PyRo's Horse Bets.

Caveman1

Back in business Pyro, 13/2 winner great call

x PyRo

Get in. Thought I was going to get done again but he battled back wonderfully. Lovely, really needed that for confidence. Nice drift too. Woohoo!

Derek!

Nice thanks man and well done to you

3ndahalfof6

been away for a week so missed the action, I see your still rockn nd rolln n1 sir.

mickey1979

Excellent

x PyRo

Cheers for the comments lads, really appreciate it. Hopefully there's some more winners to be found soon.

Having an early one for tomorrow and I'd be surprised if he's this price before the off - even though the trip is a bit of a worry (plus the fact that it's an apprentice race at Southwell; good jockey on board though) and it's the main reason I'm not playing bigger stakes. He's still worth a shot given the price.

12:50 Southwell - Takajan - 2pts @ 14/1 (Bet365)

Back with reasoning in the morning and more bets if I can find any.

x PyRo

Punching got me back to winning ways with an exceptionally game performance at Southwell yesterday. Having been headed a furlong from home when looking tired, he stuck to the task so very gamely to get back up in the final 50 yards and land a 2 point bet at 13/2 in the process. He could still be interesting after a rise in the weights but I doubt I'll be on board again any time soon.

The other selection, Douze Points, was very poor and the writing was on the wall after a few strides. For a horse who has ability, it's a pity to see him so badly out of form. He's very well handicapped if connections can spark a revival but he's one to ignore from now on. The plan to take on the market leaders and back an outsider was a good one, it's just a pity I had the wrong horse! The eventual winner was a horse that I backed numerous times (without success) and he scooted in at 25/1.

+11.00pts on a very welcomed day.

Can't find any more so it's just a single dart for today.

12:50 Southwell - Takajan - 2pts @ 14/1 (Bet365)

Takajan should prove to be a very lively contender in this contest if putting his best foot forward and given how he performed at Wolverhampton last twice (travelled very well last time out; given too much to do but ran on well the time before), there's reason to believe that a return to winning ways isn't too far off. Mark Brisbourne's heavily campaigned 4-year-old looks thoroughly exposed having lined out on 37 occasions throughout his short career but to be fair to him, he's not overly exposed if you just take his fibresand form into account. In a total of 13 outings at Southwell, this fellow has won 3 times and placed on another 4 of his course runs. The wins came off marks of 54, 61 & 65, the last mentioned coming in February of this year (when I backed him!).

Whilst Takajan hasn't been in great form since that win, bar a couple of runs, he now returns to Southwell for the first time in a long time and gets the run off a mark of 60, a full 8lbs lower than the last time he lined out. He's also dropping back into Class 6 company and this is a level he can most certainly compete at (last 2 wins came in C5 H'caps). The worry has to be his ability to see out the 7f trip, as he's predominantly a 6f horse (all wins over that distance) but he had little problem with a mile around here last year (albeit in a maiden & a claimer) and he should be able to see it out.

One of Takajan's most impressive performance was when winning off 1lb higher over 6f here when the course was putting more of an emphasis on stamina and he was never stronger than in the closing stages that day, so the extra furlong could well bring out further improvement (this is only the second time he goes past 6f at Southwell for current connections). The yard are in decent knick and boast a fine record in this sort of race (31-184; 17% strike-rate, +61.38 LSP). His jockey for today, Jack Duern, looks very decent for a claimer lacking in experience and he's 2-6 for the yard (4-27 in apprentice races overall). All going well, this fellow should run a big race and the 14/1 taken last night (10p R4 now) was a very good price. He's still 9's in a place and that's still an acceptable price I feel. Small/medium win stakes for me and hopefully he'll run a big race. If he stays, he'll be there or thereabouts.

x PyRo

Hugh Taylor does it again. :mad:

Don't back Takajan now lads, the jinx card has been played.

x PyRo

Prominent racer reined back as they break and held up after drifting a fair bit in the market. Welcome back Southwell!

His day will come very soon and I intend to be on with a sizable bet. Today just wasn't meant to be the day.

x PyRo

Early one for tomorrow. Back with reasoning either later on or tomorrow.

