PyRo's Horse Bets.

x PyRo

I'll forever refer to him as that if he falls/unseats again on Saturday! Has the potential to be so much better than his rating though, just needs to show it on the track.

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No luck yesterday. First up was Bravo King and although there was a bit of money for him in the last few minutes, he ran a very disappointing race. Whether he hated the surface or not is beyond me but he was beaten by halfway despite getting into the lead from his wide draw. I thought he'd do a lot better than that but he'll remain one of interest for a little while yet.

Ezra Church was very strong in the market, eventually going off as a 7/2 shot (from 6's). However, he didn't go a yard from his nice sit in behind the leaders and maybe it was something to do with the kickback (which was said to be quite severe), as he just never looked happy in the run. It was a massively disappointing effort but he's definitely a horse to follow over the winter and the lost stakes will be returning before too long, of that I'm sure.

-5.00pts on the day.

Keeping things really brief still.

2:45 Lingfield - Ride The Wind - 2pts @ 8/1 (Bet365, Ladbrokes, VC)

Quite a competitive handicap for the grade but Ride The Wind looks worthy of taking a chance on if ignoring her most recent effort when last seen a couple of months ago. A combination of racing too freely and without cover on the wide outside (due to poor draw) probably did for her chances when sent off as the 3/1 favourite over just shy of today's 1m 2f trip at Wolverhampton. Going back to the effort produced on her penultimate start over the same C&D would see her in with a huge chance, as Chris Wall's lightly-raced 3-year-old filly was narrowly denied by a short-head when gambled on in a similarly competitive 12-runner race.

It wasn't a race run to suit Ride The Wind though and I feel the effort is fully deserving of being upgraded, so she shouldn't have an issue with eventually defying today's 3lb higher mark. Chris Catlin hops on board for the first time and although I'm not a fan, he does well when riding for this stable. The horse looks the type to be suited to how this will pan out if Catlin makes use of a decent sit in stall 7 and overall, 8/1 is a nice price about her. It's a tough race to call, so it's just small/medium win stakes for me again. She's definitely one to keep an eye on and will hopefully be readied first time up after a short break. Market support for Mister Green (8/1) would be interesting and if it materializes, he could potentially rout this field. The David Flood/Tony Culhane combination is enough to put me off but he'd be my second choice otherwise.

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3:15 Lingfield - Nice Style - 1pt @ 12/1 (Boylesports, Ladbrokes)

Nice Style probably won't get a race run to suit here but he did win a slowly run C&D handicap in January of this year off his current rating of 94 and should be able to get involved with a bit of luck mid-race. Jeremy Gask's 6-year-old gelding performed quite well when running in a Listed contest (4¾-length 5th of 9) over C&D little under a couple of weeks ago and that was also a slowly run affair in which he wasn't best positioned when it turned into a sprint for home. This race should be easier for him to get involved in and with Tom Queally booked for a rare ride for the Gask yard (2-3-10 on all-weather), I'll take small punt on the horse getting his head in-front again. He's very talented on his day and with a bit of luck, he should have some sort of chance as they fly for home in the straight. 12/1 is too big but it's not big enough to justify much more than a minimal stake.

x PyRo

No luck yesterday. Ride The Wind was very easy to back before the off and although she was still going well enough coming into the concluding stages, she got shuffled back towards the rear and that was that. I doubt it was the intended day anyway and she's one to keep an eye on over the winter, as she'll be winning a minor event before too long.

Nice Style sat a lot more forward than I thought he would but despite being nicely positioned in a slowly run race, he just couldn't quicken when he needed to in order to win. He faded out of it after they turned for home and I'd say he was another who will be doing a lot better on another day. Regardless of this disappointing effort, he should pop up sometime over the winter but could do with some leniency from the handicapper.

-3.00pts on the day.

Can only find two exceptionally risky ones for today. Can't wait for some better racing.

2:45 Newbury - Vino Griego - 2pts @ 11/1 (Bet365)

I rarely manage to catch the Gary Moore yard right but Vino Griego looks to be worth taking a chance on, in what is a fairly competitive handicap chase. This 6-year-old gelding is as frustrating an animal as you're likely to come across, mainly down to the fact that he possesses plenty of ability but doesn't seem to put it all in when the going gets tough. However, as a result of not winning some races that he should have, he's attractively handicapped off a mark of 133 and may be able to give his best when carrying bigger weights against inferior rivals - like he does today.

Vino Griego comes here on the back of a seasonal reappearance in which he was seen contesting a very hot novices' contest at Cheltenham nearly two weeks ago (sent off 66/1). Whilst he didn't show a lot and was beaten a long way (wasn't given a hard time), he should come on significantly for having had the run (has needed it in the past) and this race is certainly more his level. Connections decide to reapply blinkers today and he only wore them once before - when contesting the Listed Centenary Novices' Chase at the festival in March off today's mark.

