11/3

Rafa got a bang on the head and decided to let his team play football yesterday. I backed under 3.5 goals at 1.24, then, with the early goal in the 2nd half, played a kind of Mexican standoff with the market, waiting, hopefully for the price to drop. I managed to get out with an £18 loss at 1.45. Could have lost all at any time. Just one of those things.
Not to worry though, a great day in the racing.
Elliwan won, Smarties Boy won,Cousin Vinny unplaced but a big price so no harm done, fav at Sedg placed and guess who won? Naval Attache 25/1 betting forecast off at 12/1 - NICE!Cap St Jean 2nd 8/1 , Binocular placed, nina's Garde Champetre won - God Bless 'er! -Quevega won by 15 lengths, Witness Run 2nd at 12/1 , NEver Lose won. No real sub 5/1'ers apart from the front 2 . A couple of horses unplaced but an exceptional day for place only backing despite, again, my unfounded concerns. Quevaga I backed in the place market, and also a little potential profit from the place market used as stake in the win market, and Willie Mullins's confidence was very well founded indeed

Hopefully target profits were realised before Rafa decided to dispense with his normal dour defensive European dirge which is beloved (normally) of under 3.5 goal backers!
Early start today which may compromise the market movers.

120 STHL

BETTING FORECAST: 3/1 May Martin, 11/2 Celtic Rebel, Forever´s Girl, 13/2 Fashion Icon, 7/1 Bold Rose, Imaginary Diva, 10/1 Jubilee Juggins, Taurus Twins, 14/1 Just The Lady, 20/1 Chimbonda, 66/1 First Blade, 100/1 Yes She Can Can.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Simon Callaghan has had eight winners from only 12 runners at Southwell this winter and the switch to this surface could work the oracle for his CELTIC REBEL. He'll be suited by the likely strong pace and is entitled to go close if the cheekpieces have the desired effect. May Martin's debut form is nothing special but she's entitled to improve. [RY]

As expected all prices not up yet, Chimbonda 14/1 at the moment and Just the lady 10/1

130 CHELTENHAM

BETTING FORECAST: 5/1 Can´t Buy Time, 7/1 Niche Market, Wichita Lineman, 8/1 Coe, Kornati Kid, 10/1 Forest Leaves, 12/1 Parsons Pistol, 14/1 Nine De Sivola, 16/1 Drumconvis, Fair Point, 20/1 Tricky Trickster, 33/1 Hennessy, Tank Top, 40/1 Borero, Pangbourne, 50/1 Itsa Legend, Le Beau Bai, Nuvelli, 100/1 Carnival Town, Radetsky March.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Jonjo O'Neill has a real penchant for this race and his Can't Buy Time has to be high on the list after the way he dismissed a field of greybeards in such contemptuous fashion at Sandown. Kornati Kid is the highest rated horse and is going places but PARSONS PISTOL, whose stable was on the mark here yesterday, is progressing well in cheekpieces and the step up to this trip shouldn't be a problem.[PJ]

Races today are too open to realsitically get a handle on - no Binocular, no Garde Champetre today
Le Beau Bai 25/1 in places, Tricky Trickster 14/1 in places

155 STHL

BETTING FORECAST: 7/4 Friends Hope, 9/2 Rawdon, 5/1 Bridgewater Boys, 13/2 North Parade, 8/1 New England, 14/1 Mac Don, Sri Kuantan, Waterside, 33/1 Welcome Cat.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: FRIENDS HOPE must have a solid chance on her C&D handicap second last time. Bridgewater Boys knows how to win these lowly races and could pose most problems.[PJ]

Rawdon a non runner - Bridgewater Boys the main beneficiary at time of writing into 2/1 favourite , Waterside 8/1

205 CHELTENHAM

BETTING FORECAST: 7/2 Karabak, 4/1 Mikael D´Haguenet, 9/2 Diamond Harry, 13/2 Mad Max, 11/1 The Nightingale, 16/1 Knockara Beau, 20/1 Quwetwo, 25/1 China Rock, Realt Dubh, 40/1 Junior, 50/1 Ruthenoise, 66/1 Quartetto, 200/1 Dorset Square, 250/1 Richard The Third.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Willie Mullins won this last year and can repeat the trick with MIKAEL D'HAGUENET who has won all four of his starts for the yard, the last three in Graded company, and looks a top-class prospect. Diamond Harry and Karabak can follow him home.[AC]

