Newbury - 18th Sept.

Can't say I was happy to see my Cambridgeshire fancy Forte Dei Marmi declared to run today but I suppose the trainer thinks this contest at Newbury today will take less winning than the big handicap at Newmarket.

My reasons for punting him for the Cambs' stand so it would be cazy not to back him today.

Forte Dei Marmi £40w @ 62/10 (Won)

(+118.43)

Ante-Post Update

Well, Planteur was caught on the line by Behkabad in the Niel but they both ran well clear of the third and it'll be tough to split them in three weeks. Considering the prices I have on both Fame & Glory and Planteur are so large compared to their current odds I think it's justified covering my stake in the win market on Behkabad. So:

Arc

Fame & Glory £40w @ 13/2

Planteur £40w @ 145/10 £20pl @ 9/2

Behkabad £20w @ 4/1

Cambs

Forte Dei Marmi £10w @ 165/10

-------------------------------------

Gold Cup
Somersby £5w @ 20/1
Pandorama £5w @ 47/1

Mad Max £5w @ 60/1

World Hurdle
Zaynar £5w @ 10/1

Arc Trails

Big day in France tomorrow and I'll be nervous as Planteur takes on Behkabad again in the Prix Niel. But for a bet I come to the Prix Vermeille where the odds are all wrong. Prix De Diane winner Sarafina is a fine filly but she should not be favourite for this with Sariska and Midday in opposition. Sariska didn't come out of the stall in the Yorkshire Oaks so any bet on her is fraught with danger but of course we get better odds as well. I have to cover on Midday as she won the race that day in great style and should be the market leader.

Sariska £40w @ 43/10 (lost)

Midday £25w @ 29/10 (won)

(-117.17)

Ante-Post Update

Between the Saturday of the Glorious Goodwood meeting at the start of August and the St Leger in a few days the weekend racing on offer tends to be of an average to poor standard and oftentimes I don't even bother looking. That was a mistake when I missed out on backing Forte Dei Marmi in his recent victory at Sandown. I had steamed into Luca Cumani's colt in the John Smith's at York where he disappointed on a track he may not like (well beaten twice on the Knavesmire now)

But hopefully I'll get some compensation in October as the horse is entered in the Cambridgeshire and I have taken an early price for a small amount. The winning distance at Sandown was a length but the fact that he only took the lead in the last 100 yards of that contest suggests that the 4lbs he's been raised is well on the conservative side.

Arc:

Fame & Glory £40w @ 13/2

Planteur £40w @ 145/10 £20pl @ 9/2

Cambrideshire:
Forte Dei Marmi £10w @ 165/10

---------------------------------

Gold Cup
Somersby £5w @ 20/1
Pandorama £5w @ 47/1

World Hurdle
Zaynar £5w @ 10/1

Ante-Post Update

The topping up has continued in the Arc market and I'm really trying to get a big win out of Planteur.

Arc:

Fame & Glory £30w @ 7/1

Planteur £30w @ 16/1 £20pl @ 9/2

-------------------------------

Gold Cup
Somersby £5w @ 20/1
Pandorama £5w @ 47/1

World Hurdle
Zaynar £5w @ 10/1

Haydock - Sept 7th

It's been a while since the blog was updated and simply put I haven't been betting. The flat has been a bit uninspiring this year for me and I just haven't had the volume of bets I normally do.

Anyway, today one of my old favourites, Genki, runs for the first time in Group 1 company in the Sprint Cup and I give give a squeak. There isn't really that much between the top handicappers and the Group horses over sprint trips and with a 100/1 shot winning the Nunthorpe this year who knows what will happen. Genki is also a course and distance winner and has been in really good form (was hamstrung by the draw in both the big handicaps he's run in)

Genki £20w @ 25/1 £25pl @ 6/1 (3rd)

(-145.77)

Goodwood - Saturday

Much as I love this meeting I really haven't fancied much, hence my lack of activity on this blog. Today however I do have a couple of wagers.

In the Nassau Stakes we have Stacelita available to back at a little under 4/1 and Midday is 9/4. Yet, on a line through Dar Rei Mi and Sariska I would say that the former is the better animal. This bet just comes down to the French 4yo being the wrong price. End of.

In the Stewards Cup I am siding with Genki. He won the race last year with tons in hand and although he's rated 106 this time round I'm not too fussed about weight at this track.

Stacelita £40w @ 38/10 (lost)

Genki £40w @ 95/10 (lost)

(-268.27)

Goodwood - Wednesday

Today Rip Van Winkle bids to become the first horse to win the Sussex Stakes two years on the run. I feel he has a good shot with the 3yo Canford Cliffs a slightly dodgy odds-on shot. The latter has never faced anything in Rip's class before and although O'Brien's horse ran poorly first time out in the Queen Anne I rate him a bet at 11/4 in what is in effect a two horse contest. Fame & Glory was disappointing in his first outing before bouncing back to form and I'm hopeful of a similar thing happening today.

Rip Van Winkle £40w @ 11/4 (won)

(-188.27)

King George

I have gone through this race when posting my ante-post updates and I am quite sweet on Harbinger. His price hasn't moved much since I backed him a few weeks ago and I did top up a few days ago.

Harbinger £40w @ 100/30 (won)

(-148.27)

Ante-Post Update

Arc:

Fame and Glory £10@16/1

King George:

Harbinger £20@100/30

Yesterday the Grand Prix De Paris was run in France and I was really taken by Planteur. He finished second but was given a bit of a poor ride by his jockey who had him too far back in a fairly slow run race and went for the whip a bit soon also. At 165/10 on Betfair he makes a fair amount of appeal as support to my Game and Glory wager. I have also topped up on him. So, my positions now are as follows:

Arc:

Fame and Glory £15w @ 10/1

Planteur £10w @ 165/10

King Gorge:

Harbinger £20w @ 100/30

------------------------

Gold Cup
Somersby £5w @ 20/1
Pandorama £5w @ 47/1

World Hurdle
Zaynar £5w @ 10/1