Looking at Lingfield ....

Morning All ,
                  Its a nice n quiet week after the kerfuffle that was Cheltenham and i think today we can have a look at Lingfield or more pertinently the Favourites  @ Lingers..
                                                

The AW track at Lingers is rather unique and fairly basic in all honesty as you can see but the draw can have a major impact especially in races upto 1m where the draw bias is more prevalent.

" Key Characteristics >>>

The Lingfield all weather course uses polytrack and the surface is probably the fastest of all the A/W racecourses in the UK. The believe is that front runners cannot win at Lingfield and because of this you often get falsely run races as nobody wants to lead. It is actually possible to win from the front if a horse gets given a soft lead. Otherwise the final turn which is preceded by a downhill section appears to act as a kind of slingshot similar to that in cycling, and the lead can change many times in the last furlong as horses shoot from the pack. The turf course is used a lot less often than the A/W course, however a strong bias appears to exist in that the far rail away from the grandstand is a lot quicker than other parts of the course. This fact means that in longer races front runners are favoured as they are able to bag that far rail, and any challengers have to come round them on the slower ground " .

So today we can use this information to help us decide on what Favs to back and which we should be laying...or in some cases just leaving alone all together....

RACE 1 : MINSTRELS GALLERY @ 4.1
This won its maiden at Southwell back in March 2012 was given a rating based upon that of a rather high 78 it then raced in the Craven Stakes which is a huge jump in class and although down the firld it got to within 12L of the impressive Trumpet Major unfortunately this also pushed its core rating upto 87 it then went Hcapping and come last or towards the rear in every race it entered and the 87 was looking crazy high so it started to fall as you would expect but in Dec 2012 after running 11/12 again it suffered an injury that sidelined it for 15 Months upon its return to racing at Kempton it started off at a more realistic 52 and it ran ok coming 2nd , slowly away it had the very good Robert Tart nursing him through this , cajoling at midway and Fleetwoodsands just had the edge that day however putting this into perspective this was a Grade 6 affair with the 3rd home rated just 52 and the winner coming home off a mark off just 48 ( former 52 rated ) which makes this a very low grade race and i think a rating of around 48 - 56 will be the limit of this horses ability and anything racing against it that is genuine and higher rated or has better form will probably beat it.

Now this is the right race for Minstrels Gallery with most of these racing garbage , out of form or just plain useless but there are still at least 5 solid runners in opposition which makes this a Good Value LAY imo as the list in opposition is as follows....

1. PETERSBODEN @ 9.0
2. FINAL DELIVERY @ 5.3
3. LITMUS @ 18.0
4. DANIEL THOMAS @ 5.50
5. SCAMPERDALE @ 20

Now its my belief that any one of this five could win and worse case scenario is a TRADE as Robert Tart ( todays rider ) kept it hung out back  ( started slowly ) and made no effort to make early inroads so its my thought that this tactic will again be tried today as the pace is likely to be provided by Litmus , Scamperdale and Final Delivery and at the very minimum this will trade at 6.4 in the run so there is profit to be made there imo...Plenty to think about , plenty of options and good luck if you decide to get involved...for me its a straight LAY unless of course come pre race its drifted right out to 6+ then i will just take the easy option...;-)...

Result / Synopsis : MINSTRELS GALLERY Won this very easily and looks a cut above these and could easily get involved with anything upto around 66 so im suggesting this has 10lb in hand , R Tart grabbed a good spot in around 4th all the way hanging off a slow pace and moved to the front around the bend , lengthened and quickened and pulled away with ease...hit a high of 5.1 in the run from a BFSP of 3.37 i traded out as soon as the first 1f had run as it was obvious new tactics were being tested...

