Racetrack Wiseguy

 Last time I came here to preview a Saturday's racing I was on a winning run that was making me feel invincible and it went badly wrong. There is a long tradition of winning on weekdays only to give it back at the weekend.

It's the same again this evening, on a roll of 5 consecutive winners and with a list of short-priced favs lined up for tomorrow. It is to be hoped we still have Newbury, Doncaster and Bangor even if Newcastle is already off. I hope the contingent from Mr. Henderson's hadn't set off from Lambourn. Constitution Hill might now have to go straight to Kempton at Christmas and maybe Shishkin's opportunity to redeem his recent misedemeanours will be in the King George, making that an even more complicated maze of ifs and buts.

 

Tomorrow, though, one can't help but notice Sean Bowen going to Bangor in pursuit of the jockey's championship, openly going for low-hanging fruit in quantity rather than more valuable races at bigger meetings. Thus, Kilbarry Hill (1.44), Act of Authority (2.21) and Gallonray (3.31) readily suggest themselves for accumulator purposes. At Doncaster, Personal Ambition (12.21) is desperately short but probably makes the list in spite of that. 

It remains to be seen if Nico goes to Newbury to deprive James Bowen of Jingko Blue (1.05) and Under Control (2.15) but it would presumably speak in their favour if he did, notwithstanding that I'd almost rather he didn't. However the nap for the day which should make it all safe enough whatever happens to any of the others is Master Chewy (3.25) although I much prefer the profit to be in safe-keeping early doors so one can sit back and not worry so much for the rest of the afternoon. It's like going on first rather than last at a poetry reading - you don't feel like the headline act but it gets it out of the way.

It's unlikely the winning run will be extended to 12 but it's their money I'm playing with. I'm looking forward to a bookmaker asking me for proof of income as evidence that I'm not a problem gambler. It's you that provides the money. Have a look at the account. My gambling isn't my problem, it's yours.