With the weather affecting the racing in a big way at the moment we have plenty of time to catch up on the past few days action.
There were two bets on Friday and two bets on Saturday.
First up on Friday was Noble Citizen, 1pt e/w @ 14/1.
This horse has been running well recently without winning and continues to work well at home. He didn't get a clear run last time out and was fancied to run a decent race despite his wide draw.
He was held up and travelled wide throughout and ran ok without ever looking like winning.
He will win a race at some point but might need a slight drop in the weights before doing so.
Second up was another disappointing run.
Mavalenta, 3pt win @ 4/1 is going to the sales on Thursday and connections were desperate to get a win into her to boost her value.
She travelled well enough but when push came to shove with a couple of furlongs to go found little. A poor run.
On to Saturday which was much better.
First up was Sarde, 3pt win @ 9/2.
Kim Bailey has his horses in superb form right now and connections were pleased with the 5lb rise in the weights after her earlier win.
She travelled well throughout, racing on the inside. She made steady ground on the leaders and went into 3rd place with three to jump. She stayed on well under a good ride to lead on the run in. A brave and much needed win.
Secondly we had another runner from the Kim Bailey yard.
Regal Approach, 1.5pt e/w @ 11/1 desperately needed his first run of the season. An improved run was expected today.
This one travelled well throughout and always looked to be going best in running.
He led with a couple to jump and traded very short in running as the rest of the field started to all look like the race was in slow motion in the desperate ground!
In The Zone made up a bit of ground though and jumped into the lead over the last.
Under another great ride though, Regal Approach rallied and regained the lead inside the last half furlong.
Two great rides from brave horses giving us a superb Saturday.
We are now back to 17 points or so in profit and look certain to end November in profit after a very poor October.
We have a few to look forward to this week, including a couple from Saturday's hero Kim Bailey.
This weeks racing does look like it will be seriously affected by the weather though but we are also waiting for news of a 'Christmas money plot horse' on the all weather.
Here's hoping the improved run of form continues to keep us all warm in what looks like being an Arctic feeling week or two!
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
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One account bet for us today; a very unlucky one.
Douryna, 3pt win @ 4/1 isn't the fastest of animals but has been working well recently and was fancied to go very well in this race with a decent round of jumping.
She was well supported all day and sat prominently throughout the race.
She lacked a bit of toe with half a mile to go but stayed on very well and was about half a length behind the leader when she fell at the last.
Would she have won or would she have finished second? We will never know.
She was trading around 1.7 on Betfair when she fell but that doesn't tell us much either way and in truth it doesn't matter because she fell!
So, we are still waiting for a change of luck but it will come soon.
There may be a bet tomorrow. We will wait and see what the weather brings if nothing else.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
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Second, lame, second, second has been the run of our last four account bets!
On Friday we backed Arrayan, 4pt win @ 7/4.
This one has improved for the switch in scenery and was given a fairly easy time on his first run for the yard. He was thought to be well handicapped.
Well backed, he was always travelling well and traded long odds on in running.
However, when asked to go after the leader and put the race to be he put in a couple of poor jumps and lost all momentum. He plugged on ok but could only manage second.
On Saturday we had two account bets.
Paquet Cadeau, 2pt win @ 5/1 was another one who was expected to put up an improved performance as lots of things weren't in his favour last time out.
He got the early lead we were hoping for and was travelling very well until hitting the 6th hurdle. From there he went lame and was eased home.
We also backed Summit Surge, 3pt win @ 7/4.
There was a bundle of money for this one before the off, seeing him go off the 5/4 favourite.
Of the three horses that finished second in our last four bets this is the only one we could really claim to be unlucky.
He was travelling well throughout the race but Fallon got him in a poor position on the bend and he was shuffled back. When he did get some daylight the winner was gone and although he made up some decent ground he was never going to catch the winner by this stage and wasn't given too hard a time.
Summit Surge will now go to Sha Tin and shouldn't be ruled out based on this result.
On Sunday we had another second placed runner.
Fine Parchment, 3pt win @ 7/2 is a runner in fine form at home and was hoping to get an early lead.
Another of our selections to be well supported he went off the 9/4 favourite.
He didn't get the early lead he wanted but travelled well enough throughout the race.
He was driven along to chase the leader with a couple to jump but always looked held and could only manage second.
A disappointing few days but all three of our second placed bets were very well supported and ran well. Its only a matter of time before the racing gods are smiling on us again and these second places are turned into winners.
There will probably be an account bet today but not certain at this stage.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
http://www.simplebet.net/
One account bet for us today.
Avertor, 3pt win @ 5/1 works alongside much better horses at home but has been a constant frustration to connections of Roger Charlton's yard all season.
He showed a bit more on the track when finishing well over 6 furlongs last time out and the step up in trip was expected to be an advantage.
The plan was to drop him in and pick them off late.