My Baba looking menacing ;-)

Cheltenham Festival - DAY 4 -

Well Day 3 was another roller coaster day and for the third day we lost out on the PP ( Place Pot ) by a single race, this time it was the first and cost us £400 ;-/...nay mind on the flip side for the third day running our NAP WON and this time at a very nice 6.40 and my NB ( Next Best ) DYNASTE also stole a march to win well @ 4.13 and for the Hat Trick i had both in Trebles with Annie Power ( 2nd ) and Big Bucks ( 5th and now retired )...so luck is both good and bad this day.
Ballynagour for me possibly put in the performance of the week with a staggeringly easy win off a ferocious pace in the Byrne and our Favourite Nina Carberry just failed to catch Spring Heeled in the finale ( nice pic btw Ross Hewitt ) .

Day 4 offers up pretty much the same tale of excitement as we smash into the end of the week with the Triumph Hurdle and the eagerly awaited Gold Cup so without further ado lets see if we can hit 4 from 4 on the NAPS....


And for those of you that are new to betting , dont understand all the lingo or want to understand more then Visit my friend at Tip Time  ( click on the logo ) this is his Face book page and carries links to his website as well as offering on the spot advice and tips.

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Juvenile Grade 1)

..A tough start and a race im not over keen on , this is also a grave yard for favourites as many winners of this have been big double figure odds ( Countrywide Flame > 2011 @ 33/1 , Made in Japan > 2004 @ 20/1 and Spectroscope  > 2003 @ 20/1 ) and todays Favourite Calipto has to be swerved on that basis alone..yes its not very scientific and as an argument for striking through doesnt hold much water but it still has to be done.
Will you lay this then i hear you ask ?..the answer to that question is no...the end..move along nothing to see here....So what will win?..well im not a soothsayer so i cant truthfully answer that but i can give you my idea of the winner....I will start by saying Pre Festival Henderson told me that the best Juvenile in his yard based on home work was KENTUCKY HYDEN and i do know that BG asked to again take the ride but has been " ordered " to ride Royal Irish Hussar , we all know this has some very average form but is improving and will be a lot better on this quicker ground and @ 30/1 + it is a very decent looking EW bet in a race where so many have chances.
Kentucky Hyden is still unexposed is worth another chance to prove he is as good on the race course as he is at home.
Of the others Tiger Roll looks interesting , Broughton could be anything and Pearl Castle has done nothing really wrong however it is RUTHERGLEN that peaks my interest the most as he has smashed his opposition to bits in the four timer he has rattled up now i know the opposition is questionable at best and the field sizes small but he won with such authority that it is hard to ignore and at around 14/1 offers a great bet and a solid run for ones money.

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - PEARL CASTLE -
EW - RUTHERGLEN -
LONGSHOT - KENTUCKY HYDEN - 3rd @ 30.0 ( 7.40 & a v nice Win for me )
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RESULT :
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Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

.This is not a race that i like or is one that appeals to me in any shape or form in fact i think i may take a sip of my own piss instead of watching this shite...Two races mixed into one ...Grade 3 28 runner Hcaps are a load of old bollocks...and a punters nightmare....Irish trainers have been responsible for six of the last seven winners of this ultra-competitive handicap and more than a quarter of this year's 28-strong field have travelled across the Irish Sea. Willie Mullins, who has produced Thousand Stars and Final Approach to win in the last four years, saddles three with the market and jockey bookings suggesting the lightly-raced ARCTIC FIRE is his best hope and he gets a tentative vote. His last two runs have been in Grade 1 company and he wasn't disgraced. Gordon Elliott's Flaxen Flare always seems to run well in these big handicaps and was an impressive winner of the Fred Winter 12 months ago while Edward Harty's Minella Foru and Thomas Foley's Never Enough Time arrive in form and will be prominent in the betting. Lac Fontana could prove the best of the home team as five-year-olds generally do well in this and, after a couple of near-misses last season, he's won twice over this course and distance this campaign. Lyvius could also figure if sharpened up by a pair of blinkers while Philip Hobbs has been bullish about the chances of betfair hurdle fourth Cheltenian, who is a former Champion Bumper winner and ran in last year's Supreme Novices'. Alaivan was sixth in the betfair while Strongpoint and Jumps Road both arrive off the back of recent wins, though the latter was undoubtedly lucky at Newbury and has a penalty to carry.
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - ARCTIC FIRE - 2nd @ 11.0 ( Hit 1.50 )
EW - RAINBOW PEAK -
LONGSHOT - STRONGPOINT -
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RESULT :
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Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 1)

