Plenty of money for minella at uttoxeter on his debut sent of favourite  against horses from jonjo,Nicholls,king and skeleton yards won pretty well on bad ground at Hexham a couple from the race well beaten have since ran ok since I think he’s a runner .

De legislator non runner

Nothing wrong with the first at Kelso although no idea why anyone would pay north of 100,000 for a horse and put it with Ruth Jefferson

I would quite like to see Ruth Jefferson do well. Her father used to unearth some nice young horses - 'lovely osses' as he would say - but as yet she just hasn't done it. This you would have thought is a crunch season. This horse wasn't going to be cheap as he is nicely bred, and an expensive foal. His jumping was very mixed when he won, but the front two pulled clear in testing ground. It would be disappointing if he wasn't at least competitive tomorrow.

A day spoilt by split screens, and low sun, but mainly the former. It's bonkers that with two dedicated channels this nonsense is still churned out. There should never be any more than three jump meetings on one channel. If they only realised that it is the sport itself which is of most importance. Just hold your hands up, and say you can't cope.   

Thanks to opposing Knappers Hill, I came out of the day losing pennies. It could have been worse on a difficult punting day for anyone who doesn't want to pile on the shorties. Knappers Hill did well, but you have to question the thinking of Moore and Williams sending out Givega and Doyen Star seemingly woefully under cooked for a decent prize. I get the impression that Williams thinks it's a good season if he wins a Chepstow novice with an expensive Rucker purchase. If he gets the horse fit then Doyen Star might actually be up to winning a decent pot.

In the opening race at Wincanton a shocking ride by Nolan on Ballee. Weak in the market he was fortunate to be placed having never been put into the race, and finishing with petrol in the tank. Very weak in the market, Don Occhetti showed a modicum of promise in the bumper under a typically negative stable ride.

I would mark up Josh The Boss for winning the Aintree opener. As I suspected he wants much better ground, and given how well he jumps, taking out the flights was a big negative. If he gets his conditions then he could well be graded material. As for Flash In The Park have they got a 350,000 dud? Alarm bells ringing with the noseband/high head carriage, and I have no idea what Woods was doing rushing him up on the outside. I am surprised he even finished. Pauling has a few expensive purchases, and this was a shocker of a start.

The well supported Kerryhill travelled and jumped like much the best horse in the Kelso opener. Cadell closed late under a poor ride from Fox. That horse looked all stamina (Albert Bartlett?) and I have no idea why the jock thought it was a good idea to ride him for pace. Jefferson's well backed (14/1-6/1) Roebuck Bay (hooded to post), ran an interesting race in the bumper. Green early, and with a poor track position throughout, she kept on plugging away to not be beaten too far. With a decent pedigree she should be up to winning a staying novice hurdle. 

At Gowran Ile Atlantique ran out a very easy winner, but as I suggested he had conditions to suit. No Time To Wait (hooded to post) stopped to nothing, and should never have run on that ground. Perhaps the message might now get through that he doesn't want soft ground. His dam was very effective on a quicker surface.

Having watched Gainford throw away last season's Brown Advisotry it's going to be a very frustrating watch if Gerri Colombe goes on to take this season's Gold Cup. Not for the first time he showed a very willing attitude today. He is also a very sound jumper. To my eyes the one blemish in that department was more jock than horse.

Flying Fortune was a very poor favourite in that opening race. The Jukebox Man did win very comfortably for Jones/Pauling. He saw it out a lot better than their previous two link-ups. If it comes up testing I wouldn't be surprised to see the winner have a crack at the Challow. That's just 16 for Jones so far, he should be targetting 50 for the season.

Gidleigh Park, who comfortably beat The Jukebox Man at Chepstow in March, could be an interesting type for Harry Fry this season.

Just had the one each-way interest tomorrow, Letthedustsettle in the opener at Carlisle. That's assuming it survives. Flagged the horse on debut, and now drops in trip, although we are talking a stiff track, and testing ground. This looks a much weaker race. Stable has been struggling for winners, but did get one at Sandown today. Market might tell the tale as to what is expected - currently 9/1.

Thanks, I am glad a few people like it. I enjoy writing it. It could do with a few winners, but it's just as much about trying to look ahead as well. Come the spring, hopefully, we will have a better idea of how the bigger races might play out.

Always interesting to see which "impressive" winners in novice hurdles step up when raised in class. I suspect that Insurrection is pretty good and Nicholls is likely to aim him high. The same is true of Willmount but I don't think he beat as much. Nicky will only have one aim in mind if he is the best 2 mile novice in the yard. Brighterdaysahead has a much better topspeed figure than either but might go for mares races.

Most interesting race tomorrow is the staying novice at Lingfield. You could pick holes in the form, but I liked Support Act's two runs in bumpers. Possibility that they will monitor the ground again, but the initial 7/1 looks quite big. De Tellers Fortune won the opening 4yo point, but the form remains relatively untested , and he only sold for 135,000. New Order looked a stayer in winning his point from the front. Inebranlable flopped on rules debut, but is well regarded. Dysart Enos makes her jumping debut at Huntingdon. Any other stable bar O'Brien and Skelton and you would think she was a simple penalty kick. The problem is you know she will be dropped out, and the second favourite will go forward. If she jumps badly that could be a recipe for disaster.

