Review of the day

Despite the volume of racing today (or maybe because of it !), I kept things tight and only issued 3 tips.

And unfortunately, as has been the case recently, whilst all 3 ran well, non of them ran well enough to come home in front…

As I’ve said many times before, you need a bit of luck in this game and Hold the Note certainly didn’t get any…

He was the first tip to run - and was still going very nicely in behind the favourite Roll Again, when that one fell at the seventh last.

Hold the Note was left with nowhere to go - and whilst Tom Scudamore managed to stay in the saddle, the horse was brought to a halt.
Understandably, he was quickly pulled up…

It was too far out to say the Hold the Note would have won - but he still had every chance, and at the time, was trading at just 4 in-running on Betfair.

Not the best way to start the day !

Next it was Elixir de Nutz.
He ran an honest race: leading to the home turn, before backing out of things…

In truth, even if he’d been at his best, I doubt he would have contained Epatante.
As I said this morning, she still had plenty to prove - but she proved most of it today, and is now a worthy favourite for the Champion hurdle.

Colonel Custard was the final tip on the day - and like Elixir, he ran an honest race but wasn’t good enough.
I did briefly think that Our Power might make me regret not taking a risk on him - but after looking very threatening, he could only plug on for third place.

As for the Mentions:
Then Black Op was another who ran a solid race - but he wasn’t good enough to cope with Slate House.
By Contrast, his stablemate, Lostintranslation, ran no kind of race in the King George  and was pulled up.
I couldn’t have foreseen that - but I could have foreseen Cyrname setting up the race perfectly for Clan des Obeaus to repeat last years win.
Over at Wetherby, Didero Vallis ran really well - but was no match for Top Ville Ben.
At his favourite venue - but ridden with more restraint than normal - the winner bolted clear, in the manner of a high class horse.
Finally at Leopardstown, Sacchoandvanzeti was very disappointing in the 3 year old hurdle, running no sort of a race, behind impressive winner, Aspire Tower.
Whilst the 2 mile novice chase panned out pretty much as I expected, with Fakir Doudaires lack of gears getting exposed.
However, it was Notebook who exposed him - rather than the favourite, Laurina…

TVB.