..This is a lot classier as a race but no easier for the punter..20 runners , 3miles and a for Novices...fucking brilliant...not...
There are at least 8 in this race with stand out form chances and the other 12  have all earned the right to be here...that has whittled it down to..oh still 20...shit...
So we have BRIAR HILL a 2.7 Fav.....hands up who wants a piece of that pie in a race like this...." oh you do...yes you at the back with the fucking straight jacket on "...good luck with that you window licking freak...
Yes its won a Cheltenham Bumper , yes its unbeaten blah blah blah...in his last two races he has beat a total of 3 runners....hardly earth shattering...so i will just say right now my main bet is a LAY on this and if it wins i will just suck it up....
What will win..again...well i dont think the combined luck and clue breaking skills of the rinky dinky Pink Panther, DangerMouse and Columbo can help here...it will be a case of pot fucking luck....I do like the look of Moss Park from Emma Lavelle along with Captain Cutter from Henderson and Champagne West from Hobbs but in all honesty i could easily name another 6 or seven here and still may not have found the winner....
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - CAPTAIN CUTTER -
EW - MOSS PARK -
LONGSHOT - CHAMPAGNE WEST - 4th
** Todays MAX LAY on BRIARS HILL is another Good WIN , was going to make this my NAP for today but chose a back bet instead...will i end up regretting this ?? **
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RESULT :
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Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)

..Finally a class race , a good size and some workable form.....I would absolutely love to see Teaforthree win but it would require a performance of lazerus strength that i feel may be just beyond him..oooh but it would be great...and @ 50/1 it could be worth risking a bit on the fap...
I have been told that it is highly unlikely that Trio D'alene will be winning as hes not thought quite good enough but has limited race options so is in regardless....LAST INSTALMENT looks a very promising Irish runner and this has the class required for a race like this but this is arguably the toughest looking field he has seen and he has yet to be tested around this unique track...if he handles it, if he likes the quicker ground he could win and i would be very surprised if he isnt in the front rank at the business end.
That said they will all have to be on top form to beat last years winner BOBS WORTH a five time course winner a three time Festival winner and a horse made out of erstwhile granite , this will be powering up the hill when others have cried enough and will make them all go , but this is still not my idea of the winner as i am a big SILVINIACO CONTI fan and this has returned as good as ever this year and this has the class to trouble Bobs Worth and its my opinion only that he would have Won this race last year but for making a stupid early mistake and then falling completely 3 out when challenging and was travelling very smoothly all the way round with not a bit of bother so if he can stay on his feet this time he will win...thats the risk you take with this fella..he jumps he wins..he fucks up and hes had it...
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > * Shock Result as Both Silvi' and Bobs Worth traded at 1.50~ over the LAST and both ( looked like winning ) seemed to stop running up the hill and got passed by THREE others....Incredible finish and i am a bit shocked...

WIN - SILVINACO CONTI -
EW - BOBS WORTH -
LONGSHOT - TEAFORTHREE -
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RESULT :
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CGA Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup

..Oscar Delta was desperately unlucky in this last year as he appeared to have the measure of defending champion Salsify when jinking on the run to the line and unseating Jane Mangan. He's been aimed at the race again and will be a threat to all with a clear round. Divine Intavention eventually finished second last year and hasn't done much wrong again this season while Doctor Kingsley was last of the four finishers in an eventful contest, though finished tailed off. Tammys Hill and On The Fringe are among Ireland's top hunter chasers and closely matched on the form book. Both go on the short-list and Made In Time should go well. Rebecca Curtis' charge won over 2m4f at Ludlow last time but was earlier put in his place by Pearlysteps over 3m on the same track. Alan Hill thinks HARBOUR COURT could be very smart but he was hampered and unseated his rider at the first at Kelso on his last start under Rules. He's had a confidence-booster between the flags since, however, and will enjoy the good ground better than most. He's also jumped safely around here in the past so gets the nod.
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - HARBOUR COURT - NAP - 5th ( sorry guys...wrong one )
EW - TAMMYS HILL - 1st @ 10.2
LONGSHOT - OSCAR DELTA -
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RESULT :
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Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

