Week 1 Day 3

Flat

Love nor money - not a very good horse, just the best I had to fit the age/distance, not expecting much this season. 16th

Need for Speed - Somewhat unexpected and prior to this 2nd place, my best flat result this year, I may have said these two were as bad as each other, so now I am simply head scratching until next week, bad field??

Podgies Boy - Game horse who is ok but not good enough, stayed on for 6th, his offspring maybe better next year.

Solent Green - 4th stayed well but another who may have benefited from being day three last few races of the week.

Arch Rival - And as this mare stayed on grimly for 2nd, I decided to enter my horses in reverse order for week 2........not expected at all.


Jump


Exit Potentially - Ran well and I am pleased enough with 3rd, he did go a little earlier than was desirable and I fancy him to do better down a few furlongs.

Affairs of State - Disappointing run, for 6th, made some headway before fading, jury remains out for a horse that I would say was only marginally worse than my best in this age/distance class.

National Sensation - Stays forever and no prizes for guessing what race I have him in mind for, 3rd place today keeps those dreams alive.

Eye of the Storm - Great race to watch this one, will improve on her 4th here today.

William Coconut - Never one of my stars will seek value in the handicaps where she may just steal the odd one. 6th

The Tortoise - Lives up to her name, will maybe find value with a lower class of horse. 10th.

Ermintrude - One of the ill fated 4YO who I failed to make a novice, not likely to be seen again before retirement week 5. 7th

Emergence - Big disappointment with this one, who I had in mind for the Arkle, will have to improve on his 6th place here.

Cap Gemini - Solid run for 8th, will carry the flag for my juveniles after another entry related stable issue, 'whiskey' mick's legacy not quite yet lived down. Will aim at the triumph.

All in great opening week, vast improvment on last season, thanks to those involved for their continued hard work.

Josh

Just spoke to John(Scatters) via email - he is still not well but is better. I have urged him to drop by the forums and say hello as I know a lot of you would be keen to say hello
He said he is still too weak to breed and race horses at this stage.

Doug.

If the league is still in need of a handicapper that is not biased, i used to do the handicapping for the league under colm way back when, would be interested in handicapping again.


Please email me if you consider you need an independent handicapper at conantmck375@gmail.com

Thanks Doug

Hopefully he's on the road to recovery.

Hi everyone,

First time playing the league. I entered 3 horses for the season, 2 in the 1st week and both finished last.

Well you have joined some very fine company

Start looking for the lower handicap races 0-80, 0-90 etc. Your horses will be more competitive in those races

Handicap ratings for mondays races will be entered on TOM later tonight. They have already been rated just need to load them on.

Only the one runner on the flat today, Volunteer who ran on late in race 9 when the race was over.
Over the sticks Brown Sauce ran well in race 10 and will improve for an extra furlong or 2. As for the rest, Bold Lad looks like he wants a bit further which is a bit of a surprise as he was a sprint bred. Sister Sara and Sea Pigeon also need to step back up in trip and will do next run. Craggy Island just looks a poor horse and looks like a mid season retirement waiting to happen. Imhotep ran ok in the Charlie Hall but is a better hurdler. High Top was still going well when losing the jockey and should be able to win a race or 2 later in the season. I knew Mirage would pull up before the race started because of her style of running, the only thing I got wrong is that it happened about 2-3f earlier than I expected.

Congrats to all winners and placers.

All good Paul

Some exciting finishes today - Take Charge Brandy being one of the best!

Wooden spoon will have my name on it this season, i had the usual pacemakers and also rans lol, i've said it before (many times) and i'll say it again....i'm not in it to win it but have a great time being involved and that's working perfectly for me

great comms guys and thanks again to all involved that have made this the great entertainment that it is

Back to earth with a bump today after and excellent first week for me:

Flat: Day for the top boys with all the group races.

Burst of Energy - Outclassed today and finished last, will fade away as the 3yo races dry up, may get the odd handicap race.

Breaking Glass - 8th or second from last and only by virtue of the horse behind finishing distressed. Marks my flat team as handicapped, in many ways. Likely my last group race dance this season on the flat.

