Sunday 19th. Yesterday finished as a level day where we hit a nice winner with MR SINGH who did everything wrong, missed the break ran green and Frankie had to be bang on song getting MR SINGH up on the line, quite cozily in the end. We had firmly pinned our colours to JELLICLE BALL as a maximum ew bet after super reports from the stable about his well being and although we were well clear of the third we bumped into a bit of a tar tar in the shape of the Ralph Becket trained REDSTART and finished second.
Sunday Morning. Bit disappointed we didn’t kick on yesterday after our super start to the flat season, but level Saturdays are ok as I’ve said many times it’s habitually a Greedy 1s fest.
Stratfords track is lovely and flat, quick and very fair, which as a punter I love. DESERT RECLUSE runs in the first and with POKER SCHOOL carrying so much more weight (17lb) he has to be a good win bet at 11/4, so he is my first Sunday email and its to my ANDY BELLs clients. I soon add to him with WHATDOESTHEFOXSAY ew at 4/1 later on in the card and i’m told he is hoping to sit behind the Mark Usher pace setter, but if that doesn’t happen he will attempt to make it.
Both our selections are second today and these seconds are starting to annoy me a shade now as it’s the difference between being fortyish points in front and over a hundred odd as we have now hit three on the trot and ten in all so far this month and a lot of them at prices as well. (4/1, 18/1, 6/4, 6/1, 4/1, 11/4, 13/8, 6/1, 4/1 and 11/4) Grrrrrr.
Monday 20th. I’m very annoyed with our form at the moment, it’s just not quite happening for us is it. Anyway no point crying we need to get on with things and I’m heading into Newmarket to watch a couple of lots, nothing in particular this morning, but we have the Derby trial at Epsom where John Gosden will have the unbeaten sort priced favourite and than APs final race day at Sandown on Saturday.
Unusually things are relatively quiet at breakfast and the main talk surrounds the Micky Channon trained SHINELIKEADIAMOND who is trading at 5/1, but and its a big but he has a poor draw in stall 16. I decide to take the chance that the Channon filly is good enough to over come the poor draw, back and email her out ew, also I add the Smiley ridden HARRYS FAREWELL ew who is expected to go very well.
Lots of racing is coming our way early this week but unfortunately for most of the time the quality is going to be pretty poor.
Don’t give up on SHINELIKEADIAMOND although she didn’t get us a place as the draw was in fact her undoing as she had to do most of her running to get a position and at the end of the race that told. Smileys, HARRYS FAREWELL is smashed up in the betting into 15/8, but doesn’t quite find as expected.
Tuesday 21st. As I had suggested we have lots of racing this morning, although nothing of any great substance. I’m not intending on going racing until Friday, so today I’m intending on having a day in the town this afternoon.
ARIEL has just gone back to Paul Nicholls after having a spell on the point to point circuit and a couple of hunter chasers and is thought to have slipped to a very exploitable Mark if he has retained his ability. On the back of this information I email him out as an ew bet to nothing at 9/2. Also I did learn yesterday that the James Fanshaw trained CELESTIAL KNIGHT had wintered very well and was expected to make a winning return at Kempton this afternoon, so I add him and also a small ew double.
I meet Paul Cabbage and we settle down to watch the racing and hopefully ease our days X’s out of Joe from just across the road.
Yes it’s Weatherspoon’s again, it’s a lovely day with lots of skin on show outside but we have to remain inside as it’s impossible to see the iPad outside in the sun, life’s not fair sometimes is it lol.
ARIEL again just finds one to good for him and we bank another second and obviously Fanshaw didn’t have CELESTIAL KNIGHT as fit as either the money or he had thought and doesn’t find anything and finishes mid pack. ROCKITEER runs in the Hunter chase at Ludlow and we are told that him and the Good doctors horse NEVEROWNUP have a match and will take each other on which I have already emailed out so we attempt to recoup our CELESTIAL KNIGHT loses with a win on ROCKITEER and a straight forecast on the more dodgier stayer NEVEROWNUP. It’s nip and tuck all the way but from two out I’m confident we are going to draw on both bets and we do. We are now in front with just one to run which is on my LATE SERVICE and I have advised TAEXALI who is a short priced favourite later on at Brighton, which isn’t the best of combinations I must admit. Thankfully we don’t lose faith and back our convictions and TAEXALI obliges quite nicely and gives us a really nice winning day. After a dodgy Newmarket tip we have finished the day with good old JOE paying for our G&T’s.
Wednesday 22nd. I email out two nice priced runners today to my ANDY BELLs clients and suggest an ew double.
MUDAMMERA ew at 4/1 and apparently Corals have already taken far to much and are very wary about their liabilities on WHAT ABOUT CARLO at 9/2.
I have just decided that I shall be heading Southwards this weekend rather than Northwards to Donny. The reason being is I would like to be part of AP’s send off on Saturday at Sandown, it will be something, win or lose that we shall never forget, for what he has done for racing it’s the least we can do and it will be good to be a part of it.
WHAT ABOUT CARLO doesn’t handle the Epsom undulations which is no fault of his own as many better horses have suffered the same problem and have popped up else where, which I think will be the case on this one, so just NOTEBOOK him please as I know what he has been doing and what he is thought capable of.
To round off a miserable day MUDAMERRA runs very flat and isn’t given a hard time by Graham Lee after its apparent he’s not going to win. What makes it worse is I was told Tuesday morning that John Gosden was expected to win the Derby trial and personally or client wise I did nothing about it and watches him bolt in by, anyway hindsight, loads.
Thursday 23rd. I have a maximum tip on a Hunter Chaser today which the connections think defeat is out of the question. As soon as I hear it’s all systems go at Warwick I back BALLYTOBER and email him out advising the 9/4 should be taken.
We are really geared up and excited because defeat is thought to be out of the question, until he unseats half way round, another kick in the proverbial’s, words won’t explain how low I feel at the moment, but to give you a clue I could parachute out of a snakes arse.
Friday 24th. Oh dear with BALLYTOBER unseating yesterday my week is getting worse after such a super, super start to the month and our points are dropping like a brides knickers. What makes it worse yesterday was at Newbury the time before we beat the winner by thirty lengths.
The flat proper, well when it’s more settled just can’t get here quick enough for me and us now.
I have several selections to place amongst my services today and one of them is in the very first at Sandown, SHAAKIS ew at 10/1, I am told he will go very well after his cosy Chelmsford win. I have already punted and emailed him out to my ANDY BELLs clients, unfortunately the rest I will have to let you know next week as I’m leaving in a few minutes to go to Sandown and haven’t a great deal of time, this shortened column will happen a shade more I’m afraid as most Friday’s though the summer I shall be away racing and leaving relatively early.
Back next Saturday.
Andy Bell Racing
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