..Paul Nicholls saddled Salubrious to win this 12 months ago and has three entries this year. Top weight Virak and Urbain De Sivola would have preferred a softer surface so Caid Du Berlais may be the pick of his trio back over the smaller obstacles. He finished second in the Fred Winter at last year's Festival. David Pipe will be hoping Vieux Lion Rouge can complete a four-timer and give him a first win in the race named in honour of his father while Willie Mullins' Don Poli is lightly-raced and still improving, though looks to have his fair share of weight. All three of Nicky Henderson's runners won last time and Nico De Boinville, who has already had a winner at The Festival, partners the unexposed Full Shift and Philip Hobbs has a quartet of starters. We were impressed with the way THE SKYFARMER won over 2m over a shorter trip here in December. He shot up the weights as a result of that success but the heavy ground was a legitimate excuse at Ascot in January and he stays 2m4f. It may be significant that he was also declared for the more valuable County Hurdle at the four-day stage but tackles this instead under promising 3lb claimer James Best. Hobbs' Royal Regatta also has each-way claims and the consistent Dolatulo is worth a second look along with Junction Fourteen.
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - FULL SHIFT -
EW - VIEUX LION ROUGE -
LONGSHOT - VIRAK -
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RESULT :
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Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup 

..The home team usually end the meeting on a high but the gambled-on Alderwood, who had won the County Hurdle 12 months earlier, took it last year for Thomas Mullins and previous course form can also be important. Oiseau de Nuit won the race in 2011 and beat Tanks For That at Aintree last spring. This is his time of year and he's come up against Sire De Grugy in his last three starts so will appreciate this easier task, though isn't getting any younger. McCoy will have to work hard to keep the enigmatic Mr Mole interested while Next Sensation is unlikely to be allowed an uncontested lead and is climbing the weights. Eastlake beat French Opera here in December but may also be too high in the weights now. His Excellency could go well if in the mood while a strong gallop would suit Astracad and Easter Meteor but the handicapper looks to have given NED BUNTLINE every chance off a mark of 138 and Noel Meade's novice can come out on top if his lack of experience doesn't prove too much of a disadvantage. Competitive Edge also catches the eye near the foot of the weights but they may go too quick for Dare Me.
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS >

WIN - NED BUNTLINE - 2nd @ 8.75
EW - RAYA STAR -
LONGSHOT - FRENCH OPERA -
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RESULT :
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Im feeling shattered ..that will do for now...i may amend , add or alter some tmrw...then again i may not....ttfn x

Cheltenham ~ DAY 3 ~

                                               

Well what a fantastic Day 2 was had as i personally nailed 4 good Winners but lucked out in the last for my share of the place pot ( 4 lines @ 50p ) as it paid £193.20 ( per £1 ) , we witnessed some brilliant rides, some cracking runs and a lot of drama with for me the highlight being a masterclass in Jumping for the much derided SIRE DE GRUGY who at 4.2 was amazing...should have been a 6/4 or even a 5/4 shot yet went off at incredibly juicy odds that even tempted me right in at the end  and i was very grateful for that ;-) as he hosed up...we also witnessed a future mega star in the shape of FAUGHEEN a tank of a horse that cruised his way through the Baring Bingham before quickening on and killing his field dead...very impressive.

The gutsy SMAD PLACE was just outbattled and done on the nod by O'FAOLAINS BOY in the RSA in an incident packed race which saw 4 of the favoured horses all fall including two of my selections Le Bec and Don Cossack.

My biggest cash winner of the day was in the next , the Coral and the horse was WHISPER who won a protracted battle up the straight to get the narrowest of margins ( i thought he was beat tbh ) ,,i was very hoarse after that race....sigh...

