CARTMEL, 28 May 2007,Good

3:35 toteexacta Beginners' Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 14 fences (2m5f110y) 2m5½f

[off 3:35] £3,903.60, £1,146.00, £573.00, £286.20

1 Crofton Arch J E Dixon 7 11-2 p Paddy Aspell 16/1 70 — —

2 ½ Bob Bites Back (IRE) Evan Williams 5 10-13 Paul Moloney 3/1 103 — —

3 1¼ Green ´N´ Gold D McCain Jnr 7 10-9 Jason Maguire 3/1 102 — —

4 shd Professor Hegarty (IRE) P Bowen 7 11-2 T J O´Brien 11/4F 0 — —

5 1¼ Smokey Mountain (IRE) J B Groucott 6 10-9 Lee Edwards(7) 15/2 107 — —

6 hd Tipp Mid West (IRE) R Johnson 5 10-6 Kenny Johnson 12/1 81 — —

7 18 Gortnavarnogue (IRE) D J Wintle 9 11-2 Tony Evans 33/1 0 — —

PU Jet Magic (IRE) J G M O´Shea 7 11-2 p Andrew Thornton 9/1 95 — —

8 ran TIME 5m 14.70s (fast by 1.30s) TOTAL SP 114%

1st OWNER: Mrs E M Dixon BRED: Mrs E M Dixon TRAINER: J E Dixon

2nd OWNER: Billy Bates

3rd OWNER: The Brown And Thomas Partnership

TOTE WIN £19.60 PL £3.80, £1.10, £1.50; Ex £80.00; CSF £66.06

After a stewards' inquiry, the placings remained unaltered.

A few of these had shown the ability to win over fences but several had questions to answer and Saturday night's novice handicap second CROFTON ARCH was able to expose their limitations, leading to four out and left back in front at the last fence, just holding on despite tiring on the run-in. He had looked just modest prior to showing improved form here two days earlier and though he has clearly improved and handles this track well, this form is unlikely to prove outstanding.

Bob Bites Back was one of those to finish well having jumped the last fence some way adrift of the winner but he is not entirely reliable, and the way Green 'N' Gold, Smokey Mountain and Tipp Mid West also came from well back suggests strongly that they were all flattered as the first and fourth tied up in the closing stages.

 STRATFORD, 26 March 2007, Good To Soft

3:00 Bet With Barry R. Johnson Beginners' Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 16 fences (2m5f110y) 2m5½f

[off 3:00] £4,665.50, £1,448.30, £779.80

1 Maldoun (IRE) Mrs Barbara Waring 8 11-3 p Henry Oliver 40/1 90 — —

2 75 Society Buck (IRE) John Allen 10 10-12 Adrian Scholes(5) 33/1 — —

3 89 Bob Bites Back (IRE) Evan Williams 5 10-12 Paul Moloney 5/2 — —

F Nils Anderson (FR) R H Alner 6 11-3 Andrew Thornton 6/1 — —

F Maori Legend D P Keane 6 10-10 Neil Mulholland 8/1 85 — —

F Prince Of Persia R S Brookhouse 7 11-3 p P J Brennan 6/4F 108 — —

UR Senior Whim P R Webber 5 10-12 Dominic Elsworth 9/1 95 — —

7 ran TIME 5m 42.20s (slow by 37.20s) TOTAL SP 109%

1st OWNER: Wood Lister Cottington Morris Shimmans BRED: Haras Le Thenney TRAINER: Mrs Barbara Waring

2nd OWNER: John Allen

3rd OWNER: Billy Bates

TOTE WIN £59.20 PL £9.70, £8.10; Ex £416.00; CSF £611.17

An incident strewn affair for this poor beginners' chase as jumping proved a problem for almost all of the field and eventually only three finished so the form is likely to mean very little for the future.

MALDOUN probably won by default as they fell or unseated all around him. He had the cheekpieces refitted here but it will have to be a very bad race if he follows up from this race as his only previous victory came in a selling hurdle over two years ago.

Society Buck, having his first tryover fences, did not jump that well and only finished where he did as the others departed. He is a very risky prospect for chasing on this evidence.

Bob Bites Back was clear when jinking away his chance down the far side. He was remounted to finish but he looked reluctant fotr whatever reason when getting rid of his rider as if he was not totally in love with jumping fences.

WINCANTON, 19 March 2007, Good

3:30 Glovers Sponsored By Jones Building Contractors Novices' Chase (Class 4) (5yo+,0-110) 17 fences 2m5f

[off 4:07] £5,107.88, £1,535.04, £786.24, £411.84

1 Thedreamstillalive (IRE) J A B Old 7 11-3 t Jason Maguire 5/2J 110 — —

2 1 Ice Bucket (IRE) Miss H C Knight 7 11-3 Sam Thomas 5/2J 106 — —

3 13 Bob Bites Back (IRE) Evan Williams 5 10-12 Paul Moloney 15/2 109 — —

4 1¾ Bobsleigh H S Howe 8 11-3 R J Greene 22/1 104 — —

F Talikos (FR) Miss H C Knight 6 11-3 Noel Fehily 7/1 103 — —

F Priests Bridge (IRE) N A Twiston-Davies 11 10-10 Tom Scudamore 3/1 109 — —

6 ran TIME 5m 15.52s (slow by 8.52s) TOTAL SP 110%

1st OWNER: W E Sturt BRED: Frank O'Malley TRAINER: J A B Old

2nd OWNER: Mrs P Jamieson

3rd OWNER: Billy Bates

TOTE WIN £3.70 PL £2.20, £1.70; Ex £8.80; CSF £9.18

This novices’ chase was delayed by about 40 minutes due to all the incident in the previous race and it was not without sadness as Priests Bridge took a fatal fall at the second fence.

