Thursday 23rd April

Beverley
3.00
Changing The Guard 1pt win - 2nd

3.30
Cheers For Thea 1pt win - 2nd
Snow Dancer 0.5pt win - 3rd

Uttoxeter
5.30
Gloucester 2pts win - WON 4/5 (adv)

Southwell
6.20
Onemoreandstay 1pt win - WON 5/1 => 4/1

7.20
Top Tribute 0.5pt win - unpl
This Ones For Pat 0.5pt win - unpl


A profit made for the 5th day in succession (+2.1pts). Plenty of recent losers have gone close and/or suffered trouble in running and yesterday was no exception.

At Beverley Changing The Guard was short of room at a pivotal time before finishing 2nd to Tartan Gunna although it's doubtful it altered the result. He pulled clear of the 3rd though and there are more races to me won with him.

I fully expected the 3.30 to be won by either Cheers For Thea or Snow Dancer and that looked to be the case until the final 50 yards of the race. Cheers For Thea travelled well in front with Snow Dancer a clear 2nd but they were both outdone by a rattling finish from Shekan Star. It's possible Cheers For Thea paid for quickening the pace at the halfway mark, a strange decision from David Allan as his mount appeared to be happy with her uncontested lead. That wasn't Allan's biggest mistake though, securing the rail inside the last would've ensured victory, however he switched hands and drifted off the rail allowing the winner a clear passage and threw away victory. Compensation awaits.

Although he rarely finds anything off the bridle, Gloucester looked a clear form pick in the novice hurdle of Uttoxeter. He has mixed it at a decent level all season, there are many pieces of form I could mention what put him stones ahead of his rivals here. The morning prices (4/5, 5/6) were huge and the SP of 2/5 was more indicative of his chances. He won like a horse a class apart, hacking up by 21l. He is useful of his day and there is a better race in him.

Onemoreandstay looked well handicapped on plenty of form and took full advantage of some recent leniency from the handicapper.

Will keep records of N.H. and A/W bets since the blog started, alongside the full Flat (turf) record...

Combined
Bets 78
Winners 29
P/L +25.12
ROI 27%

All-Weather
Bets 23
Winners 9
P/L +13.22pts
ROI 50%

National Hunt
Bets 6
Winners 4
P/L +9.15pts
ROI 141%

Flat (turf) 2009
Bets 49
Winners 16
P/L +2.75ts
ROI 5%

All bets proofed to Racing Post