Wednesday 26th November

“£500 Challenge Bet” (£839- 5 bets inplay – accounted)

I haven't checked but it feels like the last 20 matches picked up as bets by the ratings have failed. The only good part of that is we've only played in two of them and got out on the draw on one of them. Worrying though.

You're welcome to my Hennessey tissue:

Big Buck's 7/1 (has to be a doubt about trainer's form)
Albertas Run 8/1 (you have to forgive fto – v similar to Exotic Dancer prior to Paddy Power)
Air Force One 11/1 (no idea why this is so short compared to Albertas Run)
Character Building 11/1 (no obvious reason why he should do better than last year)
Island Flyer 11/1 (great weight; great run last time out; class for the Hennessey?)
Oedipe 12/1 (Geraghty goes to Newcastle – hardly a tip – not Henderson's race overall)
Verasi 12/1 (as you know I'm a fan, backed for Sun Alliance, need to forgive that.)
Dear Villez 14/1

I expected Snoopy Loopy to be non runner. Would be a fair training feat.
I've given my contenders c66% of book; currently trading at c80% of book.

Let's do a couple of small bets.
Verasi £2 win at 25/1
Albertas Run £2 win at 12/1
and why not a 50p ew double Verasi and Papal Bull for Japan Cup!

“Barking Bets” (Banked £1275/Current bank £3037)
Played the Lingfield race, and probably could have played a few more, but that's hindsight for you.
No obvious bets today, but I'll watch Kempton and Wetherby with a ready finger.

“Snippet of the day”
“She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge
She studied sculpture at St Martin's College.”

(Or, in my case, Goldsmiths)