Monthly Archives: December 2021

Tip Top Cat has built on an intial third after joining from Nigel Twiston-Davies with two wins of increasing authority. He is up 8lb for the latest at Exeter but that may not prevent the hat-trick.

Here Hare Here ran well on debut in a bumper on this track last year but he has disappointed twice since including first time over hurdles. We will be looking for a better showing now.

Bangers And Cash is a lovely horse but he is slow. Because of that the owners thought it sensible to go straight over fences. He jumps nicely, should cope with the ground and will stay every yard of three miles. Hopeful.

I bought back Share The Profits at the Ascot sale this month principally for the apprentices to ride. I think she will be suited by dropping back to five furlongs and she goes nicely enough - it's whether her rider is strong enough to push her through the finishing line! Each-way chances.

Peking Rose was a close second in the listed bumper at Aintree and made a very promising start over hurdles when a reappearing third at Ascot in late October. With that experience behind him he is the one to beat today.

Atlanna, a daughter of Sea The Moon, goes quite nicely. She could be worth a small each-way bet.

Findthetime is a nice horse with a good level of ability. He's a bit of a lad to get down to the start but if that goes well he should be all right. He had to dig in to win at Sedgefield so I'm stepping him up in trip for this first handicap. He'll be…

Justforjames was a winner at Cartmel in late May but has run two poor races since then. He is not the most consistent but goes well for Becky who has won on him four times. Liable to bounce back at any time, and not always when expected either!

Nothin To Ask has probably been a little unlucky not to get his head over the line in his bumpers and this season's two placed efforts over hurdles at Uttoxeter. He won't mind the ground and surely deserves a change of luck here.

Crambo is a nice home-bred gelding from a good French family. He will lack experience in what looks a decent bumper but we are hopeful he can run a solid first race.

Not At Present has never raced on this ground but he is obviously in great form. This is not the strongest handicap and even with the slight proviso about the going, I'm confident he can win again.

Le Grand Lion didn't handle the soft ground at Worcester. He's a horse I like and there are races to be won with him. He wants three miles but before I let him take his chance today we'll have a look at the ground.

We are hopeful that Scene Not Herd can complete the hat-trick to stay unbeaten over fences. I do though find it rather wierd that he faces a horse who has won seven consecutive chases and has been allowed to go up by only the same amount as our horse. You wonder how he has been…

Foster'sisland continues to improve and he won very nicely here last time. If he'd not made a blunder at the last he might have won a good deal further so I think 7lb is fair enough. He loves the ground and a step up in trip will suit as I'm sure he'll stay three miles.…

Headscarf Lil and Rubytwo are very similar mares who both are far more likely to finish second in their races than win. Both are in great form and honestly it's a coin toss which will come out on top. Two feasible place chances and maybe a winner with luck!

for a long way at Kempton last time Cherokee Dance looked like pulling off a 33/1 surprise but tired late on. A similar level of performance could get in the frame.

So once again we are going to a five-furlong all-weather race fancying our chances with Storm Melody and he gets yet another bad draw, hardly the recipe for success. Rab will either have to use him up early to get a position or drop him in and hope for luck. We'll see how it goes…

Animal Instinct wasn't beaten far on stable debut at Newcastle having been bought quite cheaply out of Sir Mark Prescott's stable in October. He can improve a little on that and could have a chance of making the frame.

Author's Dream goes there today with a good chance. This two and a quarter miles is a bigger test of stamina than Lingfield where he was outpaced late on. He's in great form and I expect him to be there or thereabouts.

Party Business was decent in bumpers but never got competitive first time over hurdles in a big field at Warwick. He will need to jump better than on that occasion.