Newmarket - 27th Sept

    My main bet tomorrow is High Celebrity in the Cheveley Park Stakes. I'm still keen on her although the the drying ground concerns me slightly. I posted my thoughts on the race earlier in the week and only need add that I have topped up my original bet.

    The Cambridgeshire is my favourite domestic race of the flat season and has been responsible for my two biggest ever winners. One of those horses, Bronze Angel, has his third run in the contest and whereas twelve months ago he went in cold running for the first time that year he is quite exposed this time around and it could be argued not greatly handicapped. However he has a 5lb claimer up top which brings his mark down to his last winning one. It's true this claimer rode him last time out when he was second in a handicap at Doncaster but he ran into an unexposed 3yo that day and ran really well in the circumstances (I would also add that the field size that day wasn't the biggest, Bronze Angel's best form all coming in races with lots of horses.) It's a tough ask naturally and there will be better handicapped horses in the race, but my fella loves the test, is racing off a winning mark if we take the claim into account and six places are being paid in places. That'll do me.

    I'm also having a bet on Gabrial's Kaka. I actually had the Cambridgeshire in mind for this horse when he was a fast finishing third behind Velox (who is one of the market leaders tomorrow and is much worse off at the weights) in a handicap at Sandown in July. He started slowly and ran on without ever threatening next time out at York (Bronze Angel ahead of him that day) and you definitely couldn't claim he's a well handicapped contender, but I think this step up in trip will really suit him and ultimately he's a bet because 28/1 is just too big.

Cheveley Park Stakes:
High Celebrity £50w @ 54/10 (3rd)

Cambridgeshire Handicap:
Bronze Angel £20ew @ 16/1 (6pl) (won)
Gabrial's Kaka £20ew @ 28/1 (5pl) (lost)

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Newmarket - 25th Sept

    The last race at Newmarket tomorrow features one of the few remaining horses left in my tracker this flat season. Secret Hint ran an eye catching race in a handicap at Goodwood at the start of the month when drawn 10 she hung right in the closing stages, ending up a fast finishing fourth upsides horses who took a straighter course throughout the race. She ran off 80 that day and in theory is off the same mark tomorrow but she runs from out of the handicap, carrying 4lbs more than she should. To me though if she'd been better drawn at Goodwood she'd have won with a fair bet in hand so even that 4lb extra doesn't put me off too much, although I'm playing safe by backing her each way. I also think this extra few pounds has been over factored into her price and 6/1 is well worth taking.

EBF Stallions Fillies Handicap:
Secret Hint £25ew @ 6/1 (won)

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Ante-Post

    This part of the flat season is my favourite. The Cambridgeshire/Arc/Champions Day weekends all take place within the next month and I'm hoping to have plenty of bets.

    First up at Newmarket I don't think my fancy for the annual cavalry charge down the Rowley Mile will get in the race but Mange All may take part in the compensation event on Friday. My main focus now however is on the Cheveley Park Stakes. The list of high class fillies who bomb out after a hard season in this event is a long one. Cape Verdi and Harayir were 1000 Guineas winners who won Lowther's before bombing out in the Cheveley Park and at around even money I'm betting we may add Tiggy Wiggy to that list on Saturday. She's been on the go since May and this will be her ninth start, and that's a tough ask for any juvenile. I'm taking her on with the Andre Fabre trained High Celebrity. She's already been over the English Channel when running very green on the July Course earlier in the season but showed that that experience had brought her on when winning the Prix D'Arenberg at Chantilly earlier this month, displaying a rather nice turn of foot in the process. This is a big step up in class but her trainer has indicated already that he considers her a Group 1 filly and whilst I rarely take much notice of connections comments I do make an exception where the master trainer is concerned. I think 11/2 is a tidy price.

Cheveley Park:

High Celebrity £25w @ 11/2

Cambridgeshire:
Mange All £15w @ 20/1

Arc:
Flintshire £10w @ 41/1
Gold Ship £10w @ 20/1 and £10ew @ 16/1
Harp Star £25fb via Snow Sky @ 10/1 and £25w @ 10/1

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Arkle:
Josses Hill £35w @ 106/10

Gold Cup:
Champagne Fever £10w @ 20/1
Taquin Du Seuil £10w @ 26/1

Ante-Post

    Another poor day yesterday and numerically I'm now in the midst of my worst losing streak for at least five years, Rizeena being my fifteenth straight losing bet. However I had such a great start to the season that I'm still showing around a 50% ROI overall.

    Over in France today the Arc Trials take place with Treve being the main horse on show. I'm against all the market leaders for the big race at present and the free bet I received from Paddy Power yesterday via Snow Sky finishing third in the Leger has been placed on Harp Star. I've already backed Gold Ship for the Arc and after much trial and error, as well as major gnashing of teeth, I feel the Japanese are poised for success this Autumn.

Cambridgeshire:
Mange All £15w @ 20/1

Arc:
Flintshire £10w @ 41/1
Gold Ship £10w @ 20/1 and £10ew @ 16/1
Harp Star £25fb via Snow Sky @ 10/1 and £25w @ 10/1

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Arkle:
Josses Hill £35w @ 106/10

Gold Cup:
Champagne Fever £10w @ 20/1
Taquin Du Seuil £10w @ 26/1

Doncaster and Leopardstown - 13th Sept

    We have one of the better Saturday cards of the summer tomorrow with cracking action at Doncaster and over in Ireland. I previewed the St Leger earlier in the week when I backed Windshear and it's a good race to get stuck into because Kingston Hill is such a heinous price and there is a ton of value there. Ladbrokes are offering four places so I've topped up my bet with them and added Snow Sky at 11/2. I backed this horse in the Voltigeur and the only reason I fancy Windshear more is his slightly better Leger type pedigree.

