Review of the day

With a following wind, I think today could have been another day like the Saturday after Christmas…

Those of you who spend time reading the write-ups, will know just how close I got to going through the card at Newbury.

In fact, if O Maonlai hadn’t won the penultimate race, I would have felt a sense of disbelief at what had happened !

But he did – in fact, he absolutely bolted up – and that despite the fact there was nothing in the form book that entitled him to do so !

Sometimes you just have to trust your instinct 

It was a similar situation with the days other winner, Vengeur de Guye.

He had little in the form book to recommend him – but I thought I saw something last time (despite him finishing last !) – and I was right…

Where I wasn’t quite so right, was with my selection of tips in the other Newbury races…

In the opener, I initially fancied Leave it Be and Provo – and they finished first and third.
Instead however, I put up Ruler of All – and he finished well beaten…

In the next, I was tossing up between Soll and Roalco de Farges – with Relax as a potential danger.

Soll won, Relax was second – whilst I put up Roalco De Farge, who again,  finished well beaten.

I dodged the third race on the card, because I couldn’t choose between Royal Guardsman and Baby King.

They jumped the last in unison with Royal Guardsman proving the stronger up the run in.

He was available at 16/1 first thing this morning.

Next it was Sound Investment who proved my judgement to be right – even if my tip issuing was wrong !

I knew he was the one to beat - and could easily have put us on him at 11/2. Instead I put us on Ballygrvey – who was a better price – but ran accordingly !

I guess I can’t get all the calls right…

One I might have got right was Streams of Whiskey.

He was locked in a battle with Wayward Prince, when he went wrong, early in the home straight at Doncaster.

Like Grabtheglory yesterday, it wasn’t nice to see…

I truth, I suspect he would have come out second best regardless.

Wayward Prince was a class horse at his peak – and, somewhat bizarrely, he returned to his peak today (you would have needed to be clairvoyant to predict it !).

All in all though, another decent days work – and a good end to what has been another good month.

With regard to the mentions, then the only winner they got, was the afore mentioned Royal Guardsman.

That said, I was very pleased by the effort of Admiral Benbow, who ran on late to claim a highly unlikely looking fourth place.

Better than that, the original 16 runners actually went to post – and I back him EW 

TVB.