The Student Punter

All-weather racing isn't everyones cup of tea but those who read this blog will know that it takes up a big chunk of my bets. With a cracking card on All-Weather Championships day at Lingfield, I've managed to find the time to put some hard study in and have produced write ups for the full card. Only time will tell whether those hours were well spent, but hopefully we can bag some winners! 13:30 Lingfield - AW Apprentice Handicap Not the best race in the context of this meeting and it looks a bit of a puzzle in terms of finding the winner.   Eljaddaaf  is a horse I've followed for much of his career, he is a fairly reliable performer and showed his excellent turn of foot again when looking better than ever in a course and distance event last month. He was drawn widest of all on that occasion (stall 14 of 14), and it would be no exaggeration to say he was forced race six or seven horses wide rounding the bend for home, despite this his finished incredibly stro...

16:35 Chelmsford - EMILY GOLDFINCH 20/1 0.5 Points Each-Way This is a fairly speculative selection so small stakes are advised, but Emily Goldfinch looks worth an each-way investment nonetheless. Phil McEntee's mare is returning from a six month absence, after two disappointing runs at the end of her last campaign in September. However, the ground was plenty soft enough on both those occasions and she is better judged on her earlier run at Newmarket, a run which looks much better now with the benefit of hindsight. She led the nearside group all the way home and was only headed by Whispered Kiss, who challenged on the far side, in the closing stages. The winner went on to complete a hat-trick and is now 20lb higher as a result, whereas Emily Goldfinch is just 1lb higher than that day. She is 0-9 on the all-weather, although has run well one occasions without winning, also race fitness has to be a question mark but at 20/1 it looks worth chancing. 18:15 Wolverhampton - BEATB...

14:10 Lingfield -  MADRINHO 9/2 1.5 Points Each-Way This is a very tight little handicap, with just 6lb separating top weight from bottom. My eyes were first drawn to Pulsating, who was an unlucky third last time out when top amateur Simon Walker was on board and gets to race off the same mark today. But he has developed a habit of being 'unlucky' and his draw could have been kinder. Madrinho looks to represent a good value alternative on his second run for Tony Carroll. He was dropped back to 6f for his stable debut and, despite being keen early and not having the clearest of runs, he finished with a rattle when the leaders had already flown and was only beaten three quarters of a length. The winner of that race has won again since so Madrinho looks to have a good chance off a mark of 67. The switch back to polytrack shouldn't pose any problems, he finished runner up over a mile when last seen at Lingfield, a run which with the benefit of hindsight...

It turned out to be a blank day on the racing calendar on Sunday but, after a successful Cheltenham, it is back to the glamour of class 6 all-weather handicaps for the blog, remember a winner is a winner wherever it runs! The Cheltenham write ups were written in order to let you know what I would be backing, and to give an overview of the race so you could make your own mind up if you wished. I hope you found these useful and profitable, I will continue to do this for the big meetings when I get the chance. But for now it is back to selections which will be tracked in the profit and loss section of the website. 14:20 Lingfield - CALEDONIA LAIRD 9/1 1 Point Each-Way Olly Murphy has a fantastic record with new recruits and World Of Good added to the tally when winning at Wolverhampton last month. She did a lot wrong last time, pulling hard in the early stages and hanging late on, but it still didn't stop her from getting her head in front. It's likely there's more to ...