My punting week - episode 3

Excellent start on Wednesday. It must have been very cold for another evening meeting at Brighton but there was one horse I really fancied - Marselan in the 6.50. My note was as follows "Shaped ok on debut. Could be worth considering at some point". What put me off was the form of the Eve Johnson Houghton stable so I went each way but he won cosily at 11/1 (14/1 in the morning) as part of a treble for the 'out of form' trainer!

Mixed day on Thursday. Could not decide who to back in the 1.00 at Lingfield. 4 runner race and I fancied Sgt Tibbs and Breakfast at Tiffanys (nothing to do with Audrey Hepburn, although what she saw in Cary Grant in Roman Holiday was beyond me). 

There was no each way option so backed them both, and put them in a forecast - they finished 3rd and 4th. Sgt Tibbs pulled too hard and in a bigger field where he settles better might be worth sticking with.

But my salvation came from Gometra Ginty (4.35 Musselburgh). My notes said "Dodger but could get placed at big price". Trouble was she was 4/1 best price so under the new no each way rule she had to be backed to win. Imagine my surprise, as it used to say in certain readers' letters, when she proved totally resolute in cheekpieces and won for Keith Dalgleish (in my opinion nearly the best dual purpose trainer around).

After 40 consecutive losers to close out the jumps season, the respected pundit and tipster Rory Delarghy has started better on the flat where he was naps champion last year. He writes excellent columns in the Irish Field and on Sporting Life.com, and for reasons which are beyond me still takes part in the Final Furlong Podcast - apparently it is incredibly popular in Azerbaijan according to the viewing charts.

Mr Delarghy put up Shuv H'penny King in the 2.00 at Lingfield, who did well to overcome the wide draw to finish 3rd and must surely win soon. He also explained what a Dundee Shuffle is, which convinced me I could never work in a bookmakers despite how good it could be to be surrounded by racing on the telly all day.

I have been keeping an eye on Punchestown. It's not the same without the crowd obviously, although Willie Mullins still seems to win 90% of the races.

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