Wednesday 29th April

Pontefract
3.30
This Ones For Eddy 1pt win - 2nd (btn hd) 9/2 (adv) => 9/4

4.05
Summers Lease 0.5pt win - unpl
Rio Guru 0.25pt E/W - unpl

5.15
Uncle Bertie 0.5pt win - 7th
Princess Rainbow 0.5pt win - unpl

Ascot
5.05
Mister Ross 0.5pt win - 8th
Blue Spartan 0.5pt win - unpl
Priti Fabulous 0.5pt win - unpl

Kempton
6.50
Bramalea 0.5pt E/W - 8th

7.50
James Pollard 1pt win - 7th
Another Try 0.25pt win - unpl
Cwm Rhondda 0.25pt win - unpl

8.20
Crown Choice 1.5pts win - WON 7/4 (adv)

9.20
Colourful Move 0.25pt E/W - WON 14/1 (adv)
Lucky Dancer 0.25pt E/W - 2nd 10/1

A real 'Houdini' act to show a profit on the day (+0.62pts). The afternoon's racing wasn't easy, there were odd betting patterns throughout the day including landed gambles and massive drifters.

First up was the 3.30 at Ponty, was keen on This Ones For Eddy when he was an easy winner over c&d last Monday and despite a 6lb penalty he still looked well treated on his A/W form. The race was set up for a finisher due to the idiotic pace set by Silvestre De Souza on Jebel Tara, This Ones For Eddy (happier when in front) was forced to chase this suicidal early gallop and paid for it inside the past when he was collared on the line by Blue Charm. He looked the winner until the final strides and without doubt was the best horse at the weights, the result was hard to swallow. There is no reason to suggest this horse is inferior on turf so if the handicapper continues to show him leniency on the green stuff I will continue to follow him.

The fillies handicap at 4.05 had a trappy look to it, it's hard to evaluate the chances of 3yo fillies against their elders and it was indeed a 3yo, Faldal, who took the race. Rio Guru lost all chance when badly hampered and Summers Lease seems ground dependent.

The market suggested there was just one horse in the 5.15 and that did turn out to be the case with Timocracy scoring at 9/4 having been backed from 7/1 on course. They finished in a bunch behind and many of those are better than they showed here, Moonstreaker and Old Romney did well after tardy starts and Uncle Bertie, who was a big drifter, didn't get the clearest of passages late on and will find a race off his current mark.

It was a similar story for the last at Ascot, they market spoke, or shouted, in favour of two horses. Mount Hadley and Trafalgar Bay were backed down from massive early prices to 1st and 2nd favourite. Every man and his dog knew about the former, owned by Michael Tabor, perhaps connections of many rivals 'decided' that this wasn't their day. Those at the head of the morning market, Mister Ross, Blue Spartan and Brouhaha, had doubled in price by the off.

The gambles finished 1-2, and were clear of the 3rd, however a number in behind are worth another chance, especially those drawn high as jockeys on those were responsible for strange tactics. They broke well enough (as expected due to a number of prominent racers), and originally kept straight in their own group down the middle of the course, then after one furlong they chose to switch to the stands side rail, losing ground and all chance in the process.

Blue Spartan, drawn highest of all in stall 20, ended up scraping paint on the stands side rail, you would have been forgiven for thinking he was drawn 1! Despite an unclear passage he made moderate late headway passed beaten horses. Mister Ross found himself well behind thanks to the aforementioned manoeuvre but got into his stride at the halfway mark and made decent headway out wide. Running almost alone in the middle of the track he could only finish 8th. It was a fine effort under the circumstances. Priti Fabulous ran better than her finishing position suggests, she travelled fairly well throughout but blew up and was then heavily eased. She will come on a bundle for this. All three are worth another chance.

Despite a disappointing day I was full of hope going into the Kempton card, confident of a winner or two. Although again got off to a disappointing start with Bramalea running poorly in the first.

James Pollard (7.50) is a frustrating type, without doubt he has ability and is better than his rating suggests, however usually ruins is chances by refusing to settle in his races. With the experienced Jimmy Fortune booked I felt all may be in place for this horse to finally show his best. Connections decided on a change of tactics and decided to let him bowl along in front, obviously an attempt to get him to settle better. He travelled well in front, he didn't pull as he was allowed to stride on, but when asked for his effort he found nil, weakening tamely inside the last. Front-running would not have been a tactic I would've used with this horse, far too much use was made of him early, he needs to be kept together, given cover and allowed to settle (if possible) in a bunch, only then we will see the best of this horse - obviously he is not an easy ride for jockeys. He may be one to play in-running in future.

Without doubt the bet of the night was Crown Choice, making his handicap debut in the 8.50. He looked a horse to follow when losing his maiden tag earlier in the month in a race that has started to work out well. It looked as if the handicapper had taken a massive chance allotting him a mark of 80 and that did turn out to be the case as he ran out a ready winner.

I thought the market had it all wrong for the staying handicap at 9.20. I gave little chance to those at the head of the market and decided that Lucky Dancer and Colourful Move were overpriced at their morning prices of 10/1 and 14/1 respectively. Surprisingly they were available at much bigger on course before attracting support before the off. They travelled in first and second throughout and never looked like getting caught. It was Lucky Dancer who looked the likelier of the two to win, travelling strongly in the lead but he was outstayed in the final half furlong by Colourful Move. As suggested after his last run, perhaps he is worth a try over 1m6f.

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

Combined
Bets 105
Winners 37
P/L +29.74pts
ROI 23%

All-Weather
Bets 29
Winners 11
P/L +16.60pts
ROI 50%

National Hunt
Bets 9
Winners 5
P/L +9.01pts
ROI 90%

Flat (turf) 2009
Bets 67
Winners 21
P/L +4.13pts
ROI 5%

All bets proofed to Racing Post