KEMPTON PARK RACES 2019 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #10 10th APRIL

Continuing with the next instalment of what I hope will prove to be a productive year throughout 2019.

Now into April which will end with me celebrating my half century of life and a trip to Ascot. The first quarter of the year and while the turf flat season has starting we still have a few big National Hunt fixtures, the latest was last weekend's Aintree Grand National which was won by the 4/1F Tiger Roll once again for jockey Davy Russell and Trainer Gordon Elliott. 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. 

Let us continue with this our tenth 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 nice win last time we clawed back a little of our our deficit and we are currently on -10.15 points to SP returns overall. But I'm fine with it so far given three months have elapsed and there's plenty of time to get this back on track. 

Again throughout the 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 until last time when a pair of odds on favourites won so we are now 7/14 we will continue with this through 2019. 

This Wednesday will be meeting number ten for the 2019 AW season and we are expecting another eight race card tonight with six handicaps this week for us to look through and enjoy following the division of both the maiden event and the 1m 3f handicap. The action which will now commence at the earlier time of 16:35 with our first handicap over a mile and the card ends around about 20:15 with our final handicap contest over six 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 wet day with fair chance of rain a top temperature will only be about 10C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Here are our handicap selections for tonight;

16:35 -- 1m Handicap.
Our first handicap event tonight will be run over a mile, we've a field of 12 declared to face the starter headed by MILITRY DECORATION. 

Only the one course and distance winner here with the bottom weight PURPLE PADDY [2nd 10/3] who is selected along with the consistent BEEPEECEE [8th 5/1]. 

18:15 -- 7f Handicap (3yo).
And the next contest is a seven furlong handicap for three year olds only and this field of 14 is headed by the Richard Hannon trained FOX HAPPY.

Preference is for recent runner of ZORRO'S GIRL [3rd 12/1] and course winner (and recent runner up) GRANDEE DAISY [5th 25/1] who given her riders 7lb claim puts her on a winning mark and 16/1 looks a good price win/place.


18:45 -- 1m 2f 219y Handicap (Div One).
This contest has been divided and in heat one our twelve runners are headed by Becky Sharp, but we favour the pair of ILEY BOY [WON 11/4] / GOLDSLINGER [5th 9/2] against the field. Iley Boy has won here and been placed a few times so given another go to get his head in front once more. The latter has been tried over hurdles and has a rating of 104 there yet comes back to the flat with stamina proven and relatively lightly raced on the level and dropped down the handicap mark a fair bit too.

19:15 -- 1m 2f 219y Handicap (Div Two).
The second division isn't exactly full of quality either and the tentative choice here will be the pair both COLD HARBOUR [3rd 3/1] with KINGFAST [11th 4/1] against the field and at least they know how to win.

19:45 -- 1m 3f 219y Handicap.
Just a small field of six for this class 3 affair, while Executive Force and Collide head the market the call is to oppose these as too short for a handicap and instead look at the course and distance winner AL HAMDANY [2nd 11/1] along with HYANNA [6th 8/1] who has plenty of form over the trip although her only try on the all weather was some time ago at Newcastle.

20:15 -- 6f Handicap.
Our final handicap tonight will be over six furlongs and of the eleven there are plenty in with a shout, but it's SECRET POTION [WON 7/2] who does seem to keep his form well and this mark is about the right level, along with veteran SECONDO [6th 10/1] who while not getting any younger is on his lowest mark for sometime though does run more often at Wolves so interesting he lines up here. 

At big odds OUR MAN IN HAVANA is another that prefers Wolves and hasn't raced here for over a year but is 15lb lower than his last efforts here (when runner up on both occasions) so considered.

Staked -- 12 points.
Returns -- 8.25 points.

Results will appear here later during Wednesday evening. We are currently on a deficit of -10.15 points to SP returns for the season, nine months of the season to go though. 

Just a couple of winners and a few places, so again we see a small loss this week, -3.75 means we are now behind -13.90 going forward to meeting number eleven.

LAYS -- 7/14. Sadly the two odds on shots last time both won which slightly put a dent into our figures here, still looking for short priced selections and will post here if we have any for tonight. Got them both beaten tonight, even though one a little bigger odds than anticipated, the other a very short fav beaten. Now on 9/16.

Tonight's Lays;
17:10 -- CRISTAL BREEZE [LOST 4th 7/1].
17:45 -- CHARACTERISTIC [2nd 5/4F].

Our eleventh meeting for this year will be held next month on Wednesday 22nd May so hope to see you then and throughout 2019 too.

PONTEFRACT HORSE RACING SYSTEM -- 2019 SEASON -- MEETING #1

PONTEFRACT SEASON 2019.

Welcome to this our opening meeting of the season held on Tuesday 9th April. 

1st race 2.00pm, gates open from 12 noon.

With Spring here and Summer just around the corner, the flat season roars back in to action here at Pontefract with a quality race meeting on Tuesday 9th April. With £78,000 worth of prize money on offer, the card often throws up some impressive early season types. The first two meetings falling in the Easter school holidays for some, in time honoured tradition, there’ll be plenty of free sweets or Easter treats available for kids!

The highlight of the racing programme is the £25,000 Sponsorship for ROA Members Handicap over 1m 2f [16:30]. While the race meeting was lost to water-logging last year, a classy field assembled for the 2017 renewal. The winner was the subsequent Royal Ascot victor, Snoano, who took the honours for Malton trainer Tim Easterby.

