PyRo's Horse Bets.

The Recliner

x PyRo wrote: »

hahaha, it won!

Fcuking Legend!

Without wanting to aftertime I was looking up some of the races last weekend and saw that Sirvino was running and knew it was one you had backed a couple of times so made a nice bit on that

DOC09UNAM

bollocks, meant to back it and all. Well done doctor :pac:

Soarer

I love the way you laugh like you don't know what you're doing!

Went off at 9's too, so the bookies must be reading this thread!:D

thesandeman

Nice one P!

(Had typed Nice one x but changed it in case you got the wrong idea).

The_Kew_Tour

x PyRo wrote: »

hahaha, it won!

Well done, savage price..

Wish I had backed it:(

The Jman

Quality tip Pyro, I just wish I had lumped on this rather then wasting cash backing McCoys horses.

jordata

Fantastic tip. You are a legend. I had a free bet with PP so stuck it on to win - money for nothing!!:D:D:D

budgemook

Got it at 14's. LEGEND

x PyRo

Cheers everyone, I don't want this month to end! Comments much appreciated.

Just watched the race again, won so easily in the end. Just annoyed I didn't go in with more cash, quite fancied it and it's a pity I liked a few others too.

Soarer

Just so you know, it ain't got **** to do with the month, and it's all to do with The Man!

SteelyDanJalapeno

Soarer wrote: »

Just so you know, it ain't got **** to do with the month, and it's all to do with The Man!

And Pyro, YOU THE MAN!

Derek!

Flatman strikes again well done on another excellent winner

ft9

Well jaysus :eek:

Some June

jive

x PyRo wrote: »

3:30 Catterick - Orpsie Boy - 1pt e/w @ 18/1 (VC)

another winner, some month

x PyRo

Thanks for all the comments lads, much appreciated. I'll try keep this up throughout July. Doubt it'll be possible though.

---

A good day at the make-believe office after Orpsie Boy ran out a most impressive winner at Catterick. Ruth Carr's charge was well-supported from 18/1 early doors into 9/1 on-course and the money proved to be correct. He traveled fairly well throughout and swept aside doubts over whether he can be effective over 7f. It was a good ride from Silvestre De Sousa and he got a lovely tune out of this veteran as the pair won in a very ready fashion. There could be more to come from the horse if he can come on from that run and I think he'll be in the winners enclosure again soon. He'll have to run at speed tracks to win over this trip again though, so a drop back to 6f could be needed at more conventional tracks. +22.50pts profit from a 1pt e/w bet at 18/1.

+22.50pts on the day and a cracking way to end June, as I'm having no bets for today.

Stat Attack -

Overall Bank - 338.96pts (+238.96pts)

2011 Flat Stats -

Profit - +125.17pts

Bets - 137
Wins - 15
Placed - 31
Win SR - 11%
Staked - 375.00pts
Returned - 500.17pts
ROI - +33.37%

*Placed bets don't include the winners.

June Stats -

Profit - +125.91pts

Bets - 54
Wins - 9
Placed - 7
Win SR - 16%
Staked - 156.00pts
Returned - 281.91pts
ROI - +80.71%

*Placed bets don't include the winners.

A great month overall and just 5 points off my record monthly tally from from September last year. I'm really, really happy with that. Cheers to all who've looked, commented and whatever else!

Soarer

x PyRo wrote: »

as I'm having no bets for today.

Booooooo!!!!!

x PyRo

The one I was going to post won as well.

---

2:20 Sandown - Fantasy Explorer - 1pt e/w @ 9/1 (Bet365)

A tentative selection to start off the month but with John Quinn rarely being a man to waste a journey, Fantasy Explorer could go well at a track that suits him perfectly. This strong-travelling 8 year old is in the twilight of his career and whilst his last run was uninspiring to say the least, he's shown enough this year to suggest he retains plenty of his old ability. His run at Doncaster, last time out, was disappointing as he didn't really show a lot of positives in a race where he'd be more than capable of getting involved. However, it was over 6 furlongs at a track that I'm not convinced is suitable nowadays, even though he ran well there before, albeit over 5f and back in '08. The return to a stiff track will suit and the return to 5f even more so.

