Wednesday April 7th

Another great day yesterday with Staff Sergeant winning having drifted like a barge just as we told you it was likely to! 7/1 was a humongous S.P. for a horse with his profile and I really hope that you ALL got a guaranteed price - guaranteed prices are one of the true edges we punters have over bookmakers. Last night we got paid double what we would have had we taken a price which was not guaranteed. We've been banging in the winners lately and have started the flat season in fine form.

Quite a lot to get our teeth into today. The two Lingfield maidens look interesting and Chapple Hyam runs two dark horses. I don't like Stoute's favourite in the first, the Johnston newcomer looks interesting and I'd rather be on Noseda's than the fav. I've decided to leave alone, but they should be informative races. I don't want to get involved with Catterick yet, I love betting there but we need to be clued in on where the stables are fitness wise before playing, looks a bit of an early season minefield. Nottingham I've barely looked at, one of my least favourite tracks from a betting point of view and one look at that opening handicap gave me the collywobbles (whatever they are).

I had considered playing Stoute's King's Song at Kempton, but the very early 11/4 has disappeared and he looks about right at 5/2.

We'll play one at Kempton. I'm fearing it could be a Hugh Taylor selection, so get on early and get a guaranteed price.

7.30 Kempton Attainable, 2pts each-way @ best 10am price guaranteed

Represents a stable who have been in fine form on the flat and over jumps just lately, including the winner of the Queen's Prize in Gala Evening, over this course and distance. The selection has a stamina packed pedigree and has showed the odd hint in the past that she has a decent level of ability. The problem, for me, was that she was with a stable who were pretty much bang out of form all last year. On a couple of occasions, she travelled quite well through her race but failed to see her effort through, weakening tamely. I don't think she was a non-stayer, I paid close attention to the Perrett yard last season and they were awful. Jim Old forked out 14,000gns for this filly last October and I just feel that if he has worked the oracle, she could be a fair bit better than a 66 rated handicapper. Factored into the price is the fact that she comes back off a break today, but if there's one trainer I like to back off an absence it is Jim Old. He can get them fit at home and has a good record sending them to the races fresh. Seb Sanders is a positive booking and she looks a good value each-way bet.