Nice one George

Cheers Brian, cobs & dealer.

Not usually the place to be on your todd over on the far side at Dundalk but Fly To Glory got away with it, his trainer's second winner in a week after a 99-runner losing run.

Sean Levey gave a good analysis of what happened last time at Chelmsford when he was asked about the chance of Merrimack, and it sounded like he wanted to get some cover this time, but it didn't work out that way for him and, having been 2-wide in a dispute of the lead, he dropped to 4th place late on behind three who had inner trips with cover.

2024 Running P/L: +220.13 pts

Thanks Virgin.
Good luck today.

Chola Empire, 1pt EW @ 14-1, 2.55 Southwell (4 PLACES)

Chola Empire ran poorly on his latest start when finishing last of 13 at Chelmsford, a track he has won at previously, but he does seem more effective at Southwell with his three career-best RPRs having come at this venue from just four starts here, and it looked a big effort in defeat off a 2lb higher mark when he was last seen here in August,  when he probably had a tough enough trip from his draw in 13 (other principals were drawn 6,2,1) but only went down by half-a-length, and the first, third and fourth, who he pulled clear with, have won since.

The selection ran okay on his next two starts at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford following an 80-day break before that blip last time. He is eligible for weaker races than this one but he's of interest at a double-figure price given his course record.

Starshot, 1pt EW @ 12-1, 6.40 Chelmsford (4 PLACES)

Starshot ran well here a couple times this autumn for his current yard, over this evening's trip of a mile in October when finishing a close-up 4th of 12 (the first, second and fifth have won since), and last time out over 7f, when finishing second to an odds-on shot who was following up under a penalty and is now rated 7lb higher.

The selection is still maiden after 23 starts but he has shown enough to suggest a low-grade handicap can come his way and hopefully he can give a good account here if ready to roll off a 40-day break.

Zooks, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 7.40 Chelmsford (4 PLACES)

Carlton, the odds-on favourite for this obviously has to be feared having won on his debut for James Owen and being well handicapped on old form, but never be afraid of one horse, as they say, and one who makes each-way appeal is Zooks. She's a 16-race maiden who has only made the frame once from nine all-weather starts, which came on her penultimate start over 14f at Southwell, but she appeared unfortunate not to have at least made the frame on her latest start over 12f at Wolverhampton, when she didn't have the easiest of trips from her widest draw but still looked to be travelling well over 2f out but had to wait too long to secure a clear run before keeping on for fifth, beaten just over 2L. The third has won since.

Zooks's three previous runs at this course came over 10f and although she seemed to run okay on the first of them when finishing 4th of 6 (career best RPR of 65), the other two runs were poor, but hopefully it's just been a case of her having taken to time to acclimatize since joining Ian Williams after being trained in France, and those last couple of runs are a sign that she has a bigger effort in her, granted this step back up to 14f is what she wants ideally.

Cheers cobs, let's hope I don't get done for plagiarism!

No, it is my own work, and I wasn't aware Mr Mount had tipped it, but presumably he didn't move the market or else I would have left it, particularly as I already had another two picks. Whatever, let's hope it's a case of great minds...

I did actually do a write-up for Life On The Rocks the other day but when Hugh Taylor tipped him I had to discard it...Saved me 2pts

Two steps forward, three steps back...

Cobs, the market vibes were ominous regarding Chola Empire's chance (Betfair SP 25) despite his good course record, and he dropped away to finish last.

Starshot, who was returning from 40 days off, took a keen hold on the front-end and he stopped to nothing inside the final furlong.

Zooks, who was well backed close to the off, was well enough positioned off steady fractions, but was only fifth best in the sprint for home.

2024 Running P/L: +214.13 pts

I wasn't expecting the 7YO gelding to be the late market mover but he shortened in the betting close to the off, and after a bit of argy-bargy, in what was a crowd scene at the finish, he came out of it with a dead-heat for 3rd place, though would have been a dead-heat for 4th had Northern Cracksman got the breaks.

2024 Running P/L: +216.33 pts

Interestingly, cobs, they sent his half-brother Raja Raja to Southwell last week for his AW debut and he bolted up, already recording a better RPR (89) than Chola Empire ever has, and looking at the SP (3-1) it would appear they landed a few bets.

As for Chola Empire, another shocker like that and he'll be eligible for a 0-72.

We'renotreallyhere, 1pt EW @ 11-1, 7.45 Wolverhampton (4 PLACES)

We'renotreallyhere posted a couple of good efforts to make the frame over course and distance this autumn, and the form of the race in which he finished third in October has worked out well, with wins subsequently for the winner, second (twice) 4th (hat-trick) and seventh.

He was returning from nearly two months off ahead of his latest start over C/D in a slightly higher grade with a first-time visor applied (retained here), and although he could only finish 8th of the 11 runners, he shaped as though he had returned in reasonable form, being a bit lit up in midfield in the headgear in a race where it wasn't easy to come from off the pace as the leaders controlled the fractions, but he kept on okay and might have finished a bit closer but for being impeded inside the final furlong. The fifth, who finished just over a length ahead of him, has since finished a close-up third in a Southwell handicap.

Hopefully that recent return and initial run in a visor has taken the fizz out of him as he has a tricky draw in ten to overcome, but if this pans out well then he evidently has the C/D form to be thereabouts in this grade.

Uzincso, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 11.30 Lingfield

Uzincso is a risky proposition as he's coming up to his ninth birthday and hasn't won for over two years; furthermore he's never won beyond a mile and tends not to be at his best following a break. However, his stable has been in decent form of late and he has run well in defeat on occasions this year including twice over C/D to make the frame, including in early summer when he finished second of 14, beaten under a length off a 5lb higher mark.

