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Tanya's Blog - Wednesday 26th September 2012

Once again Britain is in the grip of hideous monsoon-like downpours. Flooding is all too common and racing is delicately placed on the brink of being abandoned. Adding to the uncertainty is trying to get a grasp of the form, all good fun especially with the Cambridgeshire meeting starting on Thursday.

Don’t forget Frankel will be having a racecourse gallop at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course on Saturday so get there early! And if you can't it will be on live! As I do the racecard selections for Newmarket I have had a peek at Thursday’s excellent card and there could be some value to be had. The Rowley Mile course has always been kind to me.

Only a tentative thought for Goodwood. I was right on the running rail to watch Cardinal Water finish exceedingly (sounds like Mr Kipling advert) strongly at the Glorious meeting behind Sir Graham Wade. He then franked the form with a bold display when third to Guarantee in the Melrose Stakes at the Ebor meeting. He deserves a win, but won’t be able to hide up behind a big field and with any luck won’t be left with too much to do! I may also mix it up with a forecast with Cubanita. She was third in the Cheshire Oaks and shows a liking for cut in the ground. I can see her being the target for Cardinal Walter, so would be gutted if he doesn’t quite get there.

My sanctuary over the last few days has been either various cinemas or Twenty20 cricket. Sunday was spent watching the Kiwis never moving out of first gear when meeting defeat at the hands of Pakistan. The Black Caps only ever needed 148 to qualify yet almost stole the game!

England, however, embarrassed themselves against the might of India, who didn’t even need to field their strongest side! Make no mistake bowlers win these T20 games, their ability to restrict or even out the big hitters make all the difference. Pakistan have the top three T20 bowlers at present: Afridi, Adjmal and Gul and should go close to winning the competition outright. Another snippet for you I noted on Sunday, Pallekele, one of the grounds used, has a bias to the side batting first.

Also on my rostered weekend off I took to the cinema, but didn’t complete the distance as I walked out of Killing Them Softly, which will be close to winning a race for a record number of expletives in one film! A film dependant on dialogue and predictable action, for me Lawless is a better offering at present.

The countdown is on for the Ryder Cup. I’ve actually been lucky enough to attend two, the first in 1993 and the second also at The Belfry in 2002. I cherish the memories of both occasions. Payne Stewart played in the 1993 event alongside Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen and Lanny Wadkins. I remember landing a massive bet on Jim Gallagher Jnr to beat Seve Ballesteros in the singles at 13-8. The same luck befell me in 2002 when backing David Toms to beat Sergio Garcia in the singles. Garcia found the water at 18 having dominated Toms for most of the match.

I see Brandt Snedeker was the big winner in the USA recently, which will boost his confidence ahead of his Ryder Cup debut. Much as I admire him as a stroke player, however, there is no confidence within me in his matchplay. Different tactics are needed in matchplay than stroke play, something Toms was great at, and the current US Ryder Cup captain struggled with. Once I have had a look through some of the many offers I shall give you some thoughts. Jason Dufner could be a banker in the singles and I don’t care who he meets!

I'm trying to come to terms with week three of the NFL. Hans Christian Anderson would struggle to script better fairytale results!!! Still as they say ‘Any Given Sunday’! I stand by the 49ers for the Superbowl but want to see a bit more variety, imagination and assured play against the New York Jets on Sunday, fingers crossed.

Today's Selection:

4.15 Goodwood: Cardinal Walter

Tanya's Pointers

Roger Varian is looking to break a losing run at Goodwood of 18

Michael J Murphy has a 60% strike rate at Goodwood

Even though the last three runnings of Goodwood’s 2.35 have been won by those not favoured by punters the previous seven winners came from the first four in the betting

Frankie Dettori has had five winners from his last nine runners. He is especially worth looking out for in Goodwood’s 3.40, a race he has won four times since 2003

Saeed Bin Suroor has won Goodwood’s 3.40 six times in the last nine years

The favourite has won Goodwood’s 3.40 six times in the last ten years

Four of the last seven favourites have won Goodwood’s 4.50

Rash Judgement has not won in eight races at Goodwood

Tim Vaughan has a 42% strike rate at Perth

Kai Broon has not won in five races at Perth

Michael Byrne has won with three of his four rides at Perth

Saeed Bin Suroor has a 30% strike rate at Kempton Park

Rasheed and Refractor, both in Kempton’s 8.20, are three-time winners at the track