No Handicap Puzzle

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The Handicap Ratings and Speed Ratings combined top three strike rate for Tuesday was 76% following Monday's 70% and Sunday's 76%, an in running weekly average of 73% following last week's final weekly average of exactly 72%. If a horse isn't in the top three rated of the handicaps or the speed ratings, then it is highly likely it won't win. You can see an explanation of the Handicap Ratings HERE and an explanation of the Speed Ratings HERE. The Speed Ratings are an addition to the handicaps at no extra cost and you can subscribe HERE. There has never been a better time to join us. Today there were six clear top rated winners at Leicester and a 2nd top 20/1 winner in Edgeworth at Windsor.

There were five (4) and (5) UK graded races, Monday. Three were won by the clear top rated horse, one was won by the joint 2nd top rated horse and one race was unsuccessful.

I got it wrong on Tuesday. It wasn't half of the apparent good bets that would disappoint, it was a third - though it would be churlish to say Exotic Beauty disappointed. She ran a fair race against a much better debutante. Joinedupwriting won at the surprisingly good SP of 5/2 and he had to work hard for the win but he held on well in the end. For a Dancer also ran fairly well against a horse who has come back to racing in very good form.

Tuesday dosn't look as clear cut as it first appeared for Tuesday and there are a lot of tricky races. Discanti (3-50 Ayr) looks good but the prospect of his being overbacked puts me off.

Thought good enough to be entered in last year's Cambridgeshire (didn't run in the end), Acrostic (8-10 Ripon) doesn't look overburdened with top weight. He was brought along steadily in his debut season last year and progressed very quickly. I had thoughts then that he was a typical improving Cumani handicapper who would be better in 2009. So I am not going to go back on my word. The main danger of many is simply his race fitness. But with the Cumani team running well at present I don't think that will hold him back. He hasn't been entered for the Hunt Cup (Cumani prefers Riggins) but I suspect other good summer mile handicaps are headed his way. This will hopefully be the first.