The second winner with no form apart, Lingfield a paradise for the layers so far. How many cards offer up a 150/1 and now a 125/1 winner?Support Act terrible, and De Tellers Fortune even worse. I am guessing both trainers now regret the decision to run, and we won't see them on that ground again. Support Act raced on the front end, but he was never going anywhere, and jumped with no real zest at all. Dysart Enos raced closer to the pace than I thought she would, ballooned a couple, but as you might have expected was ultimately a class apart. I would imagine they would give her more experience before stepping her up in class. She was already second favourite for the Mares' Novice  before this race.

Unfortunately, both jump cards tomorrow have been abandoned. Ayr would have been tricky, but better than nothing.

Another very ordinary day tomorrow. Quite a drop off compared to last week's midweek cards.

The pick as far as this thread is concerned is probably the mares' maiden at Market Rasen.

Baby Sage's bumper debut win has thrown out mixed messages. She then folded tamely upped in class, and didn't get beyond the first on hurdling debut. Given the price, and the way she is likely to be ridden I can leave her alone again. As expected Southern Babylon goes up in trip, but not sure if Market Rasen is likely to provide a sufficient test of stamina. I would have liked to see her on a galloping track. Ici La Reine won a couple of moderate bumpers before being outclassed. Greatrex had a big priced winner yesterday, but that was with Sean Bowen on board. Easy On Me makes a belated rules debut. Her point form looks very moderate. Bethka seems to be able to travel, but for whatever reason isn't seeing her races out. Almost by a process of elimination I have taken the extra places with Dairylane Daisy. She won her point nicely, and the next three home have all franked the form, including Victoria Milano whose form ties in with Time In The Sun.

I have to give Baby Sage another chance I never even saw the fall at Ludlow as it was obscured by trees. Matterhorn should win but I am not taking a short price after a wind op. The other division at Taunton is tricky.

So next time up in trip, and on a right handed track, but in a similar race it's inevitable that the price will be (much) shorter.

That was my comment about Southern Babylon after I had earlier highlighted the horse before it's first run, but hey let's ignore that.

Unfortunately, I thought today's test might not be stiff enough. She was given a good dictating ride, jumped much better, and it looks a case of the further the better.

The story pre-race was Dairylane Daisy. It was smashed from 20/1-7/1 in the couple of minutes before the off. Very fortunate for Racing TV that the gamble wasn't successful. The pundits didn't mention it once, and the betting show was way behind - last show given 16/1. She travelled and jumped really sweetly, and it was disappointing that she appeared to be quite so tapped for speed in the straight. I managed a small profit on the extra places - again.

Probably a decent novice won by Its For Me at Punchestown, but I would like to see him back it up before getting too excited. Wearing a hood isn't the greatest sign, and his jumping wasn't always convincing.

I'm looking to get Captain Teague beat tomorrow. He has a serious engine but at 4/6 he makes very little appeal and I wasn't overly impressed by his debut over hurdles. What do you think Drum?

As regards betting people should do what they are comfortable with. Whatever your method, winning is not easy.

I first flagged up The Big Dog on here during his bumper days. He did me a nice turn when he won his bumper. A sad loss, but he did at least win a couple of competitive handicaps. 

As for tomorrow I think Captain Teague is the most likely winner, but he is too short. Having jumped pretty badly he only got on top from two out in a relatively poor Persian War. I know he is related to Sky Pirate, but he looks to be more stamina than speed. If Cobden rides him on the pace, and he jumps better, he will probably get away with it on tomorrow's ground. Any drying up wouldn't be a plus for him. Very surprised that they have thrown Wild Side Of Life into this. I liked his hurdling debut, but expected an ordinary novice to follow. Perhaps they are just getting a sighter with the Albert Bartlett in mind?

The only bet I have had tomorrow is Brook Bay in the closing handicap. A very expensive purchase his form figures may look disappointing, but he has suggested that he does have an engine. The drop in trip might help, and hopefully, Scholfield will drop him out off a decent pace, and produce him at the right time. Fingers crossed.

as you both say, Captain T is very short and recent years have shown that any Irish horses sent over have a real chance and both are getting weight. However, third in the Champion bumper showed that Captain T has speed so I can't see how 2m 5f is too short for him. Hard to see past the first 3 in the betting. Dual forecast on the Irish pair could be tempting. The going could easily be heavy on Saturday so be careful about the 3yos.

I have long since given up on listening to Walsh. He should be able to consistently give an accurate steer on the yard, but he doesn't. The guy has never cared two hoots about punters. I prefer to form my own opinions, and I am quite happy that there is nothing to suggest that Ballyburn should be aimed at the Supreme. It appears he is going to have to fail over two miles to run over a more suitable trip. It sounds to me that they are proposing to run a three miler over two miles purely because they can't get him to settle? To me that is crazy. Being keen hasn't stopped him finishing any of his three races strongly. He has run right through the line. Why not start him at the intermediate trip and see what happens? If all goes well there is no reason to go near two miles. I haven't backed him in any race - he was always too short. I did back him for last season's Festival Bumper when he about the only horse from the yard not allowed to run. I did read fairly recently where Patrick Mullins suggested it was a mistake not running him. That hardly softened the blow.

I forget to say earlier that Loughglynn looked wayward at times and jumped stickily in landing the odds. I would be wary when he steps up in class.

I've played the 2 against Capt T. Got on them at fair prices and no surprise they're shortening up a bit.

The final race on the card looks wide open to me. Brook Bay is at least going the right way. GL Drum