Previous to disappointing last time out, Fantasy Explorer ran a cracking race in defeat over this C&D. He was a well-backed 5/1 shot in an attempt to gain his seventh career success but, as he had done on eight previous occasions throughout his 39 race career, he found one too good. It was a great effort and even though he was running off his lowest mark for 5 years, it represented a return to form for this talented sprinter. He's 3lbs higher now but a similar effort should see him go close again and with only a couple of improving 4 year old's to fear, he warrants maximum respect in this contest. Whether he's good enough to put it up to them is yet to be seen, as they're both potentially better than their marks, but Quinn's charge is more than capable of outrunning his and could make things interesting.

John Quinn is a very shrewd man and certainly knows the time of day. He now makes a 450 mile round trip to visit Sandown for the second time with this animal and I think that's fairly interesting, given how well Fantasy Explorer ran here on his penultimate start. Quinn comes down here with just the one runner, which could be a pointer in itself, but he also books the wonderful Tom Queally, a man who boasts a cracking record around this track. Overall, Queally's had 16 winners and 22 places from just 109 rides at the course. That's a 15% strike-rate and he shows a ROI of 33%, even though that's not really important. Quinn boasts even better stats here, with 7 wins and 4 seconds from just 25 runners on the flat at Sandown. That's a cracking 28% strike-rate with a 78% ROI. Over the flying 5 furlongs, Quinn has had 5 winners, 3 seconds and 2 fourths from just 14 runners, which is a great record. His horses are obviously suited to the testing nature of the track and this one is no different, so a decent run can be expected.

As regards to the opposition, Ritual should be a lively contender for Jeremy Noseda. He's only a lightly-raced 4 year old and has looked like a potentially useful type who should improve for his racing, but with this being his first outing since November, I'm happy enough to avoid taking his 9/4 price-tag. The stiff 5f should suit and he's clearly got talent, but there's enough reason to take him on. Doc Hay is thriving for his new stable and holds a similar profile to the previously mentioned animal, as he's lightly-raced and improving. The track and trip will suit, but he's up 7lbs for winning a poor race last time out and although it was visually impressive, I'll take him on. He's also hopping back up to C4 level and this should be no easy task. 7/4 looks too skinny to get involved with him. A couple of the others could be in with a shout too but Fantasy Explorer looks to be the best alternative and I'll play minimal each-way stakes on him. He'll have a race run to suit, he should have ground to suit and I doubt he's coming down to Sandown for the scenery. At his best, no runner here should be feared and he could run a big race. How much he's capable of putting in is the main worry, as it's less than a week since he last lined out, but he does take his racing well and has made it to the racecourse more often this year compared to recent ones. Hopefully he'll go well.

UrbanSea

Making a few quid for Galway I see

x PyRo

I'm trying!

---

8:15 Haydock - Oriental Scot - 2pts e/w @ 14/1 (Bet365)

Competitive 9 runner race in the offing but joint top-weight, Oriental Scot, should be in with a good chance now that he drops back to C4 level for the first time since last year. William Jarvis' charge comes here on the back of a fairly disappointing effort at Epsom and that seems to be the basis for this price-tag, as previous to that he ran a good race in defeat at Thirsk. I don't think he acted too well around Epsom and given his pure size and galloping prowess, the track was always likely to cause a problem. A return to the form of his first couple of outings would give him a good chance here and I see no reason why he can't bounce back.

Oriental Scot is a very lightly-raced 4 year old, having only run on 11 occasions to date. Whilst he only has a couple of wins to his name, they have been most impressive, both gained last year. The first was his 3 year old and handicap debut, in which William Jarvis' potentially useful animal scooted in by an easy 6 lengths at Nottingham. Whilst it wasn't a tough race by any means, he left a nice impression and was sure to build upon it. He flopped next time out under a 12lb rise in the weights and whilst there's no obvious reason as to why he preformed so poorly, he seemed to get caught out by the Sandown hill, which is odd as I thought that place would be ideal. He ran better when returned to Nottingham next time out and although 3rd place was all he could muster, it rated as a step back in the right direction.

