HAMILTON 2.55
There's 3 of these 8 runners that have been known to set the pace and Mr Wagyu my 3rd top rated and Jordan Electrics my 2nd top rated are possible front runners so it should be a true run race and either or both could do enough to make the frame and if either get an easy lead they could lead all the way even more so if the bottom weight 3-year-old JORDAN ELECTRICS 5/1 my 2nd top rated sets the pace but I do have EPEIUS 9/1 rated just 1lb higher and I will have to back both of them in this race.
CHELMSFORD 7.40
This 9 runner race and once again I've found 3 that can front run here and they are all in my top 5, I've got co 3rd top rated horses in Udontdodou, Royal Birth and Just That Lord and the latter is a possible pacesetter and drawn in stall one but I'm not sure its quite up to winning in this class 2 race, I backed Lord Riddiford last time out when it won and starts off as my top rated in this race but my original 2nd top rated horse TROPICS 4/1 who got caught last time out by Lord Riddiford who beat it by three quarters of a length getting a stone from it, in this race with the apprentices 7lb allowance there's a swing of 17lbs which should see the selection holding on this time and will be the one carrying my cash.
ASCOT 3.40
A Group 1 race with 11 runners and 4 of them are 3-year-olds but they would all need to improve to win this race and none of them is in the top 3 in the betting, Mabs Cross should be competitive here but I'm doubting it can beat the top two if they run to their best on the drying ground, Battash is a top class horse and is my 2nd top rated in this race and is versatile with its racing tactics but top on my list is BLUE POINT 5/2 who likes to track the leaders and then stay on strongly at the finish and will be the one carrying my money in this race.
Thanks for your support.
Blue Point 5/2 1st + EX £8.40
As Royal Ascot draws near one of the leading figures in British Horse Racing has issued a stark warning about the future of the sports. BlackBook.com.au reports on David Redvers feelings that the sport is ‘teetering on the edge of oblivion.’
Redvers made the comments ahead of Royal Ascot, and he says that his feeling stems from the fact that steps haven’t been made to open up ownership of racehorses to a broader audience. Redvers, who was named bloodstock agent of the year back in November, and who manages the racing interest of Sheikh Fahad made the comments in a blog post on his Tweenhills stud. He thinks that British Horse Racing doesn’t compare to the likes of Japan or Australia.
“I keep asking myself, how did we get it so wrong?” Redvers says. “How can a country like Australia, with 40% of our population, be running away with the prize while we have a £17m deficit in our funding and our industry relies almost entirely on the patronage of rich foreigners?”
He acknowledges that the way racing is funded in those countries has a part to play in their success but still feels the problem lies back home. Those countries use a system of syndicates and shared ownership that just isn’t possible in this country. He feels that British Horse Racing tends to fall back and rely on the ultra-wealthy few that fund their investments through horse racing in the UK. And this is a model that just isn’t sustainable.
“At any moment, our industry could be put in catastrophic peril through the loss of just one of these major players. Falling prize money, ill health or simply a change of heart could precipitate this at any time.”
He thinks that British Officials could do a lot more to attract the kind of players that they get in Australia and Japan, and thinks that not only do they do nothing to attract the shared owners and syndicates but that at times it seems they deliberately go out of their way to be unhelpful.
Redvers says that there are such problems and cites an example of the fact that Shiekh Fahad has to run his horses under the banner of ‘Qatar Racing’ because despite it being a joint enterprise between him and his two brothers, when he asked if all their names could be displayed on the owners cards, he was told that there simply wasn’t room to do so. Redvers states that this is in complete contrast to Japan and Australia where on their race cards, they display the names of all of the owners so that they all get visibility. Such a simple fix could go a long way to helping the sport.
The British Horse Racing authority has, so far, not commented on the racecard name issue, but does accept that there is significant red tape that needs to be addressed and they have pledged to try and reduce the barriers being placed on owners.
BATH 4.10
With the rain still ruining my speed figures so I'm analysing from a different angle, there's one or two that could be dangerous but I will be backing HANDYTALK 2/1 who won last time out and has been found a chance to follow up here, I'm just hoping its not too short in price and if there is any value I will be having a bet.
Handytalk 2/1 5th
CHESTER 4.55
I'm not a fan of betting at Chester and this race proves the point, I really think that GABRIAL THE DEVIL 14/1 has a very good chance against these lower class animals, it has been known to lead before and if it gets to the front it could prove very hard to catch but in reality what chance has it got of leading from stall 13 in a 14 runner race especially when at this course horses that don't normally front run get a good draw and change their usual tactics usually to no avail but it does very often ruin the chances of other horses in the race, I will be backing this selection but my stake won't be at full strength.
Gabriel The Devil 14/1 6th
The wet weather has scuppered all my bets this week and the only AW race I had the meeting was abandoned ironically because they didn't have any water!
