Max Power

Four profitable days in the end! Hopefully I can get there in person next year.

Suppose I'd better start posting about wrestling again now.

Don't listen to me today whatever you do.

Here it is, the final curtain.

1.20 - Quixillos wants softer ground, don't think Adagio is good enough. Fav probably too, and the ex-Elliot horses aren't having too good a time of it this week anyway. Tritonic smashed up a decent field last time and with good ground in his favour rates a decent bet.

1.55 - Wouldn't put you off the fav, has the right profile. Gowel Road an improving novice. Pick something that likes good ground and is a young horse with scope for improvement.

2.30 - Tends to be a real slog. The sexy horses with a load of wins often come unstuck as this is a real stamina test. You often find that horses that have been running in the wrong kind of races all winter find that the penny drops in this. Often won by a big priced horse.

3.05 - The big one. The defending champ seems rock solid. Champ itself is hugely talented if a complete lunatic. Minella Indo has to put a bad run behind him last time, A Plus Tard has Rachel Blackmore in the saddle who is riding out of her skin. It's difficult.

3.40 - Not really bothered.

4.15 - Colreevy is my bet of the day. Beat Mount Ida last time who hosed home in the 4.50 yesterday.

4.50 - Another pin job to finish. Look for a novice that has been running well in graded races. The Irish tend to win it.

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1.20 - Tritonic (against Quixillos)

1.55 - Gowel Road (Ganapathi huge danger).

2.30 - Vanillier (against Statler)

3.05 - Al Boum Photo (Lostintranslation interesting each way)

3.40 - Bob And Co if I've had a few winners

4.15 - Colreevy best bet 

4.50 - Frontal Assault and Commanding Presence.

Not heard from @PowerButchitoday?

Hopefully he's up and about and in the money.

We're up and running with Mrs Milner.

The horse seems OK luckily. Mine was hampered by the fall and never recovered. Got that race badly wrong.

Still bitter that they didn't send Sporting John for this - was on at 40s ante post.

Stupid JP.

They've just interviewed the chap with the big bet. Christ, if I stood to win 300k I'd be a little bit more excited.

Worse promo than Malenko.

Samcro did in fact win last year, beating Melon into second with Mister Fisher fourth in the same race.

It's a bit of a nutcase is Samcro - think Loose Cannon Pillman. Has a bespoke training method to keep him from getting bored and downing tools. Very talented though. Won at the Festival twice.

I reckon I'd have a go at a partial cash out on that one. 400k / 100k, something like that.

Today is proper big fields, I'm well up for this.

1.20 - Fav should win, unbeaten and made of titanium. Asterion Forlonge can't jump. Blackbow not good enough. Fusil Raffles too inconsistent. However, there are 8 runners so some each way thievery could be rife. Shan Blue a sound jumper, who will probably set it up for the fav, but should be placed. Darver Star a wild one at a big price - third in last year's Champion Hurdle and finally gets good ground after swimming in heavy all winter.

1.55 - One of the hardest races ot the week. Pick something that's an improving young horse or something that's been running on soft ground all winter that will improve for good. 

2.30 - This is the race of the Festival for me. About 10 genuine grade one horses. There's about 4 or 5 horses who will go forward - Allaho, Min, Melon, Calvados, Dashel, amongst others. This will probably set it up for a closer - Mister Fisher finished on the heels of 3 of these last year on unfavoured soft ground and I make him the bet of the day.

3.05 - Paisley Park a worthy favourite and he's a fabulous horse. But I think he's vulnerable here. The trouble is, I'm not sure what with. There's lots of slow horses in the race - although it's a very big fields. If The Cap Fits won the Stayers Hurdle at Aintree two years ago on good ground, and has been chasing round top class novice chasers this winter whilst looking uncomfortable jumping the big obstacles. Fury Road finished placed in the race won by Monkfish last year and might be value too.

3.40 - You need something up with the pace in this. There's a million runners and the track gets very narrow at times. Mister Whittaker ran well last year, and The Shunter is a worthy favourite - they had about 12 options and run here. Coole Cody and Laskalin will be my darts - both hopefully up with the race.

I don't care about the 4.15 and the last race looks a graveyard. Might have a bet in that if I've had a few winners.

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1.20 - Darver Star 

1.55 - Mrs Milner and Everglow

2.30 - Mister Fisher 

3.05 - If The Cap Fits

3.40 - Coole Cody and Laskalin 

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Time for a few each doubles and trebles....

Tomorrow looks more like it. Big fields and some each way shenanigans.

Just now, PowerButchi said:

Cheers! Hope we all had a look on it.

I shouted it on for you once mine had downed tools - thank christ the winning line came when it did!

I think it finished 6th, brother.

Unbelievable!

If that's retirement for him, then he couldn't have finished on a higher note.

Just incredible. I've never been more happy to lose £4.

That is one tough mare! I thought the game was up when the fav went passed her, but the way she battled back back so impressive.

Sceau Royal a little unlucky also, as he clipped heels coming down the hill.

The Cross Country is next, and the ground looks fairly quick now, which won't help Easysland. I've stuck a couple of quid on Vivas each way. Give price, ran well here in the autumn. Will like the ground. Very small stakes though.

Another day of frustratingly small fields.

1.20 - Bob Olinger is probably the best bet of the day here. Spanked Blue Lord last time out who would have finished an honourable second to Appreciate It yesterday. Bravemansgame won a soft ground Challow and probably won't be quick enough. The Mullins horse (can't spell it) won't over 2m 6f on soft last time out too - and the form is questionable imo. One at a bigger price is Keskonrisk - who finished behind Appreciate It last time out.

