Daily Racing Tips

Wednesday 23rd March

2011-03-23T00:08:00.000Z

Hi all,

Thought I'd make a couple of posts on here, as I have no selections for my other service until Saturday now. How did everyones Cheltenham Festival pan out? The package I put together had some highs and some lows, as did many other peoples from what I can tell, but overall it wasn't that bad, 6 winners numerous 2nd and 3rd places, and the only day that let us down was Day 4 with only a 4th place in the first and a 2nd in the GC. Great weeks racing though, and boy did the Irish clean up lol. So the next top class racing will hit us in 2 weeks time at the Aintree Festival which starts on the 7th of April, and should hopefully present us with some more opportunities to extract some of the bookies money. I will be putting a package together for the 3 day event for anyone who is interested and it is on sale now so be sure to secure your copy at a more than reasonable price

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE

I will attempt to win us a few quid tomorrow at Haydock in the 14:10, horses name Seize. Could be I have a soft spot for greys, but this 9yr old gelding has dropped to a mark just 1 lb higher than his last win, and comes here with conditions to suit. The drying conditions here are what really attract me to this selection, as he is one of only 3 who seem to prefer quicker ground, and he is probably the best treated of the trio. He is currently the outsider of this bunch with a juicy pricetag, which seems somewhat undeserved, half brother to some classy types including Silver By Nature, his sire's offspring boast a fine record in Handicap Chases at this venue 2/2 so far. He needs to make the most of his mark of 108 to land this, but certainly seems value for a small punt, in the hope he can do just that.

* 1PT E/W * at 14-1 with VC and BET365

Good Luck and thanks for looking.

Regards
VBT

Friday 11th March

2011-03-11T00:10:00.000Z

No winners yesterday, but I have three in mind for today, I would love to write up my reasons for the selections, but I am just too tired tonight and I'm off to bed, they all have a valid chance for one reason or another, and I'm hoping for some return.

14:55 Sandown - Marodima 2PT WIN @ 3-1 Paddy Power

15: 10 Wincanton - Runshan 1PT E/W @ F/C odds of 10-1

17:05 Ayr Seize - 0.5PT E/W @ 20-1 William Hill

Good Luck and thanks for looking

Regards
VBT

Update + Selections for 10/03

2011-03-09T22:36:00.001Z

Well guys it's been a while since my last post on here, and I thought I would come and say a few words. Some people have been messaging me to see how my new service is going, well I would love to say I picked up where I left off on here, but to be honest I've had the worst run imaginable at the worst possible time. What caused this? I'd love to blame it on something else, but if I'm honest a mixture of over confidence and to some degree excessive tipping is probably the more likely culprit, so only myself to blame. I have some real gems on the subscribers list who have emailed me to show support even though they must be as frustrated if not more than I, so thanks to those guys, the winners will come again.

So on a positive note, and I'm sure I need tell no-one that the Cheltenham Festival is less than a week away, and I for one can hardly contain my excitement. I have already warned my missus, that although I will be home next week, it will be merely in body as my mind will be on those magical 4 days that come just once a year. I have a couple of selections in mind already, and I have been hammering the trends analysis and other factors at every opportunity, and if nothing else I will be expecting some great runs for my money next week. With that in mind my Cheltenham Package will be available until Monday at midday if you are interested, races will be rated and selections that fit the criteria will be highlighted and emailed to your inbox the night before racing along with a breakdown of info. Will be ideal for people who look at those angles, but have a restricted time base to do so, and I'm confident I can dig a few nice winners out in the process.

GRAB A PLACE HERE

For those who may be slightly dubious about buying a package from someone who is attempting it for the first time, then I also have a recommendation for you. Ben Aitken smashed it at last years Festival, and is selling his own package for this year, I can 100% recommend his method, and he is one of the most knowledgeable and best tipsters around. I believe he only has a limited number of spaces, and they wont last long. Check it out here: http://www.narrowthefield.co.uk/

So with that bit of promoting out the way, I have decided to revisit old hunting ground, in an attempt at a revival of fortunes, hence I will be tipping a couple of selections on here over the next couple of days.

I have two selections in mind for tomorrow, the first comes in the 16:30 @ Folkestone, horses name Portrait Royale. This 9yr old mare posts a good record around this track of 2 wins from 7 runs, and she can always be counted on to put in a good effort and run her race. She does handle the predicted conditions for tomorrow, but a bit of rain overnight certainly would be welcomed. I would love to tip up Topless in this contest, but no matter how many good runs she puts in she cannot seem to get to the winning post first, and I think that may well be the case again in this, even though she has been quickly turned out. Felix De Giles is in the saddle for my selection, and he is in good form of late, and another good ride tomorrow will hopefully knock out a long awaited win for me.

* 2PT WIN * @ F/C ODDS 6-1

My second selection comes in the 16:50 @ Carlisle, horses name Native Coll. This 11 yr old won this race 3 yrs ago off the same mark as tomorrow, and although his recent form looks bad, he has been racing over further than I think he is capable, and this drop back to 2m will be much preferred tomorrow. He's looking like being a nice price and could easily show up in the frame at the end to contest this. A few in this look dubious, and to be honest he should beat most of these home, although Lucinda Russells Against The Wind is knocking on the door of the winners enclosure, and should be well up there aswell. I am happy to take a chance on Native Coll at E/W odds.

* 0.5PT E/W * @ F/C ODDS 10-1

Good Luck and thanks for looking.

Regards
VBT

Monday 28th Feb

2011-02-27T23:49:00.000Z

Well guys, what a day's racing today, and although I did not have any strong fancies, I decided to do a little Lucky 15 for small stakes, and decided to not switch the racing on at all today, and instead watched some replays tonight. But when I checked my Paddy Power account I was pleasantly surprised to find and extra £65 on the balance, 2 selections Won and both others placed, lady luck was with me obviously.

So I will get onto tomorrows racing, where I have two selections in mind. The first selection comes in the 14:40 at Catterick, horses name Whatdoidowiththat. This 8yr old gelding is coming here pretty fresh off the back of a nice win at Hexham in October last year. He is up 7lbs by the handicapper, but has raced well off of higher and I don't think his mark will deter him from displaying a decent run tomorrow. He has previous C+D form here and loves the left handed tracks, he also has conditions to suit, I am expecting a bold bid by him in this race, and my only concern is that all his previous Wins have came off of a run a couple of weeks earlier, and he has been off track for four months now. But he does have more going for him than most of his rivals, so I'm willing to take a small chance on him.

* 1PT WIN * @ 11-2

My second selection comes in the 15:20 at Plumpton, horses name Olympian. Now this 9yr old gelding interests me the most tomorrow, he comes here off the back of some poor form, but don't let that deter you. His first run back after the summer break in November he was pulled up, pulled up again next time out, and came a not so inspiring 10th last month. But he has tumbled down the weights for those runs, and is also taking a drop in class. He is back at a course he runs well at, a distance he runs well at, and will also be running left handed tomorrow which he favours. With a course record of 2 runs, winning one and finishing 2nd in the other makes him a possible value selection in this race, especially at a juicy pricetag of 12-1, far too big in my eyes. A nice E/W bet should suffice for this horse.

* 1PT E/W * @ 12-1

I am also going to put a small E/W double on these * 0.5PT E/W * I think it has a good possibility of returning.

Also just a recap that the tips on this blog will be reduced massively from here on out, as you will probably be aware, my new service starts in March, so my best Max Bets and best Value Bets will be reserved for my subscribers. If you wish to join you still have until 22:00 on the 28th Feb to do so. You can subscribe here, http://maxbetracing.weebly.com

Good luck and thanks for looking.

Sunday 27th Feb

2011-02-27T00:37:00.000Z

Hi guys,

Well what a days racing yesterday, and our two races were fantastic, and after all the cheering and stomping around I don't know who was more exhausted the horses or me. Nacarat ran a courageous race off of top weight in those conditions, and managed to get a well deserved 3rd place, unfortunately I advised him as a win bet so -2PTS. Also Ringaroses was a non runner in that race so stakes were returned. Then came the marathon slog at Newcastle, where only three horses finished the race, and conditions were severely brutal. I must admit when I saw Companero and Giles Cross practically step over the last from exhaustion, I saw our selection Morgan Be really struggling, and without even watching anymore I thought he had been pulled up and I threw the towel in there and then, only to find out shortly after that he did indeed finish the race in his own time. I was delighted that instead of 4PTS down, Morgan Be returned us a small 0.5PT profit at SP, so that meant we were a more pleasing 1.5PTS down, and after the week we have had I'm not too bothered. Both selections yesterday gave us a good run for our money, and ran their hearts out, which is always pleasing in itself.

