OF RACECOURSES AND SUGAR PUFFS... BUT IS WORCESTER TOAST?

The fifth and final article in a short series Betfair commissioned from me in recent weeks covers some familiar That Racing Blog subject matter, not least Worcester and Ffos Las racecourses, but a newer idea I have had about the future of the currently for-sale Ayr may delight and horrify in equal measure;

http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/general/jeremy-grayson-ayr-essentials-010309.html

THE HUNTERS GO PAST THE PUNTERS... SO TRY TO WIN SOME MONEY ON THEM, THEN

One of Mark Johnson's most enduring catchphrases seems as apt as any to usher in this third article of the five recently commissioned by Betfair.

A fair few hunter chases have been run since I wrote this, and Paul Nicholls has done his best to undermine my nomination of his runners in the sphere as decent lay material by scoring four wins from four with them, but I remain unbowed, if a little bloodied. There's still the return to Towcester of Caveman to look forward to, though...

http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/general/be-a-hunter-not-prey-when-it-comes-to-betting-on-hunter-150209.html

OF SALT SHORTAGES, SOAP STARS, AND STRIPPING SANDOWN

Proposals to change the end of the National Hunt season, in the hope of bringing it to a more thundering climax, exercised my time and patience in the second of the five recently-commissioned Betfair articles;

http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/general/horseracing-betting-wheres-all-the-bleedin-salt-gone-080209.html

WHERE PRODIGIOUS YOUNG WELSH TALENT AND FAKE INDIE SNOBBERY MEET

The more astute among you will have noticed that updates to this blog have been few and far between in recent months.

Initially this was due to a major change in personal circumstances, but more recently on account of Betfair securing a number of articles from me for its betting.betfair.com website.

Several of these were pertinent only to the given week's racing, but the most recent five have concerned subject matter that I would have had every intention of raising on That Racing Blog in other circumstances. As such, I have little hesitation in posting links to them on this site.

(Well, obviously I do have some hesitation, as the first was published six weeks ago, but you know what I mean...)

Anyone who listened to Timeform Radio's start-of-"proper"-season podcast back in October will have been left in little doubt whom I regarded as the jockey to follow throughout 2008-9, and so far this term I don't think I have been proven too far wrong by what I have seen of him. The "fake indie snobbery" bit probably needs a little more explanation - read on;

http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/jockeys/ladies-and-gentlemen-meet-the-next-great-jumps-jockey-r-010209.html