I trust you enjoyed our coverage of the Arlington million on Saturday night. The evening was a triumph for the Aiden O Brien team who won both the Grade I Secretariat with Treasure Beach and the Arlington Million with Cape Blanco. Treasure Beach was made to fight hard and despite a rather ungainly head carrige he prevailed in a driving finish. He was racing on lasix for the first time which may well have helped him. I have my suspicions that he may have a slight problem in terms of his wind and as such problems are often linked to bleeding issues the lasix was probably a good move from the O Brien team. Now before somebody tells me I am an idiot again for simply giving my opinion, remember this is just an opinion.

Cape Blanco was impressive in the Arlington Million under an intelligent ride from Jamie Spencer. He struck for home turning into the short home straight as other horses on his inside were getting in each others way and the move proved decisive. Spencer has had his critics over the years, whatever the validity or otherwise of that criticism it has always been the case that he is a class act. He is a supreme judge of pace and is now riding as well as anybody. I rate him very highly and you only have to listen to him talk about race riding to know that he is a master of the art. Once again this is just my opinion, no need for you to kick the cat or bang your head off a nearby wall.

I am at home today, but will be back in action for Racing Uk tomorrow both in the afternoon and the evening. The evening will be dedicated to the action from kempton Park and James Willoughby will be my guest. Please get involved in the show. All the usual suspects and anybody else interested are welcome to mail us at studio@racinguk.com.

I have no plans for today other than to get a spot of gardening done. Well if brandishing a hedge trimmer can be described as gardening!

All the best

Todays Selections

5.30 Kempton – Lion Court

It was a good day for David Pipe yesterday with Hunterview and The Tracey Shuffle running out easy winners at Musselburgh. Both owned by Jo Tracey Hunterview gave Pipe his first winner at the Scottish venue (for full story http://www.racinguk.com/news/article/hunter-notches-a-first-for-pipe). James Ewart’s Vogues outstayed his opposition to take the Scottish Triumph Hurdle. The 4yo battled on strongly to get the better of The Starboard Bow on the run to the line, while the blog’s selection Eltheeb failed to act in the soft conditions and was beaten when falling at the last. George Moore’s youngster will be better on a sounder surface and is definitely up to winning an ordinary novice hurdle in the North. With yesterday’s Irish Hennessy meeting being abandoned due to waterlogging race planners have saved the Grade 1 card by rearranging the meeting for this Saturday (for full story http://www.racinguk.com/news/article/hennessy-meeting-now-next-saturday). Today’s jump racing comes from Lingfield where conditions are set to be testing. The beginners chase looks interesting at 2.05:

P 2.05 – Vino Griego should take the beating in this but will be a short price to do so. A useful novice hurdler last season Gary Moore’s 6yo has improved with each chase start to date and brings the strongest form into the race. Talented but quirky he may win this easily but with a poor wins to runs ratio I am happy to look elsewhere for a bit of value. General Kutuzov has shaped with promise in three chase starts to date and was bang in contention when unseating his pilot at Chepstow last time out.  Nick Gifford’s inmate loves the mud flying so conditions should be ideal today at a track he has already won at. Spear Thistle is entitled to get in the shake-up but has disappointed on two chasing starts so far and needs to improve his jumping to go close in this.

Selections (1-5*)

P 2.05 – General Kutuzov *E/W at 8/1+

Uttoxeter & Warwick

As the saying goes “All good things must come to an end”, therefore today’s instalment is my last blog on the resident page and though there has not been a lot of racing to talk about in the final month, overall it has been a great thrill and I have enjoyed every day.  Hopefully the fog is not going to lie over the Midlands, and with Uttoxeter having passed their morning inspection, both meetings are set fair, though I would be wary of getting involved too heavily at the Staffordshire venue because the ground is likely to ride extremely testing.  The horses can almost hit a brick wall up the home straight.  There is a disappointing amount of prize money on offer and the final bumper, the final commentary of Graham Goode, has a first prize of just £1,301. 

As usual there are regular supporters of the course and Donald McCain sends a box load with three good chances in the first three novice events.  His first horse for Diana Whateley, Tornado Bob looks the best, ironically, his main danger is Herdsman trained by Philip Hobbs, responsible for the majority of the Whateley’s string.  A competitive card at Warwick, with a couple of runners for Lucinda Russell.  I remember reading when the snow was two foot deep at Kinross that she was planning to send a few to Michael Scudamore’s yard for the new year,therefore I presume Bear Dancing and Moscow Mischief are her first representative’s in the first two handicaps.  Perhaps Alverstone came up against a decent type in Sparky May last time, therefore I am prepared to give her another chance in the mares hurdle. Finally, I would like to wish everyone a healthy and profitable new year and a big thank you for all the support I have received in 2010.

Taunton & Leopardstown

As per usual there is some decent money on offer at Taunton with the day starting with a seller and then a couple of decent novice hurdles, one for mares featuring some good types.  I thought Mizzurka would improve for her Exeter debut a fortnight ago, and with A.P. retaining the mount, I would expect the daughter of the staying chaser Miss Diskin to go close today.  Three real competitive handicaps to close the card, a valuable conditional jockeys event for the penultimate event with Grafite lurking at the bottom of the handicap, I realise Towcester form can be misleading but the way he bolted up that hill a fortnight ago suggests he is on the upgrade, he could be worth chancing at a decent price with the excellant Richie McLernon on board.

