Friday 12th November:

#NAP – EDITEUR DU GITE (1.45 Cheltenham) – Was very consistent last season despite one pulled-up sandwiched between his other five starts. He won on his final two starts in the spring, bitten a left-handed course, firstly at Newbury when winning by four-and-a-half-lengths before going on to score at Aintree’s Grand National meeting off a mark of 132 (form took a boost when the runner-up won next time). He returned to action in a listed handicap Ascot a fortnight ago off his new mark of 140 and ran a good race until unseating his tier at the last when just weakening into second. He should come on for that run and today has a 5lb-claimer in Niall Houlihan in the saddle, which would put him technically 3lb above that last winning mark, I think he should going close here. (4/1) – Bet365 – 1pt – WON (+5)

#IWAC – RUSSIAN SERVICE (3.20 Worcester) – Disappointed on his most recent start when beaten 28-lengths but that came over fences where he’s not taking too in previous attempts so this nine-year-old is best judged on his penultimate start when going down by just under a length in a C&D handicap off 2lb lowering a class 4. The form of that isn’t too bad with a few of them going close on subsequent starts and he’s still handicapped to be going close off this mark of 96, which is only a pound higher than he’s won off twice before on soft ground. He takes a drop into class 5 company here where two of his three career wins have come and hopefully can make his presence felt at odds that are on the larger side I feel. (9/1) – William Hill – 0.5pt ew (3 places) – Lost (-1)

#IWAC – SASHENKA (4.00 Cheltenham) – Wide-open handicap to end the day at Cheltenham, and it’s the five-year-old mare who I think could land the spoils having made an encouraging reappearance at Hereford 11-days ago when beaten a neck by a fast-improving horse who landed a six-timer. She’s been raised 4lb for that up to a mark of 120 but I think this is surely still one that she can win off, she’s rated 85 on the level and despite not able to get her head in front so far over hurdles she has form figures of 2-2-F-2-2, with that fall coming at the second last in a novice at Catterick when in complete control of the race. Hopefully today is the day she gets a deserved success in this sphere. (9/1) – Paddy Power – 0.5pt ew (5 places) – Lost (-1)

Stake: 1pt

November P/L: -2.15pts

Overall P/L (Sept ’17-present): +576.41pts