Continuing with the next instalment of what I hope will prove to be a more productive second half to the year throughout 2019.
We have reached September now and the year is running away with us at a furious pace, my friends are preparing their Halloween material already and before we know it Christmas will be upon us. Ok so until then we sit back and relax watching England get thoroughly beaten in the cricket despite a gallant last day it was not to be and that's what happens when you allow one of their players a century knock in nearly every innings. While last weekend was a game no one wants to see as my team AFC Wimbledon took on them from MK and lost again 2-1 so we still in the bottom three with just the two draws to speak of so far this season. Cannot see where we will get a win from without some serious changed in tactics so expect a relegation season this time for sure and it's Shrewsbury Town up next for us on the weekend. Am going to be off work today so will be able to prepare and enjoy tonight's meeting without the struggle of the commute for once.
Managed to have back to back winning evenings at the last two meetings here and will continue 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 found it hard and are more than a little behind to SP though it's something I will keep persevering with through to the end of the year.
Let us continue with this our twenty first 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 our last meeting the deficit is currently on -37.605 points to SP returns overall. We continue to battle hard to reduce this and thankfully there is still plenty of time to get this back on track.
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 and last time got another pair of favourite selection beaten which means we are now 23/32 we will continue with this through 2019.
Here's a link to this Wednesday's race card; RACECARD
Going and Weather -- The going on the polytrack surface is described as 'standard to slow' and the current weather forecast for this Wednesday is for a lot of cloudy weather with several showers expected too so wrap up and keep under cover if you can the top temperature around 22C by the time the meeting gets underway.Here are our handicap selections for tonight;
18:30 -- 7f Handicap.
Our opening handicap for tonight is over seven furlongs and has attracted a field of fourteen. Top weight is ROMAN SPINNER [7th 4/1] who is a course and distance winner and has a useful 5lb claimer in the saddle to bring the weight down a little and his three wins have all come here so looks to have another chance for win number four tonight.
Our other selection is towards the other end of the handicap and it's an old friend VIOLA PARK [12th 11/1] another course and distance winner and a regular here, this is about the right level for him and David Probert an excellent jockey here too both selections about the 12/1 mark so they'll do for us.
19:30 -- 1m 7f 218y Handicap (3yo).
The stayers event which is restricted to three year olds has a small field of six as a result, with all six having won at some time in their short career but we are drawn to the bottom weight TROUBLE SHOOTER [WON 7/1] who is seeking a hat trick and while this is a step up in grade is clearly in good form and gets plenty of weight from the others so expecting a good run under jockey Josephine Gordon.
MANTON WARRIOR [4th 9/4f] has won a couple of staying races at Chelmsford so will not be found wanting for stamina and represents the likely danger.
20:00 -- 1m 2f 219y Handicap.
A wide open affair here and the two we'll be interested in most here are MILITRY DECORATION [12th 15/2] who was a winner over in Ireland and now down to a mark of 61 when runner up last time out so is considered in a low grade race such as this. We also select GALLATIN [5th 8/1] and Andrew Balding's 3yo filly has only had the four races so is given another chance to show something in this her second try at a handicap dropped down in grade but a trip that should suit.
20:30 -- 1m Handicap.
Our finale over the mile trip has a field of fourteen so good luck in the getting out stakes, hard to judge some of these but Richard Hannon doesn't have too many duds and if he's running LETSBE AVENUE [3rd 9/2] off top weight there must be something to see at home, has at least come down the weights off a high of 80 now 65 and with 5lb claimer (the superbly named Thore Hammer Hansen) tonight might be the time for Thore to strike.
The other with a shout is recent Yarmouth winner PURGATORY [WON 5/2f] who is likely to be suited over the mile trip and ought to be close again off this mark with a reasonably clear run.
Staked -- 8 points.
Returns -- 11.5 points.
Results will appear here later during Wednesday evening. After another good meeting last time we did make a small reduction in our deficit now down to -37.605 points to SP returns for the season. Now less than four more months of the season to go though. Two winners tonight and a profitable evening for the third meeting in a row which was nice still behind for the year but it's coming down slowly to stand at -34.105.
LAYS -- 23/32. Another pair of successful lay bets last time around and will see if we can find one or two short priced selections to post here if we have any for tonight. First one wins by short head which is annoying but that's the risk when you lay short price favs in small fields now 24/34 for the year.
Tonight's Lays;
17:30 - DREAM CATCHING [6f Claiming Stakes] Won 11/8f.
18:00 - YOU DON'T OWN ME [7f Nursery] Lost 5th.
18:00 - YOU DON'T OWN ME [7f Nursery] Lost 5th.
Our twenty second meeting for this year will be held on Wednesday 25th September so hope to see you then and throughout the rest of 2019 too.