Oriental Scot got a couple of months off, for what reason I don't know. However, he came back with a bang in a decent 7 runner handicap at Thirsk, in which he ran out a 3 length winner under a waiting ride. I don't think Thirsk is the kind of place that should bring out the best in him so to see a performance like that was quite taking, even though he was always going to be ahead of his rating, which was 83 at the time. He's only 2lbs higher now and looks very well-handicapped on what he's shown to date, even this year. After one more flop in 2010, the horse returned in April to contest the Spring Mile at Doncaster. That's an extremely tough handicap and he put in a good performance to finish in 7th place, 2nd in his group (raced wrong side). He probably would of preferred quicker ground but it confirmed his trainers comments that he had wintered well and trained on, so more was expected to come. A return to Thirsk was on the cards next time out, but as I thought would of happened on his previous run there, he was caught flat footed in the closing stages. It wasn't a bad run though, given that he looks like he's in need of further than a mile at a speedy course. The run next, and last time out was disappointing, but as I said, it's easily forgiven and now he's given a big chance by the handicapper.

There's some useful types in opposition here, not least Voodoo Prince who looks very interesting off a mark of 85. He gets a 10lb weight allowance for being a 3 year old and, given that he's so lightly raced, is open to any amount of improvement. However, it's a bit early to be taking the 3 year old's against the older horses just yet and I feel 3/1 is too skinny, even though he should go well. Dolphin Rock is a solid handicapper but he's constantly coming 2nd and getting hit in the weights for it, so I'd rather oppose. On a going day he'd definitely make the frame though and deserves a lot of respect. 9/2 wouldn't be my idea of a fair price though. A couple of others have claims but William Jarvis makes a long trip to run Oriental Scot and he seems to expect a decent run from him, so I'll back up his confidence with a medium sized each-way bet. Steve Drowne, who takes the ride on this fellow for the third time, has a 10 wins from 50 rides record for the yard and comes here for just one ride. The track should suit this fellow down to the ground and he'll get conditions to his liking, so 14/1 looks vastly overpriced. He takes a big drop in grade and should really go well if he's to make an impression this year. I thought he'd be one for the big handicaps and seeing him at 14/1 in a contest like this isn't something I thought would happen. Hopefully he'll go well and assuming there's nothing wrong with him, he should. The only worry is his preference to be fresh, but the 4 weeks break in between this run and his last should suffice.

prospect

Fantasy Explorer is currently 10/1 on P.P.

Soarer

x PyRo wrote: »

The one I was going to post won as well.

How convenient! Suppose he was a 250/1 outsider too!

x PyRo

Poor start to the month. Fantasy Gladiator faced a very tough task once the main pace angle was declared a non-runner in his race. It ended up being, oddly enough, a slowly run 5f and this wasn't ideal for my selection at all. He was reluctantly pushed into the lead and showed decent speed, but not much else. He raced keenly early on and found nothing once popped the question. A lead is definitely what this horse needs and things just conspired against him today. I'll be on next time out, assuming he tackles a stiff 5f again and has his conditions. Disappointing but he ran alright considering.

Oriental Scot is bred to get the 1m 2f trip that he faced but he just didn't see it out at all. It was a disappointing effort but I think stepping him back to a mile and keeping with prominent tactics could be the making of him. He's going to look well handicapped for a while yet and he's worth following for the time being. Today just didn't go to plan and he ran poorly.

-6pts on the day.

2:00 Sandown - Night Carnation - 2pts @ 13/2 (Boylesports)

On paper this looks to be a very tricky contest to solve, with it being hard to separate 6 of the 10 strong field in the betting. It is a Group 3 race by name but I think there's plenty of animals flying too high here and I've found more than enough reason to discount plenty of the runners. The one I keep coming back to is Andrew Balding's 3 year old filly, Night Carnation. Whilst any unlikely rain would prove a big plus to this animal, the conditions should be just about OK for this talented animal. However, it's enough of a worry to stray away from having a sizable bet on her. I still feel she should give it a good crack and is worth taking a chance on, even though the ground is unlikely to be her optimum.