1:10 Cheltenham - Sound Stage - 1pt @ 16/1 (PaddyPower)

x PyRo

Takajan was well-supported throughout the day (went as low as 5/1 in places; Hugh Taylor related) but he drifted in the market before the off and ran accordingly. His jockey reined him back, to hold him up in rear, straight after they broke away and that's not the best thing to happen with a horse who needs to race prominently. The track is also massively favouring those on the front end and in all likelihood, he just wasn't supposed to have his day. It's coming soon though, and I intend to be on board, hopefully at a nice price. Disappointing effort but the couple of points lost will be coming back, I'm quite sure.

-2.00pts on the day.

A couple of early selections for the jumps action. If I've anything for the all-weather, I'll be posting them in the morning.

1:10 Cheltenham - Sound Stage - 1pt @ 16/1 (PaddyPower)

The last 75 runners that Caroline Keevil has sent out to race have all come back defeated and although that's hardly inspiring at all, if we just concentrate on her chasers, that losing streak drops down to 15. I'm not going to pretend to know much about her at all but it's clear as day that she can train 'em to go over fences, as, from 97 runners in that code, she has managed to get 17 winners and 25 places, which is mightily impressive to say the least.

Today, the unexposed Sound Stage bids to break that long losing run in an amateur riders' chase and he could go very well off a mark of 128. He's a nice jumper and an exceptionally strong traveller when on song, so the likely strong pace is going to suit. He also has course form having won and placed here over fences, the latter when coming a 9-length 2nd to Midnight Chase (then rated 125!) off a 3lb lower mark. He also pulled a long way clear of the rest, just finding the exceptionally talented and progressive course specialist that bit too good.

Keevil's charge performed quite badly on reappearance three weeks ago but that was over hurdles and he was said to look badly in need of the outing. He travelled well for a long time but didn't jump fluently over the smaller obstacles and wasn't given a hard time once it became apparent that he wasn't going to get involved. With that effort being likely to bring him on quite a lot (was carrying an awful lot of condition) and the return to fences being a massive plus for a born chaser, I think he's more than up to running well here.

I know absolutely nothing about the jockey that's on board today but he takes 7lbs off his mounts back and the trainer said he has been working for her at home, so hopefully he's got the know-how to guide this fellow to his third chase victory at the eight attempt (other 5 runs were placed efforts). It's a wide-open contest but the often smooth-travelling Sound Stage looks capable of further improvement in this code and should run a decent race if all goes well. Small win bet for me and hopefully he'll get involved.

---

1:45 Cheltenham - Tanks For That - 2pts @ 9/1 (Ladbrokes, WillHill)

Another tough race to call but Tanks For That looks capable of giving Nicky Henderson his third win in as many years in this 2 mile handicap. This relatively unexposed 8-year-old will have to overcome having not raced since April but he ran his best race first time up last season and could do so again. On that occasion, Henderson's charge only found the impressive Woolcombe Folly too good in what was a very competitive contest at this course over half-a-furlong further.

Whilst Tanks For That will have more on his plate to win from today's 5lb higher mark, it's quite possible that there's still more to come from a horse who surely hasn't reached his peak yet. Overall, he's not exposed in this code, but he's exceptionally unexposed when getting what I'd consider to be his ideal race conditions. With a truly run 2 miles at a track like this being right up his street, he could yet have a win in him off his current rating of 140 and today may just be the day he does that if being fresh brings out the best in him again. Ground conditions are also spot on.

Nicky Henderson's yard are going great guns of late with a total of 8 winners from 22 runners in the past fortnight and although he has some very talented animals that should be winning their races, it's always good to see a yard being in such rude health. Henderson runs another animal in this race, but he looks weighted to the hilt and Barry Geraghty fancies being on board Tanks For That, which is another positive sign. He has only been on board for 4 of the horses chase outings, 2 of which ended up in placed efforts. Hopefully the pair can go even better here today and 9/1 looks like a decent price about that happening. Crack Away Jack could rout the field if Nicholls works his magic with the formerly high-class hurdler but 7/2 isn't a price I'd take about him given his recent profile. Henderson said he's hopeful of his charge running very well again and small/medium win stakes will do me in a tricky contest.

x PyRo

This might explain why Sound Stage was so poor last time out (along with needing it).

