Platinum

Horses switching from fences to lesser distance and in lower grades on the flat dont have a particularly good record to say the least and this afternoon I'm taking on a horse which is curently favourite for his race, his last ran on the flat was in November 2007. His most recent races have been over three miles in hurdle races and also in the book is a run in the King George where he was pulled up behing Kauto Star. The last outing for Golan Way on the flat was at Wolves in November of 2007 off a rating of just 68 when he finished 5th in a 12f race. Since then he has raced entirely over hurdles and fences. His opening NH mark 5 years ago was 138 and today 5 years on he is rated 140 over hurdles. This is not the greatest race being just a Class 4 but he may find himself outpaced over two miles on the flat even against these rivals. Maybe he has shown something on the gallops that has made Sheena West run him here and I'm prepared to have egg on my face, but at the price of 3.55 I think he is well worth taking on.

4.20 Goodwood - Golan Way - Lay.

Should he be outpaced early on then a buy Back of Golan Way at 9.6 for 35% of your stake would give you a 65% return.

A favourite that does look a little under priced is Ebanour in the 2.50 at Ayr. He won nicely in a Novices Hurdle last time out but prior to that he was well beaten in a similar handicap to this showing that perhaps his current handicap mark is a little high for him, for the time being at least. We have at least five others on our side and we just need one of them to get in front of Ginger McCains under priced horse to give us another successful lay.

2.50 Ayr - Ebanour - Lay at 4.1

Sir Michael Stoute is a great trainer and in the next at Newmarket at 3.35 I'm sure that his runner Zumbi will go off the hot favourite. He looks a bit short at the current price of 2.12. This is a fairly small but competitive field that he takes on and we have at least three on our side that are capable of taking this and we also have the unknown factor of the horses fitness after a spell of 245 days off the racecourse, and the way Zumbi was 'staying on' over seven furlongs when last seen perhaps indicates that he wants further than today's distance already. At the price, he is worth taking in in my opinion.

3.35 Newmarket Zumbi - Lay at 2.12.

100% record so far with 20 afavourites beaten and 20 successful lays. In the 3.10 at Southwell we have a claimer where anyone of six can win so I', looking to take on one of the current joint favourites in the form of Trans Sonic at 2.96. He does have some good course form but the weights are not necessarily in his favour this afternoon when you take into consideration his latest two runs which have been poor. We have five on our side to get a head in front of him and with three of the five most likely too, three of them are in decent form so once again the percentage call is to oppose.

3.10 Southwell - Trans Sonic - Lay at 2.96

So far so good. Opposable favourite number 20 is in the 3.55 this afternoon at Sedgefield. Having been well backed for this Soul Magic finds himself the 4.2 favourite. He won a Class Four Novices Handicap Chase at Carlisle in August which was the end race of a four timer for him. He was raised in the weights along the way and since his last win off a mark of 94 he has found a rating of 100 to be just beyond him and will hopefully find one or two good for him again today. We have five others on our side all who are capable of winning this and I'm hoping one of them does just that. Carrietau will set the pace here and if he stretches them out it may well be possible to trade out in running on Soul Magic as his price rises.

3.55 Sedgefield Soul Magic - Lay at 4.2

Horses making their handicap debuts can often be difficult to assess, but I think it is worth taking on one who is rather a short price for his first run in a handicap in the 7.00 race, that horse being Mark Johnstons well backed favourite Bordoni. Trading at around 2.16 seems very short on what he has achieved so far. He won his maiden last time out and has been given a rating that makes him run off top weight in a Class Three Handicap on only his third run. When winning his maiden, Bordoni beat into third place a horse called Never Satisfied by 20 lenghts or so, Never Satisfied was given a rating of 65 and was then beaten in another maiden by 40 lengths by a horse who was given a rating of just 73, by comparison Bordoni runs tonight from a mark of 86 which may be just a tad high, at least I'm prepared to think that it is and at 2.16 a lay is the call in a race where he has the advantage of being the only distance winner in the field but the other four runners can all be given a chance of sorts, at the price its a lay.

7.00 Kempton Bordoni - Lay at 2.16

I do like to take on odds on shots in 2 year old maidens and in the first, the 2.10 at Yarmouth Out Of The Blocks at 1.95 fits the bill. He was slowly away on his debut and this field has trainers who can have one ready first time up and I would think that all four of his opponents could be up top winning this. So I hope that one will finish in front of him today and the lay is the percentage call once again,

2.10 Yarmouth Out Of The Blocks - Lay at 1.95

Round 17 of Opposable favourites takes us to the flat at Folkestone today and on to the 4.10 race where the current favourite is Iron Condor. Last time was a poor effort in a hurdle race and prior to that it looked as though the handicapper had his measure after raising him in the weights for a win in a Class 6 race at Yarmouth. He looked very one pace in that race and although dropped 4lb for that he is still well above his winning mark and once again the percentage call is to oppose him with all six of his opponents capable of winning this.


4.10 Folkestone Iron Condor Lay at 4.2 

Jo Hughes is just 1-16 with her two year old maidens and maybe its worthwhile taking on a horse of hers in the 6.00 at Wolves in the shape of the odds on Poetic Princess at the odds of 1.83. All of these trainers are not the greates where two year old records are concerned but between them they only have to have one capable and ready and the Evans horse that finished behind Poetic Princess last time could well show improvement. Backing odds on in maiden races is a quick way to the poor house, the percentage call is to Lay.

6.00 Wolves Poetic Princess - Lay at 1.83.

If in the 5.00 at Sedfgefield Cottage Acre does manage to put in a clear round then he maybe in with a shout, but only maybe. He did win a Novices Handicap Chase a year or so ago but has gone the wrong way ever since. In nine races over fences since then he has failed to complete in five of them including his last three. In his last two races he has appeared to be beaten both times to me before falling last time and unseating the time before and perhaps all the mistakes are beginning to takes it toll on him. If he should remain on his feet and in tact then we have the other five runners on our side, all of whom are capable of winning this. The percentage call is to Lay Cottage Acre at 4.1, with the option of backing him for an easy trade following any inevitable mistakes.

5.00 Sedgefield Cottage Acre - Lay at 4.1.