Norn managed to do what I have been advocating in previous posts and failed to do yesterday: take a chance on an unexposed pointer when the price is right. Waterunder (mentioned on 17-Jan) would have been a slight disappointment in his bumper but connections wasted no time sending him hurdling and at 14/1 was a generous price. I’m not beating myself up entirely as I am not betting at present in any meaningful way until I feel a horse “earns” my USC-less cash.

Minella Special (8-Jan) received an official 7lb swing against Chesil Beach Boy at Wincanton yesterday which turned into a swing of 15lbs once claims were accounted for. He was well-backed to turn the tables. Minella Special was beaten by exactly the same distance by the same horse over the same course and distance two weeks ago and a stone in weight failed to make a difference to the result. Go figure! Minella Special will get more poundage for this but perhaps over a slightly longer trip (two-miles never came near his radar in Ireland) and on slightly better ground he may surely get his chance to win.

I was pleased to see Mullins run long odds-on Marasonnien in the opener at Naas yesterday as it gave a few horses the ideal opportunity to hide and I think it will be a race that will produce some winners over time. It’s worth a further look in my opinion.

theboyfrommatebeleland: Mordin’s column every week is lifted directly from his website and this hasn’t been updated since 2nd January. It’s typical of the paper that no mention is made of the absence a similar comment that applies to the Kevin Blake occasional articles. He’s the current tipping champion and hardly gets a look in.

Apart from the Mordin (who can be a real fruitcake at times) absence, my take on yesterday’s Irish Field was the Donn McClean column (the, at times mis-named, “Five Things We Learned From Last Week”) and it’s commentary on the Victor Chandler Chase. In essence, it made a very good case to take on both Finian’s Rainbow and Al Ferof-advice that proved spot on. However, McClean had been very keen on Somersby as an each-way punt in the King George previously (as he told all and sundry on Newstalk) and I was keeping an eye out for his particular words of wisdom on this race yesterday, particularly concerning the winner. In the event we got the lay angle rather than positive words on any alternative runner with a summation of: “In what is a good each-way race, the value surely lies in taking on the front pair.” I suspect IF readers only got half the story this weekend from the don. (In fairness to Ian Carnaby, he found the winner).

Catch Me: Massini Lotto holds high rank on my list of unraced 4yo maiden winners from spring 2011. Although the dam has yet to throw anything of note she is an unraced half-sister to four hurdle winners. Massini Lotto beat Hold Court (Philip Fenton for John Power and now with Evan Williams) by 2L at Athlacca in May and Hold Court has won two bumpers impressively since-only starts. Massini Lotto’s handler was (and may still be?) Kieran Purcell and he rates well up there in my book. He spoke of the horse as bumper material after his victory and it's worth noting his two runs in points have been on good ground; Dr Massini's seem to be adaptable ground-wise. If you are looking for further evidence to follow this horse it might come from the 2009 winner of this race being Al Ferof!

Massini Lotto is half owned by Mr PM Tayor and in the care of JJ Quinn (see my thread pmt's 'RECESSION PROOF' on the Chelt.2012 forum).


Lucky Owner pmt - "that's the 7th big handicap hurdle John has won for me over the last 5 years. crow wood ; john smiths at Musselbrugh, and elite at Wincanton, kings quay john smiths at aintree, summer hurdle at Market rasen,Elite hurdle at wincanton. leslingtaylor swinton at Haydock now recession proof" (Totesport at Newbury).

RA interesting stuff highlighting McCleans service towards the Irish Field...perhaps Disservice is a better term. The Don obviously needs his public persona to drive his private online advice service for which he charges top dollar. 3 mths €495. When charging such figures its obviously required that they will recieve speicial attention, how and ever surely Don could discuss other elements of our diverse sport or maybe let the self chosen few have his thoughts 24 hours before the paper is printed.

RA MERRY KING WON EASY  AND WHEN BALLYWAT GETS BETTER GROUND HE WIN WIN PLACED AT LIMAVADY AND MARALIN AND TRAVELLED WEL TIL 2 OUT .

ROYAL ACADEMY WELL DONE BABY SHINE THIS COULD WELL BE VERY GOOD MARE AS WON VERY EASY

this one will prob be invaded by the aliens...lets hope not..ill have to return the fav to you all.i might have one for thur..im told its a good one so watch this space..thanks again

Yes-day off and in the money-thanks all round.It always helps having Daryl Jacob on the jolly.

I BACKED OUTSIDE THE BOX  33/1 REAL EYECATCHER HIT 2.54 IRHAD IT WITH BALLYWAT 16/1 POOR RUN FROM COTTAGE ACRE

Dannanceys Hill won an ordinary enough maiden last April in Kirkistown (yielding) and made a jaw-dropping £160,000 when bought by Donald McCain for one of his main patrons, Tim Leslie (owner of Overturn and Peddlers Cross), just nine days later-he cost the well-known oil baron Warren "JR" Ewing the price of a packet of **** as a yearling. The race has produced three maiden winners including hurdle winner Dawn Commander and, perhaps, most interestingly, Howaboutnow, who finished 5th and managed to win his maiden this autumn and is now with the same McCain having been acquired for£45,000 for another owner. Howabout now is already a bumper winner; Dannanceys Hill isn’t!

This is how he was advertised prior to sale:
* Was simply in a different class to his rivals at Kirkistown.
* Jumped well throughout and showed an impressive turn of foot from the second last fence.
* Came home with plenty in the tank. Has plenty of scope and a change of gear when required which will allow him to progress to the very highest level.
* From the family of Takagi and the great Mill House.


