30jun13 half gone

2013 that is!  23 bets 5 winners best by a distance was Jed Parramore 7-1 to go 4th, Jimmy McGarrity 11-4, Paul Creed 2-1, with Martin Long and Dave Kingsbury both 1-2.

Martin Long definitely setting the pace in the plate with 41 points from just 8 bets, Martin a previous plate winner in 2005 and 2008.

Update excel sent

29jun13 shame I didn't nap it then!

Just 4 winners from 32 bets today best of the day was Kevin Dighton who again picked a short head winner of a big Saturday handicap 8-1 to return to top of the leader board (joint).  Michael Brook and Martin Long both picked a 5-2 winner to sit on the leader board.  Matty Harrison got off the mark with a 4-5 winner.

Martin Long retained his place at the top of the plate - he looks serious this time that was despite Kevin Dighton's 10 point winner.

Irish Derby outlook

So we have a bit of a problem here with this race, top 3 from the Epsom equivalent have showed up and for me it seems like there is no reason to think they will finish in a different order so Ruler of the World falls out of that calculation.  The problem is what was the Epsom form really like? Dawn Approach was the best horse in the race but ran no race and 2nd favourite Battle of Marengo 4th at Epsom didn't frank the form in the group 2 at Royal Ascot when he got beaten when odds on.  So possible that the Epson form is not great and so 11-10 for Ruler of the World is poor value and I'm still not sure that Joesph is the greatest tactician and the other jockeys know that (Ryan Moore rode it at Epsom).  

What else is there? lets take a look at Trading Leather & Sugar Boy.  Trading Leather smashed by Battle of Marengo last September, but it was his first run and Battle of Marengo had the advantage of racecourse experience but given that the saddle slipped and he was eased down it was still a spanking, but this is a different season. Trading Leather's last race here was a cracker and gives him a strong chance in this given that he has the ground he needs.

Sugar Boy also been beaten by Battle of Marengo while he pulled too hard but it is fair to say that was also a bit of a stuffing.  But at Sandown Sugar Boy, finally running on ground better than soft for the first time, put in a great performance battling well and beating Galileo Rock.

However, for me the fact that Trading Leather has his ground and the trip will be no problem he gets the vote at 11-2  still backable (just) each way to cover the chance that Ruler is the genuine article.

28jun13 biggest day

35 players today but only 5 winners they were Martin Long & Vince Paige 6-4, Chris Pascoe got off the mark with a 4-1 winner, best of the day 7-1 for Dave Kingsbury to go onto the leader board and finally Ian Carpenter belatedly off the mark as well with 6-4 winner.

All change at the top of the plate after Martin Long's and Vince Paige's 10 pointer

27jun13 lull continues

Another slow day with only 19 bets and 3 winners Rod Brown brought up a four timer today with the best of the day 6-1 winner that took him up to 4th Roger Dore chipped in with a 4-1 winner to move onto the leader board and the other winner was Jed Parramore 10-11.

Small change in the plate positions as Dave Kingsbury crept past Kevin Dighton on 3rd place countback!

26jun13 another bumper day

33 bets and 10 winners won't go through them all but best of the day was from Scott Bennett 8-1 to go 2nd followed by Richard Pascoe 6-1 to move him to 6th & Dave Barker 7-2 to move 3rd.

In the plate a bit of an 'all change' day apart from the top two but early days and a single 10 pointer makes a big difference at this stage

BERT PEART - REMEMBERED

From the spare cash in the pool we have, on behalf of us all, sent a donation in lieu of flowers to The Geoffrey Harris Ward at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, with the message 'from all the naps boys and girls'

The link to the announcement in the Oxford Mail is below

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/announcements/deaths/deaths/10492960.MICHAEL_JOHN_peart/

25jun13 double day

Sorry still caught up in the witness stuff in London but should be clear now at least for the rest of this week.

10 winners Monday, best was the leader Martin Sharman, with 7-2 all the others were either 5-4 or 6-4 just about! and just 3 winners on Tuesday Martin Sharman again and again the best of the day 3-1 others were Rod Brown 2-1 and Celeste Beaty 30-100.