Mullins and Walsh combine again on the market leader "likely to take a deal of beating" says Spotlight. 4 under double figure odds
23 wins amongst the first 7 in the betting in their last 4-5 runs tells you this is a good quality event

305 SOUTHWELL

BETTING FORECAST: 5/2 Flores Sea, 11/2 Barataria, 7/1 Highly Regal, Hilbre Court, Jebel Tara, 10/1 Downhill Skier, Dudley Docker, West End Lad, 14/1 Lord Theo, Penchesco.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Jamie Spencer and David Barron are a formidable team on artificial surfaces and FLORES SEA can be another winner for the duo. His last run is best overlooked and he's better judged on his previous second to an in-form sort over 7f here in February. He's well worth another try over this trip and is taken to beat Jebel Tara. [RY]

Lord Theo 7/1

320 CHELTENHAM

BETTING FORECAST: 4/11 Master Minded, 12/1 Big Zeb, Well Chief, 14/1 Petit Robin, 20/1 Briareus, Twist Magic, 50/1 Santa´s Son, 66/1 Ashley Brook, Mahogany Blaze, 80/1 Scotsirish, 100/1 Newmill, 250/1 Marodima.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Ten horses have won this race more than once since its inception in 1959 and MASTER MINDED is expected to follow suit and ensure an exalted place in the pantheon with his lethal combination of blistering speed and razor-sharp jumping. Fragile Well Chief would have the best prospects of beating him if still as good as he was, otherwise Petit Robin, sure to be plugging on up the hill, may be the closest pursuer.[PJ]

Now that's a price gap. Scraped through last year by, erm, 19 lengths, Masterminded looks ideal in the place only market, and the relative quality of the race should ensure a reasonable place only price

A race for each way thievery I would suspect, with 2 places apparently having to be filled and BIG prices amongst the remaining horses
6 horses at 50/1 or bigger can hopefully be discounted. Me, I'd opt for Big Zeb and PEtit Robin and Briarius each way just for an interest in the race and the hope they can be competitive. No real reason to pick the named horses ,save they are 3rd, 4th and 5th in the betting in a seeming 6 horse race if we can discount the outsiders

335 HUNTINGDON

BETTING FORECAST: 4/1 Head To Kerry, 13/2 Gunnadoit, 8/1 Portside, 10/1 Castlemainevillage, Festive Chimes, 12/1 Native Bob, Ramvaswani, Romney Marsh, 14/1 Anthony´s Road, Latalanta, Red Dynamite, 16/1 Kanonkop, 20/1 Fast Fred, Rapid Return, 25/1 Nevada Red, Pearly Star, Present, 33/1 Take Time.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: HEAD TO KERRY (nap) beat the remainder convincingly when just touched off at Fontwell under this rider last Wednesday and can go one better turned out before his new mark takes effect. Gunnadoit, Native Bob and Portside are others with some appeal.[SB]

I do like horses who pulled ahead of the field last time out and Head to Kerry is a possible each way selection for me. Castlemainevillage now 7/1 as is Festive charms
18 runner handicap and 4 places is the only reason I mention this race

415 HUNTINGDON

BETTING FORECAST: 3/1 Blaze Ahead, 100/30 Leo McGarry, 5/1 Double Obsession, Shergill, 10/1 Enhancer, 12/1 Domenico, Moon Mix, 14/1 Helm, 20/1 Sandymac, 25/1 Ortega.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Some of these have been running in better company and are worth a second look. Perhaps LEO McGARRY can continue his progress back from a layoff and take this at the expense of Blaze Ahead. The latter has won both his tries over C&D but his chase career has stalled lately and it's hard to know if he's in top shape right now.[EMW]

Sandymac and Ortega the movers here

505 STHL

BETTING FORECAST: 2/1 Royal Crest, 11/4 Feudal, 7/2 Azharia, 5/1 Northern Flyer, 12/1 Fancy Set, 25/1 Chantilly Jewel, The Last Alzao, 33/1 Bonnet O´Bonnie, 200/1 Ronnies Girl.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Little to go on in the way of form. ROYAL CREST did well enough on his debut here last month to suggest he is capable of winning a race like this, but Feudal, who should be much sharper for his first run, and the nicely bred newcomer Azharia would not need to be anything out of the ordinary to make a big impact.[FC]

