Good morning all,

An early start for me, as I'll be at Ascot, so posting today's selections nice and early.

Rain is due at Ascot, and Wetherby might get a drop more as well, so expect soft conditions.

I'll start doing some video reviews/previews from next week, as I know it's been a while since I did any, and it would be good to get back in the swing in readiness for Cheltenham in a couple of weeks time.

And thanks for all the nice comments about the Carlisle piece yesterday, they're all very welcome.

Read More »Saturday Selections

Morning all,

We have some super jumps action this weekend. There’s Grade 1 action with Champion Steeplechase at Down Royal (2.50). The race is likely to see the return of Gold Cup winner Minella Indo. It’s a sure-fire sign that the winter game is now centre stage when the best racing is over jumps.

This side of the Irish Sea, it’s Charlie Hall Day at Wetherby with the feature race the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase going off at 3:05. The Wetherby card also includes the listed Mares' Hurdle (1.55) and the West Yorkshire Hurdle (2.30) with Paisley Park set to return in the latter race. Jump racing returns to Ascot for the first time this season. The Grade 3 Bateaux Gold Cup (3.20) the highlight of a seven-race card and it looks to have attracted a decent entry.

There’s Listed action on the flat at Newmarket but make no mistake it’s the jumps where its at this Saturday.

You can watch the best of Saturday’s action from Wetherby, Ascot and Down Royal on another bumper ten race programme on ITV.

Inside today’s main piece its time to look ahead to the weekend’s big race action. Plus, I have selection from Nottingham.

Read More »Nottingham Selection

Morning all,

It was slow motion stuff at Leicester on Monday but the veteran Greenside rolled back the years to for a well-deserved success. Always good to get the week off to a winning start as it does to take off the pressure for the rest of week.

Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting was a disappointment from a betting perspective. So, it was important to see Allmankind win the Old Roan Chase on Sunday and find another winner on the Aintree card. It’s always good to get an early jumps winner under your belt. If only to know that you have a handle on the form.

Inside today’s main piece. I’m focusing on the jumps and the weekend action at Cheltenham. Plus. I have two horses for the tracker and a selection from the Curragh.

As I said in Monday’s column. The Showcase meeting wasn’t of the highest quality. However, we did see a couple of excellent performances and a few for the tracker.

Read More »Cheltenham & Aintree thoughts

Morning all,

An interesting and informative weekend with something for fans of both codes. Cheltenham returned with its’s two-day Showcase meeting on Friday and on Sunday jumps fans saw the return of racing to Aintree.

Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting was moderate by Cheltenham standards but the Saturday card was tricky.  Significantly it was the first time that the home of jump racing had played host to a meaningful crowd since the 2020 festival.

More on Cheltenham in Tuesday’s column alongside some eyecatchers.  Inside today’s main piece, I focus on Luxembourg’s success in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity at Doncaster. Plus, I have a selection from Leicester.

Read More »Luxembourg’s the real deal