I have been promoting my new service a little bit recently, and have had a bit of interest so thanks to those who have decided to join me. I will continue promoting until Monday the 28th Feb, and then I will take the subscription button off the site, and will run then until the end of the Jumps Season (end of April), before deciding whether to continue into the summer with the Flat Season. If you are interested please make sure you join up before Monday night, as I will not be taking any new members after this. Some of you have also shown some interest in the Cheltenham Package, that will still be available until Monday the 14th March, so plenty of time to get that in. Should you wish to view my new service you can look on my site http://maxbetracing.weebly.com Thanks again for your support.

Well onto Sundays racing, unfortunately I cannot find anything that I feel comfortable advising you to place a bet on, so there will be no selections today.

Thank you for looking,

Saturday 26th Feb

2011-02-26T01:03:00.000Z

Well guys, what a day it was yesterday two tips two winners, Kadouchski comes home first at 12-1 SP you could have had 20's at first opening, and also Russian Flag comes home first at 7-1 advised at 9's. I would like to say thank you for some of the messages you have sent, and some of you as well as backing both selections as advised, you also did a nice double on the two which at SP works out a 103-1 double, not bad going at all, WELL DONE. Another +20PTS in the bank, and it's been a massive week this week.

With that in mind guys, don't forget I have a new service starting in March which is called 'Max Bet Racing', and although it is a subscription service I am not in it to make fortunes, and a mere £7.50 a month is what it will cost you. The service will consist of my very best tips not just on Max Bets, but the very best Value Bets I can find, and if I fail to make a profit in any month your next month will be free. I'm also doing a Cheltenham Package, which covers the whole four day festival, and will provide an in-depth analysis of the races and will advise you which selections to back, all that for just £6 (£1.50 per day). Both services will provide tips straight to your email inbox the night before racing which will help you get the best early prices. Don't miss out on this opportunity, as although I will still be blogging here, as you will understand my best advice must be for my subscribers. If you are interested please visit my site and click on the Subscriptions tab at the top of the page.

Click Here To View Site

So todays racing, and what a day's racing it's going to be I cannot wait. I have scrolled through the racecards, and have managed to find three selections I'm interested in today in two races, and total 5PT stake is what you will need.

My first selection comes in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton 15:00. The horse I have in mind is Nacarat, this horse has a massive chance in this and can reverse last years second place to Razor Royale. He is 2lbs better treated than last year with conditions that he will be far more suited to. This horse is a class act and I think all being well should be the one to beat in this. There are a few in with a shout and with six of the last ten winners being 8yrs old, would make claims for Hey Big Spender who if he can defy his penalty could be right up there near the end. But a lot of things look right for Nacarat, and although his stable has not been doing so well of late, will hopefully knock a winner out for us tomorrow with Paddy Brennan in the saddle. My second selection also comes in this race, and as I like the odd outsider or two, I'm willing on taking a chance with the Jonjo O'Neil trained Ringaroses, who running off of practically bottom weight in this testing run could well be value for a place. He was a pretty decent hurdler, and has won a couple of novice chases in his time, but does not have the experience of some of his rivals today, but in saying that I think he has got ability. His last run over hurdles was an uninspiring piece of form, but he is not known for running well after a break, and he could well repeat some of last years form, where after showing a poor run after a break, then came on to win next time out. I admit there are a few question marks with this one so a small E/W at a nice 25-1 pricetag is enough for me.

Nacarat * 2PT WIN * @ 6-1

Ringaroses * 0.5PT E/W * @ 25-1

My third selection comes in the 15:15 at Newcastle, horses name Morgan Be. This horse is on a decent mark now and will love the conditions here today. He ran a good second in this race two years ago off a 12lb higher handicap than today (thats if RP is correct should be racing off of 115, ATR states 118). His form last year was bad, but a pleasing display to finish 3rd at this venue just over a month ago gives me a bit more hope. That run should have made him fit for this longer trip which he loves, and as I said he is very well handicapped for a horse of his capability, and I think will go close with a clear round of jumping. Richie McGrath is in the saddle and he is no stranger to this horse, and has a decent chance of winning in what is sure to be one hell of a slog.

Morgan Be * 1PT E/W * @ 8-1

Good Luck and thanks for looking,

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Friday 25th Feb at Sandown

2011-02-25T00:43:00.002Z

Hi guys, todays tip Quws Law, was fairly well supported from as high as 22's down to 10's and eventually went back out to 12's at the off. He went up front early on in 2nd and into 1st after the 3rd, and I started to think it would all come together for him today, but unfortunately it was not to be as his jumping was not up to par today, and a couple of bad mistakes especially 5 out hindered him to the point he seemed to lose heart and was pulled up. I would like to say I will keep him in mind for another time, and I certainly think he has at least another win in him yet, but he seems very hard to predict especially needing a lot of things to go his way. Still it was a cautious 0.5PT E/W bet so not too much lost and with the market support that was shown, I was not the only one who saw value in this one.

Please take the time to check my new site out, a few of you have already decided to give my service a try which is fantastic, and I'm sure you wont regret it. For those who have not seen it you can view it here; http://maxbetracing.weebly.com/

So onto today, and I have 4 PTS to bet with over two selections, the first being Kadouchski in the 13:45. This horse looks seriously well treated on previous form and is better than his last two runs would suggest. He is back down to optimum distance at a course he is comfortable on, and with conditions he handles. His last win came over this C+D and he is now 7lbs better off on that handicap, racing off a mere 97 here today. I am taking a chance that all this on top of racing off bottom weight and the jockey Peter Hatton claiming a further 5lbs will finally turn his latest turn of poor form around. He is more than capable if he puts his best foot forward, and at a massive price-tag is worth a small E/W consideration.

* 0.5PT E/W * F/C ODDS OF 25-1

My second selection is one I'm much more confident in, this comes in the 14:20 horses name Russian Flag. 3lbs better handicapped than his last win at this venue over C+D in Feb last year, he again comes here on the back of a couple of runs that were less than desirable. But I really fancy him to turn things around today, I think his biggest danger is Dinarius who was more than impressive with his 8 length win over his opponents at Exeter earlier this month, but he has a 7lb penalty to shoulder and the drop back in trip will either help him or hinder him with that. Alex Merriam is in the saddle yet again on my selection, and he does show a profit at this course, and a couple of horses at the top end of the market including Clouseau have shown their best form on better ground than today. I feel he has a better than average chance in this race and I'm confident the 9-1 I have just secured will not be available at the off.

* 1.5PT E/W * ODDS OF 9-1

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Thursday 24th Feb @ Ayr

2011-02-24T01:10:00.000Z

Well guys although I decided not to have a bet yesterday, I did still manage to highlight a couple of potential runners in the 15:10 at Doncaster for you, and the outsider Harry Hunt came 3rd at 16-1, landing you some nice E/W money. Another good result to add to the last few days.

Next thing is I would like to point you all in the direction of my new site, I have added this service to compliment this existing blog, and although I have no intention of scrapping this service, I will be reserving my very best tips for my subscribers on the other site. My subscription price is cheap as chips, I have no intention of ripping people off, and I will be seeing how things go for the next couple of months. I am also offering a comprehensive guide for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival at a fantastic price of just £6. Please take the time to have a scroll through the site, and any comments or feedback would be gratefully received.

CLICK HERE

So onto todays racing, and I have a tentative selection in mind today at likely massive odds, the horse in mind is Quws Law in the 16:30. Form lately and at the back end of last year are far from attractive, but what is attractive is the career low handicap mark of 109. This 9 year old has some attractive form at this venue clocking up 12 runs, finishing in the top three seven times (four of those wins)a great record especially over this distance and in these conditions. I think any spark of revival from the Lucinda Russell trained gelding could bring him into contention in this race. Two runs ago over hurdles he was returning from a long break since March last year, was racing on quicker than ideal ground and was duly Pulled Up. Then last time out he was running over 2m which is far from his ideal distance, and in that race The Cockney Squire set a suicidal pace to begin with, and this horse is certainly not suited by that, and again was racing on quicker than ideal ground. What is noticeable from that race is that his jumping was sound enough, and with a 3m 1f trip today under testing conditions, I believe we may see this horse come to life. He is a stamina seeking beast, who likes a good slog, the pace set in this race should be ideal for him. I would like to see him out in front early on, as he seems to struggle coming from behind. He runs under top race weight today, but again the handicap mark is too low to ignore, and there are a few of his rivals with question marks in this, so I think he could be value. I am not going mad, but will advise a tentative small E/W stake, and I'm hopeful of a return.

* 0.5 PT E/W * at F/C odds of 14-1

Good luck, and thanks for looking.

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Wednesday 23rd Feb

2011-02-23T08:25:00.000Z

Firstly I would like to say thank you for the donations recently from a few people whoever you are, this does take some time and effort to write up and research each day, so any donations are gratefully received. Many Thanks once again.

Well yesterday's tip Terenzium looked as though he found things tough early on, and I dont think was given a coaxing enough ride by Joe Colliver, as I believe this horse sometimes needs. But he did perk up before the last when the winning post was in sight, and rallied well up the home straight to finish in fourth just out of the money. So although we were -2PTS yesterday, I think the assessment was close enough, and I think he should be noted down in the book for another time, maybe over a furlong or two less on slightly quicker ground than yesterday.

