The day and the week got off to a great start yesterday with CLASSY AL winning up at Ayr at 22/1, given a nice confident ride he tracked the pace on the far side and won a shade cosily in the end for Jim Goldie. We therefore had high expectations for the final race at Thirsk with Magical Effect and Northbound but both finished at the back of the field from low draws in a race won by Stall 6 but then followed in by a number of horses drawn hig and the last 4 home were from the lowest 4 draws. It's hard to say it was a draw bias, maybe simply a pace angle and probably a patch of better ground away from the far rail. It just goes to show how many parts have to come together in a Flat race to be victorious, so we'll bank on what we have, a nice winner that generates a net profit on the day whether you stake as advised or level stakes as some do. I'm advised the win for CLASSY AL paid 33.11 and the place 6.6 on Betfair so again pause for thought about the virtues of the Exchanges on bigger priced Bets.

 

Day 1 at Punchestown today and whilst there are a couple of cracking to quality small field races a further reminder that elongating Festivals can generate it's fair share of poor races, with 2 NH Flat races and a X-Country on the Card today a perfect example. We'll focus on the only big field Handicap all day anywhere, the Hurdle race at 4.50. Poor field sizes on Good to Firm Going at Ayr, Brighton, Nottingham and Yarmouth offer little in the way of punting value in the UK.

 

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