Review of the day

Just in case any of you thought Sunday was a fluke… ;)

6 tips today: 2 winners (3/1 & 16/1) and 4 seconds (10/1, 9/1, 8/1 & 14/1)

It’s no wonder Stan James closed my account (#veryshrewd – as they say nowadays !)

And I honestly wouldn’t have believed that I would feel happy at the end of day, which had started in such unbelievable fashion…

Having waited weeks for Hartside, to then see him out battled by a horse who I didn’t think would get home, was a real sickener (particularly when said horse was trained by the lovely Venetia).

It was a carbon copy of the defeat suffered by Ruler of All, at the end of November.

A real sickener….

And worse was to follow…

As you may have gathered, I get particular pleasure from finding horses like Gus Macrea – ones who the ‘wise’ pundits believe are in decline…

Decline my backside – the horse showed himself to be in fine form and he was so unlucky not to collect at Ascot (#gutted)

Loch Ba finishing second at Haydock almost seemed like a bit of relief. At least he never looked like collaring Night Alliance (yes, that’s the same Night Alliance that I tipped 5 runs ago and who has now won 3 of his last 4 races).

But then along came Houblon Des Obeaux and Venetia – and all was right in the world again…

Despite jumping sloppily throughout – and looking beaten for much of the race, the horse started to find for pressure down the back straight – and after the final fence demonstrated what a tenacious character he is (#heart-of-a-lion).

Matthew Riley looked to me like the best horse in the race – but he wasn’t the most fluent jumper – and ultimately that cost him victory at Haydock.

But then, our new friend, Dan Skelton (whom I’m optimistic we will be able to forge a long and lasting relationship with), ensured the day ended with smiles, by producing Willows Saviour to take the Ladbroke in a manner in which few big handicaps are won…

I don’t want to get ahead of myself here – but I honestly think that horse could be very good (#champion-hurdle-contender?)

And so there ended a day of extreme highs and lows…

I’ve barely got the energy left to report on the fate of the mentions.

Sybarite (who was very nearly a tip himself) finished second n the opener at Ascot; and Reve De Sivola won the Long walk (maybe I should have put him up…).
The other 2 were unplaced – but does anyone really care..?

As I’ve said before, I don’t do it on purpose – but the TVB seasons just seem to turn into the most dramatic of journeys…

Lady luck tried to mess with us today – but we are in such a rich vein of form, even she eventually had to conceded that she’d met her match.

Long may it continue, I say !!

TVB.