Trainer wrote:

Poor Sound Stage was held up on the way to Aintree by a crash on the M6. The journey took 6½ hours and although he is a good traveller, the extended journey, plus not having enough time to recover from the journey before his race, meant he ran no race at all. Luckily he was unscathed and is back bouncing again already.

bradlente

Sound Stage non runner

FOXFISH1

Bettingzone also on tanks for that today:
http://www.bettingzone.co.uk/racing/betting/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=betting/11/11/10/manual_174155.html&BID=3714

x PyRo

Tanks very much for that. Get in.

applehunter

Jumping won it for him.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Pyro cracks the NH

stek

Just got in too late for thanks for that, well done whoever was on it!
Fancy anything else in cheltenham today?
Thanks

Derek!

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Pyro cracks the NH

I dont think Pyro would mind me sayin I told you so on this occasion

kenco

x PyRo wrote: »

Tanks very much for that. Get in.

Top man! just saw this over lunch and thought 'sure why not' it's Friday!!!!

Cheers!

x PyRo

Cheers Kenco, makes a good change to recent NH fortunes!

applehunter wrote: »

Jumping won it for him.

Spot on, thought he was electric over them. Makes a nice change as I usually pick nice travellers who end up jumping awfully! He also travelled supremely though and the speed they were going ruined the chances of numerous runners.

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Pyro cracks the NH

Derek! wrote: »

I dont think Pyro would mind me sayin I told you so on this occasion

Cheers lads but there's a hell of a long way to go! I just managed to get one dart to land in the right spot. Need numerous more to follow before I'll be happy!

stek wrote: »

Just got in too late for thanks for that, well done whoever was on it!
Fancy anything else in cheltenham today?
Thanks

Cheers Stek. Can't find anything else today at all. They're all races I'd prefer to avoid and I think it's best to do so. The all-weather stuff is similarly poor for punting on today. I'm happy enough to walk away now!

FOXFISH1

x PyRo wrote: »

Cheers lads but there's a hell of a long way to go! I just managed to get one dart to land in the right spot. Need numerous more to follow before I'll be happy!!

You been peppering the '25' ...nice to get a few bullseyes!
...great picking Pyro!

x PyRo

Tanks For That provided me with a more than welcome National Hunt winner when scoring nicely at Cheltenham yesterday, once again showing his ability to run so well when fresh. Nicky Henderson's well-backed 8-year-old cruised throughout, jumped wonderfully in the main and asserted his authority with a supreme leap at the final fence. The rise in the weights that he'll face will be enough to make me leave him alone for a while but it was a great performance from him and he landed a 2pt bet at 9/1 for me in the process. Happy out!

+18.00pts on the day.

1:55 Cheltenham
Galaxy Rock - 1.50pts @ 8/1 (WillHill)
Hennessy - 1.50pts @ 11/1 (Boylesports)

I rarely bother doing this but I'm going to side with a couple here in this 3m 3½f Chase. Galaxy Rock is the first one of interest, as he looks to be open to plenty of improvement over fences and Jonjo O'Neill's 7-year-old should be up to eventually defying a mark of 135 in this code (hopefully today) - although he is 11lbs higher than when last seen over fences. The rise in the weights is as a result of scoring by an easy 14 lengths over a furlong further at this track and despite the fact that it wasn't a brilliant race, it showcased the horses ability to perform so effectively over this sort of distance.

With ground conditions to suit, race fitness being improved by a recent outing over hurdles (shaped encouragingly) and improvement to come on what is just start number seven over fences, O'Neill's charge looks sure to run a good race under Tony McCoy (who won his last 3 chase starts on board this fellow). 8/1 is a decent price about a horse who surely has more to give this game and I'll play small win stakes on him doing the business.

The Ferdy Murphy trained Hennessy is very interesting, as despite the fact that he's nearly an 11-year-old at this stage, he remains a very lightly-raced performer over fences. He was out of action for 2½ years before making an eye-catching reappearance on his first start for this yard at Kelso nearly a month ago and with that race being completely unsatisfactory for him, I feel it was a performance that showed he still retained plenty of his old abilities.