This is quite a stiff 5f and it does take some getting. Over the years, it has paid dividends to race alongside the rail. Night Carnation has a plum sit in stall 2 and that's a big help. She was well-fancied in a C&D Listed race last time out but didn't fare well with the draw and it's a plausible excuse as to why she didn't give her running. Margot Did won that race and finished a full 7 lengths ahead of my selection (beat her previously), who was back in 4th place. I'm quite confident that the form can be turned around here and Michael Bell's filly hasn't fared well with the draw, as she's stuck out in stall 10 of 10. Andrew Balding's charge has a plum sit in stall 2, so that will be a big help. They're also likely to go a decent clip upfront and that's exactly what Night Carnation wants, as she travels so well and has the stamina and finishing kick to fly up the steep Sandown hill, as she done before.

Previous to disappointing as the 5/2 favourite last time out, Night Carnation returned to begin her 3 year old campaign over this C&D in April. She was expected to come on for the run and it was deemed to be a tough task, as she was carrying top-weight in a very useful handicap for the younger horses. However, she easily defied her rating of 99 and won by a most comfortable 2 lengths from a good Godolphin runner back in 2nd. The track clearly suits her and I think she's more than capable of enhancing her record to 2 from 3 here, assuming a bit of luck falls her way. Next time out, she tackled a conditions stakes at York and was backed as if defeat wasn't an option. In the end, Nigh Carnation held on for a game success and beat a useful field despite having a poor draw. In a way it was good to see her battle and show that she's not just a bridle horse, as her traveling speed previous to that race was quite striking indeed. Her head can be held a little awkwardly under pressure though, possibly showing a dislike for the ground. I wouldn't pay much attention to that, as she's still learning the game and clearly progressing at a rapid rate of knots, even though her effort last time out was poor on the face of it.

Today, she'll be tackling her elders for the first time and it'll be interesting to see how things pan out. She'll be getting an 8lb weight allowance from the older colts and a 5lb allowance from the older fillies, which will come in handy. 3 year old's have done well in this race recently, having won 3 of the last 6 renewals and I think it could be 4 in 7 here. Kingsgate Native sets the standard as he's definitely up to this level and has a couple of Group 1 wins to his name. However, he just doesn't seem to be the force of old and I'm not convinced that a stiff 5f is exactly what he's after. 6/1 is a tempting price though, so he could be worthy of a small stake saver. Triple Aspect goes exceptionally well here (3 wins, 1 second, 4 runs) and should have things run to suit. He disappointed in Germany last time out and his tendency to get outpaced is putting me off. He's sure to be running on towards the end and is entitled to go well but I just think he's vulnerable to something progressive, plus he hasn't won in a while. 4/1 looks a bit skinny I reckon. Overall, a return to her C&D winning form would see the talented Night Carnation in with a decent chance and there's only the ground to worry about, as the opposition are no great shakes, bar a few of them. Andrew Balding is in good form, Jimmy Fortune gets on well with her (3 wins, 4 rides) and things will be run to suit. 13/2 isn't an outstanding price by any means but it offers a hint of value and I'll have a small win bet on her. There's surely a lot more to come and what she's done to date has been impressive.

thesandeman

Youre gone up against Aidans 5pointer there Xp. You have a better flat record so covering both.
Hope Hugh doesnt arrive with a 3pointer in the morning lol.

x PyRo

Best of luck dude.

2:35 Sandown - Sooraah - 2pts @ 13/2 (WillHill)

Plenty of pace on here for this competitive handicap and Sooraah should really benefit for it. This strong-travelling filly has oceans of talent and remains open to even more improvement, having only run on 12 occasions. A lot of luck in-running will be required as she's going to be dropped in behind from stall 1 but Ryan Moore being on board should prove a plus and with a solid pace to run at, her typically fast-finishing effort should give her a great chance. She's a C&D winner and also placed in a fairly good handicap last year off a 9lb lower mark of 83, just held by Marco Botti's Low Of The Range (then rated 78), a filly who has won twice since (off 88 latest) and she's bound to be contesting pattern races before too long.