So onto today, I appologise for the late posting, I ended up going out yesterday afternoon for a what was supposed to be a couple of beers, well I had not seen my friend in a while, so a couple turned into a few and a few more after that. I woke up this morning to find I had been relegated to the sofa, with a not to happy fiance' giving me the 3rd degree about my lack of participation regarding night feeds for my baby boy, not a great start to the day.

Well onto todays racing, and although I have looked I have decided I will not be having a bet today. But for those of you who are, there a couple of horses that I feel are worth highlighting at Doncaster in the 15:10. First one is called Harry Hunt, and I think this one could have been overlooked by the market. This Juvenile Hurdle race is full of question marks for most, but he has knocked up some decent form since November, and runs off the same mark as when beating Credit Swap at Bangor earlier in the month. That was a decent performance that day, and warrants more respect for this race than the current market would suggest. The favourites in this race are looking like being Moose Moran, Emrani, and Comedy Act. The first has ran in some decent flat races without really showing too much, and although entitled to build on his last run where he finished 4th, the ground conditions today hinder another question mark. As for the second, he has won a few races on the flat including the AW, and I would be inclined for a market watch on this horse, as this is his first run over hurdles and Donald McCain can throw a winner or two in these conditions, but as I said this is his first try at obstacles so that is a big question mark. That then leaves me with the second horse I'd like to highlight Comedy Act, this is the horse that interests me and warrants massive respect in this, he won his first try at obstacles at Plumpton in December, and that form has been boosted since, as the horse he beat there Mr Muddle has ran some credible races since including a win. He can be forgiven for his last outing at Sandown where very testing conditions were far from ideal, and will be more comfortable today I'm sure, Richard Johnson is in the saddle again and I think by all accounts this horse should win. But getting back onto Harry Hunt, with the above mentioned I think he is overpriced and could be value for a place in this and who know's maybe a win if things go his way. As I said I will not be placing a bet today, so therefore no selection will be posted in results, and the above info is merely highlighting a possible opportunity, good luck should you decide to bet.

Highlighted Selections:

Comedy Act Win Bet
Harry Hunt E/W Bet

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Tuesday 22nd Feb @ Wetherby

2011-02-22T01:14:00.001Z

Well another fantastic day yesterday as Take It There drifted out from 8-1 to 14-1, and came home nicely in 1st. Another big priced winner and 18.5 PTS added to the betting bank great stuff. I was surprised to see her so close to the pace early on, but the drop in trip helped her no end, and she ran her race well. Abey M'Boy was looking like seriously challenging her coming up to the last, but suffered one of the worst falls I have seen in a long time, and I'm just glad to hear he is ok, but it would have been nice to see him battle it out with our winner, as although he was progressing nicely, our selection still had a bit left in the tank up the home straight.

Well onto today's selection, and I have been trawling for a while to find anything of interest, and I may have spotted something of value. The horse I have in mind is Terenzium in the 14:40. This 9yr old gelding trained by Micky Hammond, is a course veteran having ran here a whopping 22 times, and finishing in the top three 13 times (two of those wins). He has been trying his hand over further the last couple of runs, and ran a decent 3rd over 3m 1f in Jan in a class 3, both horses ahead of him that day have had decent runs since then in tougher company than this. He has also dropped to a tempting mark of 107 today, which is 3lbs lower than when beaten by a head over the same C+D back in June in a Class 3. He has a mixed bag of form, but clearly likes it here, and I think could well throw an upset at what I think is a massive pricetag of 16-1. Joe Colliver is in the saddle tomorrow and is claiming 10lbs, and although is relatively new Jockey he has shown some promise with the Hammond yard winning 2 of his 5 runs so far both at big prices of 28-1 and 16-1. I think this horse has a better than average chance in this field and the pricetag is certainly too high, considering his record is not so shabby around this course.

* 1PT E/W * @ 16-1

Good luck and thanks for looking,

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Monday 21st Feb @ Hereford

2011-02-21T00:11:00.002Z

Well guys, we were put right back on track with MAX BET Nomadic Warrior tearing it up the home straight to cross the line first. This was by no means a run that installs me with great confidence, well to the extent that I would back him next time out, but he ran his race as I thought he would, and landed us a nice 17.5 PT profit for the day. I rarely advise MAX BETS, but felt this was his race to lose, his jumping was still a bit sketchy in places, but overall David England gave him a well timed ride.

So I have looked at the races for today, and have managed to unearth what I believe to be a possible winner at a half decent price. The selection I have in mind is Take It There in the 16:50. This 9yr old mare looks to be value in this race where a few have question marks to say the least. She has previous course form winning 1of 2 rides at this venue, and has some decent form since starting over fences. She does look like her best form could be over further than 19 Furlongs these days, but trying to gage her optimum distance is tricky, but most of her career wins are on or around this distance. She did not look comfortable at all last time out at Taunton before being duly Pulled UP, so under her current mark I'm gonna take a chance that the drop in trip here may be a welcome relief for her. She will have no problem with these sluggish conditions, and all her wins have came on right-handed tracks such as this, which is another plus factor. There are a few with chances, but none tick the boxes for this more than my selection. I have a sneaky feeling that King Caine may well throw a spanner in the works, and although his latest outings over fences look a dire streak of form, his first outing at this venue in Dec 09 proved that he has ability, I think he may just need things to go his way a little and he could be in the mix. Anyway back to my selection, she currently stands at best odds of 8-1 with William Hill, and I think thats a big enough price for an E/W bet.

* 1PT E/W * @ 8-1

Good luck and thanks for looking.

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Sunday 20th Feb @ Market Rasen

2011-02-20T00:38:00.002Z

Well finally got the nipper off to sleep, and thought I would get todays selection posted before he wakes up again.

Today's selection comes in the 16:05, horses name Nomadic Warrior. Tipped this one up a couple of weeks ago, when he looked value at 12-1 but to my surprise drifted way out that day to 33-1, and was very unlucky finishing 3rd in a 7 runner race when he came steaming up after the last. He looked as though further would certainly suit that day, and he has an extra 2 furlongs in this race today. I noted him down that day for next time out, and I fully intend smashing a MAX BET on this horse today at an attractive 7-2 pricetag. I do not advise max bets too often but I am confident this horse justifies such a strong punt, if you get a chance to view his last race then you should also agree. Only bet of the day, that I fully expect to return us a profit.

* 5PT WIN * @ 7-2

Good Luck and thanks for looking,

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Thoughts on today's racing

2011-02-19T23:28:00.000Z

Well a mixed bag today for me, at what turned out to be a fantastic day's racing, and although I did record another 3PT loss with today's blogged selections, I did make a couple of off the cuff bets that turned out profitable, which has re-installed my confidence that my decisions are not all bad at the minute. After realizing that Frascati Park was a non-runner I decided to look for a couple of horses to split my returned stake between. After a short while I decided to do 0.5PT E/W on Act of Kalanisi, and a 1PT Win on Five Star Junior, and got duly rewarded for both bets.

I cannot begin to express my relief as I have been struggling to even pick my nose lately. As for my other tips on the blog, Rose of the Moon found things to hard today, and was never in the running, and I'm a Legend who I had a decent win bet on, folded away tamely. But my biggest bet of the day Le Beau Bai advised E/W finished 3rd, but in saying that only rallied on late as others PU or were tiring, and I expected more than that today. But who can take anything away from Silver By Nature, who although I thought was overpriced when he went out to 10-1, I could not foresee a run like that under top weight in those conditions, and I was very impressed. All in all I thought it was a great days racing, and I managed to take note of a few runners for next time out, and I ended up with a few quid to put back into the betting bank which has taken a hit as of late. I have not had a run this bad for a while, and Mrs VBT is wondering when her next pair of new shoes are going to arrive, maybe after Cheltenham is what I told her.

There will be at least one selection tomorrow, but will not be posting tonight, as i'm on babysitting duties,

Regards
VBT

Sat 19th Jan

2011-02-19T01:36:00.000Z

Hi all, another bad result today, and what I was sure would get a return and looked serious value ended up finishing 6th, really bad spell at the minute, but I'm positive things will pick up and hopefully today.

I usually do a write up about each selection I choose, but I simply have not got time tonight or tomorrow, but I have managed to trawl through the database and highlight 4 runners that I believe are in with a shout today. Some decent prices available on these:

14:10 @ Haydock Rose of the Moon 1 PT E/W @ 8-1

15:20 @ Haydock Le Beau Bai 2 PT E/W @ 8-1

15:35 @ Ascot Frascati Park 1 PT E/W @ 14-1

16:15 @ Wincanton I'm A Legend 3 PT WIN @ 4-1 (Betfair)

Good Luck and thanks for looking,

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Friday 18th Feb @ Newbury

2011-02-17T22:49:00.000Z

Well I did tell myself that I would not be blogging again until Cheltenham, and to be honest commitments at home are high at the minute. But I may have found a bet worth showing some interest in for tomorrow at a decent E/W price.

