21:05 and that’s it from Huntingdon a Robbie Williams tribute act is about to strut his stuff – so time for me to go.
Goodnight.
21:00 A race run almost in the dark and a very open betting heat.
It goes without saying that the front runner, Standandbecounted, did not win.
However another long distance race bought another very close finish with Dave Smith once again having to get out his magnifying glass.
This time it was Picabo Kid under Daryl Jacob who got the better of Act Gold in the dying strides by the minimum distance. The runner-up had tracked the leader whilst the winner came literally from nowhere and Daryl Jacob must be in contention for ride of the season on this one.
Favourite Dominico was never in the race.
20:30 Wow!! A really exciting finish to our fifth race. It must have been close a sit took judge Dave Smith, who is usually quite quick to call a result, a couple of minutes to call it.
There were some breathtaking jumps in this Hunters Chase but no fallers.
The well backed favourite Briscoe Place made the early running but faded quickly and was eventually pulled up.
Watership Down under Clare Wills then took up the running and looked to be a likely winner turning for home. However we were to be treated to a Towcester style finish as Bell Rock came with a blistering run to force the photograph. It was no surprise when the winning distance was called as a nose – I must admit looking at the print I find it difficult to separate the pair.
Whatever it was a finish to savour and it was the longest race of the evening as well.
20:00 It goes without saying that Travel Guide, who set the pace, did not win indeed he finished only seventh.
This actually became quite a tactical race from when Travel Guide conceded the lead at the exit of the back straight with quite a few in contention turning for home.
However the odds on favourite Cortinas who had been happy to sit in rear for the early stages, was making menacing progress through the field before finally taking the lead approaching the last, after which he never looked to be in any danger. The second favourite Parlesotho took second but four lengths behind the winner.
The winner won as an odds on shot should do but whether he is still one to trust impressively is still open to debate.
19:30 It is reassuring to know my theory only took a temporary knock in the third race as, once again, the front runner was nabbed. On this occasion the front runner was the favourite Cape Greko under AP McCoy who set off in front and retained the position until two out when Daryl Jacob on Mister Benedictine put in a brilliant leap to take the lead and although looking tired on the run in managed to record a tidy victory.
Rated much higher over hurdles the winner was the pre-race shoe-in at the weights.
19:00 If you believe the betting this was going to be a tight little heat with three of the five runners priced very closely together.
In the end it turned out to be anything but a tight race with the winning distances between the four finishers being 10 12 and 16 lengths.
The one who did not finish was AP McCoy’s mount Different Class which made a brief challenge for the lead five out before quickly fading.
Invariably after my comments in the first race my theory about front runners was destined to be proved wrong and so it was Orfeo Conti, under Paul Moloney to make all. In truth, apart from the brief challenge from Different Class, the winner was never in any danger in what turned out to be a facile race.
The only event bordering on excitement was Toni Alcala, who had been tailed off for most of the race, running on to take third.
All in all a race to forget rather than remember.
18:30 Regular readers will know that I am perplexed why some jockeys are so keen to make the running when the majority of the time it ends, if not in tears, then in defeat.
The candidate in the first race is Chalice Welcome who took up the running after the second and at one point had ten lengths on his opponents.
Sure enough come the second last he was in reverse with the pack closing, most notably Quick Judgement and Pips Assertive Way who had tracked the leader and Mucho Loco who came from mid division.
Of the three Quick judgement looked the likely winner only to slip on landing leaving the advantage with Mucho Loco, under Felix De Giles with the fast finishing Ramvaswani (best turned out) running on for second and the front runner taking third.
17:25 Good evening from Huntingdon where it is overcast but the sun is trying to break through. I hope it does as it is ladies night tonight.
Seven non-runners so far, details on the right..