The £15,000 1m4f EBF Novice Stakes [15:00] on this day has a rich roll of honour. Luca Cumani’s ‘High–Rise’ won this race on his way to victory in the Epsom Derby and lends his name to this race. Above Normal won the 2017 contest for Saeed Bin Suroor and Godolphin. He’s been winning in Dubai over the Winter – will 2019 unleash a potential superstar?

Becky the Thatcher [Stayers Champion].

Of all the races run over the years at Pontefract, the Stayers races evoke the strongest memories among the race going public. With course favourites like Dan Buoy, Jamaican Flight and Bluff Cove all laden with stamina, the Stayers Championship has proved a popular addition to the racing programme in recent seasons. Becky The Thatcher (above) was the Champion last year meaning that her trainer, Micky Hammond, has won the championship for three of the last 4 years. He’s got a few lined up for the Championship again in 2019 and they should be monitored closely!

ALL results for these fixtures are recorded to a level stake at Starting Price (SP), and will also show any forecast results too in the daily results but these do not count for the profit / loss figures.

The forecast going is now currently reported as 'Good to Firm, Good in places' the weather for Tuesday afternoon is for a generally cloudy day with some chance of showers but hopefully not too much rain to spoil the day. We are seeing a forecast maximum temperature around the 11C mark as we see in the beginning of the new season here.

Here are our selections for the eight races on Tuesday afternoon, remember it's a very simple selection process using stalls one and two in every race;

14:00 1m 6yds Handicap (Div One).
(1) -- STAR OF VALOUR  [5th 33/1].
(2) -- CELTIC ARTISAN  [3rd 7/1].

14:30 1m 6yds Handicap (Div Two).
(1) -- HEDIDDODINTHE  [12th 66/1].
(2) -- HITMAN  [11th 10/1].

15:00 1m 4f 5yds 'High Rise' Novice Stakes (3yo).

(1) -- ROCHESTER HOUSE  [WON 11/8].
(2) -- NORDANO  [3rd 14/1].

15:30 6f Handicap (3yo).
(1) -- FAIR ALIBI  [9th 14/1].
(2) -- CHAPELLI  [2nd 13/2].

16:00 2m 2f 2yds Jamaican Flight Handicap.
(1) -- STRAIT RUN  [5th 50/1].
(2) -- VALKENBURG  [WON 10/1].

16:30 1m 2f 5yds Handicap.
(1) -- DUKHAN  [6th 11/10F].

(2) -- SOCIETY RED  [2nd 5/1].

17:00 6f Novice Stakes (3yo).

(1) -- OBEE JO  [5th 10/1].

(2) -- ALFRED BOUCHER  [3rd 5/4F].

17:30 1m 4f 5yds Apprentice Handicap..

(1) -- KAJAKI  [4th 2/1].
(2) -- REGAL MIRAGE  [7th 5/1].

Staked -- 16 points.

Returns -- 13.375 points.

We start the 2019 season afresh, lets see how the journey this year goes. Results were average but it's only the first meeting, two winners, resulting in a small loss of -2.625 to SP.

Our next meeting here will be on Monday 15th April so we do hope to see you then.

EMIRATES FA CUP SEMI FINAL WEEKEND 6th - 7th APRIL 2019

Quadruple-chasing Manchester City face Brighton and Hove Albion in the semi-finals of the Emirates FA Cup after the draw was made on Sunday afternoon. Both clubs had to come from 2-0 down in their quarter final ties, City edging Swansea 3-2 while Brighton squeezed past Millwall on penalties. The second semi-final will be between 1984 Finalists Watford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who defeated Manchester United to seal their place in the last four for the first time in 21 years. The draw was conducted by Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink and Leon Osman, who have both played in FA Cup Finals, in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

The schedule for the Emirates FA Cup semi-finals, to take place at Wembley Stadium, is now confirmed:

Saturday 6 April
Manchester City 1 v 0 Brighton and Hove Albion (5.30pm)
[Live on BBC One]
Brighton's reward for seeing off Millwall on penalties is a tie against Manchester City. Surely the team the others wanted to avoid, but as Wigan Athletic proved in the past even the biggest are there to be beaten. 

Expecting goals, probably if Manchester City score early this could well be a high scoring semi final. For the neutral fan we need to see Brighton play without fear and ideally take the lead, and set pieces might prove their best opportunity as they don't look like a team full of pace to get behind an organised City defence.

Bets - Manchester City to win and both teams to score. 
A penalty awarded in 90 mins. Raheem Sterling to score first.

Turned out to be a fairly drab and dull game for the neutral, yet Man City remain in the hunt for more silverware this season and will face the winners of the game on Sunday.

Sunday 7 April

Watford 3 v 2 [AET] Wolverhampton Wanderers (4pm)
[Live on BT Sport 2]
The second Semi Final is on Sunday and for me is very open, both have good attacking flair and on occasions they have a 'nasty' side to them too, don't mean they are dirty but physical and will take no prisoners. So will be looking at the bookings market here for a bet, and I do think Watford will win though many will be impressed by the way Wolves went after Manchester United last time. 

Bets -- Watford to win and both teams to score. 
Bookings over 45 points. 

Winning clubs will receive £1.8m from The FA prize fund while the losers will pick up £900,000. 

The Emirates FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Watford is scheduled for Saturday 18th May.