LADS XMAS NIGHT OUT -- FRI 1st DECEMBER 2017

We don't get the guys out that often so it was great to have so many attend our lads Christmas do on Friday. It was nice for the girls to show their appreciation too (yeah, if only) and no one was harmed in the making of this night out. Was a bumper turn out too with Lee, Vince, Neil, Mark, Dave, Richard, Nick and Jason out along with myself.

Dave Mc and I started early meeting up in the St Giles Hotel, Feltham and was not too long before the beer and jokes were flowing, Vince joining us about 5:30 and and hour later we moved onto The Cabbage Patch in Twickenham, once more our venue of choice for the evening. 

Some of the guys took part in a Secret Santa effort, which was good natured fun but something I wasn't too keen on. 

Then not surprisingly we hear from Neil that he was on his way, only to find he bailed out around Virginia Water and was waiting on a rescue by his wife. Seems that he over did things on his company Xmas do which began that lunchtime. 
Poor lad. 








So that left just the eight of us, Cabbage Patch was very busy, plenty of beers drank though I was struggling a bit so on the Jack Daniels, then onward to a noisy curry house for some food (ordered too much food as usual) and then we were nearly done. 

Jason was on the night train home to Exeter catching a sleeper service from Reading, Lee staying at the Travelodge locally so the rest of us hailed a cab back to Feltham to drop Dave off and then a brisk walk home. Long day, but a good day. 

KEMPTON PARK RACES 2017 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #33 29th NOVEMBER

Welcome to meeting number thirty three of 2017 here at Kempton Park and after yet another losing week we have to accept defeat with little over a month to do for this year, we come into this week with a sum of -72.17 points to level stakes at starting price (sp). We will continue to see out November and December for this year long blog and whatever happens we will reset on January 1st and go again into 2018. 

As we continue to focus on the handicap contests for each meeting we will also occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1pt level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds but for the purpose of these results here we simply record to SP returns.

We will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of short priced favourites too, our last selection ended in a defeat so able to improve the results to 16 from 24. They are all usually short price favs and we will see if there is another selection for tonight. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures. 

This Wednesday is meeting number thirty three for the 2017 season and we are expecting an eight race card tonight with four handicaps to enjoy, tonight's action will commence at 16:10 with the 1m 2f Maiden.
 

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 is for a cold cloudy winters day the top temperature will only be about 6C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Our eight race card tonight now has four handicap contests for us and we will also include the Listed event at 18:40 to review, there might even be a lay bet but that will be updated later;

17:40 -- 6f Handicap.
Low key handicap to kick us off with tonight so we side with a couple of course and distance winners in HIGHER COURT [WON 9/1] who won here last month and only 2lb higher should still go well while in form. Together with DEEDS NOT WORDS [4th 13/2].

18:10 -- 6f Handicap.
Much better grade and another dozen to choose from, Jamie Osborne has found a good AW winner in RECKLESS ENDEAVOUR [3rd 8/1] who's won a couple of races at Dundalk recently and could be worth following under the lights here over the winter. 

And we've a nice looking 3yo filly in CARTOGRAPHER [9th 13/2] a dual winner and looking ok at this level as long as the switch from wins at Yarmouth and Newmarket onto the all weather is not a problem.

18:40 -- 1m 3f 219y Wild Flower Stakes (Listed).
Decent listed event for a midweek card again, and we've 10 declared for it. John Gosden has two in this and WESTERN HYMN [8th 11/1] is a decent yardstick and has been campaigned at listed and group level for a while now so certainly considered. 

MASTER THE WORLD [2nd 7/1] should find this contest easier than some of the big heritage handicaps and listed races he's been involved with too.

19:10 -- 1m 3f 219y Handicap.
Back to the low grade stuff now and not much between most of these so we'll change CAT ROYALE [11th 20/1] and TYRSAL [6th 20/1] as a pair against the field have course experience and available at about 14/1.

19:40 -- 1m Apprentices Handicap.
Our finale tonight and 14 apprentices take their horses to the start, not much to go on and none of the riders are that well known to me so will chance JUST FAB [12th 12/1] and SIR JAMIE [10th 14/1] as they've at least seen the winners enclosure which might count in the end.

Staked -- 10 points.
Returns -- 10 points. 
One winner, a few places and a break even result tonight.

Results will appear later tonight. Currently we have amassed a deficit of -72.17 points that we bring forward to this round of racing, too many places and only the lays going well lets see what the end of November brings us.