All that leaves Martin Sharman clear in the main comp and top of the plate!

23jun13 go England go

Play at last! KP on his way back!

Just 17 bets today but 3 winners clearly the best was a very sweet 9-1 winner for Martin Sharman to leap into top spot £3.00 clear of Celeste Beaty in 2nd and Kevin Dighton who has fallen to 3rd after only picking up a 2nd today.  The other winners were Martin Long & Vince Paige who went over to Ireland for a 8-13, 10 point, winner in a bumper!

In the plate Kevin Dighton retains the lead but a few more getting into their stride now and still waiting for Justin to join in he is holding back his ammo at the moment.

Excel on its way

22jun13 last day

Nice day at Ascot today apart from the complete absence of any collects let alone winners!

But that was not a problem for our solitary winner today, Celeste Beaty, she picked the 11-1 big winner (and didn't it win well from the front).  That zooms her to just 50p behind Kevin Dighton in 2nd place.

Nothing much else changed

Lost another player today as Ian Walters pulled out now down to 52

21jun13 all change

Firstly sorry for the delays over the past few days I have been involved in the Roadchef court case in London and hence the delays - going well so far but early days.

Friday then was all change mainly because we had 4 players selecting Sky Lantern who won at a very attractive 9-2, the 4 were Gareth Chapman, Gary Dighton, Kevin Dighton, Martin Sharman so they all zoomed onto the leader board with Kevin taking over again at the top.  The best of the day was recorded by Scott Bennett at 15-2 to go 3rd and the final winner of the day was Michael Brook 7-2 who also made the main leader board in 4th.

In the plate Kevin Dighton returned to the lead here as well with the 10 points for Sky Lantern, the 10 points for Martin Sharman took him 2nd shuffling the rest of us down a few places.

20jun13 Sucessful day in London!

Just 25 bets today because of all the non runners but 6 winners they were best of the day 7-2 from Martin Long to move into 4th place and Martin Sharman to get of the mark with the same winner, also me 9-4, Michael Brook 5-2, Jed Parramore 13-8, Dave Barker 5-4 to bring up a treble and yet to have a loser!

In the plate Dave Barker top and me 2nd on count back only

19jun13 Day Two

A few more bets today 30 with 4 winners they were Dave Barker who brought up a double with a 7-4 winner to go top, Jay Lewis 100-30, Ken Jones best of the day 9-2 to go 4th and Richard Pascoe 7-4 to go 3rd.

In the plate new joint leaders on countback

18jun13 Royal Day 1

Firstly I took 9-1 at the weekend about Australia winning 3-0 against the lions its the Wales coach and almost the Wales team with the Wales tactics, why would you think they can beat Australia ever! Despite the 2nd team losing today 9-1 still available (Bet365).

Back to the racing 5 winners 3 of us on Dawn Approach - looked a cert if the trainer thought it could come back out so quickly after Epsom 5-4 was a great price (the 3 were me clearly, Jo Huston, & Gary Pascoe).  Newcomer Richard Pascoe got off the mark first time with a 9-4 winner to go 3rd and also off the mark on his first bet was Dave Barker went 2nd with the best of the day 9-2.  Leader lost again and has started his gentle floating down to the lower reaches after a brief moment in the sun :-)

Not much to report in the plate at this early stage

L:ost two players today as Ross Harvey & Tom Elliston both withdrew so count stands at 53 again

17jun13 deadly quiet again

Just 16 bets and 2 winners Mark Nutting 9-4 to go 2nd & Dave Kingsbury 11-4 to go 3rd, obviously everyone saving themselves for Royal Ascot from tomorrow.

Gained an extra player today welcome Richard Pascoe that's 54 now although still 10 people to pay remember no pay no play.

16jun13 Another quiet one

Just 19 runners and a solitary winner for newcomer Steve Tyson to move 2nd on both leader boards.

