I did not have chance to talk about the week before Christmas so will quickly cover that now before we move onto everything that has happened since the big day!
I ventured to Windsor on Sunday 15th for their first jumps meeting in a fair few years. I am not old enough to remember this previously although I am told that the configuration used to be different. The track was in good nick but is very tight and with an awful lot of turning, there aren't too many chances to pass horses before the short home straight which causes it's own problems as the fences in particular come thick and fast. I think this will turn into a real specialists track. I did manage to come out on the right side however, thanks to a win from Starcrossed Lover (4/1) in the maiden hurdle and a double landed on the last two favourites that returned about 7/2. It could easily have been a better day however, as I had backed the strong stayer Helnwein in the Novice's Chase and he didn't handle the track. Had I known what I do now about the course! My biggest bet on the card was Duhallow Tommy (backed each-way at 5/1) in the Novice's Handicap Chase who jumped well from the front but was nabbed close home by the fav. And I suffered a similar fate in the last when I had backed Onewaywest from the Ben Pauling yard who was in last turning in and just given too much to do by Ben Jones and finished with a right rattle to finish a never nearer first. He is a horse to follow for sure.
My form began to take a bit of a turn for the worse after this. At Wincanton on Tuesday 17th, I had to watch Dunstall Rambler win at 15/2 after I had backed him the last twice before giving up on him and that was followed up with Jeremy Scott winning the handicap hurdle after I had noticed the stable was in form. Both those winners were missed and my only bet of the day, Linda Moon, drifted in the betting and was ridden far too forward in the last before fading into a disappointing 5th. I'm not sure where connections go with her now as she is proving challenging to place.
Things didn't improve at Newbury on Wednesday. I decided not to take on Roysse in the Maiden Hurdle at 1/2 however, he was dragged through the final hurdle by Ben Jones (that name again) and that left the race at the mercy of King Califet who looked the obvious alternative at 11/2. In the Novice's Handicap Chase I decided to take a chance on £290K purchase Mt Fugi Park for the in form Jonjo O'Neill stable. However, after traveling poorly he was soon beaten and pulled up. This horse showed so much potential early in his career and I'm not sure he will be given too many more chances to repay that huge fee. In the 2 mile Handicap Chase, I thought Primoz looked unexposed and Derek Fox had travelled a long way to ride him but he was also well beaten before falling up the home straight. He now needs to drop in grade and get some confidence. Not a great mid-week venture to Berkshire.
I looked to Exeter on Thursday to try and get myself back into some form and this proved to be a very frustrating day. I backed Tuxedo Junction each way at 5/1 in the opener and he again travelled strongly but just doesn't have a lot at the finish and came second to the favourite. He is worth noting when going handicapping in a big field on a sound surface. In the 3 mile handicap chase, I really fancied Toss Of A Coin for Paul Nicholls after he finished second on chase debut in what I thought was a good race at Uttoxeter and he was a winning pointer over 3 miles however, he never really travelled and pulled up in the home straight. I had taken 9/2 and he went off 10/3. Go figure. If there is one to take out of the race, it is Sizeable Sam who finished a game third on his second run back after a big absence.
At Ascot on Friday I finally managed to strike back East India Express struck for Nicky Henderson at a decent SP of 7/1. I was back! I followed that up with Belliano at 4/5 in the Maiden Hurdle before things went a bit south. I quietly fancied The Winslow Boy in the 18 runner Handicap Hurdle but he was towards rear and never got into the race. I won't give up on him as I feel this was a steep learning curve and there's definitely potential there from Tom Symonds' horse. The gutter of the day came in the Howden Noel Novice's Chase (Grade 2) as my biggest bet of the day was on Personal Ambition (took 5/2) and after leading up the home straight and looking set for a nice win, Ben Jones got his mount all wrong going to the last and blundered badly, handing the race to Mark Of Gold. Oh dear, Ben Jones.
At Ascot on Saturday, things didn't get a whole lot better as Paul Nicholls once again let me down in the first as Just Lucky Sivola found nothing off the bridle in the opener to finish a disappointing 3rd. I strongly fancied Scarface in the next and took 7/2 (each-way) only to watch him struggle to lay a glove on the very, very well backed Kotmask and finish second. I managed to take advantage of Iroko's slip in the Graduation Chase and strike with Jungle Boogie who went off a huge 7/2 after I had taken 11/4 - thank god Coral's still do Best Odds Guaranteed. In the Long Walk, I thought Crambo looked well in the prelims and nibbled at him at 10s to cover my losing bets on the Irish horses. Crambo may struggle to win again this season now but he's won his big pot and The Wallpark is definitely the gelding to take out of the race as he was all at sea early on and finished very strongly to take 4th. He'll be one to take interest in wherever he goes at Cheltenham in March. My two biggest bets came in the next races. I was all over The Changing Man in the Howden Silver Cup and despite Sam Twiston-Davies meeting many fences wrong, Tizzard's star looked set to win up the home straight only to be denied late on by Vicctorino who I had backed to cover my stake. In the final race, I was all over Be Aware at 9/2 (each-way) and Harry Skelton looked to be in the right place for much of the race as the leaders went very fast. Be Aware just could never quite get into the race and although he finished 3rd, he never looked like winning.
After a frustrating couple of days at Ascot I moved onto the Sunday before Christmas and Fakenham's long distance chase. I fancied Fern Hill at 7/1 for Ben Case's hard. This 9 year old was tackling a new trip and looked like he was coming back into form. He was denied by a short head however and it was the cruel blow before Christmas, especially as I had backed him win only.
Oh how this game can crush you!
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