    Over at Leopardstown Australia should cement his position as the best middle distance colt in training in a straightforward looking Champion Stakes but the layers have slipped up in making his stable companion Tapestry favourite for the Matron Stakes. This filly is all over a middle distance performer and was impressive enough in lowering Taghrooda's colours in the Yorkshire Oaks but this step back in trip to a mile is far from guaranteed to suit and Rizeena has decisions over her already. Clive Britain's charge is a proven Group 1 quality animal whose best form is on fast ground and it makes no sense to me that she isn't 13/8 or 7/4 for this. If she runs to form she wins. Simple.

St Leger:
Windshear £20ew @ 9/1 and £10ew @ 7//1 (4pl) (4th)
Snow Sky £25w @ 11/2 mbs (3rd)

Matron Stakes:
Rizeena £50w @ 5/2 (2nd)

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Sandown - 12th Sept

    I mentioned Between Wickets on my entry yesterday and he runs in a handicap at Sandown tomorrow. He showed a nice turn of foot at Salisbury in winning his last race and whilst a six pound hike in his official mark was more than I ideally wanted after he went into my tracker I'm backing him because the race he contests has a nice betting shape to it with a market leader well worth taking on. GM Hopkins is the horse in question and 13/8 about an animal in a handicap who has only run in maidens is ludicrous and worth opposing all day long. I'm happy with 5/1.

Sungard Handicap:
Between Wickets £40w @ 5/1 (lost)

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Doncaster - 11th Sept

    I've had one of my best ever flat seasons this year but am on a losing streak dating back to the Ebor meeting and could do with getting a winner in asap. When the Cambridgeshire prices came out a few weeks ago the horse I backed for the race was the William Haggas trained Mange All who immediately went into my tracker after a powerful performance in a hot handicap over 8f at Ascot on King George day. He looked a creature who would appreciate a step up to further than a mile that day and although he had failed over a mile and a quarter in the past (a race at Newmarket where he failed to settle off of a slow pace) it looks clear to me that a cavalry charge like the Cambridgeshire or a big field contest over 10f will really suit him.

    He runs in a thirteen runner handicap at Doncaster tomorrow and given his rating and age he'll need to win to get in the Cambridgeshire with a penalty and I think he has excellent claims  The aforementioned Ascot contest has worked out quite well (a horse called Between Wickets who was down the field that day entered my tracker after winning nicely next time out at Salisbury) and with two or three pace horses in the race I am very happy to take 7/1 tomorrow about a horse who looks to be going places under the care of a master trainer of handicappers.

Crownhotel-Bawtry.com Handicap:
Mange All £50w @ 7/1 (2nd)

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Doncaster - 10th Sept

    Tomorrow Wilde Inspiration returns to the track where he first came to my attention when a running on second after meeting trouble in running in a handicap in May. I collected at a mouth watering 6/1 (SP 9/4) when he just prevailed at Thirsk last month (first two seven lengths clear.) That effort on the softest ground he's raced on suggested to me that he still had another race in him even after an adjusted mark but I left him alone at Chester a couple of weeks later as he was drawn 12/12 - death on the Roodee. I was pleased to see him run a smasher from such a terrible berth though and at 13/2 he's an easy bet to make for one of the better looking races on the opening day of the Leger meeting.

Romero Insurance Brokers Handicap:
Wilde Inspiration £40w @ 13/2 (lost)

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St Leger

    I hit the post big time yesterday in backing the second and third in the Sprint Cup. Conditions races that feature short priced favourites who look beatable even for a place are excellent each way races and I should have had at least some of my Gordon Lord Byron stake in the place market.

    The St Leger next Saturday has a market with a similar shape to it and whilst Kingston Hill isn't quite as weak as Sole Power was I have major doubts about him staying a mile and three quarters, especially in an attritional race like the Leger. What you want is a horse bred to thrive for this step up in trip and I just don't see that from a son of Mastercraftsman. I backed Snow Sky in the Voltigeur and one can make a case for him at 6/1 but I prefer Windshear who trades three points larger. He has two Arc winners close up in his pedigree and is a half brother to a two mile winner so looks tailor made for the Leger trip. His run in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood behind Snow Sky was eye catching and to me he looked a horse that day who would be more at home on a flat track as he rolled about in the straight as the race began in earnest.

    The row of seconds next to his name adds weight to the each way option but I expect noticeable improvement for the extra distance and my only concern is the trainer. As good a year as Richard Hannon has had I suppose I still see him as a trainer of sprinters and milers but that said I'm happy to absorb that negative at 9/1.

St Leger:
Windshear £20ew @ 9/1

Haydock - 6th Sept

    Bit of a late one today as I was at work this morning and had computer issues last might. I took 10/1 about Gordon Lord Byron for today's big race at my local track a week or so ago and whilst confidence has taken a knock with a rather unusual dry spell since, the racecourse has had enough of a shower today for me to justify topping up. I would prefer softer conditions though as his best form is with a nice bit of cut. Sole Power heads the market but I can't see him winning a Group 1 over 6f and I'm more afraid of Music Master who ran an excellent race from a poor draw in the Diamond Jubilee in June and looked value for more than a head when winning a Group 3 at Newbury in July. I've covered on him.

Sprint Cup:
Gordon Lord Byron £30w @ 82/10 (2nd)
Music Master £20w @ 8/1 (3rd)

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