The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog, plus our weekly tipping competition
Today's best bets, by Chris Cook
Let's get the bad news out of the way, then. More snow overnight has forced Sandown to abandon tomorrow's card and there will be a further inspection at 3pm today with regard to Saturday's card, which features the Tingle Creek.
Saturday at Sandown, if it survived, would be the first jumps racing in Britain for a week, as Exeter have already called off tomorrow's meeting, while Chepstow and Wetherby will not race on Saturday.
More immediately, today's all-weather meeting at Lingfield has also been abandoned because the Polytrack is under eight inches of snow. That means today's only action will take place at sunny Wolverhampton, where, because this is a twilight meeting, the first race is at 4pm. Plenty of time to study the form, then!
Of course, if you spend long enough poring over the form, you'll end you fancying something, and maybe that's why I've ended up picking Justcallmehandsome (4.00), a 12-1 shot for the apprentice handicap. This seven-year-old won this race last year under Billy Cray, who is back in the saddle today and must rank as one of the more capable riders in the line-up. Cray's 17% strike-rate at Wolves (where he has had 12 winners) is easily better than today's opponents have managed.
The horse, now eight, has not shown much since winning here in April. Nor can Cray be said to be the decisive factor, as the partnership has been well beaten three times since then, although Justcallmehandsome was ridden by Sophie Doyle or Katia Scallan in four other defeats.
Still, the result of all that poor form is that he is down to a very attractive mark, lower than for his last five successes. Given his excellent record at this track, I think there is a bit of value in his odds, although there is also an obvious chance that he will simply disappoint once more.
Hulcote Rose (5.00) has a more obvious chance, having won here last time out a fortnight ago. That was over six furlongs and she only just got there in time. Raised 3lb, she is also upped in trip to seven today and that should help this filly get the double up. After all, she won over an extended mile here in April.
I wasn't much attracted to her at first but the more I looked at the opposition, the more I liked her chance. She's 4-1.
To tide you over until the early evening, I've offered my thoughts on Tony McCoy's boycott of Racing UK here and would welcome your views on the subject.
Tipping competition, day four
Cripes. How about twig28, ladies and gentleman? Already prominent, he found all three of yesterday's winners at 20-1, 9-1 and 11-4 for a 786-1 treble. Now that's tipping! And all at the same meeting. Let's see what our new all-weather guru fancies today.
I'm afraid that makes this week's competition rather difficult for the rest of you, though Copshaw also had the 20-1 winner, while several people found the 9-1 shot. SmokingGun1 had the 9-1 and the 11-4.
Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races, all (naturally) at Wolverhampton: the 5.00, the 5.30 and the 6.30.
This week's prize is a copy of 'Kinane: A remarkable racing family' by Anne Holland, telling the story of the Tipperary clan that produced Mick and many other jockeys. It includes the amazing story about Tommy Kinane, who broke his neck in a fall but managed to win the next race, having apparently spent the time in between slapping his face to keep awake. You can read more about the book and buy copies here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of �1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -7.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Standings after day three
twig28 +36.25
Copshaw +14
millreef +11.50
scandalous +11.50
Brochdoll +11.25
sandiuk +9
SmokingGun1 +6.75
MauriceNL +5.25
23skidoo +4.25
15244 +4
Sportingchad +3
sangfroid +3
superscouser +2.75
tom1977 +1.50
pops2 +1.50
Saloneboy +0.50
snowy81 +0.50
diegoisgod +0.50
William36 +0.50
curlycov -1
Esherhammer -1
orso -1
Lameduck -2
Mulldog -2
PHILYERBOOTS -2
Simmorrissey -2
goofs ?3.25
Ellandback-3.25
melonk ?3.25
Ormrod76 ?3.25
TL127 ?3.25
JahLion ?3.25
BearRides -7
shears39 -7
DrSativa -7
notgethithatonharry -7
xwireman -7
WalthamstowLad -7
zizkov123 -7
gashead1105 -7
chanleyman -7
vwaltersobchak -7
slackdad38 -7
chris1623 -7
Harrytheactor -7
erifder -7
TheSquire86 -7
londonpatrick -7
Rivercity -7
Mai11 -7
carl31 -7
chrishol -7
TheVic -7
ToffeeDan1 -7
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
Click here for today's latest odds.
And post your racing-related comments below.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/dec/02/live-racing-december-2-2010
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