Ante-Post

   A couple of winners to start the season off is just the ticket after a year or so of unprofitable betting and this is a really important season for me. I was very shoddy on the flat last season and I did mention on the run up to Cheltenham that I do well traditionally in certain prices ranges depending on the sort of race I'm betting on and that I call these my wheelhouse bets. One area I am horrible on is big priced (9/1+) horses in conditions races on the flat. Including last season from the year 2000 my profit/loss on these type of bets is minus over £3000. Why this is I have one of two ideas; I think with shorter priced animals I'm looking to oppose favourites and pick out the most solid opponent on form. With the longer odds shots I'm probably just hitting and hoping if you will. Look at the Champion Stakes last year when I backed Morandi and Triple Threat at 16/1+ neither were Group 1 winners and in a strong field they were poor bets. So I'm really going to tighten up this season and largely ignore those types of bets. I say largely because there are exceptions to the rule. A lot of Classic races and the Arc are more competitve than most group races and I have decided to give myself a budget of £100 for possible bets in those races. This ensures losses are kept to a minimum, especially with that £3G figure in mind.

   I'm between jobs at the moment so money is tight and stakes are lower than normal and I think that will help. I was on a good wage up until recently and so the money probably didn't mean as much as it should. I also think this blog was a bit of a factor in some of the errant bets that were being placed. I enjoy the updates leading up till Cheltenham and subconciously I think I wanted the same vibe to surround Royal Ascot. The ante-post bets I placed before last year's meeting - Gordon Lord Byron in the Golden Jubilee, Elusive Kate in the Queen Anne and Reckless Abandon in the King's Stand were all placed at 10/1+ and I truly believe without the desire to update the blog those bets wouldn't have been made.

   Chester is the main feature this week but it isn't a course I like and I very much doubt I'll be having a bet. I did back True Story for the Derby on Monday for a couple of reasons. One; Australia's run in the Guineas was impressive enough to probably ensure we are gonna have a small field for the race and True Story was breathtaking in the Feilden at the Craven meeting so assuming that he wins the Dante (he really should) he'll probably be the only feasable alternative to the favourite. Two, I must confess that having written that Miss France would have been shorter for the 1000 Guineas on Sunday than 5/1 if she'd not run in a trial that when she drifted to 13/2 I did put her in a small double with the Godolphin colt for Epsom. This won't count on the blog though with it being a last minute bet.

Derby:
Berkshire £10w @ 25/1
True Story £10w @ 8/1

Arc:
Flintshire £10w @ 41/1

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Arkle:
Josses Hill £10w @ 12/1

Gold Cup:
Champagne Fever £10w @ 20/1