Sooraah was touched off by that horse again this year, but that was at Ascot and she's more suited to this track. It was a career best effort when she was beaten by Law Of The Range for a second time, as she traveled supremely throughout, made wonderful, smooth headway to challenge and found plenty for pressure before failing to go past the extremely game winner. She went up 5lbs for that effort and returned to Ascot again, this time in an attempt to win the 28 runner Royal Hunt Cup. The draw went against William Haggas' 4 year old and she raced in a group of 4 on the far side. However, she trounced them (12 lengths) and showed a lot in defeat, despite finishing 11 lengths behind the other side. It was fairly eye-catching and she runs off the same mark again, so with today's positioning being much more favourable, she should go well.

William Haggas comes here in very decent form, with 5 winners and 14 places from his last 30 runners. That's impressive form to say the least and the booking of Ryan Moore seems very interesting. Overall, the Haggas/Moore combination has produced a 35% strike-rate, with 29 winners coming from just 84 runners. They've got a 29% ROI along with that. The pairings track form is even more impressive, with 4 winners and 2 seconds from just 7 runners, showing a 57% strike-rate and a 134% ROI. At the end of the day, the stats don't really matter but they produce solid results and it seems to be a signal of intent. Moore is an ideal partner for Sooraah and when she needs a bit of extra urging along in the closing stages, the benefit of having him on board should shine through.

I could spend an age going through a list of dangers, as there are so many. The likes of Start Right looks to be an obvious one, as he should really have a nice handicap in him at some stage. I think he's too short in the betting as I'm not convinced Sandown is the ideal place for him, although he's obviously got loads of talent if he puts it all in. I'd still rather oppose. The track should be no issue for Leviathan but I'd question whether he's as good on quicker ground, plus he's a hard horse to win with. He's another that's entitled to go well and should get things run to suit but 8/1 isn't a price I'd take about him. Highland Knight could be a big danger if he's on song but with another 2lb rise for finishing 2nd at Epsom last time out, I think it'll be a tough task, albeit one that's not beyond him. The track will suit down to the ground and he's one I'd have a few quid each-way on as a saver. Overall, I think Sooraah could take a lot of beating here and with some luck in the run, she's bound to be finishing fast with conditions to suit and a race run at a good gallop. She comes here in good form, her yard are in good form and Ryan Moore being on board is a massive plus. Small stakes though, as she's contesting a very tough race and Hugh Taylor selected her yesterday, so the price has come in. Me and him never click either, so that's worrying in itself! I still expect a good run though and will hopefully get one.

x PyRo

Re-hash of former write-up.

3:25 Haydock - Sharaayeen - 2pts @ 15/2 (Bet365)

Another very tough race but Barry Hills' 4 year old, Sharaayeen, could be a Group horse in the making. He improved to no end when switched to more reserved tactics on his final 2 starts of last year. Before that, he had run well in the main, but just didn't seem to see out his races when racing up towards the head of affairs and he was beginning to get a little disappointing, despite shaping as if he'd make a nice horse when winning as a 2 year old. There should definitely be more to come from him this year and the fact that he held some fine entries in staying events suggests that connections clearly think he'll continue to improve. Given that he's so well built and is such a strong galloper, a step up in trip looks to be the long-term plan, but for now, 1m 4f at this galloping track should suffice with a strong pace being likely.

Sharaayeen proved most progressive towards the end of last year, finishing 2nd to Taqleed at Newmarket before going on to land a handicap by an easy 5 lengths off a mark of 78, looking like a potentially classy horse in the making. It's arguable that he beat very little and that's probably true, but the way he done it was extremely impressive and bode well for the future. The handicapper upped him 13lbs in the weights and he was forced to go up in class and trip to find a suitable race. A return to Newmarket was the plan of attack once again but he succumbed a terrible ride from Tadhg O'Shea. When O'Shea switched him right from a poor position he proceeded to make relentless progress to take 2nd just a furlong from home, but he had done his bit and ran out of steam in the final half furlong. It rated as another career-best effort though and the horse got another couple of lbs from the handicapper, which was probably fair. A break was the order of the day after that.

