Couple Of Near Misses

The stable went close with a few placed runners at Exeter yesterday.  I thought that Shallow Bay put up a sound performance at Exeter on his hurdling debut when only narrowly finding the 119 rated Numen too good.  The winner had plenty of previous experience (over hurdles and fences) so it was a promising first effort from our four year old...I am sure that there will be plenty of hurdle races to be won with him.  Soulard also put up a very good performance when chasing home the well-treated Mauritino - on this evidence he looks to be more than capable of winning a handicap hurdle, let's just hope that the handicapper does not over-react!

I see that Beyond is now favourite in some books for the Cesarewitch at Newmarket tomorrow.  He has been drawn 3 (near the inside rail) and that could prove advantageous.  It has often boggled me how the draw can be so important in a 2 1/4 mile flat handicap which has only one bend!  You would think that there would be plenty of time for the jockeys to sort themselves into a good racing position in a long distance race such as this.  David has booked William Buick for the ride on Beyond and William is riding the crest of a wave at the moment - our other runers are drawn right across the track with Big Occasion (Joseph O'Brien) drawn 34 and Tasheba (Kieran O'Neill) in stall 19.

David will be bidding to emulate his father who won the race with Heros Fatal and Miss Fara and for those of you that like coincidence bets...Tasheba's jockey, Kieran O'Neill is apprentice to Richard Hannon - Martin used one of Mr Hannon's apprentices for the winning ride aboar Miss Fara in 2002, a certain Ryan Moore claiming 5lbs!

*****

The weather at Ayr yesterday looked absolutely horrendous and I am not in the least bit surprised that they had to abandon the meeting after just three races.  Not only did they have torrential rain, but gale force winds as well - the ground was already heavy before the rain came, but it soon became waterlogged and unsafe to continue.  I almost felt sorry for the rails bookies that were there...almost!

*****

England are 3/4 favourites with William Hill to beat Montenegro and qualify for Euro 2012 tonight and that looks like a bet to me.  I had to look on the map to see where Montenegro was!