Murphy's runners also seemed to be in dire need of their outings (yard going much better now) and his trainer reported that he hadn't even galloped him before his debut, so an improvement in race-fitness is pretty much assured. A mark of 125 is not insurmountable at all for this previous Grade 3 winner and he should get a race run to suit here. The main worry is that he may be in need of further than this trip to win a race of this nature but at a price-tag of 11/1, I'll have a small win bet on him. He's very talented if it all comes together and there's a chance it could today.

---

2:35 Cheltenham - The Giant Bolster - 2pts @ 12/1 (Bet365, Gen)

Backing horses with obvious jumping flaws isn't a great idea and The Giant Bolster certainly fits into that category, as David Bridgewater's 6-year-old chaser hasn't managed to complete on 3 of his 5 career starts over fences to date. However, he won impressively on both occasions when he did get around and with another summer under his belt, those jumping issues will hopefully be ironed out. Whether they are or not is another thing but his trainer says he's a better horse this year, physically stronger and also exceptionally well in himself at the moment.

As a result of the highly-rated top-weight in this race, The Giant Bolster gets to line up under a lovely racing weight of 10-2 in this 20-runner handicap and he's part of the group who aren't running outside the handicap, which is a help. A rating of 146 will have to be defied in order for him to win this race but I'm sure that he's capable of being much better once he learns to jump properly. One of the times he managed to complete over fences was when winning off top-weight (rated 140) over a half-furlong further at this track in a novices' handicap and given that the ground was bound to be softer than is ideal for him (although he handles a bit of give), I suspect that performance is much better than the bare figures.

The Giant Bolster should be ideally suited by the decent ground today and if his jumping comes together, 12/1 will look like a big price after the race I'm sure. He's got a brilliant engine, travels well and stays all day, so this test should be right up his street. He comes here race-fit after a very satisfactory reappearance in first-time cheekpieces over hurdles at Chepstow and they're on again here (may well help keep his mind on jumping correctly). It really is an awful race to get to grips with but I'm more than happy to take on the short-priced favourite and David Bridgewater's charge could prove to be the right one to oppose him with. Small/medium win stakes and hopefully he'll go well. If he jumps well, he'll be there or thereabouts at the finish. If he makes his now customary mistakes, he'll probably fall or unseat, again. It's a massive risk, but one worth taking.

thesandeman

On TGB myself Ante-Post. His trainer said somewhere that he has had a 'horse whisperer' working with him on his jumping and he is jumping very well over sticks at home so fingers crossed ;-)

x PyRo

Best of luck Sandy.

Found one more for the all-weather. Keeping it brief.

2:50 Lingfield - Five Star Junior - 2pts @ 12/1 (Bet365, Ladbrokes)

Five Star Junior has work to do on official ratings with plenty of the field but he comes here on the back of a cracking effort when last seen running at Dundalk in Ireland a couple of weeks ago. He was exceptionally well-backed before the off, moving from 6/1 into 11/4 in the final ten minutes of betting but the money went astray as he could only manage a half-length 3rd of 14. I feel the effort can be market up significantly given how much ground he had to make up in the closing stages (seemed hard to get into it from off the pace) and the return to this track should be more in his favour.

Over C&D, Linda Stubbs' charge has won 3 times from 8 outings with a further 3 of those efforts ending in places. He loves it around here and the trainers' husband reported that he's "in A1 condition and seems in the same form as he was before he went to Ireland where he ran a cracker" and that "we would be disappointed if he didn't run well". Five Star Junior could also come on for that run, as it was on the back of a near 2 month lay-off. Regardless, that run rates as a career-best effort for this speedy 5-year-old and with plenty being in his favour at this track, he looks worth chancing despite the fact the he's up in grade to tackle a Listed class contest for the first time since finishing a 1¼ length 4th of 10 at this track over 5f (he's definitely a 6f horse at this sort of track). Shane Kelly rides and gets on well with the horse, so a small/medium win bet will do no harm.

x PyRo

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Went off 9/1 and all. Get in.

cup of tea

Good call xpyro, fantastic run from Galaxy Rock.Fancied him all day long from 2 out.

Brendygg

Galaxy wins by a long way! fair play!

thesandeman

Lookin like you might have cracked the jumps alright Pyro ;-)

SteelyDanJalapeno

What a dude