The horse is Miss Overdrive in the first at Newbury. This 7 yr old mare trained by Andrew Turnell, has a decent record at this track with three runs, finishing in the money each time with two 2nds and a 4th. She has been racing in better company than this of late, and can be excused for running a stinker in a Grade 3 race at Sandown earlier this month. She has dropped significantly in class for this and has been dropped 2lbs by the handicapper to run off a mark of 120, the same mark she ran a good 2nd at this venue in Nov. Her rider claims a nice 7lbs on her tomorrow, and I think she could give McCoys mount Cappagh a real run for his money, and he is looking like being the market leader. He is a decent prospect, and although he seems to handle most conditions, he has not been tried at this distance on easy ground as of yet, and could well be turned over by my selection in this race. She offers great value in this race, and is easily worth a try, and I would be surprised if she went off at this price come race time.

* 2PTS E/W* @ 16-1

Good luck, and thanks for looking.

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Tuesday 15th Feb @ Folkestone + Newcastle

2011-02-14T23:48:00.000Z

Another disappointing day with a 4 point loss, Steel City Boy found a couple to strong yet again, and advised as a 3pt win, finished in third. As for the cheeky outsider bet, I got the result I deserved and Front Rank continued to disappoint to finish a long way off in 11th. Onward and upward is my motto, and at a pretty mediocre race-day tomorrow I may have found a solid looking bet, and another value bet that may be worth a small investment.

My first tip comes at Newcastle in the 15:40, horses name Kings Chorister. This horse has been running well of late under similar conditions at Sedgefield, finishing a couple of good seconds, and running off the same mark tomorrow I feel has a great chance to go one better. He has raced twice at this venue and ran poorly both times, but this is not a really competitive affair tomorrow, and with his main rival Decent Lord running under a 7lb penalty for Sundays clean up at Hereford that surely must have taken something out of him, may well be a key factor in my selection coming out on top tomorrow. He has strong claims if his jumping holds up, and I fancy him for a nice win bet at likely odds of 3-1 or higher.

*3PT WIN*

My second selection runs at Folkestone in the 17:00, horses name Snakebite. I'm fairly confident at getting a return with this selection, and although returning from a long break on top of poor form before that, this horse has dropped dramatically in both class and handicap mark for this contest tomorrow. With decent career runs in which he has finished 2nd to the mighty Denman, although a few years ago now, could set the standard here if any kind of return to form should take place. Looking on Betfair the money has already shot up and down from 20's to 7's back to 15's, and at forecasted odds of 8-1, should the bookies open at this or any higher than this, I would say we have a good opportunity for an E/W punt at a value pricetag. I do not generally appreciate E/W bets in 7 runner fields, as some of the value has already been shifted in favour of the bookmaker who only pay the top two, it may as well be a 5 runner race in my eyes. But I am willing to take a chance in this with the above facts, and will be hoping for a win tomorrow.

*1PT WIN + 1PT E/W*

Good luck and thanks for looking,

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Monday 14th Feb at Catterick and Wolves

2011-02-13T21:07:00.001Z

Well todays picks ended in a 4pt loss on the day, and last weeks profits are drying up fast. No Woman No Cry at least gave us a bit of a run to finish 3rd, and I thought was going to win 3 out when he still had not came off the bridle and was travelling well. As for Crank Hill, not sure what happened near the start, as he was up with the leading pair only to drop way back after the third fence, and struggled there on to get a hold of the race. He seemed to claw a bit back at the end as others tired and finished fourth, in all honesty though he would have needed a seriously good run to beat the winner Ratify who won in great style today. Conditions looked to be tough for both horses, and neither seemed comfortable.

Well tomorrows selections are hopefully gonna land some cash, I have one strong selection and an outsider that has some scope to land at least a place at a massive 50-1. So here goes,

So the first pick comes at Wolverhampton on the AW, not that often I try the AW tracks, but this horse caught my eye with a decent run last week where he finished 2nd, and I think he can easily go one better tomorrow. Steel City Boy in the 14:10 has had six runs on the AW since November, but has only really came into form the last twice at Lingfield and Kempton where he finished 3rd and 2nd. This 8yr old has definetely got ability, and I would expect to see him running in better company than of late, but he has been finding one or two too much for him, and I think tomorrow he sets the standard off the same mark as his good 2nd last week. Jimmy Quinn is in the saddle, and although I'm not a great fan of him he has the ability to guide the selection over the line in first tomorrow. I think this will be the horses best chance to get back on the winning ladder, and at odds of 9-2 is worth a good punt.

*3 PT WIN*

The second pick is a real outsider in the race, but who has shown hints of ability previously, none more so than his win in August at Cartmel. Front Rank in the 14:50 at Catterick, shows nothing at all in his latest runs since that win, and may well continue his poor form tomorrow. But he has been slowly slipping down the weights as a result, and is now back on his last winning mark of 103. I also think he may just appreciate the drop back in trip tomorrow. I am not confident he can turn things around here, but I certainly feel his 50-1 pricetag from Bet365 is too big, and should he spark a revival in form could snatch a place at least in this contest. Very much a family horse, owned, trained and ridden by the Sayer family handles most conditions and could throw an upset here, and I think is worth a minimal E/W punt tomorrow.

*0.5 PT E/W*

Good luck and thanks for looking,

Regards
VBT

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Sunday 13th Feb at Hereford

2011-02-12T23:56:00.001Z

Hi guys,

Well not very much to say about todays selection other than the ground was a little on the good side, and The Listener does enjoy a slog in the mud, but in saying that he still folded away tamely in the end, and apparently connections have now retired him, hope he moves to green pastures and lives out his days happy. As for the tragic news at Newbury and Leopardstown, my sympathies go out to the connections of those horses that died, a sad day today, that will hopefully never re-occur in the future. So onto tomorrow where I have two selections in mind.

I have had a couple of emails which have requested the use of a points backing system to make it easier to track P+L over the Weeks/Months. I did do this when I 1st started tipping 5 months ago, but decided to stop advising, and let you guys decide how much you were prepared to risk. But I will start up again, as I still use this system myself so no hardship from my end, and if it makes things easier for any backers then great stuff.

My first selection comes in the first race 14:00, horses name No Woman No Cry. Now this horse impressed me with his run at Taunton nearly two weeks ago, where he finished an impressive second, proving he likes a distance run. He does drop back 2 furlongs for this race, but I cant see much of a negative, other than he will have to kick into gear a little sooner than last time, where he finished very strongly on the run in. His sire Kayf Tara boasts an impressive 47% strike rate for his 6 yr old offspring over this distance. Also owned and trained by the Tizzard family, I really fancy him to do the business tomorrow, and at odds of 7-1 on Betfair I think is a great bet. Hopefully the bookies will open up with a decent price aswell, as I doubt he will be the market favourite here.

*2 PT WIN*

My second selection comes in the 16:00, horses name Crank Hill. I did tip this up a week or so ago at Towcester, but he was pulled out of the race. So having looked at this race I am more than happy to tip him up again. He won a hurdle race at the beginning of January quite impressively, and gets to run off the same mark here tomorrow over fences. This is a tricky race, with a few interesting runners such as Health Is Wealth, who tries everything here for the first time tomorrow, but has some scope to be in the mix of things if he improves as expected. My selection has not raced at this venue for a while, but in the two runs here previously he has finished 3rd on both occasions and I'm hoping he can make it third time lucky and grab a win tomorrow. Going on previous form stats he has a lot going for him tomorrow, and conditions will certainly suit. Nathan Sweeney is on the saddle tomorrow, and will hopefully continue where he left off in the last run. At opening odds of 11-2 I am confident we have a good price bet here.

*2 PT WIN*

Good luck and thanks for looking,

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Saturday 12th Feb @ Leopardstown

2011-02-11T18:44:00.001Z

Hi all,

Well Marodima let us down today, a strong front runner who although was well ahead of the handicapper from his success last week, never got his way in today's race and finished a disappointing 10th. But the Max Bet advised on Alderley Rover landed us a nice win, was the clear market leader at odds on, but as I expected against a weak field he hacked it up to gain his first Chase Win. So onto tomorrow, and as a few of you who have spoken to me on Facebook etc will already know, I have just one strong fancy for tomorrow.

