Race review

Top Dancer, the main line tip for the day, ran a really good race at Chepstow, to finish fourth.

He was well backed, from the advised 14/1 down to his SP of 6/1 (which was about the price I thought he should have been).

In the race itself, he travelled very smoothly and jumped economically.

Turning for home, he looked the most likely winner and on the run to the second last, he touched 1.4 on Betfair.

However, that was as good as it got, as he just couldn’t find the required reserves to go with the first two on the run to the last.

It looked as if his stamina gave out – but I suspect it was simply the holding ground.

Back on a better surface, he would be of interest, in a similar race. However he might need a few weeks to recover from today’s exertions…

In the following race, Sophonie, (the early bird tip that never was !) was a bitter disappointment…

In truth, I was getting a little concerned when I saw the pre-race drift. A Betfair SP of almost 5/2 seemed to tell the tale for a horse I felt should have been priced up close to even money.

She ran a bit too freely in the race itself and when put under pressure up the home straight, found virtually nothing.

My guess is that she was still feeling the effects of her last outing – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her given a good few weeks break before her next outing.

I’m sure that she has the ability to win a race, such as today’s, off her current mark.

Hopefully connections will get her back into a state where she can demonstrate that.

In the penultimate race on the card, Royal Mile also produced a most disappointing effort to finish well beaten. I guess it goes to show that they are not machines…

Over at Warwick, Hazy Tom managed to hold off the sustained challenge of Cantlow.

The 2 mile trip certainly favoured the former more and Cantlow lost little in defeat.

He will be a different proposition next time out, over a more suitable trip.

Finally, Aladdins Cave was very well backed at Fairyhouse. In from the early 6/1 to an SP of 3/1.

He didn’t look likely to win at various points in the race, but where it mattered, he got his nose in front, for what was ultimately quite a cosy win.

There could be more to come from him…

So that concludes the first week of the 2012-13 TVB season.

They say that a week is along time in politics  (and I suspect Barack Obama and Mitt Romney would agree) – but I can assure you that a week is an equally long time in the world of tipping !

From Monastrell to Sophonie, via Loch Ba and Richards Sundance. There have already been quite a few ups and downs – and the journey has barely begun !

I hope you are all well strapped in !!

TVB.