Competition Catch Up

Hello, dear reader, remember me?

I used to write to you regularly, before the ills of work and women (or, more specifically, woman) got in my way.

First up for this post is to report, somewhat belatedly, on the Nag3 Fantasy Football League. After September's runaway winner was none other than my good buddy Steve Frazer, October's runaway monthly prize winner is none other than..... my good buddy, Gary Maxen!!

Dear old Gazza stormed the award by a comfortable 25 points, and has propelled himself into fourth place overall.

Meanwhile, Steve Frazer (or Frazek to his mates - don't ask!) has assumed a commanding advantage over the field at the top of the overall table. That said, he's started November quietly, and challengers from the reader ranks of Nag3 are now beginning to get a touch closer.

Heading the peloton is Mark Boorman's Baddow Cougars, with Paddy Meagher's consistent Kicking Kings in the bronze medal position right now.

Yours truly is making a slightly better fist of things, having been left ten lengths at the start, and I've moved up to an almost respectable ninth place.

Top ten are as follows, as I write:

#	Team	Manager	Gameweek	Total
1	Frazek HotSpurs	Steven Frazer	42	717
2	Baddow Cougars	Mark Boorman	39	659
3	Kicking Kings	Paddy Meagher	35	634
4	Tottering Legends	Gary Maxen	33	626
5	Dind Dang Doo	malik aldeiri	58	619
6	Rafalution	Pete Yogi	56	610
7	PURPLE AKI'S BOYZ	Craig Baugh	49	588
8	celticheroes	Adrian Brookes	39	587
9	Nag Nag Goooooal	Matt Bisogno	64	586
10	Cupid's Skirts	Stephen Miller	32	579

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Moving on, and this week sees your last chance to enter many people's favourite fantasy competition, the Tote Ten To Follow.

So, in the spirit of the season (entries must be in by Thursday if you're planning to get involved), here's my ten picks:

Denman - Could this be the only horse to seriously challenge Kauto Star this season? Will be aimed at big staying chases, but will avoid Kauto until Cheltenham in March

Inglis Drever - probably the best staying hurdler in the country, certainly the most consistent

Katchit - my favourite jumper in training. Can't win the Champion Hurdle according to the stats, but may run up a sequence beforehand

Kauto Star - best jumper in training by a margin. Barring injury, will be tough to beat again

Chief Dan George - this horse has some heart, finishing an exemplary season last year by beating Wichita Lineman at Aintree. No fluke about that, and he will prove competitive whatever route connections take with him

Monet's Garden - Undisputed 2 1/2 mile champion chaser. Must be aimed at Champion Chase this year, rather than the donkey derby race he fluffed at Cheltenham this year

My Way De Solzen - Champion two mile novices have a brilliant record of success in the Champion Chase so this Alan King inmate must be thereabouts

Straw Bear - Lines of form suggest he was very unlucky to burst in the Champion Hurdle last season, and - granted good health - he'll take some stopping again this season

Wichita Lineman - Brilliantly consistent and from a top stable. Being aimed at the stayers' hurdle, he'll be found some easy-ish opportunities beforehand

Voy Por Ustedes - Champion Chaser and, in a section where there are rarely many challengers, he may double up come March

So there you have it. Not many surprises in there, but lots of winners to come. My shortlist also contained:

Blazing Bailey
Crocodiles Rock
Gemini Lucy
Longshanks
Newmill
Sky's The Limit
Spectait

Watch those come away with all the big prizes!!

Finally, I thought I'd check back to my alternative ten to follow on the flat, and see how they performed... quite well is the management summary!

Pieter Brueghel: 7 runs, 2 seconds, including at odds on...
Crossing The Line: 2nd on seasonal debut, pulled up as favourite next time, hasn't raced since...
Tonnante: 2 wins from 6 starts, at 2/1 and 4/1
Spirit Of The Mist: 4 runs, 2 thirds at 11/2 and 17/2. Now moved from T J Pitt's stable
Rapid City: my nag, injured after running encouragingly in a big handicap in April, his sole start of the season. Due back after New Year, and we might get some joy on the sand in January
Monte Alto: 9 runs, 3 wins, 4 further places. Wins at 1/3, 2/1 and 9/2
Furmigadelagiusta: 5 runs, 2 wins at 5/2 and 3/1
Novellara: unraced, presumed retired for broodmare duties
Bertoliver: 9 runs, 2 wins at 8/1 and 16/1, the star of the show! I said "Pay special attention if he runs at Windsor". The only time he did, he won, at 8/1!
Worldly: Sold to race in America, where he's won 2 Grade 3 races from 4 starts, and racked up win and place prize money of £105,000

Overall, from the UK runners, there were 43 starts, with nine winners, and 8.5 points profit.

So it is possible to look at the horses from a few decent stables or those stables who do well with certain types, pick out a squad, and make a profit... Sometimes at least!

(For the original article, click here...)

Right I'm off to see the woman responsible for my increasingly infrequent posting here... ;o)

Matt