After the technical issues of last weekend, the main TVB season finally got underway on Saturday.
However, that was also where it ended - as the racing on Sunday wasn’t strong enough to warrant any bets…
Saturday
The second weekend (sic) of the main issue is always a relatively quiet one - tho the upgrading of the Aintree fixture the year, meant there was a bit more action than in previous years…
A lack of rain at Wincanton, saw a few key NRs; whilst late rain at Aintree, resulted in going a little softer than anticipated.
There were only 2 Best bets issued on the opening day - and both were staked at the minimum level (easing myself in gradually !).
The first of them ran in the second race on the Aintree card.
It was Aquila Sky - and I was hoping he might benefit form a return to hurdles, having jumped poorly on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter.
He probably did - and travelled well enough in to the straight.
However, he found nothing when pressure was applied and finished well beaten.
I can’t really offer any excuses.
Maybe he found the ground too soft - or maybe, he just wasn’t good enough !
The race was won by 80/1 shot Koshari.
There is no way I could have put him up - but Craig did on his ’trainer change’ thread in the forum.
A tremendous way to start a new thread (and the BSP of 125, was even better !)
Thomas Macdonagh was the second Best bet of the day, in the Grand Sefton chase.
He was quite risky, as he was making his seasonal debut and also having his first run over the big fences.
However, I had a feeling that he’d been aimed at the race - and that connections fancied him.
That was borne out by strong market support (in from 8/1 early to 11/2) - but he failed to deliver.
In order to be effective round the Grand National course, a horse needs to be either brave or stupid - and Thomas Macdonagh is clearly neither !
He gave the fences plenty of air - and you can’t do that and win.
The key is to brush through the top few inches - but he was having none of that !
I think it’s to his credit that he was still in contention approaching the second last - but he had jumped so inefficiently he was never going to have anything left when it mattered…
In addition to the Best bets in the 2 races, I also suggested a few savers for the Matrix.
However, Act of God, Hogans Height and Sir Jack Yeats, all ran relatively disappointingly.
Somewhat ironically, if I had added the final one from my preview short list for the Grand Sefton (Mac Tottie) to the Matrix, I would have hit the winner.
But you can always count on Sods Law, when you are making the border-line calls..!
The other Matrix bets all ran at Wincanton - but none of them managed to win…
I’d been put off Eglantine de Seuil by Paul Nichols comments - and whilst she didn’t run badly, I think he’d portrayed the situation accurately.
Belfast Banter ran a fair race in the Elite hurdle, but was no match for Sceau Royal.
I knew that was a possibility, but figured it still worth a small frisk.
The main race for the Matrix was the Badger Beer chase.
I fancied Cap du Nord most in it - but his price wouldn’t drift sufficiently with the bookmakers, for me to make him a Best bet.
As a consequence, I covered him in the Matrix - backed up by Hurricane Harvey, Ofalltheginjoints and Cobra de Mai.
I really did think that I had a tight handle on the race - and turning in, I still felt the same.
However, Ofalltheginjoints then started to weaken - and neither Hurricane Harvey or Cap du Nord could real in the leaders.
It was all rather disappointing….
I guess all I can say, is that it might have been worse !
I considered Kiltealy Briggs as a Best bet - and he traded at 1.2 before being beaten at Aintree.
I also considered Summerville Boy - but he was no match for Brewinupastorm(who was 2/1 early - but was sent off at 5/1 !).
So whilst it wasn’t a great day, it could have been worse (you see, I’m a glass half full kind of guy !).
On to next weekend…
TVB.
No comments:
Post a Comment