He’s a third foal (half-brother fell on only point start last April) out of an Orchestra mare who managed 2nd in a 3m Wexford maiden hurdle in 1997 from 13 starts (a full sister had placed hurdling form over the minimum trip). Dam is also a half-sister to the dam of the good 3m chaser Takagi.

The Revoque 5yo had a spin in a bumper (2m gd-soft) and hurdle (2m5f soft) in November and December, both at Uttoxeter, finishing 2nd (5/4F) and 5th (7/2).

The winner of the bumper was a half-brother to Carruthers (Coneygree-a very promising sort) and is unraced since whilst the form of the race has been upheld by third home San Telm, who achieved an RPR of126 for winning a Fakenham hurdle. (Trivia point: San Telm is trained by the fragrantly-named Renee Robeson).

Connections obviously felt a bumper required more speed than Dannanceys Hill possessed but they were surely a little disappointed with his 5th placing over an extended two-and-a-half miles on his hurdling debut. Although the winner and second have boosted the form with subsequent wins (third home second in a handicap hurdle off 111) McCain’s horse was beaten a total of 67L.

He’s probably a stayer in the making and has something to prove as of now. He runs over 2f further tomorrow and you can see where this is going:from bumper aspirant to out-and-out stayer in a few short weeks. I wonder if the market will speak in his favour tomorrow? Race details: 2.00pm Hereford (soft)


My “rules” for betting eschew taking short prices on unproven horses and, conversely, taking a chance on the self-same horses if the market is generous. The other aspect of betting is the ability to monitor the market closely for hints. Merry King went all “blue” this morning on odds-checker and was backed into 5/1 in morning skirmishes so his SP at 17/2 was quite generous. On the other hand a friend of mine managed to get the best of 3.8 about Baby Shine and she could be very good. I wonder would they ever consider running her against the geldings at Prestbury Park. I think JP had one such wonder mare a few years back although she couldn't win.

Like a Butterfly did win although it was down to the mistake of Adamant Approach that she prevailed. French Ballerina and Tourist Attraction also won the Supreme. The former could have been a champion hurdle mare, but for tragedy to intervene.

It would be surprising if Baby Shine was up to that level but she is certainly useful and can win races against her own sex this year before being very competitive in some of those relatively soft mares and open handicaps next year. She looks to have plenty of pace and did flatten out a bot in her bumpers, so it is difficult to know just how far she will get.

Interested by reference to Warren Ewing as an oil baron-he sells fish!Perhaps fish oil baron?

DOING YANKEE ON 4 IRISHP2P RUNNING IN ENG

ILSEOFHOPENDREAMS 140 HUNT
CLASH DUFF 240
ALLTHEKINGSHORSES EW
BALLYLIFFEN NAP 130 FONT

GOOD LUCK PUNTERS

THINK BALLYLIFFEN GREAT CHANCE   EW AS   FAV  BROUGH ACADEMY BEST FORM ON GOOD GROUND .
CLASH DUFF FAV @6/4 IMO HAS FALL GET BEAT
OTHER TWO EW FANCIES

Allthekingshorses (2006 King’s Theatre g) P Hobbs
Huntingdon (soft) 3.10pm 3m2f 5yo+ Handicap hurdle 6, 10-07 (rated 128) R Johnson

The Cheltenham New Year’s Day novices’ hurdle that I’ve mentioned a few times before has been only tested once since and it saw the ninth horse, Jump City (P Nicholls-beaten 20L), finish a nice enough second in a Taunton event, earning an RPR of 127. A subsequent run in a handicap can be ignored because the horse’s mark (136) is far too high.

Allthekingshorses is a point winner for Colin Bowe and, rather surprisingly, is now with Philip Hobbs (bought privately) as JP McManus owned most of the staying family, including siblings George Travis and Full Of Joy; the dam’s half-brother, Martinstown won 4 races but wasn’t the “machine” that Christy Roche anticipated with his given name). This is also the family of Youllneverwalkalone, Galmoy and Direct Route. Staying 3m2f should be no problem for today’s runner.

Aside: Way back in 1980 Vincent O’Brien named Storm Bird’s brother “Ballydoyle” and, if I recall correctly, this son of Northern Dancer also failed to live up to the promise his name suggested.

Allthekingshorses won impressively on his hurdling debut at Exeter in November but disappointed in a winners’ event later that month at Newcastle. This run resulted in the application of a tongue-tie at Cheltenham and I think he ran quite well although beaten 18L into 8th – 3L in front of Jump City. He was out-paced at a crucial part of the race but was staying on again (over an extended two-and-a-half miles) suggesting today’s extreme trip should be ideal.

The mouth-piece is applied again today suggesting it's own risk but Hobbs and Johnson have a really decent 27% strike-rate here at Huntingdon and at likely double-figure odds he might surprise a few judges today.

KAVVIE  BALLYLIFFEN  HIT 1.51 IR BUT WAS STOPPED AFTER LAST OR IMO HE WOULD WON

i bkd it ew norn...hard luck..if it got up the inside it would have won id say..just wondering if it finished 3rd(one withdrawn late to leave 7)would i have got paid?

nice one norn..i went in at 6/4..just stayed all day!!thanks again..i was looking to see if you were posting here yest.you werent at the time of the race i had a tip for..it was 2nd at 8s..i done it ew..

ah jaysus you want to tell her whos wearing the trousers!!..im off to clonmel for the coursing next week..ive a share in a runner..

Plenty of opportunity to trade out and have a free bet with a lot of support for Allthekingshorses. Done by the the "very soft" and "dead" ground and I will forgive this run and back him next time on good-soft or better.

NORN-Tyrella tomo-early to bed and wrap up warm-got winner for first race all the way from Fermanagh.