Vino Griego traveled like the best horse in the race by a long way (despite being a bit keen throughout) but faded badly after jumping the last when still in the lead and could only manage a 6-length 4th of 20 in the end. That's typical of what usually happens him when he has a race at his mercy but there'll come a day when he puts it all in and when that happens, he'll blow his current rating out of the water. He's still unexposed over fences having lined up on just 7 occasions and not all of those races were run in ideal conditions for him. His jumping isn't great at times but he has a fantastic engine and should make a bold bid today if it's all systems go. Track, trip and ground are no problem to him at all - the only worries are whether he jumps around nicely and finds for pressure when the tempo increases. If he does exactly that, 11/1 is a massive price but due to the obvious risks involved in backing him, it's only a small/medium win stakes bet for me.

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5:10 Kempton - Valdan - 1pt @ 8/1 (Ladbrokes)

Quite an awful race in prospect but the favourite is vulnerable and Valdan could well be the one to take advantage if he's on song again. This thoroughly exposed performer recently rejoined his old trainer David Evans and ran a cracker on his fibresand debut when finishing in 5th place, just 3½-length behind the winner (would have finished closer with clear run earlier in the straight). That was a significant step up on anything that he was showing previously and although he's a very risky betting proposition, he has absolutely no problems with being returned to this polytrack surface.

In fact, Valdan has run quite well on all four occasions when he has run over 1m 2f+ at this track and all of those outings came off much higher marks. He's obviously not the force of old and is on a very long losing streak but he's running off a mark of 49 with the very capable Matthew Cosham taking off a further 5lbs to make him look exceptionally well-handicapped if rediscovering his old sparkle (ran well off 10lbs higher in June). The race is also likely to be run to suit and overall, there's plenty of cause for optimism if he gets a bit of luck mid-run. 8/1 is a decent price about him but it's yet another very risky selection and minimal win stakes are all I can play.

markc91

Absolute Gent

x PyRo

Valdan saves the day after Vino Griego being badly hampered and unseating earlier on. Get in!

FOXFISH1

Go on ya good thing!!!

Leeg17

Well done

Derek!

Sound man! now to search all my accounts and see were I backed it

mike65

What's your return for levels stakes this month?

x PyRo

mike65 wrote: »

What's your return for levels stakes this month?

+17.5pts to 1pt levels (+40.7% yield). +26pts to advised (+28.9% yield).

Thinking of what could have been if some of the 11 places won but can't complain. It's going well.

slaneylad

cheers pyro was late checking the site, put 20 on valdan at 9/2 got the better 6/1 very happy. it was ontop of my 10er treble which was bishopsfurze, supreme builder and zaidpour, €475 for my 10er

MyStubbleItches

Beauty. Well done lad.

bradlente

Would it be worth your while to back a few more at ew Pyro?Just wondering as you're getting plenty of places too.I suppose the extra points eat away at your profit margin if they end up being duds.

Nice one again today,Yer in some form considering the season isn't your "specialty".

or isn't it.....:pac:

x PyRo

Nah, each-way punting isn't my thing unless I'm really, really confident that they'll place. I like to go for the all-or-nothing sort of horses, so I'll just stick all on the nose instead of splitting stakes in half and going each-way.

Cheers for all the comments lads.

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A good day at the office - although it would have been nice to see how Vino Griego got on if he had the chance to get competitive, as he was hampered at the second fence and unseated his rider having made a costly blunder as a result. Disappointing but Gary Moore's charge remains one that I'll be very interested in for a while, as he certainly hasn't given his best over fences yet and there's a nice race in him before too long.

Valdan went on to score at Kempton later in the day, despite the fact that the race wasn't really run to suit. David Evans' charge traveled very well (as he so often does) before knuckling down to challenge in the straight and eventually got the better of the runner-up before asserting in the closing stages. That was the first time he won a race in well over 2 years and he could well be up to landing another before too long and I might be interested again.

+6.00pts on the day.

3 today but again it's hard to find anything to be overly confident about, so I'd be delighted if one could oblige.

2:10 Newbury - Arctic Ben - 1pt @ 12/1 (Ladbrokes)

The top two in the market look to be lively contenders here but Arctic Ben, despite being a disappointment since winning a bumper on his racecourse debut, is still an animal with more than enough ability to win a race like this and a mark of 108 is certainly exploitable. Henry Daly's 7-year-old chaser can often throw his chances away by pulling much too hard in the early stages and that happened again on his seasonal debut a few weeks ago when sent off as an 11/8 shot in a 5-runner maiden contest.

Arctic Ben jumped markedly left (not for the first time) in that race, obviously not helping his chances either, and given the fact that it was on a right-handed course, he should be a lot more comfortable in the jumping department going back this way around. I also don't think that the very stiff nature Towcester track suited him and running around the plains of Newbury will be much more to his liking, plus he has one of the best jockeys in Richard Johnson on board again.