Crystaline - Was poor today finishing 17th, judgement as to his group race ability revised will look to the handicaps.

High Tide - Decent maiden showing for 9th in this big field, will also look no further than the handicaps.

Jump: Lot of disappointment today, ground went against a few.

Hush Puppy - Decent maiden run for this chap, just sneaking up for 3rd, undecided on future, but will likely stay over the fences for the time being.

Chess - Ground was always going to make this tough for her and she looked a very tired horse, well beaten, when parting company from Mr Walsh at the last. Fell

Coconut Shy - Stayed on well for 6th but never quite having the pace to challenge. 2.5 team may get addressed in week 5 as I have finally been able to trial the distance properly and I seem to have better for the coral.

Cap Gemini - Solid run for 4th, best of my 4yo juveniles and still have in mind to make up the numbers in the triumph.

Hope and Glory - Stayed on her feet this time out, but seriously outpaced for 9th, need to retrial at 2.5 fences and may improve this division after week 5 having overlooked one of my better horses in my rushed team entry.

Eye of the Storm - Looked promising before staggering over the last and fading to 7th. Uncertain of her direction for the time being.

Battleship - Only here for a bit of interest, was in the running for a little while before he weakened and dropped to 11th

Slim Chance - Another who fell on her first outing and raced well today, leading the race into the last 2 jumps, clattered both badly and I was surprised she stayed up, but I think she was already spent. Trotted home for 9th.

Xternal - Another only here as I did not sort my 2.5 hurdlers properly at the outset, I clearly have better. Ran on here for 9th but another candidate for week 5 cuts.

No Winners Flat Or Jumps I see my Flat horse's are better than in recent years maybe its because I kept playing the same game and not trying quick games to get good horse's I am looking like my 5f to 1m horses maybe ok and my extreme stayers.

Dubai
Race 2 Lopes Arms 4th Great Run did well but going to be tough hope there's a maiden around over 1m 4f in the schedule or its place money in the big races at Best.

Race 3 Bangor Mile very bad run got no space stuck behind wall on the corner and stuck behind a horse fading a bit unlucky in running.

Race 6 The American Did well didn't expect might step up to 6f.

Race 7 Sole power Thought I was going to get a winner for a second that would of been a shock still great run step down to 7f might bring a win.

Gray

FLAT

No runners in the early races, can't compete with the big boys.

Race 9, Regal Spirt, ran a very nice 5th in the Investec Insurance handicap.
Race 10, Liberty Bell, finished 13th in the Epson Mile, maybe do better in the handicap races.


JUMPS

A very good day for my stable over the jumps. The ground suited my horses better this week than in week 1.

Race 1, Strathmore Maid, ran a very creditable 4th in the Chuckabilly Maiden, in her first outing of the season.
Race 2, Blastpheming Boy, was 7th in the G3 chase. After his maiden run in week 1, I was hoping he would be in the money this week.
Race 3, Parkland Girl, was 1st in the mares listed hurdle. She was well positioned all the way round and ran on strongly at the finish.
Race 4, Middleton Girl, started the race as favourite, but fell early on in the race. Another horse I hoped would be in the money after a good debut in week 1.
Race 5, Downstairs Maid, finished 3rd in the Juvenile Hurdle.
Race 6, Honeypot Girl, was 1st, giving me my second winner of the day in the Bet 365 Handicap Chase. I think she has probably had her good race of the season as the handicapper will have his way with her.
Race 7, Montcreif Maid, ran a very nice 3rd in the listed mares hurdle. Never looked like challenging the winner, but ran very nicely.


Congrats to all winners and places. The comms were great as usual, but I think I will start a petition on horses names. No hard to pronounce names for the commentators.

delighted with my whole team today especially the 2 old boys

Chipmunk was buried 1 1/2 out but battled gamely older races over 1m4f-1m6f Irish leger the main target

warning shot surprised me hes got the stats of a miler but now shapes as he will get 1m2f

the rest all showed well couple of hard luck stories but in the main beaten by better horses


one note thunders maiden winner franked the form for my 1000 horse


thanks to all involved congrats all runners

doug your comms get better and better aside from the dodgy names keep them simple lads an lasses