Seriously thinking of not betting on Saturdays at all!
Ascot 2:05
Nicholls thinks Al Ferof will need this (his Betfair column isn't one to take as gospel, mind). Plus that maximum penalty is tricky. Rajdhani Express on the other hand is unencumbered and Henderson looks to have found a good race for him here. I'd have him as favourite to be honest.
Rajdhani Express 12pts win at 4/1 (3/1 ok)
No idea what made Rajdhani Express run so freely. Put a line through this. Not for the first time Nicholls puts people away completely with his Betfair column (or The Racing Post one before that). Note to self: Probably better off not reading it. This is a shame. The Ryan Moore column is excellent, as is the Richard Hughes one in the Post, as is anything Ruby says. In the absence of any inside knowledge it's really useful to get a feel for who is informative in their pre-race comments and who isn't.
Haydock 2:25
This is the sort of race I should be avoiding. However I do like Shimla Dawn at the price even if he's never raced this far and this a race that will take some getting. Add in a couple of savers. Ooops, yeah, okay, I'm throwing darts.
Shimla Dawn 5pts ew at 16/1
Big Easy 2pts win at 10/1
Sybarite 2pts win at 14/1
Big Easy 2nd. Um, that's it.
Haydock 3:00
I wasn't going to have a bet in this. I've gone round and round in circles looking at the form and doubts about the well-being of each of the front three. But then I looked at the morning prices, which has the market deciding none of the big three will be winning! Cue Card may not come back from that injury. It's true he didn't run well at Exeter, but he was very well backed. He looks mighty long right now.
Cue Card 10pts win at 5/1 (4/1 ok)
Harry Topper 3pts at 11/1
"I wasn't going to have a bet in this." Could be my epitaph.
1pt win treble Rajdhani Express/Shimla Dawn/Cue Card at 450/1ish
Luckily, I'm away next weekend...
Running totals:
Out 459 pts
In 398pts