With 20 races being show on terrestrial TV across the 3 days - many of them, good quality contests - this had the potential to be an excellent weekend.
Unfortunately however, that’s not how panned out…Looking back at it, 15 of the 20 races were won by horses at 3/1 or less (and another one at 7/2 !) - and simply, it was very unlikely that I was ever going to come through such a weekend, with a profit.
In my defence, I recognised that opportunities were limited - and kept bets to a minimum - but it all ended feeling a bit flat…
Friday
Friday saw the first day of the new Lingfield Million meeting - and there were some quite interesting races.
However, I could only find one Best bet - though I was pretty keen on it.
Pure Bliss was running in the mares novice chase - and back up in trip, I really expected her to run well.
And she did just that…
In fact, turning in, she looked the most likely race winner - and traded at 1.5 in-running.
However, she didn’t come home as strongly as the Venetia trained favourite, Fontaine Collonges - and ultimately could only manage third place.
It was a bit disappointing - though this season, I’m getting used to that !
In addition to her, there were just a couple of small Matrix bets.
The first of them was Queenohearts in the novice chase - and she went even closer to winning !
Jumping the last she appeared to have little chance of reeling in the leader, Fantastikas, but reel him in she did.
In fact, she hit the front, 10 yards from the line - but as the pair flashed past the post, her head was up, and his down - and that’s all it takes.
Her IR low was 1.05 - and even that looked a touch generous.
Mack the Man was the only other bet on the day, in the handicap hurdle.
However the race was dominated from flag fall by Metier - and Mack the Man never featured…
The 2 other televised races, saw wins for Frero Banbou and Top Ville Ben.
I quite fancied them both - but the former had been backed in too short; whilst the latter looked a bit too speculative, returned to hurdles for the first time in a couple of years.
They are fine lines…
Saturday
The action switched to Ascot, Haydock and Taunton on Saturday - but with 4 odds on favs in the 8 televised races, decent bets were again hard to find.
Once again I ended up with just one Best bet on the day - though I did manage to find a few more for the Matrix.
Knight in Dubai was the Best bet, at Ascot.
He was running in a strong looking chase - and whilst he wasn’t a huge price, I did think him a very well handicapped horse.
I made him a bet on his previous run - also at Ascot - just before Christmas, and he ran well that day, but didn’t get home.
I was a little concerned about him stepping up slightly in trip - but figured that he was likely to be ridden differently, in order to preserve his stamina.
However, that didn’t happen…
As with last time, he travelled strongly, close to the lead - but again, faded out of contention, from the home turn.
I’m pretty sure that the horse wants dropping back to 2 miles - and if that happens, I’ll probably tip him again !
If connections persist to run him at 2m4f however, then I won’t be getting involved.
I also covered Golden Whiskey for the Matrix, in the same race - but he ran a similar race to Knight in Dubai.
The first of the days Matrix bets, had run earlier on the card, in the handicap hurdle.
That also looked a very strong contest - but I felt that Kateson and Sonigino were over-priced.
And both ran reasonable races - Sonigino in particular - however, they were no match for Unexpected Party, who blew the race apart.
Molly Ollys Wishes was the next Matrix bet to run.
I toyed with making her a Best bet - but a price of 11/4 was a little shorter than I wanted, up against a couple of hard to quantify opponents.
By the off, the market had decided that she was the one to beat - and it was right.
She had to work quite hard to justify an SP of 13/8 - but justify it she did.
Empire Steel was the other significant Matrix bet on the day.
I thought him just about the most likely winner of the Peter Marsh chase at Haydock - but I was wrong.
His relative inexperience let him down - and he was eventually pulled up.
The race was once again won by Royal Pagaille - who showed real guts to defy a handicap mark of 163.
Ramses de Teille was the final Matrix bet on the day - and I hoped he might be able to upset Yala Enki at Taunton.
However, he was never travelling and ended up well beaten.
In the other races on the day, there were wins for Jonbon and Tommys Oscar at Haydock - but they were totally eclipsed by the Clarence House at Ascot, which saw a head to head between emerging stars, Shishkin and Energumene.
It’s rare that a race gets the build up that it did - and delivers - but deliver it did !
Energumene ran the perfect race - jumping fluently and travelling like a dream. By contrast, Shishkin needed to be niggled on a couple of occasions - generally jumped to his left - and stumbled on landing after jumping one of the fences in the back straight.
And yet - having been a length down jumping the last, Shishkin managed to find a turn of foot to run down Energumene close home.
It was a huge performance - and there can now be little doubt, that the horse warrants mentioning in the same breath as Altior - and maybe even the great Sprinter Sacre…
Sunday
The final day of the Lingfield million meeting - was supported by a reasonable card from Thurles.
Again however, it was very hard to find any decent bets, with small fields, the order of the day…
Once again, I ended up with just the one Best bet - in the Surrey National at Lingfield.
I sided with Fado des Brosses, a lightly raced horse, who I felt could be better class than his rivals.
I guess that ultimately, he may be - but today, he simply wasn’t up to the job.
He chugged around in midfield - and then gradually weakened out of things - not what I expect from a Best bet !
I knew he came with risks, so I also covered a couple of his rivals for the Matrix.
However, the first of them, Pemberley, fell around half way; whilst the other, Eclair Mag, never really featured (a bit like Fado des Brosses).
All in all, a race best forgotten !
In the other races on the Lingfield card, there were wins for Ballygrifincottage; War Lord, Brewin’upastorm and Two for Gold.
The first 3 were quite predictable (and priced accordingly) - though I have to admit that I gave little chance to Two for Gold, in the big race of the day.
He’s not a horse I particularly like (not helped by him beating Kauto Riko on his previous start !) - but credit where it’s due, he battled on bravely to beat Dashel Drasher and Bristol de Mai, in a race where pace/tactics almost certainly had quite a bearing.
Sadly, the race was marred by a fatal injury to Master Tommytucker.
He was a horse that I really liked - and it was quite sickening to see him stricken, after falling at the third last.
It really can be a tough game at times
Over at Thurles, Ballyshannon Rose won the mares chase - so I was glad I decided to duck that one: whilst Allaho was a comfortable winner of the conditions chase.
It’ll doubtless by Cheltenham next stop for him, when he will attempt to retain his Ryanair crown…
TVB
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