Wednesday post mortem

tiedcottage

Well, a great day to be Irish, so congrats to the Moscow fans over the water. He's a worthy champion.

My only sorrow in the race is that, as an Az follower I could see he was beaten after two fences, never travelling at all. It's a shame that we never saw the real Az, even if he would have struggled to win anyway. Well Chief ran well, but Moscow was toying with him and his ability only to run one way beat him. I just hope MF and Az meet at Punch as L'Pool will be too soon for Az and 2½ beyond his compass.

Some of my friends have already said Moscow only has to turn up next year to win a third title. He can beat WC six days a week and twice on Sunday. Contraband may have won the Arkle, but that was a pretty mediocre renewal. Azertyuiop is better than that, but he'll be 9 next year and not open to any improvement at all now. For me, his only danger in 2006 is Kauto Star, who like WC this year will be only six and is some horse and certainly better than anything that ran in the Arkle.

Indeed, WC would probably step up in trip were it not for the fact that DJ and MP have Celestial Gold, Our Vic and Comply or Die earmarked for the longer races already.

As for the rest of the day, my day was no better. I fancied No Refuge each way but didn't put my money where my mouth was, preferring Pole Star who was out of the money, was on Dancing Bay in the Coral Cup and Lord of the River in the Kim Muir (which I should have done each way, but there you go). Didn't do anything in the bumper, but the winner was impressive and hopefully ends a run of a few ordinary bumper winners in recent times. Great shame for Nina Carberry, who with the running of the runner up, had the winning of the event. As for the Sun Alliance, as I feared the rain came too late for Cornish Rebel, leaving Trabolgan to win a very ordinary renewal by default int he absence of so many novices, including Jazz d'Estruval, who slaughtered him at Haydock.

As for tomorrow, a quiet day for me. Got Inglis Drever E/W for the contest at 33-1 early in the year and, having sweated over the possibility of him running in the Champion, am glad Royal Rosa's inuury allowed Wylie and Johnson to go for the correct race. Baracouda should win and, as he has been as dominant over all hurdlers of any distance recently as Moscow over fences, it would be great to see him win the third title he already should have had even before last year after the Foot and Mouth tragedy.

I like the look of Your a Gassman in the National Hunt Chase, but whether he'll stay is open to question. I'm on Thisthatandtother for the Telegraph Chase and haven't looked at the 2½m novice chase, will do so tomorrow when more clued in about the ground. Glad the rain came as it means Grey Abbey may now run in the race and give us a proper run race which, in his absence, was doubtful.

tiedcottage

Well, Thisthatandtother and Inglis Drever have done it for me. I'll be up for the meeting now no matter what. I can watch Your a Gassman with ease now. Glad I didn't plunge in the Mildmay, Scots Grey out of the money and Iznogoud ran a stinker.

I'm off to reacquiant myself with handy beverage.

CiaranC

Its not over yet, heres a stream to watch the rest of the action

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia-live/yb/6688/1_yb-024_040601.asx

tiedcottage

OK Ciaran I saw the rest on Racing UK. Just couldn't care less what happened. I'm even not bothered about Quazar beign stopped in his tracks in the four horse pile up at the fourth last in the opener, the next two races sorted me out.