Arctic Ben ran a good race over 2f shorter here when putting in his best performance over hurdles in March of 2010 and if he's going to win a race over fences this season I suspect that it'll be at a track like this. Race fitness should be improved for that recent outing (yard rarely have them at it first time up) and he looks like a decent outside bet in this relatively competitive race, as he's still unexposed as a chaser and certainly hasn't given his best just yet. His chance could be ruined before he even goes to post though and for that reason I'll just have a minimal win bet.

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2:45 Newbury - Sivola De Sivola - 2pts @ 6/1 (Boyles, Ladbrokes, Powers)

Another tough contest in which it's hard to be confident about anything but Sivola De Sivola is an unexposed, improving horse who could well have oceans of improvement in him on what is his first start over this 3m ½f trip (never went beyond 2m 5f). Tom George's 5-year-old grey has only lined out to race on 6 occasions but he has been steadily progressive and ran a career-best when finishing a 13-length 5th of 10 in a Grade 2 contest over 2m 5f at Cheltenham last time out. As a result, the handicapper has put him up 6lbs but that doesn't come into effect until tomorrow and he's officially 6lbs well in at the weights here.

Sivola De Sivola may have finished quite a way behind the winner last time out but it doesn't tell the whole story, as he was last as they turned for home having lost his position behind the leaders before 2 out. He then stayed on stoutly past beaten rivals up the hill and shaped as if he would be a much better performer if given the chance to race over further (gave that impression a couple of times before). Tom George gives him exactly that today and I think it'll suit the horse to no end. The track should also suit a lot more than Cheltenham did and he's certainly one of the more likely types in this contest. It's a tough race for one to get to the bottom of and as a result I'm just playing small/medium win stakes. I'm 100% sure that he has a lot more to give over this sort of trip though and he's bound to give it a good shot if all is well.

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4:00 Wolverhampton - Riflessione - 2pts @ 10/1 (Ladbrokes)

Riflessione could only manage to finish in mid-division when last seen at this track a few weeks ago but that came over 6f (over which he shaped well for a long time) and the drop back to 5f that he faces today will be right up his street. Previous to running good (yet unspectacular) races last twice, Ron Harris' thoroughly exposed 5-year-old gelding won back to back races for the first time ever (albeit poor ones), including over this C&D. That ended a long spell in the doldrums for this previously consistent performer but he's in much better form nowadays and looks worthy of taking a chance on again.

In the first of the two wins, Riflessione landed very strong support (7's into 4's) to score in the dying stages of the race off an 11lb lower mark than that of which he faces today. It was the second of those wins, over 6f at Southwell, that has me interested in him again as under a 6lb penalty with today's jockey Luke Morris on board, this game animal scooted in to score readily in the end. That was quite a nothing contest really but he won very well and shaped as if he was bouncing back to something like his best. With a visor back on (replaced with blinkers last time out), he looks up to running another big race from an ideal pitch in stall 1 and 10/1 is a decent price about him. It's another tricky contest but one that he can win (has went close off higher marks here) and I'll play small/medium win stakes in the hope that he can do the business.

kryogen

Just had a look at your last selection and he is already cut to 11/2!!!

cut in half almost

x PyRo

Sivola De Sivola sluiced in.

ryaner777

How far lad ? nice one again !

hawaii501

It looks as if you have finally cracked it, hopefully the winners keep coming.

Cheers:D:D:D

el_greco

Pyro, you are a legend!

jkelly85

Well done again.....a true legend

budgemook

Dancer. Right in time for the weekend

Stples

Fair play Pyro.

Wasnt going to the pub after work. Am now.:D

x PyRo

Cheers for all the comments lads, he did it very, very nicely in the end. It's going well and there should be plenty to come now that I'm avoiding complete donkeys - although a losing streak is around the corner surely.

Happy out anyway and my pocket is even happier!

MyStubbleItches

Sweet, makes for a good weekend. Thank you Lord Pyro.

bradlente

Solid as a rock!

Leeg17

Cheers for the tips Pyro, keep them coming

Saw the recent posts and got hoping that it'd be Arctic Ben @ 10/1, but I'll take 6/1 any day good sir

Now, for Rifflesione to finish off a nice day, don't know what the SP odds are atm.

x PyRo

Would love to know what Luke Morris was smoking before he hopped up on Riflessione. Very bizarre performance. Broke faster than anything into a lovely prominent position (as I had hoped he would), then seemed to be reined back and lost numerous positions as a result - ended up right out the back before flying home late on into 3rd.

Maybe it was the horses fault, will have to see it again a few times. Could have won or went much closer at the very least if it wasn't for losing his position. He's one for again for sure, it's just hard to know what Harris is doing with them most of the time.

Oh well, 'twas a good day.

Derek!

Once again thank you very much I dont know how you do it but keep up the good work.

FOXFISH1

PyRo you little dancer! ....great work!!!

LANOOCHUDLE

the bookie basher strikes again,well done pyro.

If I was PaddyPower, Mr Ladbrokes or similar I'd want you on board dude, I'd be taking very little on any horse you fancy and I'd price them accordingly