I've been posting quite a few lay bets on the Eric Winner Facebook Page, so go take a look if you lay horses on the betting exchanges, anyways I think I've found a couple that I will back today.
CHEPSTOW 3.55
I've got negatives against most of the runners for something or another but SILVERRICA 12/1 has won on soft going at this distance and it's been running in higher class races so I think it might have been found an opportunity to get back to winning ways and at the price I will have to have an each way punt, but remember I won't be betting too heavily because it is outside my usual rules.
Meeting abandoned
YORK 4.40
There are 10 runners in this class 2 race and for various reasons I have negatives against the names of 9 of the field which leaves me with only EXCELLENT TIMES 8/1 who passes all the rules which are applied till the going gets better and this one has run well here before so I'm hoping it can go well here and has to be worth an each way bet at the price but once again I won't be going in all guns blazing.
Excellent Times 8/1 7th
KEMPTON 7.50
ROSE BERRY can find this distance a bit too far if there's a fast early pace but this race might be run to suit it and it's my top rated.
INDIAN TYGRESS comes out 2nd best on my figures and this one likes to run on at the finish when there's a decent early pace so not sure this race will suit it.
PEGGIE SUE has a decent time from Wolverhampton but I'm thinking this surface may not suit it and it has poor trainer/jockey stats.
DIZZY G hasn't run on the all-weather before but does have a fast time on good to firm going on grass so could be dangerous but it's not for me in this race.
LADY OF ARAN hasn't any distance form but has a very good trainer/jockey stats and could be staying on at the finish but a slow early pace may be against it.
SWEET AND DANDY I'm thinking this horse is better in lower class races and has poor trainer and jockey stats so not for me in this race.
FIRST LINK has only got slow times on this surface and distance and may prefer a longer trip and I'm not expecting much from it in this race.
SUMMARY: Its nice to have an AW race while all the turf courses have soft going, I don't bet when its soft but I do have some lays which I post on the eric winner facebook page, this is a poor 7 runner affair and with no known front runners in the race its hard to be sure exactly what will happen but I've got it down to 3 that I think can win this race, Lady Of Aran 15/2 ought to be staying on strongly at the finish if its a true run affair and has the best trainer/jockey stats in the race, Rose Berry 13/2 is my top-rated but that is using a c/d time from 2018 and its only 4lb better than Indian Tygress’s 13/8 best time which was recorded this year but the price is way too low for me to back as my sole selection so I will look to dutch the 3 of them but my stakes won't be at full strength in this race.
Meeting abandoned
CHELMSFORD 4.15
This is a nice class 2 race with 10 runners and 2 known pacemaking types in the race, Poyle Vinnie will be trying to stay on at the finish of this race and could get a good tow into the race from stall 3 so it could possibly make the frame, Udontdodou is my 2nd top rated on c/d times but I did have to go back to 2017 to find that speed figure, Royal Birth has a time from kempton that would make it the top rated but its times at this course have been a bit below that level and the make up of this race might not suit it, A Momentofmadness comes out 2nd top rated using its best Kempton time while its only run over this c/d was a lot slower but it is a possible pacemaker and normally stall 2 would be fine but in this race my top rated LORD RIDDIFORD 7/1 who is the other known front running sort in the race is drawn in stall 1 so im hoping it can get to the front and control the pace from the rails position and then kick on for an all the way victory.
Lord Riddiford 7/1 1st
I am expecting the going to be soft at most courses so I am not going to waste my time by writing too much about each race:
BRIGHTON 3.05
I've got 3 of the 7 runners looking as though further would suit them better and one that's not been in good form lately, Lightning Charlie is 3rd top rated and could be the one to catch as its a possible pacesetter but Jack Taylor is my 2nd top rated but this one has a losing run of 11 to overcome so my money will be on LEO MINOR 10/1 although this one might not want the going to be really fast.
Leo Minor 11/1 7th
BATH 5.35
I've got a few with no recorded time and then 5 that are all rated within a pound of each other but I've got WHO TOLD JO JO 18/1 rated a few spots ahead of the field although this ones time was recorded at Windsor in 2017 so my each way stake will not be at full strength in this race that's if the going is good or faster.
Who Told Jo Jo 20/1 Unp
GOODWOOD 7.05
I've got Alfies Angel as my 3rd top rated here and its a possible pacesetter so could be dangerous if allowed an easy lead, in 2nd spot I've got Atlanta's Boy who likes to track the leaders and then stay on stoutly at the finish but my top rated ENGLISHMAN 16/1 hasn't shown much in its last few runs but if it can reproduce its best time recorded over this c/d last year it would win with a few pounds in hand so I'm hoping to return to this track will bring about an upsurge in its form and at the price I will go with an each way wager.