LAYS -- After last weeks favourite lost that success means we now stand at 16 from 24 for this season, so will try to get a few more favourites beaten before the end of the year.

If we have one or two Lays tonight they will be updated here.
Tonight's Lays;
16:40 -- LASHABEEN LOST 2nd 4/1.
17:10 -- CITY GENT LOST 2nd EVENS.
2 successful lays tonight so we move up to 18 from 26.😃

Our next meeting here at Kempton Park will be in a couple of weeks time on Wednesday 13th December.

KEMPTON PARK RACES 2017 -- WEDNESDAY NIGHTS #32 22nd NOVEMBER

Welcome to meeting number thirty two of 2017 here at Kempton Park and after another losing week we have to accept defeat with little over a month to do for this year, we come into this week with a sum of -64.17 points to level stakes at starting price (sp). We will continue to see out November and December for this year long blog and whatever happens we will reset on January 1st and go again into 2018. 

As we continue to focus on the handicap contests for each meeting we will also occasionally include a feature listed or conditions event too. Keeping records of our endeavours to a 1pt level stake at SP, naturally we will personally be looking to get better odds but for the purpose of these results here we simply record to SP returns.

We will keep up with our occasional lay opportunities of short priced favourites too, our last selection ended in a defeat so able to improve the results to 15 from 23. They are all usually short price favs and we will see if there is another selection for tonight. Naturally we will keep these results separately from the handicap figures. 

This Wednesday is meeting number thirty two for the 2017 season and we are expecting an eight race card tonight with three handicaps to enjoy, tonight's action will commence at 16:10 with the 1m 2f Handicap.
 

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 is for a showery winters day the top temperature will only be about 15C by the time the meeting gets underway.

Our eight race card tonight now has three handicap contests for us so will also include the Listed event at 18:40 to review, there might even be a lay bet but that will be updated later;

16:10 -- 1m 1f 219y Handicap.
Our opening contest is our first handicap and has attracted a field of 12 runners. We side with a couple of course winners including top weight TEE IT UP TOMMO [7th 50/1] who has a 7lb claimer to help here tonight and that swing in the weights could be significant. We will pair that one up with BUCKLAND BEAU [5th 8/1] against the field in a low key opener.

18:40 -- 1m Hyde Stakes (Listed).
A decent race on a cold midweek card and the fourteen declared include MR OWEN [3rd 16/1] who has raced in Dubai last winter and could be good value here at 14/1. Will also take in ARCHETYPE [5th 8/1] who has been winning handicaps at Sandown and has a win on the all weather too albeit at Chelmsford so ought to be considered taking this slight step up for some black type.

19:10 -- 1m 7f 218y Handicap (3yo).
A field of nine for the stayers contest tonight, Jamie Osborne runs EVERY CHANCE [8th 14/1] and this one has already won a couple of AW Stayers races so 14/1 looks generous. This could be a nice run out for top weight Soldier in Action [Won 6/1] before another spin at hurdling so instead we will take SUEGIOO [7th 10/1] who is steadily going down the weights in the last year and could be on a decent mark now.

19:40 -- 1m 3f 219y Handicap.
The finale tonight has a max field of fourteen too where former NH hurdling regular ISAAC BELL [6th 6/1] sprang a 100/1 surprise last month in a maiden contest and almost followed that up again here a couple of weeks ago. Might be worth another go here again and one to keep an eye on if sent back hurdling. 

Sir Mark Prescott doesn't have many without a chance especially when sent over a decent trip so CLIFF FACE [2nd 9/1], a course and distance winner, can be backed about 14/1 too here.

Staked -- 8 points.
Returns -- NIL points. Once again no winners but few nice places and a success on the lay front.

Results will appear later tonight. Currently we have amassed a deficit of -64.17 points that we bring forward to this round of racing, sadly now -72.17.


LAYS -- After last weeks favourite lost that success means we now stand at 16 from 24 for this season, so will try to get a few more favourites beaten before the end of the year.

If we have one or two Lays tonight they will be updated here.
Tonight's Lays;
 - SALUTE THE SOLDIER LOST 2nd 11/8F [17:10 Novice Stakes Div 1]
 -- QAYSAR WON 1/2F [17:40 Novice Stakes Div 2].

Our next meeting here at Kempton Park will be in a weeks time on Wednesday 29th November.