On the final day at Leopardstown all eyes will be on Mikael D’Haguenet as he bids to land the grade one novice event over two miles.  Not quite certain what his optimum distance is likely to be, but he is one exciting individual and though it is a no bet race, I hope he puts up a flawless display.

Just four days left in 2010 and todays card at Ffos Las is only the eleventh to be run on turf this month,it has certainly been a barren spell and the novice hurdles have both attracted maximum fields, with A.P. venturing across the Irish sea,Richie McLernon steps in for some decent rides for his retaining stable, that of Jonjo’s.Irish import Viking Visitor makes his debut for the yard in the opener, a tough opponent could be another ex Irish horse State Benefit for the Nicky Henderson yard, who in the other novice hurdle run the well fancied Master Fiddle out of the same owners staying mare Fiddling The Facts. There is a decent handicap chase with J.P. McManus supplying a third of the twelve runner field. The Leopardstown meeting gets under way two days late and the highlight of the day is the Lexus chase, it must have every chance of staying on home soil, and I like the look of Notre Pere,in the prevailing conditions and the 20-1 available price.

The final day of racing, and though it is hardly festive with so many up and down the country having their fare share of problems, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Looking ahead to Boxing Day, on betfair both Fontwell and Kempton are both trading odds on to race, not a price that I would consider but at least it gives us hope.  Provided the snow doesn’t scupper Southwell today, there is another chance for some national hunt horses to stretch their legs, my long term Welsh National fancy, Le Beau Bai, wasn’t even entered, runs in the final race, and though it is likely to ride slow.  I would be surprised if he had the toe to outrun the dual bumper wimmer Priceless Art, though he ought to be of interest on his next outing over obstacles.  Which I believe these races are all about, yesterday Dark Lover travelled like a dream and he will be one I will be backing on his next outing over hurdles.

There are not many green shoots appearing on the horizon and the first five pages of the Racing Post are all about the aftermath of the Sports Personality of the Year show.  The figures quoted are laughable and the project director for Racing for Change Rod Street is quoted “You can take the story further and you should engage with the great British public, who spoke very clearly last night”.  Clearly a job as the transport minister for the government beckons, perhaps they should deploy the staff at Kempton and Southwell to Heathrow, because the guys have done a great job to get the show on the road for this afternoon.  Not much chance I would have thought for most courses on Boxing day.  I have read three courses as being frozen in places, which should read frozen solid all over.

An extra card for National hunt horses at Kempton, Noland reappears after a two year break. I remember reading when he made his bumper debut at Wincanton that he was from the family of one of my favourite ever race fillies Bosra Sham, though five years on, he is likely to need the run like so many today, a possible outsider is another well related mare, Natural Spring, out of Highbrook, therefore a half sister to Chester Vase winner Ted Spread.  Stating the obvious fitness will be at a premium, and the best policy today may be to make a note of a few of these for a near at hand appearance over obstacles, whether successful today the card could supply a few future winners in the new year.

With it still below freezing, I would expect Southwell to ride fairly deep this afternoon, plenty of course winners on show with Kieren Fallon travelling up to ride a couple for Mark Johnston.

I have been to a handful of meetings before which have been abandoned, but the loss of the Ascot two day card would rank as the biggest disappointment, but at least we got home safe and well.  The estimated three hour journey took almost double, I saw trainer Emma Lavelle, jockeys Paul Moloney and Tom O’Brien leaving the course after the abandonment on Friday morning and all the people who turned up that it is just an impossible situation to judge.  I must admit I feared the worst on Thursday evening walking back to the hotel after a pint in the local town, the temperature had dropped rapidly from earlier.  Sadly there is no sign of it getting warmer and the chance of National Hunt racing this side of the new year must be something of a long shot.

At least one hotpot managed to win over the weekend, thankfully A.P. landed the Sports Personality of the year award, not sure how the votes panned out but he is a worthy winner, regardless of any campaign, though I must admit from a personal point of view, the show seemed somewhat monotonous and wondered why Jeremy Clarkson guested on screen as an authority on the Winter Olympic Gold Medallist Amy Williams.  The main thing is that A.P. won though I am not sure what difference it will make to the racing world.  If Phil Taylor had been triumphant it would not have made me want to go to Alexandra Palace to watch him perform this week.

Two meetings at what I would describe proper jumps tracks, both Exeter and Towcester on perfect jumping ground make for an afternoon of decent competitive racing.  Out of the staying chaser Miss Diskin, Mizzurka makes her debut for the same yard of the dam, that of Bob Buckler, she has a worthy opponent in the Kim Bailey trained Silver Gypsy, but I will stick with her on her hurdling debut. Some real promising chasers on show, Royal Charm takes on more streetwise opponents in the graduation chase, whilst Wymott looked every inch a future star on debut at Bangor, Easter Legend bids to make it three on the bounce in the mares novice chase, though concedes plenty of weight to some worthy opponents.

Double figure fields in every race at Towcester, a mare I like the look of the mare of Jonjo’s Rate Of Knots in the handicap chase, who ran a better race than the bare form suggests at Bangor on debut. Malton raider Mac Aeda has looked promising in novices and takes his first step into handicap company in a real competitive event.

Just hoping the weather forecast is wrong as I am heading down south to Ascot for the weekend.  Friday looks safe enough but there are concerns for the big race card on Saturday, so fingers crossed that I do not wake up to a wintry scene that morning.