Diary of a Season – Peak Phase gets underway.

The 10 week period that commences after the Irish Guineas meeting and extends through to the end of the York August Festival is a period of time when the majority of the profits can be made provided we get a normal spell of summer weather and good or fast ground.

I break down the minimum profit targets for my season in three phases as follows:

• Induction Phase 1st March – 31st May Profit Target 50pts +

This means more and bigger bets during the peak period and less caution.

I am more than happy with the start to the 2025. As is normal there have been highs and lows but generally we have avoided poor value bets and in a vast majority of the XXX bets placed so far we have beaten the book.

The biggest disappointments have been the 2 x 4pt bets on Field of Gold and Ides of March who were both beat into second. Field of Gold achieved redemption in the Irish 2000 Guineas and we should certainly get our money back with the Ante Post Bet on the James Palace Stakes with our 3pt Bet at 5/2.

I am also very confident that Ruling Court who beat Field of Gold at Newmarket will land the Derby and our 2pt Bet at 5/1

Ides of March may have a chance in the Commonwealth Cup if Shadow of Light doesn’t turn up but his Newbury conqueror Symbol of Honour boosted the form winning next time out winning the Sandy Lane at Haydock

The Haggas team has been in great form, apart from a couple of weeks in which they fired blanks, but in nearly every case the supposed ‘ poor performances’ were very predictable. We missed a couple of winners especially Maelstrom twice due to short prices but there are numerous similar short priced horses from the yard that have lost and we have avoided them.

I think only Unequal Love at Haydock and The Reverend at York were disappointing bets from the yard and with a 100% record on our 3pt and 4pt Haggas Bets intact the accounts are looking good.

At the start of the season we predicted a return to the top table for trainer John Gosden a prediction that is proving correct.

Our other main yard in addition to William Haggas is Ralph Beckett who has made his usual steady start but will now accelerate into the major festivals.

We are well in excess of our Induction period target of + 50 pts and with our two ante post Royal Ascot bets in good shape we can go into the peak period with a high level of confidence.

Following the win on Saturday evening Realign is far to big at 33/1 for the Commonwealth Cup and is worth a 0.50 ew Ante Post bet to add to our portfolio for the June festival.

Saturday proved a profitable day ending a week of small losing bets with a big three point win with Ralph Beckett’s Amiloc backed from 11/4 into Evens winning easily.

Our Curragh preview threw up the winning Ed Dunlop double with Arundel and Skukasu.

Onto Sunday and the rain softened ground at the Curragh combined with the price has made it impossible not to back Anmaat for Jim Crowley and Owen Burrows.

The Uk raiders have done well at the Curragh and Anmaat’s form with Calandagan and Economics at Ascot when he trounced the favourite Los Angelos by over 8L is the best on offer.

Diary of the Season 1pt ew Anmaat 3.05 Curragh Sunday 13/2 Ladbrokes

Ante Post Commonwealth Cup 0.50 ew Realign 33/1 Royal Ascot