Good Morning

There are 5 UK meetings today and a couple in Ireland.

We have no less than 8 horses in the Tracker for today, many of them "crying out" to be tipped.

However, having had a real battle between heart (that says treat it as a normal day) and head (that keeps looking at extremes of Going and conditions); and taking in to account basic common sense, I have decided to abstain; so there will be NO SELECTIONS today nor tomorrow 

The weather forecasters are unanimous in their predictions that today will be the hottest possibly on record, stifling heat and humidity and the risk of a few thundery showers. They have just released a "severe weather warning" for tomorrow which covers every Course racing in the UK tomorrow; with the possible exception of Chepstow, with a prediction of very high risk of damaging rain, hail, thunder and possible flash flooding; and stifling heat prior to that. 

I don't think it would be sensible or prudent to be trying to analyse and find winners under those circumstances, not so much balmy as barmy. I know that this is a tipping service, but we have to be professional; sensible and prudent with your planned investments, and I simply do not feel comfortable risking stakes and bank; when we have some outstanding racing; as soon as Saturday and a positive feast in the next 10 days.

Furthermore, in respect of Worcester particularly, where we could have had 3-4 strong tips (as well as Doncaster and Newbury); I really don't want to watch some fantastic old friends and favourites slog over nearly 3 miles to the point of near collapse with my money and yours on their back, and then have to see them doused in water for 10 minutes in obvious distress; in stifling heat. The Dogs at Crayford has been abandoned on grounds of animal welfare; travelling and racing in extreme heat, and personally, I applaud that, as if anyone is that desperate to have a bet on a dog (or horse) when the conditions risk the welfare of that animal, then I really do think it's time to seek help!

If the heat and humidity and broadly Firm Going is the issue today, who knows what tomorrow will bring other than blinding heat for some; biblical storms for others, and no doubt both for many; and that will not be conducive to anything other in terms of finding winners as to a "lottery".

So very reluctantly from a business point of view, but at complete peace with myself personally for doing so, I will close until Saturday morning; when we will have ELITE + DAILY selections and a look ahead to a fantastic week ahead at Galway and Goodwood.

ALL MEMBERSHIPS will be extended by 3 days to cover this outage, as from a Customer Service point of view, I feel this in also right and proper.

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The last of Alan's latest trilogy - Part 8 is in The Members Paddock now. It is again very relevant to the current conditions and downturns many are experiencing and hopefully thought provoking and helpful to some. I have had an Offer from a Member to develop the whole series in to an online e-book/kindle format; and will be following this through to fruition later in August and everything will then be available to current SP2A Members is a simpler format. 

We will have an interactive Q + A in a few weeks with Alan and he will be back in October with some regular weekly articles on all things "Punting" with his own dedicated Blog, to coincide with a complete revamp of the current website; making everything simpler but with some absolutely state of the art new features being built now for us in Guernsey by Dave and his Team.

One final point and this question pops up periodically when we refer people to the Members Paddock en masse. The Members Paddock includes Daily Tips; Elite Tips and Blogs, there is NO FORUM, the button for 'The Forum" does not work as the Forum has never been activated for SP2A. It was loaded for possible future use but we have never felt it would be used widely enough to justify the considerable time and cost of Administration.

It will shortly be removed and put on to the new and separate SP2A Speedway website, where it's format and use is likely better used in that more niche sport/environment. On the "all new" rebuilt/revamped SP2A website when launched in October, there will be a far more modern state of the art "real time" forum; using more of a Social Media and intuitive/interactive platform, that will neither need policing nor dedicated log in; and which will allow as much or as little Forum style debate as any specific Member wants to get involved in.