Rabinal, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 3.30 Lingfield

Rabinal is another risky one on the basis that he's coming off a break, but if he is ready to roll then he would make EW appeal at the prices given he's a three time winner here this year, and although he's 5lb higher than for winning an amateur riders' contest on his penultimate start over today's trip of a mile, he's 4lb lower than winning over 7f in March.

A feature of his last couple of wins has been big moves early in the race, including when having pulled hard,  which could have left him vulnerable but despite the inefficiences of those trips he still managed to win with a bit in hand, suggesting that when he's on his game he can in this slightly higher grade if racing more economically.

Tommie Jakes is booked to take 5lb off on this rider restricted card, one of three rides he has for Simon Dow today, having won on his only previous ride for the yard.

Wd George gl ...

Great effort George,not the p/l,just the fact you stuck it out all year.

That alone deserves your 200 points.

Now you ve proven you can do it,might be worth raising your stakes from 1p per point,

Happy Xmas.

Dandy G Boy, 1pt EW @ 9-1, 1.12 Wolverhampton (4 PLACES)

Dandy G Boy had been gradually improving in three qualifying runs and was well backed on his nursery debut over C/D in September when wearing first-time cheekpieces, and he ran well even though he only finished 6th of 9, beaten 2.5L, considering he sat close to a strong gallop in a contest where the first three were held up, and although the RP close-up comments states "weakened", he kept on well but wasn't helped by hanging left inside the final furlong and a rival edging into his path.

He's by Dandy Man but there is stamina on the dam's side of his pedigree so the drop back to 6f wasn't sure to suit when last seen at Southwell when blinkers were applied (retained here), when again sent off favourite, and he put his best work in late to finish a never-nearer 4th of 11.

The selection has been weak in the betting this morning on this return from a 66-day break, during which time he's been gelded, and he has a difficult draw to overcome, but a chance is taken at the prices on this step back up to 7f, as he's shown enough to suggest he's capable of winning of his mark when things fall right.

Thanks Foyles.

Magnetic North was a selection on the thread ten days ago at Wolverhampton when always out the back. If only I'd known the plan was to a land a punt from 10lb out of the handicap in a seller ten days later against a stablemate

Vixey, 1pt EW @ 20-1, 7.00 Newcastle (4 PLACES)

I'm going to take another chance on Vixey, who I selected last month when I wrote:

Vixey is a half-sister to the dual C&D winner Velma, and she too had suggested in a couple of runs here as a juvenile over 6f (when trained by the now retired Chris Fairhurst) that she may be capable of winning at this course, paticularly when stepped up in trip given the stamina on the dam's side of her pedigree.

The selection ran well in four starts over 7f during her 3YO campaign for Fairhurst, winning a weak Redcar maiden and finishing runner-up on three occasions in turf handicaps. It's a concern that she offered little in four starts this year for Michael Herrington, including twice back here over 6/7f,  however, she didn't shape too badly on her debut for Simon West seventeen ago at Musselburgh (7f, g-s) when returning from over five months off, having travelled a bit keenly before keeping on okay to finish 6th of 12, albeit not able to go with the first five home.

Vixey needs to go the right way from that encouraging stable debut and her draw in two might not be great, but she's 9lb below the mark she started the year on and hopefully this step up to a mile can suit if settling fine.

Vixey faded out of it having raced keenly down the centre of the track, so perhaps this return to 7f is what she wants despite her pedigree suggesting longer trips could suit. She has to conclusively prove that she can still be competitive at the business end of races, but hopefully there shouldn't be any fitness issues on this third run back from a break and her mark is now 12lb lower than at the start of the year.

Emily Post, 1pt EW @ 8-1, 11.05 Southwell

Emily Post has put in a couple of solid efforts in defeat the last twice, last time at Newcastle (6f) when finishing a neck second with a subsequent dual 7f winner behind in 4th, and prior to that over C/D when finishing a close-up 4th, with subsequent winners in third and fifth.

Desert Master, 1pt EW @ 12-1, 3.35 Southwell

I'm going to give another chance to Desert Master who I selected last time at Wolverhampton, when I posted:

Desert Master has drifted right back out having come in for early market support. He was returning from nearly six months off ahead of his latest start over C/D and was very much his yard's second string according to the market, but gave it a good shot from the front, only being headed around half-a-furlong out, and although he faded to finish 8th of the nine runners, he was beaten less than three lengths, in a contest where his better-fancied stablemate came from off the pace to prevail. The fact that the first eight home were covered by under three lengths may leave the form open to question, but there were some fair yardsticks in the field and the third has won since.

The selection is 4lb below his winning mark and has drawn the inside stall, so hopefully if going the right way from that recent comeback he can give a good account.

The selection didn't get a clear run at a crucial stage, otherwise he might have at least got the place. He ran poorly on his only previous attempt over C/D, though has run okay here over 6f, and that penultimate effort suggested he should have the pace to cope with this sub-5f trip even though his only previous win came at Newcastle, so hopefully he can go well here having been dropped another pound.

Great shout WD

Thanks the numbers seven, cobs and lead on.

Luckily he had the 5lb off his back as that was probably the difference between winning and losing with the runner-up having 7lb taken off.

As for my other pick, Emily Post, she was keen and caught three-wide without cover from her draw in ten and then offered nothing up the home straight. Maybe she'll bounce back next time if getting a kinder trip.

2024 Running P/L: +222.93 pts

WD george...some outrageously good tipping this year

Well Done George a great year topped off nicely gl …

I'll post the table at the top of the next page so that it doesn't make this page go all elongated.