It bears repeating, and is repeated here every year without fail, that early prices, especially when also guaranteed best prices, should always be taken. It is worth tuning in at teatime the night before races and take whatever price the bookies chalk up as their first show. If the horse is going to win, it is likely to be backed and, blimey, haven't they been.Thomas Campbell might have loked a bit tapped for toe going to the last at Ascot today but he responded well to pressure and won convincingly in the end. At 4/5 whereas last night I had 11/10, which is a big percentage difference.
Last week Rolling Dylan's starting price was 10/11 whereas you could have 5/2 the night before and Valseur Lido was 9/4 for me compared to 2/1 at starting price.
Thus my level stake profit from this little escapade is £18.50 to a £10 stake but at SP the hat-trick of winners hasn't even recouped the losses from the first four losers.
I'll go in again tomorrow with Vaniteux (Ascot 3.15), now that Nicky Henderson has found some form. Since I have as well, one ought to keep going while it's coming in our direction and only stop when it ceases to do so. So 9/4 it is.
I'd like to do Yanworth in the hurdle who I hope is on his way to somewhere near the very top. I don't back Zarkandar but he is clearly no back number yet after his seasonal reappearance and so I'll swerve that race.
I don't quite believe in Seeyouatmidnight in the Betfair Chase (Haydock 3.00) because it's hard to accept that all three of Coneygree, Cue Card and Silvianaco Conti have gone for good. Coneygree hasn't even got beaten since he began his meteoric rise to the top yet and so it's too early to start doubting him but, at 5/1, Seeyouatmidnight goes into a yankee that attempts to exchange insignificant amounts of change for significant lumps of cash.
Robinesse in the first at Huntingdon is the careful, hopefully bombproof banker to hold the bet together and I've put in Tales of the Tweed (Ascot 3.50), despite the fact one shouldn't bet in bumpers, because it has opened much shorter than the betting forecast price.