1.55 - Monkfish impossible to oppose. Big Breakaway can't jump. Sporting John in the wrong race. Nothing else good enough.

2.30 - More like it! Too many horses to mention, but pick something at a big price that's either an improving novice or bring high class graded form to the table.

3.05 - Chacan should win on all known form, but it's never run at Cheltenham before and the Festival does strange things to horses. Put The Kettle On won the Arkle here last year, beating a few in here who face her again. Sceau Royal will enjoy the quicker ground.

Not interested in the Cross Country or the bumper, but Us And Them in the Grand Annual is 1lb lower than when finishing 3rd in the race last year. Let's just say that his handicap mark has been "looked after".

1.20 - Bob Olinger
2.30 - Thomas Darby and Shang Tang
3.05 - Put The Ketlle On
4.15 - Us And Them

I've never spent a Festival on the settee with my dog before - but we just shouted that beautiful horse home!

This is what I posted on another forum for today's bets.

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Probably the worst first day of racing at The Festival I can remember in a long time.

1.20 - Fav should win, but no way can you back odds on. Metier hasn't beaten anything worthwhile. Ballyadam held by the fav, chance lays with the better ground. Soaring Glory just a handicapper. Blue Lord open to improvement and a fair each way poke.

1.55 - Field decimated. Shiskin likeliest winner but no value. Allmankind will probably set it up for a finisher. Franco De Port best off a strong pace, so may be value. If you fancied Energumene then you'll have to back Captain Guiness as it was upside the former when falling late time out.

2.30 - A bit more like it. Vintage Cloud run well in this race before and horses traditionally come back well in this. One For The Team very interesting. Can't really split any of those at the top of the market, but not against any of them.

3.05 - There's about 3 or 4 front runners in this. Not So Sleepy will blast out. Silver Streak up there too. Goshen a talented head case but again a front runner. Honeysuckle will be near the pace cos stays further. Should set it up for a closer. Epatante the most talented but had had injury issues. Sharjahfaioed in the race twice and this is stronger. Abracadabras could be the one off a strong pace on good ground.

I'm not really interested in any of the other races, but will probably back Indefatigable wag way and Next Destination in the last.

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1.20 - Blue Lord
1.55 - Captain Guiness
2.30 - One For The Team and Vintage Cloud both each way.
3 05 - Abracadabras (William Hill paying 5 places each way, 10s)

That's me

6 hours ago, Cod Eye said:

Just thought of another, actually. When in the last year of junior school(1992 or 3), our main topic at the time was about how there was shit loads of different forms of poetry. As part of the topic, we got a visit from poet, journalist, playwright and broadcaster(and professional Barnsley personality), Ian McMillan. He was a lovely bloke who agreed to come as a favour to our teacher, who he was big friends with from as they attended Barnsley games for years together.  

As part of the lesson, we had to get into groups and write 3 poems. One a "standard" poem, and two poems in our dialect, that use the same structure. After about 20 minutes, we had the normal one done, and one of the dialect ones done("Barnsley FC, Barnsley FC, Barnsley FC, 'reight team!...") but couldn't decide on the third. So he came over listened and got his wallet out. He closed his eyes and took out a random bank card, which just happened to be a Barclays one, and worked with us to make a humorous poem about the bank(sorry, can't remember much about it).

The thing is, many years later in 2008 Barnsley reached the semi-final of the FA cup at Wembley. When getting on the coach, my best mate pointed out he was sat a few rows in front of us, so we got talking to him. When one of us mentioned he came to our class to teach poetry, and mentioned the Barnsley FC one, he actually remembered teaching us and coming up with the one about the bank. We were buzzing! 

 

This has no relevance to your story, but The Bard Of Barnsley sits about 6 seats to the left of me in the East Stand - or he did pre Covid.

He seems a lovely bloke, never moaning when I say 'scuse me' when I need my third piss of the day and make him get up.

Peter Andre came to my school with his rapper mate Bubbla Ranx - they mimed Mysterious Girl and he did some press ups.

I think Gooch is our best player of spin ever, although Root isn't far behind - both have excellent records against spin, although it can be argued that Root has played against stronger India/Pakistan/Sri Lankan sides.

Warne always said that Gooch was the one Englishman he struggled against - it blows my mind the sheer amount of runs Gooch scored, despite essentially missing 6 years of Test Cricket due to selectors binning him off at the start of his career then his involvement in the Rebel Tour.

His record in his later years is incredible - the amount of Test runs he scored once he past 30 is nuts.

He's clearly a complete Nobhead, but every time he said "YOU JUST MADE THE LIST" I pissed myself with glee.

That knocked him up a Cool Point. The fact that he sported the two stripes and still looked cool.

Although having Samoan Man Tits probably cancelled it out.

The minute I hit puberty around 98 I grew my sideburns just like The Rock - that's how cool he, and subsequently I, was.

I think Summer 1999 Rock is peak.

This reminds me of that thread that Whatshisname did entitled '1000 albums better than Life Thru A Lens' or something.

Them were the days.

It's the same Oop North. This isn't a lockdown. Apart from the local boozer and the Turkish Barbers, almost everything is open.

My mum works in a school, and attendance has fallen by about a quarter this past week. Must be an awful lot of key workers round our way.