Thoughts go here

Thanks to Leon and the coms for the work in week 1. Its good to be back. My first takeaway from the first day is how quick the flat races get run, much quicker than ever before. My jumps team looks like they have come to the end of the line, didn't bred that many and when u've reached their max there's very little u can do. Its good to have a flat team back, my real love in the league. My horse's ran far better than I expected. Gives me hope for the rest of the year.

Exceptional start, expecting nothing out of week one and to have two winners across codes with a smattering of places is a great start. Thanks to Leon, Martin and all involved, the league seems to be strengthening again with some new additions and a lot of old faces returning, pleasing to see.

Flat - Solid start from most, especially impressive from Monarch Puzzle, who is a beast at home.

R2 Spring Cup - Leipzig Lady, 6th - Ran a great race, just being pipped for prize money. Picks up from where she left off and goes to either the Free Handicap or the Nell Gwyn, with a tilt at the Guineas very much possible.

R4 Maiden - Melbourne Gaol, 12th - Ran to expectations, one for handicaps who will improve at 7f.

R6 Maiden - Kyllachy Revival, 9th - Ran well, stayed on nicely, excited to get to the AW qualifiers and a crack at the Windsor Castle.

R7 Maiden - Monarch Puzzle, 1st - I don't think was the strongest renewal of this race, however done it very well, hopefully can take after my previous winner of this race Avokovadro back in S10, if this one is as good as Avoko or Swift Rumble then I'm in for a delightful season, will step up in trip for the 100k race rather than travel down under to a G1.

R8 Maiden - Spice Rack, 7th - Solid effort, but everything was in Spice's favour and expected him closer, could still be one for fun in the handicaps and could go close if it turns soft again.

R12 Conditions - Bullet Beatrice, 14th - Ran to expectations, will be seen to better effect over 7f on the AW.

R13 Conditions - Hell Soul, 9th - Another who ran to expectations and stayed on well at the end, chances later on in Hcaps.

Jumps - Could not ask for a better start from my flat cast offs!!! A win and 3 more in the money is about as good as I could have imagined.

R1 Maiden H - Alligator Army, 9th - Ran fully to expectations, hopefully nick a poor handicap down the line.

R3 Maiden C - Ashagain, 7th - Ran well for a long way before dropping out, happy with that, roll on the hunters.

R5 Maiden H - Untimely Doom, 8th - Another one to expectations, see you in the handicaps.

R8 Maiden H - Casper Van Dien, 7th - Nothing more than expected.

R9 Maiden C - Bull Pit, 3rd - HUGE RUN, is my best over fences but was not expecting that, for a flat horse with no chasing experience in game to get that close to some of these is incredible! Need to plot his season now.

R10 Maiden H - Titelist, 3rd - Should have saved the 88 Handicap mark for a proper plot job, happy with the prize money though, was always over too short last year as couldn't run over further as 4yo, another one needing to be managed through the season.

R11 Maiden C - Stamford Bridge, 5th - Well, I'll take the prize money ha, very mediocre horse and ran over expectations.

R12 NHF - Hydra - 1st - What on earth, a strong 1m4f flat horse in game, but has put them to the sword here! A few of the big stables missing runners in that race so competition may be tougher moving forward but I'm praying for a live shot in the Champion Bumper.

R13 Maiden C - Reichstag, Unpl - Definitely not expecting much from this one, see you in the long distance hunters.

Leon do we know why most horses seem to have form before they ran today. My one horse Restless ran with an opening 120 . That means everyone who ran against him will get a higher rating.

My Berude started with 140 and nows he's rated 156 and he might not be able to run the rest of the year

The only thing I can think of is I've used those names before in the distant past and could Ai have used the old ratings .

No idea races were run while I was sleeping or out the house. Haven't had a hance to watch all of them yet. Horses should get rated close to 100 for wining there maidens 120 seems wrong. Will reduce it to 100. The others in the race have normal ratings for the week

So nice to be back, and two of my horses managed 4th (in very small fields). It is more than I expected.

And big thanks for Martin for the mensions, both of me and Norway - Brazil. (Its crazy here - no one can stop rowing )

Daniel

120 on the NH and 80 on the flat was the starting mark to accommodate the new handicapping, I thought, which will see ratings move far more slowly than when done by hand. Same reason the whole of the first week was run on foreign tracks as they seem to have a bigger shift. Still likely going to have to change some race ratings next week.

Leon I've had those horse names before and I wondered if Ai have used the older ratings if that's even possible. I cannt see any other reason. Will be interesting to see one or two others who's names I've used before over jumps.

That would be it then. It scanned the database for any horse names used by a trainer before and rated it with that

rating


Ratings seem ok there is about a 25 to 30 point spread in most races. Ratings haven't dropped much at bottom but they will on uk courses

Flat:

Good start for me with only a handful of runners since I was avoiding the ground. No complaints.

Supercilious - 1st - Fancied him for this and he ran the right race for it. Will find it harder going on the turf but nice way to start.

Turnaround - 3rd - Never gave him much of a chance on Heavy going, so I am pretty pleased with this effort. Sure I will be bemoaning 3yo sprinters soon enough though

Fete - 3rd - Left herself a lot to do, but would have fancied her to finish that late run on firmer ground, so another good effort on the Heavy Irish mud.

