Review of the day

I can’t remember if I’ve said so before – or just inferred it - but I reckon I started this season about 10 days behind where I wanted to be…

There was nothing I could do about it, I tried my best to get up to speed in October, but I just didn’t have sufficient spare time to get truly engrossed in the action.
Last year, I had a pre-season – and that saw me out of the blocks a lot quicker.

But that just wasn’t possible this time round…

Part of the problem is the amount of time and effort I put into it all.

It’s no exaggeration to say that I did at least 10 hours, every day, over the Open weekend.

It’s the only way I’ve found that is effective for me.

I completely absorb myself in the racing: studying form and watching videos.

It works, but clearly it is only sustainable for a few months of the year – hence my season…

I felt last week, that I was starting to come back into form.
We were incredibly unlucky on a couple of occasions – but they did at least show that things were starting to fall into place.

Friday was a bit of an aberration (they will happen from time to time !), but I was back in the groove on Saturday…

Obviously I took yesterday off – and I would have done the same today, but my alerts reminded my of the run of Foritsa last time out.

That took place during my pre-season - but it was a race that I watched (in fact, I backed him that day !).

The alerts are what I use to drive the tipping - I really can’t overstate their importance.

Ofcourse, alerts on their own are no good. You need to watch plenty of racing and have an eye to spot a horse that’s just about to produce a big run.

It’s difficult to justify watching all the racing, prior to the start of the TVB season - but I do trust my eye – and the alerts did the rest.

In the last week, they have produced Pod and Alvarado – and today they churned out Foritsa.

Ofcourse they don’t all win (Renard came from the same source !) – but I would be very hopeful that sufficient will, to keep us in profit for the season.

Time will tell, I guess…

Anyway, onto a quick review of the days action.

As you’ve probably gathered by now, Foritsa won – and won very well.

I could tell, literally as soon as they set off, that he was going to run a big race.

Leading the field and jumping very economically, he got into a good rhythm.

He was briefly challenged by Dog Barrel Hill on the run to the last – but I think Ben Dalton had plenty left up his sleeve, if required.

Ultimately he powered away for a 3 length win – and in the process, righted some of those wrongs from last week (not that I’m one to bear grudges, you understand J ).

He’ll probably get 8-10lbs for the win – but that won’t put another victory beyond him.

He’s looks a nice progressive chaser, who certainly has scope to for further improvement…

In the opener on the card, I was very taken by the hurdling debut of Briar Hill.

He was slick at he obstacles, meeting just about every one on a stride.

He seems certain to take high rank amongst this seasons novice hurdlers – and you would have to fancy him for one of the novice events at the festival – if you knew which one he would be running in…

That is the problem with the novice hurdlers - we won’t know which race he will run in, until nearer the time – much nearer the time.

I might have been interested in him for out ante post portfolio otherwise – but he’s around 10/1 for both events, so without inside knowledge, you couldn’t really consider getting involved…

Over at Lingfield, the going did indeed look desperate and it proved all too much for both Global Warming and Tarraco in the handicap chase at 1:20…

Global Warming looked to be struggling throughout – and whilst Tarraco seemed to be travelling well, just after half way, it wasn’t long before his fuel gauge hit empty…

On such ground, the runs of both can probably be ignored (though there is always the danger they will take some time to recover from them).

I was delighted to see Further More declared a NR in the 2:20 race.

As I said this morning, I could have been quite keen on his chances – in different circumstances.

I don’t know for definite that his defection was caused by the ground – but even if it wasn’t it is likely to prove a blessing in disguise.

I’ll be keeping a lookout for him…

Finally Young Hurricane managed to shrug off concerns about the ground and the weight he had to carry and was a deserved winner of the 3:20 chase.

I suspect his exertions will have taken a toll though…

Over at Fakenham, the 2:30 race developed into a battle between King of the Wolds and Dursey Sound, from some way out.

King of the Wolds was still half length up as they reached the last – but Dursey Sound was being ridden by AP !
He was hardly going to bottle going for a big one – but unfortunately he paid the penalty, as Dursey Sound wasn’t quite so keen and crashed through the fence.

It was nice to see that both man and beast lived to fight another day….

On to tomorrow then…

TVB.