THEDREAMSTILLALIVE managed to follow up his Leicester winon very different ground. He seems to have shown his current improved form since connections decided to ride him up with the pace rather than be waited with. He has not had that much racing due to breathing problems and there could be a bit more to come.

Ice Bucket, having his first run since before Christmas, had every chance up the straight but seems to need more cut in the ground.

Bob Bites Back, placed in points, was making his debut over regulation fences after scoring over hurdles last time. He will need to come on for this.

4:00 Jubilee Maiden Hurdle (Div II) (Class 4) (4yo+) 11 hdles 2m5f

[off 4:01] £2,602.40, £764.00, £382.00, £190.80

1 Bob Bites Back (IRE) Evan Williams 5 11-6 Paul Moloney 9/1 28 91+

2 hd Michabo (IRE) P Bowen 6 11-6 t P J Brennan 4/1 27 91+

3 1½ Celebrity Call (IRE) O Sherwood 6 11-6 Leighton Aspell 16/1 26 89+

4 1¼ Turnberry Bay (FR) D E Pipe 6 11-6 Tom Scudamore 8/11F 110 25 88+

5 6 This Way That Way Ian Williams 6 11-6 Wayne Hutchinson 28/1 19 81

6 23 Sir Peter (IRE) H D Daly 5 11-6 Richard Johnson 10/1 — 58

7 25 Even Flo K C Bailey 6 10-13 Alan O´Keeffe 50/1 — 26

8 24 Supreme Marque (IRE) Lady Susan Brooke 9 10-13 Miss L Brooke(7) 66/1 79 — 9

9 9 Zubrowsko (FR) J A Geake 6 11-6 J A McCarthy 100/1 — —

10 11 Iris´s Flyer Jonjo O´Neill 5 11-6 Dominic Elsworth 33/1 — —

PU Baker Of Oz M A Doyle 6 11-1 Tom Messenger(5) 100/1 64 — —

PU Overfields G J Smith 7 11-6 Jodie Mogford 150/1 62 — —

12 ran TIME 5m 32.50s (slow by 37.50s) TOTAL SP 115%

1st OWNER: Billy Bates BRED: Nicholas Hore TRAINER: Evan Williams

2nd OWNER: Nae Maer

3rd OWNER: The Celebrity Call Partnership

TOTE WIN £9.80 PL £1.70, £1.80, £3.40; Ex £53.90; CSF £43.47Place 6 £449.54, Place 5 £76.81

JACKPOT Not won.

PLACEPOT £384.70 to a £1 stake. Pool: £59,163.95. 112.25 winning tickets.

QUADPOT £28.80 to a £1 stake. Pool: £5,302.40. 136.10 winning tickets.

My Notes Analysis Comments In Running

Most of the maidens in this maiden hurdle will remain maidens, for this was an awful heat in which the majority appeared capable of little more than second gear on paper.

BOB BITES BACK was a little disappointing on his Towcester bumper debut given that he had placed form in Irish points. However, he made amends here in a messy finish, digging deep into his stamina reserves to score. He almost came to a halt when in front after the final flight, but trainer Evan Williams was adamant that the horsewas showing signs of greenness not waywardness. Chasing will be his game next season.

Michabo is useful on the Flat but he pulled far too hard on his hurdling debut. He settled better in front on this occasion and was rallying after the final flight despite hanging left and looking a very awkward ride.

Celebrity Call did not have much room under pressure, which was a shame as he was staying on to quite good effect. This run augurs well for the future but Turnberry Bay had every chance and continues to come close to winning without winning. The suspicion here was that had the race been run over 2m, he might well have won.

3:30 gg.com Tipzone Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race (Class 5) (4-6yo) 2m

[off 3:30] £2,602.40, £764.00, £382.00, £190.80

1 Money Order (IRE) B G Powell 4 10-7 Mr A J Berry(7) 100/30 83 109+

2 7 Mister Potter R Lee 6 11-0 S E Durack 8/1 74 100

3 4 What A Buzz P W D´Arcy 4 11-0 Mark Bradburne 2/1F 69 96

4 5 Bob Bites Back (IRE) Evan Williams 4 11-0 Paul Moloney 4/1 62 91

5 3 Murphys Million (IRE) R Ford 5 10-9 Tom Greenway(5) 8/1 58 88

6 44 Mountain Oscar (IRE) T R George 5 11-2 Robert Lucey-Butler(5) 4/1 — 51

6 ran TIME 4m 10.30s (slow by 28.30s) TOTAL SP 118%

1st OWNER: John P McManus BRED: Mrs Anne Kerr TRAINER: B G Powell

2nd OWNER: James and Jean Potter

3rd OWNER: D M Beresford

TOTE WIN £4.60 PL £2.60, £3.30; Ex £57.80; CSF £30.47Place 6 £533.54, Place 5 £164.27

PLACEPOT £1,748.10 to a £1 stake. Pool: £34,603.20. 14.45 winning tickets.

QUADPOT £189.20 to a £1 stake. Pool: £1,355.50. 5.30 winning tickets.

A steady early pace in this small-field bumper, picking up down the bottom of the back straight, where the entire field came under pressure.

Debutant MONEY ORDER faced a toughish task on his first start, but stayed on strongly to pull clear of more experienced rivals. His stable are now 3-3 with newcomers here in recent years, and this 52,000 euros purchase has a bright future, on this evidence.

Mister Potter got outpaced before the home turn but stayed on again up the hill to claim second,and this was a significant step forward on his seventh of 20 at Warwick on debut.

What A Buzz led the field into the straight but was brushed aside by the winner entering the final 2f. He ran a promising race on debut but, on the face of it, he hasn't built on that here.