8th December - Race reviews

They say that a week is a long time in politics – well it feels like a long time in tipping at the moment !
It’s hard to believe that only a week ago, Fiendish Flame was romping home at Leicester. A lot has happened on the blog since then – and not much of it will be remembered for the right reasons !

Today’s little episode of drama, wasn’t brought to us by the tip – it was brought to us by the one that got away…
A couple of weeks ago, I vowed to put up more tips, so that I didn’t miss out on ‘mentions’ winning. I’ve been true to my word since that point – with no significant ‘mentions’, until today…
The trouble is, I can have the best intentions, but I still have a life to juggle along with my racing ’interest’ – and quite often, the life has to take priority !
Consequently, I sometimes simply can’t get out the fact that I want to back a horse. And in accordance with sods law, you can almost guarantee that when that happens, the horse in question will bolt up !
Enter stage right Midnight Haze, who battled on gamely to win the handicap chase at Ludlow. For a good chunk of the final mile of the contest, it looked as if the enigmatic Pigeon Island might save the day, but he faded up the straight and Midnight Haze retuned victorious,
So much for trying to fate him on the blog L

The performance of Bill the Yank wasn’t really a shock – not when looked at in conjunction with the market moves…
I said that he would need to be backed to win – and whilst he initially was backed (and well backed, from 14/1 down to 8/1) - in the important pre-race hour, he drifted like a barge…
His SP was 16/1 – but he was easy to back at 25 on BF, moments before the off. He actually ran quite well to a point – but weakened badly in the final half mile and eventually finished tailed off.
I intend to remove him from my list of horses to follow…

Finally the Peterborough chase at Huntingdon.
As I suggested, Mr Moonshine led for most of the way, but was picked off by Somersby on the run to the final fence. The only trouble was, Gauvain was 6 lengths clear of the pair of them at that point !
I’ve got to be honest and say I just couldn’t see that happening. I thought Gauvain was an unlikely winner of the race – but I was wrong.
Unlike Tom Segal, who apparently put it up as his Pricewise selection. I don’t follow tipsters myself – and never would – but if I did, Tom would be top of the list.
He really is different class to anyone else out there. He ability to nail big race winner after big race winner almost beggars belief.
I think he is to tipping what AP McCoy is to Jump Jockeys – I can pay him no bigger complement than that !!