[Mike]

Hi
The right horse in Blow Wind Blow who won at 12-1 its a real shame the idiot who runs the thread did not back it as a single. This means we dropped 2 points on the day which puts us back on to +5 now. We have three going tomorrow in the same race over at Clonmel.

2.38 Harty Cup 5-2
2.38 Comanche Moon 8-1
2.38 Nukie’s Artic 20-1

We will go in with Harty Cup as a to follow horse when BOG becomes available and will add in the bet builder when the markets are up.

[Mike]

Hi
I have a few thoughts on the County Hurdle and the first is why bother it’s too complicated but joking apart from the data base a couple look interesting off low marks such as Roc Dino which is a Mullins entry. This one has been well and truly put it its place but this has been by the likes of Mighty Park etc and there is no shame in that. However being a Mullins entry the 14-1 is too short to consider early doors.
The one I am going in early with here is Celtic Dino @ 25-1 for 4 places (NRNB) this one is lightly raced but has not been disgraced at level weights against black type winners such as Sir Gino and Woodhooh. My only concern is that he has not been tried around Cheltenham and appears to be better going right handed. ? But as I say lightly raced and if running looks a decent shout at the price.

[Mike]

Hi
I am torn between a handful of runners in the Coral Cup but using the same principle as before taking the big prices now using NRNB is a shot to nothing so here goes. This again is a Handicap Hurdle and from my original shortlist I am concerned about the trip with my original fancy I Started A Joke and at 12-1 looks to short in the betting.
This leaves three and I am going with all three hoping one will line up on the day the first is Galileo Dame @ 40-1 for 4 places this one is an interesting entry and I am surprised to see her still in as I had expected her to go elsewhere. She is a dual purpose mare who has contested some decent flat races but wasn’t disgraced behind Cousin Kate last time out.
The next one is a Coyote Spirit @ 33-1 for 4 places a Gordon Elliot trained runner who knows how to set one up for this race and he gets in off 10-1 in the weights. From the same yard is Open Secret @ 33-1 for 4 places who as a bonus has had a run at Cheltenham gets in off 10-5 and this one is ultra consistent. Jack Kennedy swapped from this one and got beaten by him last time out and it will be an interesting conundrum to see who he goes for on the day having ridden both of the above.
nb. There will probably be extra places on the day etc etc but at 1/4 odds 4 places and your money back if they do not run you could do a lot worse than go in early. As a perfect example one of the earlier bets Donnacha mentioned by both Rob and myself and advised @ 20-1 is now best price 14-1 and still shortening up.

[Mike]

Hi Rob
That’s the second horse we have agreed on for Cheltenham now (Ante Post Wagers ) it must be something in the water lets hope we have not jinxed either of them…lol. I am also working my way through the other handicaps, can lightning strike three times. ?

[Mike]

Hi
With both Love Me Tender and Salsinha looking to be non runners that leaves us with just one still running which is Donnacha @ 20-1 in the Festival Plate. This was mentioned in Rob’s QUALITY RACING 2026 thread and is the only one we have agreed on so far…lol.
Rob is comprehensively covering the big boy races and I will now turn our attention to the handicaps etc still looking for a bit a value before the weights and final declarations are announced.
The first race will be the old Fred Winter Juvenile hurdle on day one which right up our street as it likely to involve an Irish raider. We have a shortlist of the following runners.
Saratoga
Madness d’Elle
Dawn Coming
Highland Crystal
Mode Avion
Bibe Mus
Kilmeaden
Saratoga is too short in the market at 5-1 and most of the others are showing no real obvious value with the exception of Mode Avion who is a stand out @ 25-1 for 4 places with Paddy Power. Mode Avion shows the fastest time albeit on treacherous heavy ground but should get involved. The second one is Kilmeaden who was firmly put in his place by both Sartoga and Highland Crystal last time out but I thought this one was not right on the day and looked in trouble a long way out. He was not given a hard ride when his chance had gone and @ 40-1 for 4 places with bet365 looks a lively outsider, both are obviously NRNB.

[Mike]

Hi
One step forward one step back at the moment as Happy Me ran a stinker but such is life. We are now on +7 and have a bit of interest in two races today over Fairyhouse but bet365 crashed out last night and the markets are slow this morning. Unfortunately I will be out this morning so will pop a couple of bets down without the bet builder options.