Balthazar King won the X-Country for an amazing 2nd time with a well judged ride and a performance of true grit whilst in the Fred Winter i got no luck at all with my modest selections being early casualties and the winner was a welcome return to the winners enclosure for Tim Easterby with Hawk High and finally we had the Champion Bumper which was won by Silver Concorde in a driving finish with my selection Modus running too wide all the way round and running out of gas in the final 2f...future winner tho as it traveled like a star for most.

Onto Day 3 and we have some cracking races to look forward to including the likes of  the JLT and the Ryanair with the highlight being a monster clash between the hugely impressive ANNIE POWER and my beloved BIG BUCKS....who will win ???....lets see.....
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JLT Novices' Chase (Registered As The Golden Miller Novices' Chase) (Grade 1)

..An absolute blockbuster and potential coupon buster for the start of day 3 as this looks incredibly competitive.
Felix Yonger is the fav here and its not one i like..at all , very muddling form , not a proven stayer , has limited flat speed and looks a bit of a flat track bully so if i can get a lay in at a decent price i will happily be taking this on but for the win..where do we start...pin ?...pinata ?...throw a blanket over the field and see where it lands...
For me i think OSCAR WHISKY is the first stand out bet , i love this big son of Oscar who is a multiple CD winner on all ground types that has mainly been mixing it small field events but has taken in a few and won where the size has been 10/12/16..so that shouldnt be a problem , generally likes to make all or just be slightly off the pace tracking the leader which will be fine here as there is pace galore and having all ready comfortably beaten a few of these will know whats required today and i will be shocked if this isnt in the mix at the business end.

Oscar Whisky: Class hurdler aims to make grade over fences

" Oscar Whisky's chasing career has so far gone smoothly as he has rattled off three victories - two of which came at Cheltenham against fellow JLT contenders Wonderful Charm and Taquin Du Seuil.

Nicky Henderson's nine-year-old has won six times from 12 starts at the track, and was also third in the 2011 Champion Hurdle.

Although he had to work harder than expected in the three-runner Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown last month, the ground was extremely demanding in Esher.

Owner Dai Walters said: "He's done well since Sandown and Nicky's very, very happy with him.

"The ground is drying up all the time and that will suit Oscar Whisky. We've always felt he is better on better ground.

"It was terrible at Sandown but Barry (Geraghty, jockey) knew he was always going to win and did well to mind him through the race.

"His record at Cheltenham is excellent and hopefully he can put that to good use again."

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN - OSCAR WHISKY - Fell at the 1st ;-(
EW - WONDERFUL CHARM - Disappointing > 
LONG - VUKOVAR - ( Out of the PP at first attempt lol..)
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BET ADVICE : MAX LAY on FELIX YONGER ( Wins )
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RESULT :

Full Result

Pos	Dist	Horse	Trainer	Age	Weight	Jockey	SP
1st		8 Taquin Du Seuil (FR)	Jonjo O'Neill	7	11-4	A P McCoy	7/1
opened 8/1 £16000-£2000
2nd	¾	9 Uxizandre (FR)	A King	6	11-4 p	R Thornton	33/1
3rd	1¼	2 Double Ross (IRE)	N A Twiston-Davies	8	11-4	S Twiston-Davies	11/1
opened 14/1 £14000-£1000
4th	7	3 Felix Yonger (IRE)	W P Mullins	8	11-4	R Walsh	7/2f
£35000-£10000 £3500-£1000(x2)

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Pertemps Network Final (Listed Handicap Hurdle)3m

• (5yo+, 3m, Class 1, 24 runners)

..

This looks a very trappy affair but is good for value. The first of my selections is another Henderson inmate in the shape of MR DILLON a horse that needs to improve still but is in the right grade and the right race to do so , no form that stands out only a solid word from the yard which in a race like this is good enough for me.

An interesting runner here is LIE FORRIT who was once thought to be heading right to the very top but had a chequered run and fell in and out form but on his day can be very useful indeed and at 30/1 + is an interesting EW selection.

JOSIES ORDERS could be anything as she is improving at a rate of knots and is worth keeping onside as a race like this looks well within her compass after rattling up a very tidy Hat Trick of wins.