So onto my selection, which is running in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown, horses name is The Listener. I fancied this last week before the abandonment of the meeting on Sunday, and there has been a bit of talk about my selection this week on ATR and also have heard a few whispers out there, but as I said I had a strong fancy for him anyways. This classy 12yr old boasts some impressive form, and has won no less than four Grade 1 Chases in his career, 2 of those being at this venue and distance. He will love this race tomorrow, and runs off a handy mark of 156, his last win came off a mark of 164 back in 09 where he trounced his opposition by an impressive 15 length margin. He beat a classy field that day, with runners such as My Will, Joe Lively and Notre Pere to name a few. His latest run was at the back end of Dec last year, where after returning from a long absence ran a decent race but weakened in the last 2 furlongs to finish 5th. He has been dropped 11 lbs by the handicapper for that run, and I think that is very generous considering he will no doubt have needed the run and should be much improved tomorrow. He is also 14lbs down in the handicapping since the last time he won this event in 08. Andrew McNamara takes the ride tomorrow for the Nick Mitchell yard, and is a much respected jockey, and was onboard in the horses last win. This is a tough race no doubt about it, with opposition such as China Rock and Joncol who are both solid horses, but I have had a decent bet at 10's earlier this week, and was hoping to get another decent E/W bet tonight at the same odds, but some nice support has came in for my selection, and 8's are the best available now, he is as low as 6's with some bookies. Hence the reason for posting so early, E/W advised but I have a strong feeling he will win this. Get on as soon as possible, this will shorten further I'm sure of that.

Good luck and thanks for looking,

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Friday 11th Feb @ Lingfield + Musselburgh

2011-02-10T20:49:00.000Z

Hi all,

Well I was slammed back down with a vengeance on Wednesday, with none of the selections providing a return, and the closest one was the chance bet Norminster finishing 4th just out of the money, after a big gamble went on overnight he then drifted out again before the off. So with that now out of the way, I am going to advise 2 selections for tomorrow. I know I said I would not be back until Saturday, but I have spotted a couple that have a great chance tomorrow.

So my first selection comes at Lingfield in the 13:30, horses name Marodima. Now I'm not going to go into great detail for the basis of my selection, as you may remember I tipped this horse last Sunday, and it won with ease by around 18 lengths. He was not given a hard time at all that day, and his 7lb penalty for that run should not stop him from winning this contest if he turns up with the same attitude, plus Jeremiah McGrath takes the mount tomorrow and is claiming a handy 5lbs. Forecast odds of 6-1 look very enticing and an E/W punt could well provide a nice return.

My second selection comes at Musselburgh in the 14:25, horses name Alderley Rover. This 7yr old gelding trained by Donald McCain, comes here with some impressive form in Chases without having won a contest yet. I'm certain that will change tomorrow in this race, he was going well last time before making a mistake 3 out, could not catch the winner after that finishing 5 lengths behind in 2nd. This contest should prove easy pickings, with only one of the other runners Devil Water having any experience over fences, and that form is none to inspiring. The one that may throw a challenge is Howard Johnson's Sitting Tennant, the Johnson yard are no strangers to throwing up a winner in conditions like this, but I am confident my selection will get his first Chase win tomorrow. Sure to be short in the market, I will advise a Max Win bet.

So E/W for the first selection, and a Max Win for the second. If you are not comfortable with a Max bet then perhaps a small win double on the two selections might be more suitable, this should have a great chance of landing some cash for a lower risk. Good luck, and thanks for looking.

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Wednesday 9th Feb @ Carlisle + Ludlow

2011-02-08T23:50:00.000Z

Hi guys,

Well today was back to reality, but by no means a total disappointment. Oniz Tiptoes ran a solid 2nd at E/W, but Gaora Lane ran no race at all unfortunately to finish tailed off in 9th. At advised odds you would have encountered a small loss for the day, and although a loss I'm happy that we got the value bets in the market. This was backed up royally by the odds of both horses being cut in half by race time, and at around 5-1 for each, I think that was about the right price for them, so anything above 6-1 was a good investment. Both should have finished in the frame on paper, but that's the way racing goes.

Onto tomorrows picks, and with a good days racing to look forward to, I have four selections in mind that I hope will land us some cash.

My first selection comes in the 14:05 at Carlisle, the horse Along Came Rosie, is the clear pick on paper for this, and by all accounts should not have a problem winning the contest. She shoulders top weight here tomorrow but Paul Gallagher claims a handy 7lbs, and she seems the only horse with any solid form to go off. She seemed to die off quickly in her last outing after looking sure to win in the closing stages, and I'm hoping that will not be the case here, the uncertainty lies in the going, she certainly handles easy ground, but just how testing is a question. Still I am confident she will cross the line 1st tomorrow, short in the market a Win bet is advised.

My second selection is my chance bet of the day at a monster price, Norminster 14:40 Carlisle. Based on recent form the price of around 20-1 looks justified. But when we dig a bit deeper, we can see that some of this horses best form has come at this venue, and he has some previous encounters with both the market leader Duke Of Malfi and Storm Surge, where I might add he beat both of these hands down. This was around the time he was on top form in 09, but in saying that he has now been dropped a further 16lbs by the handicapper since his last win where he raced off of 92, he runs tomorrow off a mark of 76. Take all of this and then add that he will be racing with conditions he excels in, with a race weight of just 10 stone, If he can spark a revival of any sort he should be well in the mix at the end. I am happy to chance an E/W bet at these odds, and I doubt the odds will be this high tomorrow, I would be happy to accept anything down to 10-1 and consider this value, any lower I would only assume money from connections has been lumped on, and well this may be a clue in itself.

My third selection tomorrow will again be at Carlisle in the 16:20, horses name Double Default. A former Irish point winner this horse is my NAP of the day. This 10 yr old will have no problems with these conditions tomorrow, he has not raced at this venue before, but I cannot see a problem. His form at the back end of last year looks uninspiring, but his latest run at Newcastle over hurdles looked a bit better, and his 2nd place was a good effort, and this step up in distance will suit him better. James Reveley takes the mount tomorrow, and boasts an impressive 25% strike rate at this venue, put that with a 16% strike rate with this trainer Martin Todhunter, gives me the confidence that he should have no problem guiding this horse over the line in 1st. At odds of 9-2 available now, I believe offers a smidgen of value, and I would put him at a 3-1 shot, so anything secured above this is acceptable. Win bet advised for this selection.

My fourth and final selection runs in the 16:30 at Ludlow, horses name Lisadell King. This horse has some great form last year especially finishing 2nd to Take The Stand at Aintree in May, he also ran a good race when he was last seen 14 days later at Stratford where he was in contention before falling at the last. He has a good record fresh, so cant see the lay off being an issue, but his best form comes on good ground, so he would not appreciate much more testing conditions than that. At forecasted odds of 6-1, I would be happy to take on the market leader with an E/W punt, with a realistic hope that he could win this contest. A market check is in order for this selection, and would not advise backing below 5-1 E/W, where at least stakes would be returned should he only place.

We should hopefully see some return with these picks tomorrow, and unless I spot a real gem in the market, I will not be posting any selections again until Saturday, where I have a strong fancy at a likely tasty price for the Hennessy. Good luck, and thanks for looking.

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Tuesday 8th Feb @ Market Rasen + Sedgefield

2011-02-07T20:46:00.002Z

Hi guys,

Well another winner today as Tuskar Rock was well backed from 15-2 right down to 11-4, and obliged nicely. The best horse certainly did not win, as I thought both Inthejungle and Master D'Or ran very credible races indeed to finish just behind our selection, but as highlighted in the explanation, our selection was too well treated, and that proved crucial in the race. But nonetheless that still makes 3 winners in as many days, and I'm pleased with that fact, it is always nice to get a run going, but I am ever mindful not to get too carried away, and will be sticking to the same plan.

With that in mind I will move onto the subject of tomorrows selection in the 15:35, the horse in question Gaora Lane. This 10 yr old trained by Charlie Mann, like a few of my selections lately has had a poor run of form, and I'm taking a chance on a sparked revival in this race tomorrow. He has ran in some competitive races in the last couple of years including some decent Class 2, Class 3, and even a Listed race at Aintree last April. So you could say he is dropping in Class tomorrow, but what really stands out is the career low mark of a mere 103, which the handicapper has dropped him to. His last run off 112 was poor, and he has been dropped a further 9lbs for that, and is 17lbs lower than when a good 2nd at Wincanton this time last year and the conditions were very testing on that day. Peter Toole takes the mount tomorrow for the 3rd time on this horse, and I'm hoping it will be 3rd time lucky, by all accounts a return to the same form as last year would see him take this contest. He is sitting at best odds of 10-1 with Paddy Power and VC, and I'm happy that is good value for an E/W bet.

EDIT: Just having a last minute scan of tomorrow and came across another horse who may deserve some of our hard earned investment. The horse being Oniz Tiptoes who runs in the 15:25 at Sedgefield. Another 10yr old, this time trained by John Wainwright looks to be on a handy mark based on a previous win at this course and distance this time last year. He was on a mark of 95 that day under similar conditions as tomorrow, and has ran well at this venue in the past. Out of a total of 10 runs here he has won 3 times and came 2nd once, 4th 3 times and nowhere for the remainder, not too shabby a record at all I'm sure you will agree. As I mentioned he won off a mark of 95 in March last year, and now runs off a mark of 85 tomorrow, I think last months run here can be forgiven, and he is dropping a further 16lbs in race weight tomorrow. Given all these factors, I think it would be stupid to ignore this opportunity especially at generous odds yet again of 10-1 being offered as I write this, is a good value E/W bet. I do not expect that price to be available at race time, unless a serious public overlook occurs which I very much doubt, GET ON now is my advice.