Sharaayeen made a most pleasing return to action when just touched off at Newmarket once again. I backed him that day and he was sent off as a well-backed 9/2 favourite of 12. However, he just found one too good having traveled supremely and shown a nice turn of foot to boot. He was eventually run out of it in the final strides, losing to Times Up, a horse who has since won a Listed race by a more than comfortable 4 lengths. The form looks rock solid and although my selection is now 5lbs higher for finishing 2nd that day, his run of impressive performances may not be finished. He's obviously trained on well into his 4 year old campaign and I really think he could be a Group performing stayer in the making, once he matures and he must be capable of defying a mark of 98 if I'm to be proven correct there.

Last time out, things conspired against Sharaayeen as he raced freely on the back of a slow gallop at Royal Ascot. The race turned into a sprint and this was completely against him, so a line can be struck through that effort. He's a much better animal than that and I think he can prove it here, even though it's a very competitive renewal of the Old Newton Cup. Barry Hills was out of form back then but he's got his stable in good order of late, with 7 winners from their last 35 runners. He's got a wonderful record at this course in the past 5 years, with 35 winners coming from 130 runners, giving him a LSP of +£46. Richard Hills is on board and knows this horse well. He's 5 from 15 at this course in the past 5 years and will hopefully add to that record here. I wouldn't be too keen on him as a jockey but if the horse proves to be good enough, there should be no issue. Sirvino and The Fonz were others I was interested in but I think I'll take one last chance on the lightly-raced and potentially useful Sharaayeen, as he owes me a fortune at this stage! Once again, it's small stakes as the race is a minefield and I'm not bothering with each-way money as the price is nothing special. The horse could be though and I think this will be his chance to shine. He's got the talent and conditions to suit, so hopefully he'll put his best foot forward.

PEACEBROTHER

you beauty pyro
lovely start of the day, i got him at 15/2

sorry 11/2 took the wrong price

SteelyDanJalapeno

Sweet as! free pints for the day, heres hoping that treble comes in!

Soarer

thesandeman wrote: »

Youre gone up against Aidans 5pointer there Xp. You have a better flat record so covering both.
Hope Hugh doesnt arrive with a 3pointer in the morning lol.

Pyro 1 - 0 Aidan.

x PyRo

Cheers men.

---

Back with a couple now. On Saturday, Night Carnation proved her worth with a very impressive win at Sandown. She made the best of her good draw and traveled supremely before being asked to pick up the long-time leader and runner-up. After finding full stride, she reeled in the pacesetter and strolled to a win by just shy of 2 lengths. It was very impressive and whilst it's not a race that would assure her of being competitive at the very top level, I think it's an indication that she'll eventually be able to compete there. The ground was too quick for her and she still did the job with ease, so that's more than encouraging. Softer ground and she'll be interesting in Group 1's over 6f. +13pts from a 2pt bet @ 13/2.

Sooraah ran a very solid race to finishing 3rd of the 17 who lined up in her competitive race. She finished well as usual but just got going that little bit too late and never really had a chance on winning. I don't think things were ideally run to suit her and I'll be interested in her again soon. She's got loads of talent and there's a big handicap in her some day. Plenty of luck will be required to see her win one though. Good effort, just not good enough.

Sharaayeen was the disappointment, as he never really got put into the race. He was well-backed and eventually went off as the 11/2 joint-favourite. A 5 length 8th was all he could muster but he was staying on and that step up in trip looks badly needed. Richard Hills deserves a mention here though, as he wouldn't manage to balance an egg on a spoon, never mind a horse on a track. I know it's easy being an armchair jockey but it's happening time and time again. The horse could of done a lot better and I'm not convinced the ride was in any way good at all. I'll be on again, as this one is a cracking stayer in the making, despite being disappointing of late.

+9.00pts on the day.

3:00 Pontefract - Idealism - 1pt e/w @ 25/1 (Bet365)

This race is full of very disappointing types and whilst Idealism hasn't run well last twice, he could be up to causing a shock at a course where he's run well before. This former John Gosden trained 4 year old cost a princely 100,000gns as a yearling and in his couple of runs for that yard, he wasn't overly exciting, despite looking better second time up. There must have been some problems as he only ran once at 2 and once at 3, before being sold out of the yard for just 5,000gns. I'm not sure why that happened but Micky Hammond has got a well-bred potentially useful middle-distance performer on his hands and I think this mark of 57 will be exploited before too long.