The undoubted " Class " in this race is FINGAL BAY and its here that most of my wedge will be gathered upon , a very talented hurdler with the tallest of reputations suffered an almost career threatening injury and was out for a good time but has returned with not just all ability intact but a new personality and i feel this has at least 10lb in hand on the whole field and at 9.0 looks an absolutely tonking EW bet....this is the proverbial " bet to nothing "....gotta have a taste of that.

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN - N/A
EW - FINGAL BAY ( NAP ) - 1ST @ 6.48
LONG - MR DILLON -
Placepot Extra > ON THE BRIDGE - 
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BET ADVICE : MAX EW on FINGAL BAY.
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RESULT :
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Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy Chase) (Grade 1)

..This is a puzzle hidden inside an enigma shrouded by a mystery ......a race in which i have horses i think will win racing against others i want to win in a field in which most can win....so where to start....

The Class ( imo ) is DYNASTE a horse that really should be beating the best in the best not this shit stop Ryanair farce but is also a horse that has found little at times and when the big questions have been asked he has been unable to answer.He is proving to be either a bit tripless or just a monkey as he has won over 25f but has then not stayed over that same trip , has won over 16f but has then been found out for pace ...over 16f......which leaves an impression that although this easily has the ability to win it just cannot be trusted.

Then we have the reemerging HUNT BALL who i would love to see win but is A) racing from a mark around 10-15lb beyond of what he is capable at and B)Badly out of form......

BENEFICENT comes into the reckoning as its as tough and genuine as any you will see and is gteed to give you a decent run for your money and could easily take this if in the same mood as when winning here last year.

My idea of the winner..and its not original , lazy or clever is AL FEROF , touted as being the next big thing 2 seasons ago...was looked upon in the same way that Sprinter Sacre is now....but it all went a bit Pete Tong...had an injury  , had some time away ...but come back again in top condition and looks another that given the right platform  could be heading right back to the very top....this got stomped all over by Harry Topper lto over a longer trip but in truth not much would have lived with him that day as he was exceptional , got stuffed again prior by the very smart Silvi' Conti ( not looking good is it really ) but if you go back to his run in the Paddy Power gold cup you will see he has the class and ability to do very well in this.

Radjhani Express and Menorah make this an interesting but reasonably low quality affair and Al Ferof could just prove good enough today.

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN - AL FEROF -
EW - DYNASTE - 1st @ 4.31
LONG - BENEFICENT -
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BET ADVICE : Win Dutch on AL FEROF / DYNASTE - 
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RESULT :

Full Result

Pos	Dist	Horse	Trainer	Age	Weight	Jockey	SP
1st		5 Dynaste (FR)	D Pipe	8	11-10	T Scudamore	3/1f
Held up towards rear, headway 12th, closed to take 3rd 2 out, challenged last, soon led, driven and stayed on well, edged right towards finish opened 10/3 £7000-£2000(x2) £30000-£9000 £3000-£900 £3000-£1000
2nd	2¼	6 Hidden Cyclone (IRE)	J J Hanlon	9	11-10 p	Andrew J McNamara	10/1
Jumped right at times, pressed leader until 3rd, stayed handy, challenged 12th, led next, driven approaching last, headed flat, wandered under pressure, kept on opened 9/1
3rd	2¼	11 Rajdhani Express	N J Henderson	7	11-10	Mr S Waley-Cohen	18/1
Mid-division, headway 7th, went 2nd before 4 out, challenged next, lost 2nd and slightly impeded after last, stayed on, held by front pair opened 20/1

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Ladbrokes World Hurdle (Grade 1)