As mentioned E/W bet advised for both, hopefully another return tomorrow to keep the run alive. Good luck, and thanks for looking.

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Monday 7th Feb @ Ayr + Lingfield

2011-02-06T23:26:00.003Z

Hi guys,

Well great weekend for us all, 2 decent priced winners a second place that returned our stakes and a couple of close ones, finishing just out of the money. I am hoping that I can continue that success going forward this month, and build up some money to attack the Cheltenham Festival with, I have had some good success at this venue, and with some new tools at hand this year, I intend to smash the bookies if all goes to plan.

Well onto tomorrows racing, and I have two selections, the first being Tuskar Rock in the 15:10 at Lingfield. This 8yr old has some sketchy form, but has dropped to a seriously low mark of just 93, 14lbs less than when a good 3rd at Huntingdon in Feb last year and also a good 2nd in a Novice Chase at Towcester in April. The Williams yard are in good form of late, and also Aidan Coleman who takes the ride has been going well. He has form on testing ground, and the handicapper has certainly helped him tomorrow, as this is sure to be a slog over this distance. The main danger in this is Master D'Or, but he will be shouldering a 5lb penalty for his latest win, and I'm hoping that may slow him down in this race. I have secured early odds of 15-2, which I think is good value for this horse, and would put him at a 9-2 in my book. So an E/W bet offers a good chance of a return, and hopefully a win.

My second selection is Pak Jack in the 15:50 at Ayr. Another sketchy form pick, but this 11yr old has raced in some really competitive races in the last couple of years, and I think may well have been punching above his weight class. He did show hints of a return to form when last seen at Ffos Las in January, when he finished a decent 2nd to Sweden, dropped another 1 lb by the handicapper for this race, and I think may well be a hint of value at best odds of 7-1 from William Hill. If he can build on his last run I'm confident he will be in the mix at the end with a decent chance of taking the prize. At these odds another E/W bet is in order, as i think he will at least be in the top 3.

As mentioned above another two E/W bets advised, and hopefully the good form of the weekend can continue here. Good luck and thanks for looking.

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Sunday 6th Feb @ Fontwell

2011-02-06T12:26:00.001Z

Hi guys,

Well successful day yesterday, with Eric's Charm a 20-1 winner (advised at 22's) also Captain Chris ran a good race to come 2nd, so stakes returned for our E/W bet. Then Prince Tom finished in 5th, and the bookies paid out on the first 4, was a real step up for him yesterday and he could well be worth noting down for future purposes. Finally Regal Approach did not run the race he was capable of, and finished in 6th. As I said a good return on the day, and we have not had a high price winner like that since Hell's Bay 16-1 romper on New Year's day.

Onto today and with the abandonment of Leopardstown, two of my selections were ruled out straight away, but I still have 2 selections at Fontwell that have a chance.

My first selection is Freckle Face in the 1:20, not much form to go on with this horse although was a good second to Zakeeta back in Oct under similar conditions. The market leaders Omaruru and Kuilsriver would be the obvious choices, but I think my selection could provide an upset today, and will happily take the shorter priced ones on at odds of 10-1 being offered, looks a good value bet to me.

My second selection is Marodima in the 15:25. This has a serious chance in this race, and even shouldering top weight today, I dont think will be a problem. This horse was heavily raced last year, and no surprise that his form slipped down towards the end. But it was around this time of year that his form was top notch, and he was winning better contests than this on tougher terms than today. I dont think I'm the only one who thinks this as the price is tumbling as I write this now, I have managed to secure 13-2, but doubt that will be the case soon.

E/W bets advised again for both, and hopefully we can pull out another couple of winners today. Good Luck and thanks for looking,

P.S sorry for late post, had a heavy night.

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Sat 5th Feb @ Sandown

2011-02-05T03:02:00.002Z

Hi guys,

Well a brief walkthrough of yesterdays selections, Wasntme at Chepstow, did not perform well, and looked in touch and not too bad before weakening 5 from home. Dashing George on the other hand ran a great race to finish 2nd behind the top weight in the race, and indeed the main threat I highlighted when I posted the selections Far More Serious.

Onto todays selections, and I have 4 decent price picks for you that offer some value. The first one being Captain Chris in the 14:25, I toiled between him and Medermit as the possible winners for this, with a slight prference for Captain Chris, and the fact that he has enough in his favour and pedigree to land this contest. Richard Johnson takes the mount today on this Phillip Hobbs trained 7 yr old, who is certainly no stranger to this horse, he has rid him the last five times out of 7 runs. He seems a progressive sort and was very much the one talked about early on last year after some good performances over hurdles, and has been none too shabby over his chasing career thus far, finishing 2nd to Ghizao the last twice. This is a test for him today, and I'm hoping he will prove up to it, there are a few who will be making him work for it, the above mentioned Medermit being the main threat and Rock Noir and Rebel Du Maquis another who looks a good E/W bet at 10-1. But I'm happy to take a chance on Captain Chris today at odds of 5-1, I think this is a big price for him, and would think 3-1 was a more accurate reflection.

My 2nd selection is Prince Tom in the 15:00. This is a really tough contest, with many horses who have claims in one way or another, but this is the race for a progressive horse like him, and with Paul Nicholls having trained 3 of the last 4 winners, I think could be a bit of value here at 16-1. His last outing in November was a good reflection of this horse, and he readily won by nearly 5 lengths to Massini Moon, nothing to shout and scream about there, but he was not given too hard a time that day, and still looked as though he had more in the tank whilst pulling clear after the last. As mentioned there are a few who tick the boxes in this, but I think the value bet may lie with this one.

My 3rd selection is the veteran Eric's Charm in the 15:35, and is certainly one of the outsiders of this race at the age of 13, but who has dropped to a decent mark, has good CD record here, only ever finishing out of the top 3 twice in 9 runs including when pulled up last time out. I must admit to having a soft spot for horses such as this, who are close to the end of their career, but I would not not advise a bet if I did not think there was a good chance of a return for at least a place. At odds of 22-1 looks a good bet to me, especially if he can pull out a half decent effort against some of his younger rivals here. He races of a mark of 136 today, a mark that falls within the range of a couple of his best wins, including a win here at this venue where he beat Lorum Leader by 19 lengths, although that was over 3m 6.

My 4th and final selection is Regal Approach in the 16:40. I was excited to see him back over hurdles today, as I thought he was doing rather well over fences. He is racing off a mark of 115, which is handy enough and is only 5lbs higher than when he was last at this venue under similar conditions, although the going will certainly be more in his favour today. This is a horse who is on my watch list, and the odds of 12-1 being offered at the minute are too high in my opinion, and could very well turn out to bite the bookies in the arse today. Jason Maguire takes the ride today, and is much respected in my book and has a healthy strike rate of 24% with this trainer Kim Bailey. I expect a big run today, and think there is a very good chance of a win with this horse, but at these odds you can afford to take E/W to be safe.

E/W backing is advised on all selections today, and I'm hoping for a few nice price returns. Good luck, and thanks for looking.

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Friday 4th Feb @ Chepstow + Bangor

2011-02-04T01:28:00.002Z

Hi guys,

Well what a flop for Woodland's Genpower yesterday, lasted about 2 fences before pulling up, and Crank Hill was a non runner, so no return or even a suspenseful disapointment. I was however impressed with Victory gunner's run and win in that race at the ripe old age of 13, guess I just selected the wrong veteran to back.

The first tip today is in the 3:05 at Chepstow, selection being Wasntme. This 8 yr old trained by Colin Tizzard has dropped to a decent mark, and has form at this course over hurdles back in 09. He has been running in shorter distances as of late and a return to this trip is a plus based on previous form. This race looks like a chance for him to pass the post first, as there are few competitive runners to challenge. The only ones I see as a danger are Dromore Hill and Billy Murphy, the former having beat him in a previous race in Nov. That being said my selection was returning from the summer break, and Dromore Hill was race fit, so I'm not going to read too much into that meeting. He is significantly weighted to land this, and is certainly capable, with this in mind his forecast odds of around 5-1 look a decent price for a return.

My next selection is at Bangor in the 4:05, the selection being Dashing George. He has been running in top company of late, and his latest run at the Welsh National was probably to testing, so this drop in class and trip may well be the key in this race. He fully appreciates testing conditions, and the easier the ground the better, this is the only real concern I have as I would like to see a bit more give than is forecasted today. He does enjoy a battle though which he has a good chance of getting in this race, Far More Serious being the only real threat that I can see. Liam Treadwell will be looking for his first win with this trainer Richard Newland, and I feel has a strong chance of landing that today. Odds of 8-1 are available at the time of this post, which is a decent price by all accounts.

