A change in the racing calendar meant that I got to preview the Scottish Grand National meeting for the first time ever - and when I first looked at the races on Thursday, I was optimistic that I would be able to find some decent bets.
However - as is so often the case - the markets had adjusted by Saturday morning, and most of the value had vanished.
Not for the first time this season, that forced me to turn to the biggest race of the day, the National itself, for a Best bet - supported a second one at Newbury, which I did really fancy…
And it was the Newbury selection - Vivas - who was the first to run.
He looked to have been plotted up for the race, and with conditions in his favour, I was surprised that he was as big as 9/1 this morning.
I was even more surprised when he was sent off at double that price on the exchanges - strongly suggesting I’d read things wrong !
However, that wasn’t the case…
He travelled nicely through the race - and when the leader, First Figaro, made a mess of the fourth last, it briefly looked as if he was going to win (he traded at 1.7 IR).
However, as has happened so many times this season, he didn’t quite manage to get the job done.
He was challenged at the third last by Bermeo - and whilst he still wasn’t beaten approaching the last, a mistake there, cost him his chance.
The only consolation, was that I’d covered Bermeo in the Matrix - though it didn’t feel like much of a consolation…
In the Scottish National, I eventually opted to side with Stormy Judge.
It was easy enough to make a case for him - and the two Christian Williams horses, who headed the betting with him - but I felt that if he handled the ground and jumped OK, he would be very hard to beat.
However, whilst he may have handled the ground - his jumping badly let him down.
He made a serious mistake at the 12th fence - and then another one, at the following fence.
Neither put him out of the race - but they almost certainly cost him his chance.
Meanwhile, the 2 Christian Williams horses cruised through the race - with Win my Wings eventually proving much too good for her stablemate, Kittys Light.
In addition to Stormy Judge, I also covered El Paso Wood, The Ferry Master and Chirico Vallis, for the Matrix - however all 3 ran well below expectations.
Chirico Vallis didn’t get the uncontested lead I was hoping for; The Ferry Master made a mistake at the first and never fully recovered; whilst El Paso Wood was never close enough to feature.
For a race that I felt I had a good handle on, it panned out particularly disappointingly…
The only other bets on the day, were for the Matrix.
I suggested The Golden Rebel and Striking a Pose, against Dusart at Ayr.
And whilst the former in particular, ran well under an attacking ride, he was no match for the favourite.
The Player Queen was a final speculative play on the day, at Newbury.
However, there was a lot of guesswork involved with her - and ultimately, she simply wasn’t good enough…
Anna Burnina and Do Your Job won 2 of the remaining 4 previewed races - and I could have been interested in both of them - if I could have got a price !
However, they were too short when I issued - so it was frustrating to watch them both win.
It can all be a bit of a challenge, at times…
TVB.
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