..Now we have probably the best race of the day and for me the race of the week , this is the one i have been waiting for....with bated breath as you know im a huggggggeeee BIG BUCKS fan....but can he be beaten ?..well probably but maybe not today , yes he is getting on in years but hes not elderly nor decrepit and as his seasonal debut has shown us he still has the heart for a battle and his tip top cruising speed is intact.
Having already Won this race 4 times he knows his way round and what is required but he will have to be right back to his best in the face of probably the stiffest competition hes ever faced.
Firstly he has to deal with the possibility that wonder mare Quevega maybe lining up as she is still entered in with no word of withdrawal just yet but the Mares race from Tues must surely have taken its toll and i see no way this can win although it will be performance of the decade if she can.
Secondly and more pertinently she has to deal with another Mare in the shape of wonder horse ANNIE POWER and this is a major concern as Annie herself is just fucking awesome, cruises into her races with ease, quickens and battles and is built like a heavy weight boxer on steroids...this is one serious fucking horse with only one question to answer...Can she Stay ??...well at 2.64 i wont be paying to find out because not only is it a case of can she stay but can she stay and stay as she will have to fight all the way to the line to take this as Big Bucks will be scrapping for every single inch along with problem Nos 3 and that is AT FISHERS CROSS who was himself bigged up for all the season top races but has been rather unconvincing thus far and the ground has turned against him so he faces the biggest task of all.

You can forget the rest.....no fucking way Jose >>>.....

So for me its Big Bucks V Annie Power , Boy V Girl , King V Queen........well for me i think in all honesty Big Bucks best days lay behind him but @ 5.0 which i feel is fucking huge...i will back him one more time to bring home the bacon.....1.85 is the Place is the Pro Bet but 5.0 is my greedy bet....im backing something that has done it rather than something that may do it.....right or wrong the 5.0 is just too big to pass on.

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN - ANNIE POWER - 2nd @ 2.63
EW - BIG BUCKS - ( Nigh on a place Cert ) - Unplaced ( should be retired now, not the force of old by a long way )
LONG - AT FISHERS CROSS - 3rd @ 12.0
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BET ADVICE : Win on BIG BUCKS and a Saver on Annie Power >
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RESULT :

Full Result

Pos	Dist	Horse	Trainer	Age	Weight	Jockey	SP
1st		6 More Of That (IRE)	Jonjo O'Neill	6	11-10	B J Geraghty	15/2
Held up towards rear, steady headway after 3 out, tracked leaders next, driven to lead narrowly approaching last, soon ridden, kept on well flat, in command towards finish opened 9/1 £20000-£2000 £10000-£1000 £8000-£1000 £8000-£1000
2nd	1½	11 Annie Power (IRE)	W P Mullins	6	11-3	R Walsh	11/8f
Raced keenly, held up towards rear, switched outside 2 out, soon tracked leaders, squeezed through between rivals to challenge before last, ridden and every chance flat, no extra and held final 50 yards £60000-£40000 £12000-£8000 £6000-£4000(x2) £3000-£2000(x3) £1500-£1000 £750-£500 £600-£400(x2) £1650-£1200 £5500-£4000(x2) £480-£320(x2) £1375-£1000(x2) £1237-£900 £550-£400 £500-£400(x6)
3rd	5	1 At Fishers Cross (IRE)	Miss R Curtis	7	11-10 p	A P McCoy	9/1
Held up mid-division in touch, headway on outside 3 out, effort next, led narrowly and came towards stands side between last 2, headed when switched left before last, soon ridden and one pace, no impression with front pair flat £30000-£3000 £9000-£1000

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Byrne Group Plate (Grade 3 Handicap Chase)

..Johns Spirit won a couple of big handicaps here in the autumn, beating Colour Squadron in the second of them. But his latest run in December suggests he's in the handicapper's grip now. Carrickboy was a shock winner of this last year and showed a glimmer of his old form when third to stablemate Bennys Mist at Wincanton last time. He's still 4lb higher but can't be ruled out and Venetia Williams also runs Newbury scorer Shangani under a penalty. King Edmund is better over this sort of trip nowadays while the lightly-raced Sraid Padraig could be interesting and Giorgio Quercus' win at Kempton in November has worked out well, though he never figured in this last season when the veteran Tartak finished third. Third Intention is proving difficult to place but Tap Night has ability, though McCoy has decided to keep faith with Colour Squadron. TATENEN would be a popular winner for weighing room veteran Andy Thornton and the 10-year-old is enjoying something of a revival. Richard Rowe's charge went close again at Sandown last month off his new mark and he's run well at the Festival in the past so gets the nod.