I will advise a win bet for both selections, with a small E/W double to go with them. I'm hoping they both run like I think they should, and we will have a decent payday. Good luck, and thanks for looking.

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Thursday 3rd Feb @ Towcester

2011-02-02T23:36:00.000Z

Hi all,

Well Tuesday's tip Nomadic Warrior surprised me by instead of shortening from the 12-1 I advised at, no market support was shown and the price instead drifted out to 33-1, there is no way that horse deserved such a high pricetag. I was disappointed that a non runner was declared in the morning, and it was now a 7 horse race, as I advised E/W and this now only paid the top two. This eventually was the downfall and why no return was made from the selection, he was rallied late on against the ever fading Owner Occupier and the eventual winner Valley View. By the time he had jumped the last and was finishing very srongly, Valley View could not be caught, but I was biting my nails at the finish line as he very nearly caught Owner Occupier and lost out on the line by a short head. He certainly looked like he could have handled further, and I would advise you too add him to your watchlist.

Well onto Thursday's tip, well I actually have two to consider in the same race, the 3:10. The selections are Crank Hill and Woodlands Genpower. The former has done the business at this course and distance in style a while back off a 4lb lower mark than he is on tomorrow, and ran well enough to win at Exeter last month over hurdles after a long break, and I think will have improved further for that much needed run. He has had a few battles with the latter over the years, and lost out, although he does have the significant age gap now to suggest the roles may well be reversed. Nothing to write home about on trainer form of late for Bob Buckler, but Andrew Glassonbury takes the mount tomorrow for his only booking of the day, and has won 2 of his last 10 rides. The latter selection is a very tough veteran, and absolutely loves this course and is ideally suited to the conditions. He won the race in 09, and finished 2nd last year at the ripe old age of 12, and although he is reaching the end of his career now at 13, I think it would be silly to write him completely off just yet, as he may still have enough in the tank to snatch at least a place in this race. I would not read too much into his last run in November after a long lay off, as his record that fresh is not the greatest, and was more than likely just out for the run that day. Paddy Brennan takes the ride tomorrow, and out of 3 rides with this horse he has finished 1,8,2 not a bad record at all. He also only has this ride tomorrow, and being the race outsider at 20-1, I think this combination along with the horses course history offers good value for an E/W bet. There are a couple of horses who are dangerous to my selection choices, none more so than recent course and distance winner and bottom in the weights Atherstone Hill, who won very impressively last month by 17 lengths in a class 5 race, and although upped in class tomorrow, the 7lb rise may not be enough to hamper him, and I would not be surprised to see another big run produced.

So at odds of 13-2 for Crank Hill and 20-1 for Woodlands Glenpower, I will advise an E/W bet for both but will be hoping the shorter priced selection may well pass the post first. Of course it would be even better should the latter win, but as I said above, I can only realistically see a place for him. For any adventurous bettors out there, I dont think a combination tri-cast is out of the question with my two selections and the highlighted danger selection, but i will not be advising that, bet it should you so wish. Good Luck and thanks for looking.

If you have found this info useful and made some money, then please consider donating a quid to VBT's beer fund, much appreciated.

Tuesday 1st Feb @ Folkestone

2011-01-31T20:55:00.003Z

Evening all,

Not a bad weekend, and a small profit for the listed tips, hope you followed them. I myself decided to have a last minute heavy bet on Big Zeb @ Punchestown, and got pretty much nailed to the wall and a large portion of my bank was gone. I could not see him losing, and by all accounts he should have won. Barry Geraghty held the horse up approaching the last, and I'm sure was not expecting a strong finishing Silver and Gold to come tanking up the outside. By the time he realised and tried to rally his mount, it was too late and that was that. I'm not one to blame the jockey for every little thing, but had I seen the man in question just after, I would have dished him a serious slap to the mouth. GRRRRRRRR!!!! Anyway now that I have got that off my chest, I have had a look at a few races tomorrow, and one horse looks interesting.

The selection I have in mind is Nomadic Warrior in the 16:40. This 6 year old trained by John Holt, has some sketchy form of late, and I certainly cannot rate his Chasing Debut at this venue after unseating his rider at the 2nd fence just 2 weeks ago. However his hurdling form was none too shabby last year, with 6 runs in total, where he finished in the placings 3 times, 2 of those at this distance under testing conditions. He has some form against one of the market leaders in this race Abbey M'Boy, although it is nothing to rave about, he finished in 8th that day and the horse in question finished 11th. He is at a handy mark though to do that again, should his jumping be up to scratch, which I'm hoping it will be. Tom Messenger is back on the saddle tomorrow, the same man who rode him over hurdles last season, and I'm expecting at least a place tomorrow. At juicy odds of 12-1 he seems to offer some value, and I'll be taking some of that.

I will advise an E/W bet at these odds as I think they will shorten by the time the race begins, I would mark him a 6-1 shot by all accounts so hopefully he can do the business. Good luck and thanks for looking,

Sunday 30th Jan

2011-01-29T20:55:00.007Z

Ok well today's tips certainly kept me on the edge of my seat, and although only 1 winner from the four, there were two close 2nd places, especially Rock On Ruby who had me screaming as he jumped the last in the lead, but unfortunately Bob's Worth proved to have a bit more in the tank and overtook him in the last 100 yards or so. Hope you were on the E/W value bonus highlights, as Habbie Simpson came third after Rock On Ruby. A small but still respectable profit on the day, and I will be using that for two selections I have in mind for tomorrow.

My 1st selection is in the 14:20 @ Punchestown ' Rocco's Hall '. Now this is no easy race but after scanning through some past races, I think this horse stands out from the rest, and was desperately unlucky in his last run at the start of Jan at Fairyhouse, when he unseated Andrew McNamara at the last fence. He was jumping soundly all through the race and was certainly looking good approaching the last, but jumped late. Even if he had jumped the last Ok on that day, he was up against a strong finishing Droim Toll who looked a very comfortable winner that day. Although this contest highlights a big hike of 10lbs for Droim Toll, and only a 2lb rise for Rocco's Hall, and with Patrick Mangan in the saddle who claims 5lbs, this reverses the roles significantly from last time, and that could make all the difference here. I expect him to take full advantage this time round, and as this is an 18 runner race should get respectable odds of around 5-1 maybe higher, well I'm hoping anyway. ( E/W Value ) It could be worth a market check for ' A New Story ', this veteran is back below his last winning mark, and although not shown much so far this season and age is a concern, could very well surprise for at least a place at juicy odds.

My 2nd selection is in the 16:05 @ Hereford ' Postmaster '. I'm taking a chance on him to return to winning ways tomorrow, and he is certainly capable of taking this contest. The going should not be too much of a worry, as he has some form under testing conditions, and has won at this distance. His trainer Tim Vaughan has another horse in this race in the form of ' Grand Lahou ', who is also a capable sort, but I'm not confident this trip will suit the latter quite as much as my selection, and with my selection looking the better value of the 2 at 8-1 I'm happy to side with him. The market leader 'R De Rien Sivola' will be interesting after such a long absence, although Paul Nicholl's will have kept her in tip top condition. I just feel she is too short in the market with so much uncertainty to justify placing a bet on, but could well prove me wrong.

So I advise a win bet for the 1st and an E/W bet for the 2nd. I will also be placing a small E/W bet on the value selection highlighted, but this will not be included within the results, follow this should you so wish. Good luck and thanks for looking,

Sat 29th Jan @ Cheltenham

2011-01-29T09:15:00.001Z

Hi all,

Been nearly a week since my last post, thought I would take a few days off with no bets, although I did have a last minute fancy on Thursday night with Mr Chocolate Drop which obliged nicely at 5-1.

Well anyway onto today and my favourite racecourse Cheltenham, I have 4 selections which I believe have a great chance of getting us some extra pennies in the betting bank. My 1st selection is the Tizzard trained Third Intention in the 12:55. This horse was impressive in his hurdling debut in Dec after a long absence, and finished really strong that day to beat a couple of decent horses, one of them being Nicky Henderson's Titan De Sarti, who I believe to be one for the future definetely. The obvious danger is Local Hero with McCoy on board, who has been equally as impressive in both of his hurdle runs. I think it will be a hard fought race, but I hold any horse who is trained by the Tizzard's in high regard, and I think Third Intention will do the business today.

My 2nd selection is the Phillip Hobbs trained Wishful Thinking in the 14:00. He has ran a couple of really good Novice Chases, and won impressively in a Grade 2 when beating Tara Royal by 12 lengths at Wincanton in November. Although he is undoubtedly facing stiffer opposition here, I think he has a good deal more to offer, and could show us that today. There is a bit of E/W value in this race with The Sawyer, has won this for the previous 2 years, and although has gone off the boil of late, is still slightly overpriced at 20-1, and could give any place backers a good return should you wish to back.

