Worth The Watching

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Ipsos Du Berlais runs 1355 Punchestown. Still think he could be very good. He'll have to be, to beat Western Leader who was very decent before his setback, and Sergeant Guibs, who seems to be very well fancied today.

Really dug that one out, and ended up winning well. He continues to look very promising.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Pateese runs in the 1435 at Ascot. Easy to forgive him his last run, seemed totally unsuitable. This seems a better race for him, and think Ascot will be ideal. The trip might stretch him a bit, but think he could sneak a place. 12's seems a fair price, so he goes in the Saturday multiple, but didn't fancy him enough to bet him on his own. Be more than happy to be proved wrong on this.

Consigliere runs in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock. If he can see out this trip on the going, then I'll be very impressed. On the face of it, I don't think it would suit him. However, he deserves it after his performance a fortnight ago. If he does land this, then I'd think my a/p voucher for Cheltenham could be ripped up. With that in mind, I hope he's looked after today if it's clear he's struggling. I've left him alone today.

Seen enough today to think that Pateese will be of serious interest in one of the big 2m Handicaps, despite being unplaced, was happy with him today.

Consigliere ran his heart out, and hopefully he'll be given a break before Cheltenham.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

1445 Newcastle. D-Day for Fabalu today, and my now, apparently, annual bid to throw good money away on him for The Grand National. He's got to win this, to have any chance of making the line-up at Aintree. Even then, it still might not be enough to get in. Times running out. Hopefully McCains worked wonders with him since he bottomed out last time, but I'll be watching with a lot more hope than expectation.

Romulus D'Artaix

Runs in the 1525 @ Warwick. Bet him a couple of times, and thought there was a hint of some ability in him. To be honest, he's disappointed a little, but hopefully this introduction to fences, and the sharper trip, might just bring that improvement out in him. Travelled well for a long way at ascot last time. I'm hopeful that he can pick up a few races over the next couple of seasons.

Fabalu faded like a light yet again, and looks as if his injury has taken it's toll. A shame. At his best this would have been a formality.

As for Romulus D'Artaix, I won't be looking out for him after today, he didn't look anything special at all.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Call The Police runs tomorrow in the 1440 @ Leapordstown, The Dr P J Moriarty Novices Chase.

Obviously not as well fancied as the first 2 in the market, but I'm hopeful he gives a good account of himself. He'll have his work cut out to trouble the front 2, who seem very decent. I had a few quid earlier in the week @ 10's, and was quite happy with that price.

As I said earlier in the thread, I've been betting him for the RSA, which was always going to be a risky approach. That certainly seems to be the case, as the market would suggest he's not going there. Nonetheless, hoping for a another good round tomorrow, which hopefully will set him up for a visit to Cheltenham, albeit, maybe not for the RSA. You never know!

Very happy with him today, hard to find fault with him. He just came up against a very good horse. Would still love to see him go for RSA though!

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Consigliere takes his chance in The Racing Plus Chase. He's looked as good as ever on his last 2 runs, he didn't go down too easily last time. Think he's got a really decent chance today, though I just slightly favour Deep Purple. Just.

I'm hopeful of a decent run from him, which will hopefully leave enough time for a good show at Cheltenham. Whether he'll be running for me in The Plate, well, I'm even less confident now, but I'll probably know a lot more this afternoon.

Not quite as impressive today, though seemed to run on at the end. None the wiser as to future plans, but I've not given up totally yet on The Plate at the festival.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

A good day, with Fabalu , and Storming Gale both winning at Bangor.

Storming Gales jumping is still a "bit ropey", but he picked them off, and won comfortably in the end. A glimmer of hope for him, I'd all but written him off. I hope he can pick up a few more races here and there. Still a lot of work to be done on him though.

Fabalu, didn't beat much, but there was no sign of him stopping to a halt, like his previous outings. Again, he travelled really well, and put in an excellent round of jumping. Wasn't sure I'd see him again after his last run, which was difficult to watch, but that was more like it today today, very encouraging. I'm sure McCain may be eyeing a few more staying chases with him in the near future. I'd love for him to land one of the big ones, but for the meantime, delighted with that today.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Romulus D'Artaix

Runs in the 1525 @ Warwick. Bet him a couple of times, and thought there was a hint of some ability in him. To be honest, he's disappointed a little, but hopefully this introduction to fences, and the sharper trip, might just bring that improvement out in him.