Angelic - 1st - Delighted with that performance on totally unsuitable ground. Did it the hard way.

Heart Of Stone - 2nd - Ran a shocker and I know that sounds odd with a 2nd place finish. Got knocked off her style by Saracen Moon and did not fight for it, should have been four lengths clear when switching off before the final push and she finished well enough just from the wrong place. Heart of Oak also came second in her maiden.

Jumps:

Excellent start, with two of the areas I thought I had improved, 2.4m and 3m chase, landing good wins and some positivity about my 2m hurdlers too, but i still think they will be up against it with Mr Hooley's best. Always seem to do well on these shores mind, I wont bore you with my opinion of the reason why

Apocalypto - 2nd - Happy enough with that, would have been closer but for a slow jump at the business end. But I am not sold that wont play out more often than not this season.

The Gulible - 1st - Liked her chances in this and she ran a commanding race on ground that she's well suited too, Nyewood made her earn it though until he clattered through the second from home.

See You In The Lists - 4th - Did not run especially well and I remain unconvinced, but it just one race.

The Top Man - 1st - Fancied him for this, perfect front running performance, sorry about the video. Thought my 2.4m chasers might be a bit handy and he's technically the worst of them.

The Monsterous - 1st - Gives me some confidence in how my 3m chasers will fair, especially after 'The Gulible'. Slightly more impressive performance of the two for me.

Whats The Story - 1st - Excellent result and one I was not expecting, especially as the ground was far from ideal.

The Dark Lord - 2nd - Can't complain with a distance he never trialled at and I only felt he might take to due to his breeding. Will have more to offer at 2.4m

National Superstarr - 5th - Was always going to struggle at 3f less than her ideal minimum and 7f less than her sweet spot. Course she ran so wide she likely covered that distance anyway . Will have more to offer.

Josh

Great to have the league back, thanks to Leon, Martin, and anyone else involved

1 Winner for me day 1

She's Fast - Jumped well and had a great run, noted to like Newcastle, which is exciting because not had a winner in the Fighting Fifth for many years just hope the ground is gs/gd. She is by Fast Response, last year's Irish Champion Hurdle, so the aim is there too

Novice 2m hurdlers disappointed though, esp Speed Up, who is by Stateman/Speed Team

Great run by Diamond Princess in the 3m chase, just missing out to Josh's horse The Monsterous

Flat

Great to see Great Day come 3rd in 3yo 1m, hope the ground will be soft in Newmarket

Expected a bit better by Ruby Island, Vinny some win and old horse too

Well done, everyone, with winners and placers

A crazy day on the flat for me, I've never bred 1m4 horses in SO7 and took a chance by putting in 6

I had two winners and a 3rd and 4th with them. Caerleon who won is probably my most consistent 1m4 horse, a good horse but even better at stud. Was awful at the curragh in my trials so to win was a shock. All my horses have run well so far apart from my hold up sprinter, who I was in two minds to enter.

I even had a winner over jumps, a long season awaits these ones especially as Ai is going to kill 5 or 6 of them. Looks like my two milers will be my best division even though they have the worst bars out of all divisions.

It's good to see so many different trainers get a winner on the flat. Looks like a real competitive season awaits.

Day 2 - Another bunch of surprising but pleasing results, with some possible group class horses appearing and the Jumpers suprisingly doing far, far better than expected.

Flat:

Texas Gin ran very well in the first, just dropping out of the prize money, Firm ground and 9f will see her at her best. Tailspin of Doom ran a huge race and was well clear of the rest in third, I think the Musidora and French Oaks are real targets for her now. Another big run was that of Princess Palace, who could even turn up in a Middleton Stakes after a solid 4th. Bellaitalia ran strong enough and will look at handicaps, Kinahan wasn't great but Leger distance has always been poor for me. Dawnslam ran well and will improve for further or the AW, Dawnraid got nabbed for toe at the end and will also improve for further but pinched some prizemoney. My 12f horses ran as to be expected and they will both come on for handicaps, they can't win from the back in these big fields. Battleworld definitely needs 10f and won't get that until later in the season. Illuminant and Mont St Michel were both doing their best work at the tail end and could have good futures in handicaps.

Jumps:

Day of the Dead ran a better race than expected and there may be hope for a Pertemps Hurdle shot after all. Kinslayer ran as expected in what looks a strong race and will come on for handicaps, Risky Mission as expected, clearly my best hurdler and ran a great race in defeat. Moonlight Oasis ran creditably, while Mohegan Sun ran as expected

2 winners day 2

Firm Belief, my fast ground specialist 2 miler, so expected a big run today

Shining Rose - nice 5l win in the 3m1f hurdle, Nearly didn't upload a 3m hurdler, thinking they weren't good enough, but after some last min trials she impressed at 8yo

Good 2nd for Battle Ready in 2m4 novice hurdle, he will be better over 2m5
and Golden Glory 4th in 2m4 novice chase after running wide all race

2 winners for me over the 3 days. Both in NH. Considering I have only played about 2 seasons since 2 season ago that's an ok performance. Mind Ship is the surprising one. Has been around since GI joe days so really surprising win. My new 2m5 chaser Trusted Companion won well so there is hope there. Most of my flat horses don't like soft and most of my Nh don't like firm so things may improve when the ground changes.

So plan is to play less Smite and get a few more season of starters orders in if people are up for another season after this one