Bets 14/03/2012: Chelts Day 2

Not the start the favourite backing audience wanted, but what a great day of racing. The bookies escaped a battering and they nabbed a ton off me in the process. Sous Les Cieux’s withdrawal from the race marked the mood for this race and when Segal’s AntePost tips did jock all, I was already £150.00 down. After Galileo’s flop, I now don’t have as high hopes for SLC either. I thought I had taken bigger prices on Darlan, but evidently had not. Skybet paid 5 places on Prospect Wells so scrapped back a few yards. Sprinter was mind blowing – he has a future and a half. I actually felt sick when I saw that Alfie Sherrin won as I said I couldn’t have it. I have no idea how Segal does it. Just before the race we found out that Hold On Julio was not fully fit but The Package stopped the white wash. Yesterday was a No Fly Zone. He heated up before the race and hats off to Rock on Ruby and also Overturn for setting that pace. My 16k dream is now wiped out, but I can still wrap up £500 if the other favs are placed. This was pretty painful to watch and no doubt he’ll hack up at Punchestown. Saw 2 gambles in the Glenfaclas; Scotsirish and Balthazar King. After Scotirish pulled up I thought the day could end in further sorrow. In the end the King obliged. Quevega was a superstar. Enough said. And the last race, I can’t believe how Hunt Ball has progressed. What a horse, what a training feat. Today is a lot tougher, but all over it and all of my Ante Post bets are still in contention. I need to not carried away today though...

Cheltenham 1.30 – Soll’s form has now been merked as far as I’m concerned, but what do I know. Segal has tipped him at 8/1. Nicholls has a horrendous record in Chases here, so can’t back Harry The Viking. Lively Barron is an interesting outsider at 40/1 as he will love the ground and I think will stay although has a lot to find on official ratings. I have to avoid a situation like yesterday’s Supreme, when I had backed 5 horses in the race and got slapped 4.5 times, so I’ll leave as is.

Cheltenham 2.05 – I’ve already backed Sous Les Cieux and Battonier Ante Post at slightly bigger prices (9/1 and 10/1). Simonsig must have a great chance, but interesting that Will Hill want to take him on with morning prices. Ladbrokes are not taking the risk with Battonier so I’m sticking with these two.

Cheltenham 2.40 – I’ve already backed Bob’s Worth and First Lieutenant Ante Post at bigger prices (7/1 and 12/1). Both have beaten Rock and Ruby so I stick by them. Grands Crus hasn’t had to assert himself at all over fences. When he was asked over hurdles, he just didn’t respond like you would want him too, but could be seriously good. I’ve backed him at 16/1 to win the GC next year (probably daft, but meh). Join Together will no doubt go well as well. This will be a very exciting race and I think I want some cover on GC as he could be class apart

Cheltenham 3.20 – I’ve already back Sizing Europe and Wishfull Thinking Ante Post at bigger prices (2/1 and 12/1). I can’t see past Sizing Europe. Class act and Hills aren’t taking him on like they did with The Fly.

Cheltenham 4.00 – The Coral Cup. This is a ridic race to pick a winner. Seeing as it’s the Coral Cup and that they are 12/1 on Megastar when you can get 25/1 elsewhere, I’ll take some of that thank you very much, even though have no more real basis than that. Segal has tipped up Silverhand and Get Me Out of Here

Cheltenham 4.40 – “French Bred horses mature earlier so need fewer runs to be ready”. King has been shouting Vendor for a while now but is really short in such a tough race? Segal has pimped out Gorgeous Sixty and think will leave it there

Cheltenham 5.15 – There are ways to crack races like this but you have to watch every single race. You always get horses coming into this race after hacking up by 5,6,7,8,12 lengths. But they beat nothing and have proved nothing when hard driven. I backed Village Vic @ 5/1 on his previous race and he was just beaten in a CL1 race. He was on the bridle until too close to home when others where hard driven. I’m convinced if he goes home hard sooner he can outrun 16/1. A lot of the Irish runners have hacked up on heavy ground and it’s hard to know whether they will perform as well. If they do, Moscow Mannon and Clonbanan Lad at 7/1 and 20/1 could be worth a pop, but notes from trainer for the latter say “pray for soft ground” whereas Hobbs said Village Vic would prefer firmer ground.

Others that are on the Short List are TeaForThree, Cotton Mill, and Sir Johnson

Ante Post Bets

£25.00 e/w Batonnier 10/1 - NR - £50.00

£25.00 e/w Sous Les Cieux 9/1 - LOSE

£50.00 e/w Bobs Worth 7/1 - WIN £537.50

£50.00 e/w Wishfull Thinking 12/1 - LOSE

£50.00 e/w First Lieutenant 12/1 - PLACED £200.00

£25.00 e/w Spirit River 25/1 - LOSE (Gutted)

£25.00 e/w Spirit River, Buena Vista Double - LOSE (Gutted, esp in BV places tomorrow)

Bets Today

£10.00 e/w Village Vic 16/1 - LOSE

£50.00 Sizing Europe 10/11 - PLACED £50.00 (Money back Special)   

£10.00 e/w Lively Barron 33/1 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Megastar - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Soll 8/1 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Get Me Out Of Here 9/1 - PLACED £32.50

£8.50 e/w Son of Flicka 25/1 - WIN £282.62

£10.00 e/w Gorgeous Sixty 14/1 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Silverhand 25/1 - PLACED £72.50

£50.00 Grand Crus - 6/4 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Sir Johnston 10/1 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Cotton Mill 11/1 - LOSE

£10.00 e/w Teaforthree 6/1 - WIN £95.00

£10.00 e/w Accumulator - LOSE

£5.00 e/w Accumulator - LOSE

£20.00 Grand Crus, Sizing Double - LOSE

Total Staked £867.00, Total Returned £1,320.12

P&L @ 14/03/12:

+£537.42

AntePost P&L @ 14/03/12:

+£518.50

Total P&L @ 14/03/12:

+£1055.62