Connections decided to run Idealism in a maiden over 6f on seasonal debut. That was quite a bizarre move and although he was defeated by just over 10 lengths, he ran a good race considering the trip is way too short. Having run in his third maiden, he was now eligible for a handicap mark and was given a rating of 65. He was upped to 1m at this course and ran in a similar contest to what he'll face today. Frederik Tylicki, who's also on board today, settled him towards the rear of the field and had him traveling nicely throughout. The race panned out in favour of the front-runners and Idealism ran best of those held up, although he was 9 lengths behind the easy winner. He was keeping on well at the finish though and now that he's upped to 1m 2f at the same track, a much better effort could be on that cards.

Next time out, Idealism disappointed at Ripon when upped to 1m 4f, which was quite a leap in trip. He pulled too hard for his own good and definitely wasn't suited by the stop-start nature of the race. Once again, the prominent racers came out on top and Micky Hammond's charge ended up a long way behind, although he wasn't given a hard time once bumped a couple of furlongs from home. The fact that he was supported in the market during the day was interesting and I'd imagine he's considered to be a much better horse than what he had shown that day. A few weeks later, Idealism was dropped back to 1m 1f to run in a fairly poor contest at Carlisle. He was weak in the betting and that could of been down to the rain softened ground being against him. He pulled hard and never looked happy on the ground, before eventually tailing off. There was nothing more to give after losing his racing position too easily and as before, the front-runners dominated, although the 20/1 winner was a country mile ahead of the rest.

I think that run can be easily forgiven and the handicapper is giving Idealism plenty of leeway at the moment, as he's now 8lbs lower than that eye-catching run at this course. The fact that he's stood 4 races in as many months speaks volumes for his well-being, as there's bound to be a reason why he only had a couple of runs for Gosden. It's worrying that he was sold for so little money but he should be much better than a 57 rated animal and 25/1 looks too big here. The ground will be ideal, the stiff uphill finish should suit and he's back going left-handed for the first time since lining out here in April. Everything points towards this horse being a lot better than his rating suggests and I think he's worthy of a small each-way bet.

His yard aren't banging in the winners but they're in good form of late. Hammond has a cracking record here and when it's Tylicki on board, the stats are even better. At Pontefract, the pair have had 3 winners, 4 seconds and a third from just 14 runners. Tylicki rides this course brilliantly too and comes down for a couple of rides, the other being a similarly unfancied animal. Adlington would be my idea of the next best bet here and apart from that, there's not a whole pile that stands out. It's a weak race in which anything could happen, so hopefully the outsider of the lot goes on to win. He has ability in there somewhere and this track should suit him perfectly. I'd like to see Idealism race handy, as it often pays to do so here and given that he ran well over a mile from an 8lb higher mark when being held-up in a race favouring those running on the pace, the effort can be marked up. He could be an easy winner or he could be tailed off, but he shouldn't be 25/1.

x PyRo

Frustrating. Idealism fell victim to yet another steady gallop, which just isn't suitable for him. He pulled hard throughout and once popped the question, there was nowhere for him to go. The prominent racers held an advantage and he was waited with, which wasn't ideal either. There's a race in this fellow off his current mark and he's one I'll be following for a while yet. He's got ability and should be a nice price next time out, as a distant 6th of 11 was all he could muster today. Disappointing.

-2.00pts on the day.

3:20 Catterick - Ladies Best - 1pt e/w @ 25/1 (Bet365)

Interesting staying handicap in the offing here and Ladies Best looks capable of getting involved if putting his best foot forward. James Given's 7 year old disappointed last time out on his return to the flat, but that was completely understandable as he tackled the 2m 6f Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race which contained 17 runner and many very useful stayers. This fellow barely went a yard on the unsuitable soft ground and whilst rain could scupper his chances of getting a sound surface here, he has to hold an outside chance of getting involved if ground conditions stay the same (currently GF, Firm in places). He's also very unexposed as a stayer and whilst he didn't get home over that marathon trip last time out, there's enough stamina in his breeding and form in the book to suggest he could excel over this 2 mile trip.

