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Former bookmaker originally from Newcastle but lived in the US far 40 years, Paul Willis (owning with his wife Molly) has had a few horses with Adam Nicol in recent times. He split his UK horses between Nicol and Nigel Hawke, but I notice a few have moved from Hawke to Nicol this season.
Ian, one of the regulars in ‘our group of enthusiasts’ at Kelso, is a Northumberland based farmer who seems to know anyone who is anyone and I’ll ask him if he can fill in any more detail when I see him next weekend. He has the slightly embarrassing habit of introducing me to everyone as ‘our paddock expert’!
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30
Carlisle
1.45 Anglers Crag 145; From The Ashes 133; Great Notions 129
2.15 Medieval Gold 127; That One 127; Saligo Bay 123Thanks Rob. I’d noticed that Nigel seemed to get horses from Jim Bolger and they were often passed onto Adam but thought maybe it was to freshen them up in the way that JP sends some horses to Jed O’Keefe in an attempt to rejuvenate them. I was then surprised to see the Willis horse running in America. And then it said it meant a lot to him having a horse win at Newcastle. It’s all starting to make more sense (sort of).
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 3
Lingfield
2.00 Frances Ethel 107; Morrophore 106; Winter Flower 106
2.30 Uncle Dan 103; Invited 100; Dapper Guest 97; Diamondonthehill 97Haydock
2.08 Elvis Mail 164; Does He Know 152; Ilikedwayurthinkin 152Ludlow
1.20 Fortescue 151; Tiny Tetley 145; Magna Sam 143
1.50 Tour Ovalie 129; Walkadina 119; Kingston Sunflower 117Kempton
7.10 Duke Of Oxford 100; Sax Appeal 99; Enemy 97FRIDAY DECEMBER 5
Exeter
1.58 Harper’s Brook 149; Pepe Le Moko 143; Donnacha 143
3.05 Astronomic View 134; Jupiter Allen 132; Fuji Flight 131; Puddlesinthepark 131Sandown
1.10 Mon Champion 139; Northern Air 138; Keep Running 136; Coup De Coeur 136
2.55 Ideal Des Bordes 141; New Order 140; Kelce 140Balanced race planning doesn’t seem to be high on the BHA’s priority list. The cards this weekend are packed full of Class 2 and 3 handicap chases and it’s no surprise that the London National is probably down to 6 runners. Kelso has 11 for the Borders National on Sunday but it’s a race that should see a field around 16.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 6
Chepstow
12.29 Tune In A box 135; Bnoza Boy 130; Lunar Discovery 130
1.04 Love Of Neymore 138; Idefix De Ciergues 136; Kayf Dancer 135
1.36 Collectors Item 161; Jubilee Express 154; Minella Blueway 154; Pats Fancy 153
2.11 Ivaldi 143; Bective Abbey 141; Willmount 140Aintree
12.58 Inedit Star 158; Guard The Moon 153; It’s Hard to Know 152
1.30 Uncle Bert 156; Ned Tanner 147; Richmond Lake 145
2.40 Bioluminescence 163; White Rhino 160; Galia Des Liteaux 155; Westerninthepark 155Sandown
12.43 Northern Symphonie 137; Looking As You Are 134; Dramatic Encore 129
1.20 Supremely West 145; Ikarak 137; Kikijo 135
2.25 Afadil 169; Go Dante 162; Knickerbockerglory 153; Metier 152
3.35 Tanganyika 145; Rivers Corner 145; O’Connell 142Wetherby
12.17 Kilbarry Hil l136; If Not For Dylan 134; Some Scope 132Navan
1.42 Ayiko 164; Fascile Mode 163; Yeats Star 161; Koori Star 156
2.17 Harry Des Ongrais 165; Tullyhill 162; Down Memory Lane 161; Search For Glory 161Found out what I wanted to know about Sandy Thompson but still don’t know much about the Willis’s!
Articles and videos at the following link give a good deal of background on Paul Willis
https://www.starsportsbet.co.uk/bettingpeople-paul-willis/
Adam Nicol had a nice winner in Benefit Ben today. Hadn’t clicked on 2 runs over fences previously, but jumped well and won in decent style.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 9
Uttoxeter
2.30 Itseemslikeit 138; Autonomous Cloud 133; Ski Lodge 133Newcastle
5.00 Paddy’s Day 101; Rhythm N Hooves 101; Badri 101; Lethal Nymph 99Newcastle ratings are very close as it’s the same group of horses running against each other every couple weeks and the handicapper makes only minor tweaks for recent form.
Jumped beautifully didn’t he! We left Kelso after the National as the rain kicked in and the dog doesn’t like getting wet! How Sandys horse won after jumping to the right for four miles is beyond me. I don’t think the going was as bad as I thought it was going to be given that it hasn’t stopped raining for what seems like weeks.