Vince will email Excel tomorrow when we have confirmed all addresses

Photo of the Mark Sharman delayed presentation at Newbury in May has been attached to the slideshow but judging how long the last one took to appear don't hold your breath!the

15jun13 day one

Slow start only 22 bets today, of course not helped by the need to have paid first!

Our esteemed sponsor Kevin Dighton stole the show with a 10 point 9-1 winner, glad I didn't lay the 20-1 on him winning the plate! Other winners were Robert Baker 10-11 & Vince Paige 4-11. So not much else to report.  Perhaps worth noting the result of the 4.45 at Bath where the tricast paid 95,000-1!

15jun13 and we're off

Confirmed entries are now at 52, just waiting to see if Rod Brown is playing this time although still time for newcomers and I'm working on some

Just 9 left to pay (inc. Rod) so thanks to those that sorted stuff yesterday and today

Will be enforcing 'no pay no play' rule sorry

Rod now confirmed so that's 53

Good luck everyone!

Numbers update

We have 36 definite players - that means said yes and have paid

Plus 15 confirmations that they are in but not yet paid (as at 10.15am 14jun13) they are:

Roger Dore, Mark Quinn, Lee Constable, Ross Harvey, Paul Marks, Craig Connelly, Ian Walters, Alan Daniels, Paul Creed, Tom Feeney, Terry Mathews, Tom Elliston, Wayne Morton, Robert Baker, Val Impey

Plus 3 who played last time but we haven't had a reply yet they are:

Rod Brown (VM), Scott Bennett (SMS), Tim Catlin (VCP)

and finally 2 more possible new players via Maurice

If all this works then we will be at 56 just better than last time - I'm encouraged again :-) 

Anti-Post market for the plate!

Justin Sercombe 11-10

Kevin Wood 7-4

Maurice Edgington 9-2

Vince Paige 6-1

Rest of the field 8-1

Martin Long 9-1

Ian Carpenter 9-1

Steve Walton 14-1
Kevin Dighton 20-1

Rod Brown 25-1

Gary Pascoe 33-1

SAD NEWS

Sad to report that Bert Peart passed away last week after a short illness

Bert was a regular in the comp and hadn't missed since #18 in 2007 often attended the final day events and was 4th in the last comp.

He will be missed

13jun13 Entrants update

As we stand this morning we are at about 40 confirmed players (but 10 still to play) - so slightly disappointing a bit down on the equivalent past year and the recent comp.

So any new members welcome if you know anyone

08jun13 The Saturday tip

Risking my 100% record today for another tip.

For me one horse stands out at New market this afternoon in the 3.30, No Heretic with William Buick up (he's a great rider).  Horse had a very good opening run of the season in early May (slight concern that after that hasn't run for nearly 5 weeks) but looked good in that class 2 handicap and no reason why he shouldn't follow up here today.  Currently 7-2 with Bet365 and that seems to be the best price around.

New comp email went out a few days ago please let us know if you are joining us for the summer.

02jun13 good start!

7-1 winner to start and there is not even a comp running at least I backed it and got 9-1

So to keep up the Derby tipping success let move over to France today and the Prix Du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly and there is only one horse in this and that is the favourite Intello.  I have just taken 2-1 (missed the early 9-4) really unlucky last time with the draw and in running and still nearly got there (finished a neck down in 3rd) and all that over a distance too short!  This horse is in reality effectively unbeaten and now gets a more suitable distance, I don't think anything will get near him today.

01jun13 derby fav doubt

Hi welcome back after a nice month off - just getting back into the swing of the blog in the lead up to the next comp!

I think that in the Derby today there must be a doubt around Dawn Approach and he is worth opposing at slim odds of 6-4 over this 12f trip and the difficult uphill finish.  Clearly we will want a decent test here so lets hope it doesn't get tactical which it can do and must be a chance of that with all these Aidan O'Brien runners!

So I think Ruler Of The World at 8-1 1/4 first 3 offers a better opportunity.  The Chester run was pretty impressive but ages since that trial has given us the winner but live chance of being in the mix and getting a place.