Tom Roper's Weblog

Royal Ascot: day two

Here's today's kick at the cat
My selections:
230 Jersy Stakes: Psychiatrist
305 Windsor Fores Stakes: Beneventa
345 Prince of Wales's Stakes: Powerscourt
420 Royal Hunt Cup: Autumn Glory
455 Queen Mary Stakes: Damson
530 Sandringham Rated Fillies Handicap: Red Top

Royal Ascot first day

My selections:
230 Coventry Stakes: Turnkey
305 King's Stand Stakes: Frizzante
345 St James's Palace Stakes: Haafhd
420 Queen Anne Stakes: Soviet Song
455 Ascot Handicap: Malarkey
530 Windsor Castle Stakes: Dark Cheetah

Today's selections: York and Sandown

York 150 Polygonal
York 250 Aqualung
Sandown 315 Flying Express
York 325 Traytronic

And for good measure, Spain to win Euro 2004 at 8/1. Since I don't know the first thing about the game I rarely bet on football, but having drawn the Spanish in the BSMS work sweepstake, it seemed to me reasonable to increase my investment.

2000 Guineas

One race today and I pick Haafhd.

Persian Punch

Alas, I didn't back the eleven-year old Persian Punch today, though he had obliged for me on more than one occasion in the past, his 20 wins from 63 starts. He died at Ascot today, pulled up 100 yards form the winning post, it seems of a ruptured aorta. There's a lot of sentiment about the death of racehorses about which I and others are justly sceptical, but I hope he died happy.

Today's Ascot selections

2-40 Sagaro Stakes: Supremacy
3-15 Swinley Stakes:Red Top
3-50 Paradise Stakes: Heretic
4-25 Pavilion Stakes: Mac Love

Doubles

Today's selections, posted after the races were run, in the manner of Dorothy Paget who, the story from a more innocent age runs, kept Bohemian hours and would telephone her bookmaker with her bets for the day after the races had run. Her bookie was completely happy and in answer to each selection would reply, "won, Miss Paget", "fell, Miss Paget" or "unplaced, Miss Paget" as the case might be.
It was a curious day: Graham Lee achieved the enviable double of riding the winner in both the Aintree and Scottish Nationals. I managed a similar but unwelcome double in that I backed horses that fell at the last in both races, Hedgehunter at Aintree and Granit d'Estruval today, who I thought had a real chance.
For the record, then:
Newbury 215: Desert Opal
Ayr 240: Granit d'Estruval
Ayr 310: Perouse
Newbury 315: Majestic Desert
Newbury 345: Milk it Mick
Ayr 445: Silver Birch

The National

Serious followers of the turf look on the Grand National much as alcoholics do the Christmas bacchanalia, a period when the normal enjoyment of horse and/or drink is ruined by amateurs who have to have the principles of the each-way bet explained to them. But I cannot let the day pass without recording my selection: Hedgehunter.

First two days at Aintree Grand National Meeting

Yesterday's selections weren't much use, but today's look better
Yesterday
310 Novices Hurdle: Howle Hill
345 Fox Hunters' Chase: Irbee
420 Red Rum Handicap Chase: Simply Gifted
455 Handicap Hurdle: Colourful Life
530 Novice's Hurdle: Perle de Puce

Today:
235 Novices' Hurdle: Albuhera
310 Melling Chase: Native Upmanship
345 Topham Chase: Scotmail Boy
420 Sefton Novices Hurdle: Accipter
455 Mildmay Novices' Chase: Rule Supreme

After Cheltenham

After, from a racing point of view, the best Cheltenham I can remember, the wise man would stay away from racecourses for a decent period. Not me.
Though I only picked one winner at the Festival, I return to the struggle today with the following:
155 Uttoxeter Tattersals (Ireland) EBF Mares Novices Handicap Chase: Stocks 'n Shares
240 Ascot Cantor Odds Handicap Hurdle: Dante's Reef
255 Uttoxeter John Smiths Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase: Hume Castle
330 Uttoxeter Allied Irish Bank Novices Handicap Chase: Bee an Bee