Englishman 16/1 5th
BATH 7.45
This looks the best race of the day so I'm hoping the going is ok I need a stick reading of 9.2 before I bet and that's what's given in the Racing Post, there's several that could be battling for the places in this race, too many to mention, my money will be riding on CORONATION COTTAGE 14/1 who is one of only 2 known front running types in the race and if getting to the front it could prove very hard to catch and a big enough price to have an each way punt.
Coronation Cottage 14/1 9th
CHELMSFORD 6.00
GOODNIGHT GIRL has only run once over this c/d but is carrying a lot of weight for that time but it does have good trainer/jockey stats so this possible pacesetter could go well here but isn't much value at 2/1.
GIOGIOBBO another that has been known to lead but timewise it's not in my top 3 and the trainers poor 1-22 record here is off-putting so I would lay it at 10/1.
COUNT OTTO comes out 2nd best on my figures and its record on all-weather tracks is 3-6 so has to be considered as a possible winner and 13/2 is value in my opinion and if there were 3 places up for grabs I would back this one each way.
MOON TROUBLE got the plum draw for a possible frontrunner but would need to improve a little to lead all the way here but the jockeys do ok for this stable but I'm of the opinion that it's a bit too short at 5/2.
STEELRIVER has been in cracking form recently but hasn't produced anything of note over this c/d before so not for me in this race and one I would lay at 15/2.
ZAC BROWN another possible pacesetting sort who comes out top rated on my figures and if getting to the front it could prove very hard to catch, I'm surprised its a 16/1 shot and would definitely be my each way bet with 3 places.
FIELD GUN is my 3rd top rated horse and has decent trainer stats, the jockey is 2-4 for rides for this stable so a positive pointer and could go well and at 7/1 it could have been an each way bet with an extra runner.
SUMMARY: Only 7 runners but 4 that have been known to lead before, the only one I can discount completely at this course is Steelriver the rest all have some chance of winning or at least running well, with only 2 places up for grabs each way bets are basically a waste of money so I will go with ZAC BROWN 16/1 and hope it can get to the front here and if doing so could prove hard to catch but its not a race to be betting too heavily in but I will definitely be having a bet at the price available.
Zac Brown 16/1 3rd
LINGFIELD 7.10
Firstly, I would look to lay, Pettochside may need further and out of form, Jashma who might prefer a slower surface and slow recent times and Roundabout Magic who usually performs well in lower class races and usually needs a few runs for fitness and this is its 1st run of this year, Harrys Bar may need further to show its best but I have only got 5 races to work with so could improve as its got good trainer/jockey stats, on my figures Green Door is bit below what might be required to win here but it is a possible pacesetter and could be dangerous if given an easy lead, Cappananty Con has a time from Chelmsford that would put it equal top rated but its best c/d time is a few pounds below that racewise its versatile with its tactics, Harrogate is another that should be staying on at the finish and could make the frame, my selection is my top rated SOMETHING LUCKY 13/2 who hasnt won in its last 17 races but the jockey booking looks a big pointer to connections expecting it to get back to winning ways here and will be carrying some of my money.
Something Lucky 13/2 7th
NEWCASTLE 8.20
A strange looking race in many ways but I seperate them as I go along, Phanstasmal is making its handicap debut but this trip looks way too short for it, Red Stripes trainer is 0-25 at this course so not for me, Jorvik Prince may want further or a different surface, Kinloch Pride does have a good time from 2017 but hasnt been in good form for a while now, Kibaar doesnt like good to firm going on grass so this surface may not suit it, Decision Maker has only ran here once before but may be better elsewhere although the trainer does have decent stats at this course, Dubai Plains is a 21 times raced maiden and the trainers 0-48 at this course puts me off this one, Ambitious Icarus has been in dire form since 2017 im hoping it cant/doesnt spring back to form here, now lets move to those with more positive, or really less negative, vibes about them Arnold’s trainer has a 19% win rate here with its older horses and the jockeys record is 15% wins on the older brigade but im still unsure if this surface will suit it so for that reason I will pass it over but I could be proven wrong, Windforpower is well weighted on some of its better times but even its 2nd place run this year was in a slow run affair and not in good form so passed over, which leaves me with 2 runners that could win this race, ROCKLEY POINT 11/1 usually stays on at this distance and with 3 or 4 that could set the pace this race may be run to suit its style, it is 3rd best but that was using a time from Lingfield but has only slow times at this c/d but the jockey has only ridden for this stable twice before and he won both times so the hint may be worth taking and I will be having a wager of some description on this runner, my top rated is a possible frontrunner so im hoping LORD OF THE GLEN 9/2 can lead all the way but it does have to overcome a losing run of 21 races, I will also be backing this horse but reading through my write-up again my stakes wont be at full strength in this race.
Rockley point 11/1 4th
Lord Of The Glen 5/1 8th