Ladies Best was very useful in the past and represented Sir Michael Stoute, Luca Cumani and Brian Ellison during his time on the flat. He found winning tough after landing the spoils on 2 of his 3 runs as a juvenile (both over a mile), including a useful nursery off a mark of 84. His handicap mark suffered and although success wasn't achieved as a 3 year old, he ran many good races in defeat between 10 & 12 furlongs. He was sold out of Stoute's yard for a princely sum of 210,000gns and was picked up by Luca Cumani. He proved to be disappointing for that yard and only lined out on 6 occasions for them, running well twice. Brian Ellison came along and picked him up for 32,000gns in October of '08. He had one more run that year but it was on unsuitably soft ground and he ran accordingly.

Ellison worked the oracle over the winter as Ladies Best returned with a bang on his 5 year old seasonal debut. Having had a wind-op and being gelded over the winter, this previously disappointing animal ran out a nice winner over Pontefract's stiff 10f. That was off a mark of 92 and he won under a hands-and-heels ride from then 7lb claimer Lance Betts. He ran a few more good race for the Ellison yard but proved to be most disappointing when sent hurdling. They sold him out of the yard for just 2,500gns in May of last year and he continued to run over hurdles for his new trainer, Gordon Edwards. Ladies Best finally won a hurdle race in May of this year but it was a shockingly weak contest. He disappointed next twice and now James Given is taking on the responsibility of trying to find a win for him on his return to the flat.

Ladies Best could be completely off the boil at this stage but he runs here off a mark of 75 and drops into a Class 4 contest for the first time since that handicap win as a juvenile. All of his flat outings have since come at Class 2 or Listed (once) level and this represents a much easier task if he's not completely lost it (could have). Running over hurdles can often help a horse quite a bit and they're usually interesting once they return to the flat. I'll happily pass through this fellows latest run, as the ground, trip and opposition made it an impossible task. He's still lightly-raced as a stayer and should be able to get this sharp 2m trip without problem, assuming his favoured quick ground doesn't turn soft (potential rain a worry). His new trainer, James Given, is a good trainer and capable of getting some nice priced winners. These staying contest can often throw up shock results and this will hopefully be one of them.

The track should suit Ladies Best, even though he's untried here. The first-time visor is interesting and his usual tongue-tie is dispensed of. If it has a positive effect and this animal returns to anything like his old self, a fourth career victory on the flat could await. That's fairly unlikely mind, but 25/1 is a generous price and he has bounced back to form before. Recent yard form isn't inspiring with regards to winners, but they're running well in the main and the trainer/jockey combination of James Given and James Sullivan has Catterick form reading 1-2-2-3. Although that doesn't really matter at all! Sullivan is a good young jockey and rides the course well, so hopefully he'll do so again.

There should be no surprises in the opposition, as they're solid and not much else. Rosewin is deemed a 4/1 shot and despite being in good form of late, looks too high in the weights to warrant that price-tag. Both of Los Nadis' wins on these shores have come at Musselburgh, so I wouldn't be keen to take him at 3/1 here. He's also up 6lbs for winning an amateur riders' race last time out and doesn't appeal to me. Danceintothelight put in a much better performance last time out and looks capable of getting involved. However, he's only won once from 21 attempts on the flat and remains 8lbs higher than that mark, so I'll oppose. Although he could be worthy of a little bet at 10/1. Some of the others are interesting too but Ladies Best could potentially go well. He's well-handicapped on old form, he's well suited to these unorthodox tracks and open to certain improvement over staying distances, despite being a 7 year old. I think a much better run could be in the offing here and he shouldn't be the 25/1 outsider. It's similar to yesterdays selection, as he could tail-off or win this easily, but small each-way stakes will do no harm and hopefully he'll go well. He's not one to be relied on of late, so I won't be surprised if he finishes last. If it doesn't lash down, he could have a squeak.