He was certainly dropped in but failed to find anything and although trapped behind a wall of horses was never likely to win at any stage.
Its probable they will try some kind of headgear with this one next as he would pick up the kind of horses he is racing against and carry them on his homework but he just fails to do it on the track.
Either way, we will probably let him run without any of our money on him until he wins another race.
A couple of bets lined up, including a decent sized bet planned for Saturday.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
http://www.simplebet.net/
A quick catch up on where we have been at over the weekend.
We had one bet on Saturday and one bet on Sunday. A 1 point loss over the weekend.
Saturday's bet was American World 1pt e/w @ 28/1.
This horse has had a win operation and desperately needed his last run.
If the wind operation had worked as required he may well have caused a bit of a surprise.
Basically, it didn't appear to as the horse didn't really show.
A speculative bet but one that may have been worthwhile and not too much damage done overall.
On Sunday we backed Manyriverstocross, 2pt e/w @ 6/1.
This horse has a decent season last year which is more than can be said for Alan King's stable overall. He was unlucky in running a couple of times and was thought to be well handicapped with connections choosing this race instead of the November handicap last week.
He travelled pretty well throughout but ran into a decent one in the shape of Menorah.
Manyriverstocross managed to finish 3rd and get us the place money but was never travelling as well as the winner.
Menorah has to be a decent price at 12/1 for the Champion Hurdle, given how well he was travelling on a track that clearly suits him.
We have a couple lined up for the week ahead and the weather looks to be relatively settled.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
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One account bet for us today, a winning one.
Midnight Haze, 3pt win @ 7/2 always runs well fresh and although he was on his highest mark of his career, was fancied to continue improving.
He has been putting in some great work at home and any further rain would only have been a bonus.
Like the majority of our selections this month he was well supported and went off at 9/4.
He led from the start and in all honesty never looked like getting beaten.
He had to be put right at a couple of fences but won by a fairly easy 5 lengths, having most of the field hard at work for the last half a mile.
He will improve for the run and may well go in again next time out.
We have only had 4 bets so far in November but all have run fairly well.
Hopefully this will continue as the awful October is still fresh in our memory.
Some good racing tomorrow with the start of the 3 day Cheltenham meeting.
It doesn't look a great card to bet on but as always we will know more in the morning.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
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Some awful ground and conditions but we had one small account bet.
Croan Rock, 1.5pt e/w @ 12/1 (sent out at 14/1 but that only lasted 10 minutes) was a very interesting runner today.
An expensive purchase after a win in a point to point in Ireland he was expected to be suited by the very soft going.
The plan was to use his stamina to come from off the pace.
He was very well supported, right down to 6/1 by th off time.
Come race time there was very little early pace and our selection was a bit too keen, running right up with the pace.
He took second place with three to jump and looked to be set for the place money at the very least.
However, he tired badly from there and could only manage 6th place despite still being in with a shout of 3rd when jumping the last.
Some great racing to look forward to towards the end of the week.
We have a few lined up although some more horrendous weather is forecast on Thursday so we will play things by ear.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
http://www.simplebet.net/
One account bet for us today, a much better run.
Iver Bridge Lad, 1pt e/w @ 20/1 ran a great race for us when an account bet last month when nabbed on the line at 10/1.
He needs some give in the ground and 7 furlongs and although the ground could have been softer, he was fancied to be at least placed by connections today.
He went off a 16/1 chance and tracked the pace on the outside of the pack.
He was switched to the outside with around 3 furlongs to run and came with a sustained run to take the lead with around 300 yards to go.
Near the line he was worn down and could only manage 4th, beaten a short head, a head and a neck.
A great run and one that looked like a winning run for a long time.
Some great racing tonight with the Breeders Cup meeting.
We won't be having any financial interest in the card but will watch the races all the same. Good luck to anyone who is playing tonight though.
Unlikely there will be an account bet tomorrow but we will know more in the morning.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
http://www.simplebet.net/
One account bet for us today. A decent run but not a winner.
Galpin Junior, 3pt win @ 2/1 (B.O.G. returned 11/4) had been an unlucky loser when an account bet for us a couple of runs back.
He has since switched yards and settled in well.
Our selection drifted to 11/4 at the off and this was mainly due to support for a couple of the bigger priced runners in the race.
He broke on terms but was pushed along inside the first furlong, which isn't too rare considering his style of running.
He started to get on terms with a furlong or so to go and was switched from the rails into the middle of the track.
He looked to be getting up inside the final furlong and traded very short odds on but failed to get up with George Baker's Avonvalley holding on by half a length.
A decent run but not a winning run unfortunately.
Lots to look forward to this month as the flat season comes to a close on Saturday and the NH season gets underway properly.
There may well be an account bet tomorrow as there are one or two interesting runners. We won't be sure until we have made a call or two in the morning though.
Thanks for reading
SimpleBet
http://www.simplebet.net/