My 3rd selection is the Nicky Henderson trained Punchestowns in the 14:30. This horse is simply a class act, and should have no problem coming home first in this race. He loves it at this course, and has proved he is capable of matching strides with the likes of Big Buck's etc in previous years. He can be excused for the last couple of runs, and comes here on a truly tempting handicap mark. The only threat I can see is Tidal Bay, but in saying that he would have to be at his best to beat Punchestowns, and I'm confident that won't be the case here.

My 4th and final selection is trained by Paul Nicholls, Rock On Ruby in the 15:00. I followed this horse closely last year and watched him clean up everytime he ran, including his hurdle debut. This is a tough race, with a few open to improvement, but I think at odds of 9-2 this horse is value, as long as the step up in trip does not hamper him. Another who looks good value for an E/W in the race is the Alan King trained Habbie Simpson, this horse should relish this trip, and recently finished just 4 lengths behind one of the market leaders Bob's Worth at the beginning of Jan. He is on slightly better terms now, and does not deserve a 12-1 pricetag, far too high in my opinion.

So for the tips I will advise win bets for all four, and as for the E/W value bets highlighted in this post, I myself will be having a small bet on each, but will not be including these in the results, and you can follow these should you wish to. Good Luck, and thanks for looking,

Monday 24th January @ Wetherby

2011-01-23T22:26:00.003Z

Ok guys, had a decent day with both selections winning, and the double advised obviously came in aswell, not massive prices but a decent profit for the day. I have one selection for tomorrow in the 3:10, and the selection is the Ferdy Murphy trained Sweet Sugar. This horse has ran well in France before moving to the Murphy yard, and the only concern is he is racing his first race for the yard after 7 months off. The connections seem happy with him, and Graham Lee takes the ride who is in good form so far this year, although is showing a loss with his rides for this yard. The horse looks to be able to handle the ground conditions just fine, and I'm willing to take a chance with him, in a race where a lot of these runners have sketchy form to say the least. Main dangers look to be Omokoroa and Chief Bucaneer who should improve for their latest runs.

Backed this on Betfair at 8-1 and 12-1, which I think is a good price. I will advise a win bet, but a market check may be worthwhile, as anything over 8-1 with other firms could well be worth a small E/W cover bet ( this will not be recorded in the results ). Good Luck and thanks for looking,

Sunday 23rd Jan @ Leopardstown

2011-01-23T02:21:00.002Z

Morning all,

Ok two selections today that I have backed in singles and also a double, which have a great chance of landing the prizes providing jumping goes to plan. 1st selection is Realt Dubh in the 13:45, this 7 year old trained by Noel Meade is in blistering form, and is a previous CD winner already ( 2/2 over Course and 1/1 over CD) back last month when he beat Noble Prince by a convincing 5 lengths under similar conditions. Paul Carberry takes the ride, and although he is struggling so far this year with only a couple of winners, I fully expect him to ride home in 1st in this race.

2nd selection is my Ante-Post pick for Cheltenham Hurricane Fly in the 14:45, I hold this horse in very high regard, as any horse who can get one over on Solwhit like he has the last twice commands respect. Everything suits him here and I imagine he will take up a position at the front of the field early on, and stay at the front. It will be interesting should he go on and win, as too who will finish 2nd, the obvious choice is Solwhit surely. But I think for anyone looking for a bit of place value in this 5 runner race could do a lot worse than putting some faith in the Barry Geraghty ride Voler La Vedette. This mare has met Solwhit 3 times in 2010, and did not lose out by much the last twice. She seems a progressive sort who could certainly be close in this race, and has a decent price-tag of 12-1.

So both my selections are win bets, with a double thrown in as a bonus. Realt Dubh is 5-2 in the market and Hurricane Fly is 1-2, the double however pays a decent 4-1 with the bonus, and seems a decent bet to make. Good Luck, and thanks for looking.

Sat 22nd Jan @ Ascot

2011-01-22T11:01:00.002Z

Morning everyone,

Well I did originally have a couple of selections for Haydock today aswell, but as it's been abandoned, just the one selection from Ascot will have to suffice. Mahogany Blaze runs in the Victor Chandler Handicap Chase, and I think has an excellent chance of landing this contest, and has a great price-tag of 14-1 at time of writing this. Sam Twiston-Davies is the Jockey today, who has still got a 3lb claimer and who has been in excellent form as of late, judging races to a tee. Last win for the horse was back in 08 at Cheltenham, where I think he prefers to run, but saying that has not run badly in the past when outed at this venue. He is only 9 yrs old and has still got bags of talent left, and could finally get that long awaited next win here today. There are a dew that catch the eye in this, but I think Mahogany Blaze perhaps offers the best value. E/W advised. Good Luck and thanks for looking.

21st January @ Catterick

2011-01-20T21:44:00.005Z

Ok after today's disasters especially with Windsor Knights (think I have invested enough in that horse to own a bloody share by now), I will attempt to get back on track with just one selection for tomorrow in the 14:55, the selection being Amir Pasha. This Micky Hammond trained 6 yr old, has really impressed over hurdles towards the back end of last year, and with Hammond's yard doing so well as of late, he is hard to ignore. Apprentice jockey Joe Colliver takes the mount tomorrow, and he has a handy 10lb claim which can only help under the testing conditions. Joe has only had four runs so far, but has won one of those which gives him a 25% SR with the yard, his one win came at this venue on the 13th of this month, which gives him a 100% SR at the course (took me ages to work those 2 out). But on a serious note his win was over the same CD as today under similar conditions, so he does have an idea how to run the race. With all these factors in play, I think the 17-2 price-tag currently available is serious value, and will be placing a maximum E/W, but fully expect the horse to pass the line first. Good Luck and thanks for looking,

EDIT: I will not be adding this to the tip list, but maybe worth noting that Orpens Peach is running again tomorrow in the 16:35 at Wolves after her impressive win today. Connections are probably striking whilst the iron is hot and could well be worth getting on early should you wish to back.

20th January @ Wolverhampton

2011-01-19T23:39:00.002Z

Ok I have two selections at this meeting today, first tip is in the 16:20 and selection is Guildenstern, this nine year old trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam has won over CD although last win at this venue was nearly 2 years ago now, he is 12lb better handicapped today than then. This is clearly a weak race and going on past form where he has ran in much more competitive affairs, he certainly seems to be in with a serious chance. His trainer does show a profit over the AW where most of her horses seem to be aimed at, and I fancy his chances with Jimmy Quinn on board who is showing a +15pt profit with this trainer so far in 2011. I am advising a win bet, and have managed to secure 6-1 on Betfair myself.

The second selection is in the 18:50 and the horse is Windsor Knights, I was really impressed with a couple of his runs at the start and middle of October last year, where he demonstrated some real speed towards the finish. Especially in the latter of the two runs, where he came from way back to finish extremely strong and looked as though he could of done with further, and although he is un-raced over this distance I think he will stay. He is still very young and looks quite headstrong, but once he is coaxed goes like a train. I have tipped him twice since he impressed me and on both occasions has seriously flopped his races, and I am bordering on an emotional attachment to prove myself correct which I know is dangerous. But I seriously believe this horse has something decent to offer and has dropped to a decent mark following his latest bad runs. I will be backing E/W but not quite yet as I expect bigger odds to be available in the morning for him than the 9-1 current price. That is of course unless some money comes in for the horse overnight, which may suggest connections are expecting a big run, I cant see too many of the public fancying him, so any market moves that show a positive could well be worth noting. Good Luck and thanks for looking,

19th Jan @ Newbury

2011-01-18T22:20:00.003Z

Just one selection today, but it is a tasty E/W that has every chance of being in the mix of things based on past form. The race is the 15:50 and the selection is Bertie May. This 9 yr old trained by Kevin Bishop, loves these conditions and has ran some decent races up until a long absence of 12 months, when being pulled up 5 out in his latest run earlier this month. I suspect he will come on for that run, and could certainly be the value bet in this race at early odds of 20-1. Thanks for looking,

GOOD LUCK

18th Jan @ Folkestone + Southwell

2011-01-18T00:45:00.000Z

Ok my first tip of the day comes in the 13:00 at Southwell, and I'm going to take a chance on Patman Du Charmil. Has been out of sorts lately, but is taking a big drop in class and in the weights, he handles pretty much any ground to a degree and I think if he is ever going to get back on track it will be in this race. Another who may pop a surprise in this race is Waterski, been pulled up last few starts, but if was able to capture some of last years form, could well be in the mix at the end, I will be placing a bet to win on the former and a small E/W on the latter.

Next tip will come in the 3:10 at Folkestone, and the selection is Saddlewood. She ran a credible 3rd in her chasing debut last month at this venue, and is 5lbs better off with the winner that day. The only concern I have is the severely testing ground, but she has ran well on GS, and the drop back in trip from 25F to 21F will help immensely, too much in her favour to ignore. Win bet placed at 3-1 on Betfair, I'm sure this will not be achieved for long.

Thanks for looking and Good Luck,