1.30 Whats New @ 5-1 for 3 places
2.38 Blow Wind Blow @ 7-1 for 5 places
1/2 point each way double
2.38 Seeitoldya @ 50-1
1/2 point each way for 5 places

[Mike]

Hi Rob
That price about Constitution Hill was well spotted and a gift at 1-1 for a top 3 finish. I suppose the 64 dollar question is where does he go from here. ?? As you are covering the top contenders at the fast approaching Cheltenham festival I will start placing some handicap Baldricks on the x thread this weekend.
If you have any specific’s from this thread you would like highlighted or linked just let me know.

[Mike]

Hi
Constitutuion Hill won well tonight and looked very impressive so what is next on the agenda do they now go back to Cheltenham for another go over hurdles or…?
That aside Mgame has picked up another +9.5 points making the monthly total +100.78 along with an amazing 7 wins. This also meams that Mgame goes further into the lead overall by way of now being on +193.43.
I will update the overall figures at the end of the month.

[Mike]

Hi
Not too shoddy last week as we got a treble in lets hope for a repeat performance this week.

Lingfield 1.25 Valiant Force @ 7-4
Fairyhouse 1.30 Whats New @ 15-4
Fairyhouse 2.38 Blow Wind Blow @ 4-1
Wales +18 to beat Scotland @ 1-1
West Ham to beat Bournmouth @ 7-5
Wolves to beat Crystal Palace @ 4-1

The lottery numbers will be the usual 4,7,16,23,26 & 50.

[Mike]

Hi
I will go in with a bet bulder on Hesgonethatway for top 3 and Happy Me for top 4 @ 16-5.
nb. Ooops… (thanks Suds) they both go in the 4.23.

[Mike]

Hi
As you may have noticed I was quite keen on Poets Oath and honestly approaching the last thought I was home and dry for the win but such is life and we had to settle for second beaten by a neck.However a place at 12-1 and at 18-1 means we picked up a couple of points and we now stand back up at at +8. We had hoped to do a bet builder with James The Brave (as mentioned) which also would have come in as he came third and it will be interesting to see at the end of the month how the new bet breakdown pans out. ?
There are two going tomorrow over at Thurles one Hesgonethatway was a winner for us last time out (as a To Follow horse) so has fulfilled his obligation but we will look to use again him alongside Happy Me in a bet builder. I will update the thread when the markets are published.

[Mike]

Hi
Having missed the bigger price last night for the thread I was going to throw Poets Oath in with James The Brave in a bet builder this morning but the markets are not available so I will go in again with another 1/2 point each way this time at 18-1 for 5 places.
It’s never a good thing to back a horse that is drifting but as I am out later I will go for it and risk a 2 point loss.

[Mike]

Hi
We have another horse going tomorrow which again is not a to follow horse but I will go straight in tonight as a single as there are extra places on offer and look for a bet builder in the morning when the markets are available.

Punchestown 4.15 Poets Oath @ 12-1 for 5 places.

This one was available at 25-1 not long ago but unfortunatelyhad shortened up by the time I posted.

[Mike]

Hi
I think I should start a thread called Coulda, Shouda, Woulda (The Punters Excuse) …lol. Right horse/s yesterday but had I taken the 6-1 betting without the favourites it would have been a win or left it as straight each way or done Raydamann for 6 places etc etc. Happy enough though as we only just missed out by a short head and a neck so I still think we have now turned the corner.
I did have something for today but have just seen that Fairyhouse has been abandoned so will have to wait a bit longer to try and prove the point.

[Mike]

Hi
I still think it was worth a shout yesterday but obviously we dropped a point leaving us on +7 we have one going today which again is not a to follow horse but gives me a chance to try out a conspiracy theory wager…lol.
There is flat race today at Punchestown which although sanctioned as a race will not please the purists but makes for an opportunity for me to throw my selection in to try a bet builder using Accustomed to fill the predicted just out of the frame position.

5.02 @ 12-1
Jump Allen (Top 2)
That Danny Feeling (Top 3)
Raydamann (Top 4)
Accustomed (Top 6)

[Author]

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