I really enjoyed listening to those interviews. Everything fits into place now including the Jim Bolger connection and the American winner. And I’m relieved that he seems to be such a nice bloke, too. We might bump into him on the beach one day!
Our group had a look at the Borders National and could find three horses that had genuinely proved they stayed an extreme trip. They were Neo King, Bodhisattva and Grozni. Value stared me in the face splitting the stake between but I went with Neo King who never got into it, though stayed on for sixth. One of the rooftop regulars ‘Andrew from Berwick’ backed Grozni at 28/1 and also had Glen Road and King Of Answers at 7/1 each. We were only partly when suggesting Securicor as a taxi home!
Going was very decent and most horses were getting home, in fact the Borders National field was well grouped until stretched after the turn for home. Roof top contingent was reduced to five of us brave souls by the last race and could barely see anything in the gloom.
We had our Annual Members’ Meeting at Musselburgh yesterday. Bill Farnsworth reported that the course is showing a small profit despite the last minute abandonment in January which cost £80,000. They had roped in the entire staff to lay and shift frost covers, were convinced the track was raceable, but the ‘racing professionals’ argued otherwise. Chester Racecourse Group have 5 years of their management contract to go with an option to extend another 10 years after 2030. It will be much of the same going forward with the big days keeping the course healthy, attendances up 9% this year.
Good winner today with a second bout of wind surgery doing the trick for Itseemslikeit, 10/1 at Uttoxeter. Looking to Chief Sunday to build on an encouraging second run over fences in tomorrow’s race at Leicester.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10
Leicester
2.44 Chief Sunday 141; Authorized Art 137; Moonshine Man 137I backed Neo King because he’d ran well on heavy going but I don’t think the going was as heavy as I’d thought. He was going really well at the very end of the race! I fell in love with King of Answers in the parade ring but wasn’t betting on course. To be honest we spend most of our time catching up with all the gossip and making a fuss of all the dogs! Always used to cross the course and watch by the last fence but now we just stake a claim on a table and stay there. I can’t walk very well these days so only make the occasional trek to the parade ring. I preferred it before they made the improvements to be honest as I used to like watching the horses being saddled. And I loved the old winners enclosure, too.
Better viewing at the new paddock though. I normally do a lap of the course but my walking boots need replacing and were seeping water after a couple of hundred yards so knocked it on the head. Fair bit of moisture, but most horses were getting through it.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 11
Taunton
2.35 Ooh Betty 151; Anyharminasking 140; High Fibre 138; Sixty Plus 136Chelmsford
8.00 New Image 119; Popmaster 119; Blue RC 111; Crown Board 111FRIDAY DECEMBER 12
Doncaster
3.08 Castle Carrock 146; Peacenik 139; Beau Quali 138Southwell
7.30 Wise Eagle 112; Charging Thunder 110; Prydwen 104; Enemy 103Cheltenham
1.15 Iberico Lord 152; Melon 141; Fortune De Mer 139; French Emperor 134
1.50 The Doyen Chief 167; King Turgeon 167; The Short Go 165; Henry’s Friend 162
2.25 Copperhead 157; Fugitif 154; Courtland 152; Torn And Frayed 152; Le Milos 152
3.00 Final Orders 155; Amirite 155; Latenightpass 153; Unanswered Prayers 153
3.55 Long Draw 152; Tranquil Sea 149; Titan Discovery 45; Kyntara 142Willis’s have a winner at Cheltenham! Only spotted the colours at the last minute and then watched the wrong horse throughout the race because they usually run their horses in cheek pieces.
Pretty good week with 3 double priced top rated winners, and around 50% winners from the top 3 this month. Brilliant ride by Keith Donoghue on Final Orders in the ‘Round The Garden Centre’ Chase, and how did it start at 16/1?
SATURDAY DECEMBER 13
Doncaster
12.25 That’s Nice 148; Rightsotom 140; Jordans Cross 136
2.05 Docpickedme 148; Joyeux Machin 144; Hurricane Bay 142; Ile De Jersey 142
3.17 Washington 154; Wiliethebuilder 138; Belle Le TGrand 138; Bowmore 131Newcastle
5.15 Apotheosis 122; Pocklington 114; Nikovo 110; Midnight Lion 108Cheltenham
12.40 First Confession 141; Doughmore Boy 140; Holokea 139; Zertakt 137
1.15 Greyval 133; Sainte Doctor 128; Kalista Love 123; Theonewedreamof 122; Realta Liath 122
1.50 Hoe Joly Smoke 167; Vincenzo 164; Imperial Saint 159; Kim Roque 155
2.25 Gunsight Ridge 159; JPR One 156; Triple Trade 152; David’s Well 150
3.35 Nurse Susan 153; Siog Geal 149; Jubilee Alpha 149; Game Colours 146
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