It's always nice to report a big priced winner like Topkapi Star at 20/1, nicer still to begin to show the green shoots of some overall good form after a very frustrating period dictated by the weather and best of all it's great when a big priced winner is tipped with such confidence, and a market drifter to boot. There were decent placed efforts in the other two races also from Minniemum at 14/1 and the well backed Greenways.

 

It's a bit frustrating that there aren't really any decent sized runner handicaps for us to attack today at Down Royal, Ayr or Leicester. Newcastle also races on the AW. 

 

We looked at the 3 mile maiden Hurdle at Ayr and whilst there are 4-5 definitely long term prospects in there we'll watch the race and TRACK the more likely types some of whom may be decent handicappers in 2-3 seasons time. There is a Handicap Chase at Down Royal to close the Meeting where one at a very nice price has caught the eye and a Handicap Chase at Leicester where the top end of the market looks particularly strong but where a couple lurk at very nice e/w prices and may be worth a small poke.

 

Very much a day though for REDUCED Stakes and speculative pokes whilst we await something more substantive to attack. Looking after winnings and retaining punting / staking discipline is always worth repeating and I will put out an article we did about 7 years ago now in the the next few days from a series we did with a professional Punter (Alan) that very much stands the test of time!