As for Romulus D'Artaix, I won't be looking out for him after today, he didn't look anything special at all.

What I meant to say was a longer trip might bring out some improvement in him.............won at 9's today over 2 miles 6.

I may also have to give him another chance now.......

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Imperial Cup. Pateese. An outsider today, currently trading as high as 33's. I think he's got a decent e/w chance, there's bound to be one or two plotted up down the bottom somewhere. I expected him to win a couple of handicaps this season, so though completely unfancied for this, I don't think he's a forlorn hope. Track and distance will suit, so hope he can spring something of a shock here.

1635 Ayr. Circus Clown. He's been a bit disappointing, but to be fair to him, he's managed to finish second in his last 3 runs, so nothing, if not consistent.

Although he was in the firing line coming home, I knew his fate. It was very similar to The Greatwood, a wall of horses behind him waiting to swallow him up, before he fades tamely. Can't see him going to The County now. As for next targets, I don't know, Scottish Cahmpion Hurdle or Swinton might be an option, but I'd probably be interested in seeing him at the "Whitbread" meeting back at Sandown.

Didn't see the Circus Clown race, and looking at the result, he seems to have disappointed again.

[Posts: 3688Joined: 19 Nov 2002, 14:40Location: Fife]

Circus Clown was well beaten by the turn in the straight and was never seriously in contention. He's run some fair races for second places this season, but he's been comfortably held by the winners and isn't seeing out his races as well as I'd like.

Rob

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Thanks Rob, yeah, he's been a bit disappointing, not sure what they're going to do with him.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Well, Call The Police has made it to The RSA. He's done nothing wrong this season, and I think he's got a better chance than his odds suggest. I'm fairly hopeful of a decent show from him. Fingers Crossed.

Consigliere has made it as well, but not, as hoped, to The Plate. He runs in The Coral Cup instead. Not, on the face of it, an obvious target............but with Pipe putting a 10lb claimer on board, and his obvious liking for Cheltenham, well, could be interesting.

Had a small e/w double @ 18's and 40's. With Astracad due to run on Friday, I stuck him in an ew Trixie with them.

Hopefully Ipsos Du Berlais, and Shoegazer will make it too.

Great performance by Call The Police, finishing 3rd, with 2 pretty useful ones in front of him, I knew he could go close. Obviously the win would have been nice, but very, very happy to see him in the frame.

Consigliere was pretty laboured. Didn't travel like he usually does round Cheltenham, and knew my fate halfway down the back straight. Some hard races probably catching up with him.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Got 3 of em running tomorrow.

First up is Ipsos Du Berlais in the Albert Bartlett. I've got his Gigginstown companion, Sea of Thunder, in a few ante-post lines which are still going, so I'd really prefer him to come in, but I think Ipsos could surprise a few tomorrow. He's been very impressive this season, and wouldn't surprise me to see him spring a shock.

Pateese runs in The Martin Pipe Hurdle. He's become quite frustrating, and unless this target is part of an elaborate plot, he's been given some strange tasks this season. This'll come very soon after his run on Saturday, so it'll be some effort to go close. Hope he gives a good account, and lands a place. 33's seems about right though.

Astracad runs in the Grand Annual. He's been a great success this season, and deserves his place near the top of the market. Not much else to add, other than, expecting a very good show.

[Posts: 1962Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 00:56]

Great performance from Pateese today, seemed to improve dramatically for being held up a bit more. Very pleasing.

As for Ipsos & Astracad, they were very, very disappointing, no obvious excuses either.

Shoegazer makes a belated return at Ffos Las tomorrow. He's won there before, he's available at 12's just now, and that seems a fair price.

Shoegazer, was, of course, running at Uttoxeter. Ran respectably enough, holding on for third, hopefully he'll be fitter next time.