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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN - COLOUR SQUADRON - 2nd @ 7.0
EW - SHANGANI -
LONG - GIORGIO QUERCUS -
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BET ADVICE : 
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RESULT :

Full Result

Pos	Dist	Horse	Trainer	Age	Weight	Jockey	SP
1st		6 Ballynagour (IRE)	D Pipe	8	10-9 t1	T Scudamore	12/1
Held up towards rear of mid-division, steady headway 4 out, tracked leaders next, led soon after 2 out, ridden clear flat, stayed on well opened 14/1
2nd	8	3 Colour Squadron (IRE)	P J Hobbs	8	11-1	A P McCoy	5/1f
Tracked leaders on inside, headway 3 out, led briefly next, ridden and kept on approaching last, no chance with winner flat opened 6/1 £35000-£5000 £6000-£1000 £2400-£400 £2100-£300 £11000-£2000 £5000-£900 £1950-£300
3rd	6	7 Tatenen (FR)	R Rowe	10	10-9	A Thornton	33/1
In touch, headway to join leader 4 out, led narrowly next, headed 2 out, 3rd and one pace when hit last, no impression with front pair flat
4th	1½	2 Johns Spirit (IRE)	Jonjo O'Neill	7	11-3	R P Mclernon	9/1
Held up towards rear on inside, headway 4 out, tracked leaders when hit next, ridden after 2 out, stayed on to dispute 3rd flat, never on terms opened 10/1 £10000-£1000

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Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Amateur Riders)

..Indian Castle looks a useful novice and showed he handles the course when successful over 2m5f here in January. The return to a longer trip isn't a problem and Derek O'Connor is among the best amateur riders around. Tranquil Sea won a veterans' handicap at Doncaster last month with the minimum of fuss and also warrants respect while Nina Carberry partners Cause Of Causes, looking to end a frustrating run, for Gordon Elliott. There's No Panic should give Will Biddick a good ride as he won over a marathon trip at Sandown before Christmas, though had finished behind Night Alliance at Ascot earlier. Buddy Bolero was fourth in the National Hunt Chase at last year's Festival and got back to winning ways over hurdles last time but might be a tricky ride for an amateur. David Pipe tries a pair of blinkers on OUR FATHER and we fancy the talented grey to put recent disappointments behind him and come good. The fact that he was sent off joint favourite for the Hennessy in November off a 5lb higher mark suggests he could be well treated today and he's handled these fences well in earlier visits.
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RACE CARD STAT SELECTIONS > 

WIN -  INDIAN CASTLE -
EW - OUR FATHER -
LONG - BALNASLOW - 4th ( Placed @ 9/1 )
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BET ADVICE : 
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RESULT :

Full Result

Pos	Dist	Horse	Trainer	Age	Weight	Jockey	SP
1st		11 Spring Heeled (IRE)	J H Culloty	7	11-6 p	Mr R P McNamara	12/1
With leader, led 4th, pecked 4 out, pressed when rival blundered and left clear last, driven out £10000-£700
2nd	1¾	8 Cause Of Causes (USA)	G Elliott	6	11-8	Ms N Carberry	13/2
Held up, headway going well before 4 out, went 2nd next, produced to challenge when blundered and lost momentum last, unable to recover, rallied towards finish £10000-£1400 £20000-£2100 £2800-£400
3rd	17	1 Roberto Goldback (IRE)	N J Henderson	12	11-12	Mr S Waley-Cohen	16/1
Held up, headway 9th, tracking leaders when mistake 16th, soon lost place, stayed on from 2 out, went 3rd flat, no chance with front pair £8000-£500
4th	2¾	13 Balnaslow (IRE)	W P Mullins	7	11-4	Mr P W Mullins	9/1
Tracked leaders, mistake 12th, challenged after 15th, every chance before 2 out, disputing 3rd and beaten last, weakened flat

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Another tough day but a day filled with great potential, great racing and hopefully some big cheers...have fun, see you all tmrw ..good evening.