Royal Crest now 11/10 and The last Alzao 14/1 in places

515 CHELT

BETTING FORECAST: 5/1 Rite Of Passage, Sicilian Secret, 7/1 Dunguib, 10/1 Quel Esprit, Quinola Des Obeaux, 14/1 Gagewell Flyer, Shinrock Paddy, 16/1 Cadspeed, Meath All Star, 22/1 Henry King, 33/1 Cranky Corner, Morning Supreme, Red Harbour, Some Present, 40/1 Bygones Of Brid, Lead The Parade, Long Strand, 50/1 Double Dash, Latin America, Pepe Simo, 66/1 Lightening Rod, 80/1 Abroad, 100/1 Benbane Head, Fennis Boy.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Willie Mullins has made this race his own and is represented by one-third of today's field in his bid to win it for the seventh time. But in a race packed full of unknown quantities it may be Dermot Weld who takes the prize back to Ireland with RITE OF PASSAGE who is bred well enough to win a Derby and has won with plenty to spare on both his starts.[AC]

The superb combo of Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen are on Rite of Passage in this bumper, a good race to take through the 16/1 system to see any possible Irish movers
No market movers at time of writing.
I was going to say Willie Mullins has been farming bumpers in Ireland, but he has some 8 runners in this race!!

530 HUNT

BETTING FORECAST: 9/4 Born To Perform, 3/1 Hopeand, Tutto Bene, 8/1 Isitcozimcool, 12/1 Bobble Hat Bob, Springtree, 20/1 Bargear, 25/1 Our Ashley, 33/1 Aega, Be My Deputy, 50/1 Baroque Star, Ferula, 100/1 Present Time, Sin Citadel.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: The standard set by Tutto Bene is nothing out of the ordinary and although he should improve for his debut here back in November, he is likely to vulnerable to a newcomer. Both BORN TO PERFORM and Hopeand come from yards with fine records in these events and a test like this should be ideal for Alan Swinbank's US bred on his debut.[AC]

Hopeand now 7/4 but it is far to early to take this slight move as a significant vote of confidence given this is a bumper

540 STHL

BETTING FORECAST: 4/1 Great Knight, 9/2 Cape Of Storms, 11/2 Charlie Allnut, Imperial Djay, 8/1 Wiltshire, 12/1 Cheery Cat, 14/1 Briannsta, Owed, 16/1 Lytton, 20/1 Billy Hot Rocks, Trinculo, 25/1 Diminuto, Gracie´s Gift, Princess Charlmane.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: GREAT KNIGHT's Wolverhampton win should have given him heart and hopefully he is on tracks now for his new yard. There are question marks about most of his rivals, though Cheery Cat would be interesting on his turf form if tuned up for his return to action.[EMW]

Why is GRacies Gift now 6/1?

750 KEMP

BETTING FORECAST: 4/7 Sanvean, 6/1 Esteem Lord, 8/1 More Tea Vicar, 12/1 Lyrical Intent, 16/1 Highgate Cat, 20/1 Al Jathaab, Gibson Square, 25/1 Sams Spirit, Sermons Mount, 50/1 Keen As Mustard,

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: SANVEAN wouldn't look thrown in off her mark but she sets a pretty formidable standard here and can prove too strong for Esteem Lord.[PSm]

3rd fav non runner - maiden race and 10+ hours til race time means the market must be consulted near the off. As things stand this is a good price gapper

820 KEMP

BETTING FORECAST: 3/1 Philatelist, 6/1 Buster Hyvonen, Dream Desert, King Olav, 8/1 Bazergan, Grande Caiman, 10/1 John Terry, 12/1 Formation, Robby Bobby, 14/1 Evident Pride.

SPOTLIGHT VERDICT: Dream Desert is the most interesting of these with a view to the future but he has been off since Royal Ascot and is entitled to come on for this. King Olav may do better still, but PHILATELIST (nap) shaped as though he was back to his best last time and can stamp his authority on this field under a more patient ride.[PSm]

Dream Desert now 7/4 - a significant mover? now price gapper in LIVE market with 5/1 the next

SHORTLIST
Nowhere else to look except MAsterminded for me today. AS my showbiz pals Pulic Enemy would say "Do believe the hype"
1.14 to place is a great price for a 1/3 shot who won by 19 lengths last time out.
750 KEMPTON - Sanvean is a price gapper but the place market is not formed .

Well, what will it be tonight in the football? Surely the Man Utd v Inter Milan game should mirror the Chelsea (under jose) and Man Utd premiership clashes of the past?
No advantage with any side tonight and one goal to no reply will suffice.

ONE A DAY
It's MAsterminded for me today. Of course he could fall but should place