAMP (2nd 9/2) named after Sir AP McCoy and a winner of four from four over hurdles, clearly well thought of and expected as the sole representative from the strong Nicky Henderson yard.  BATTLEOVERDOYEN represents last years winning yard and jockey and having already won in G1 company in Ireland represents a big danger if the soft ground doesn't dampen his chance. Big price for EASY GAME ridden by Ruby Walsh and he's to be feared even on a 25/1 shot, he's a live outsider. Result -- 1st: CITY ISLAND 8/1.
2.10pm 3m 80y RSA Chase	Royal Sun Alliance Chase This renewal looks quite open for once and would have to be on board SANTINI (2nd 3/1) despite an injury scare earlier this season. Would only run if fully fit surely, and can see off the Irish challenger DELTA WORK.  Also fancy at a decent price the Colin Tizzard trained MISTER MALARKY who looks made for this trip and further and could end up as a Grand National horse in time.  Result -- 1st: TOPOFTHEGAME 4/1.
2.50pm 2m 5f Coral Cup Hurdle	Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle A huge field of 26 (+2 reserves declared) face the starter and about 9/1 bar. Ultra competitive as you'd expect, while Willie Mullins supplies a 1/4 of the field which include last years winner BLEU BERRY. FARCLAS won last years Triumph Hurdle for Gordon Elliot and looks the best of his trio here in a race dominated by the Irish stables. Result -- 1st: WILLIAM HENRY 28/1.
3.30pm 2m  Queen Mother Champion Chase	Queen Mother Champion Chase The feature race of today and it's one for ALTIOR to confirm his class and win this thus securing another leg in our various accumulators for this week. It will be his 18th consecutive win and that would equal the feat of staying hurdler Big Bucks, for me Altior's achievement would be more impressive as the fences are more formidable than the hurdles.  A race to watch and enjoy, although MIN is classy on a going day but is looking at 2nd at best, POLITOLOGUE would be better over 2m 4f so Aintree might be better for him and I fancy GODS OWN to run a cracker and fill the place. Result -- 1st: ALTIOR 4/11F (18 in a row, top class).
4.10pm 3m 7f XC Chase	Cross Country Steeple Chase (3m 7f) Many regular faces here over this unique course, a real test of jockey and horse and JOSIES ORDERS (2nd 15/2) is a standing dish around this type of course winning four times and should be backed in the place markets at the least despite his advancing years for a master trainer (Enda Bolger) that has made these contests their speciality.  TIGER ROLL is the strong fancy here, won this event last year and then went onto win the Grand National too and possibly being prepared for a repeat bid. Running in these cross country events is a better test than having top weight in a handicap, should be hard to beat assuming a clear round.  Personally it's a novelty race and not really for me but should be fun and you will see a strong finish. Result -- 1st: TIGER ROLL 5/4F.
4.50pm 2m Juvenile Handicap Hurdle	Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (2m) Another of the big handicap hurdles this week, 22 runners (2 reserves) and about 8/1 the field. Headed by TORPILLO a 25/1 shot for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and one that could run a big race although needs to be a bit less careless with his jumping this time.  BAND OF OUTLAWS [Won 7/2] finds himself in a much bigger / stronger field today but was classy on the flat and that speed might help him stay out of trouble. LETHAL STEPS another with good flat experience behind him and could improve in what appears to be a wide open event.  Result -- 1st: BAND OF OUTLAWS 7/2F.
5.30pm 2m Champion Bumper	Weatherbys Champion Bumper (2m) A race that has been dominated by the Irish trainers though it's a little bit of a surprise that this year Willie Mullins has only the one runner in the field of fourteen. It's usually another race that I'd not be that interested in, but would probably have to back the Mullins runner BLUE SARI to have an interest.  Plenty of Irish raiders though in this field, with two from Gordon Elliot sure to be supported but I might look at the pair from Joseph O'Brien METICULOUS and SEMPO against the field at double figure odds. Result -- 1st: ENVOI ALLEN 2/1F. ENJOY YOUR CHELTENHAM EXPERIENCE

Results will appear during the afternoon and Thursday's card will be available soon.