Best bet for me today comes at Doncaster in the 3:05 ARUMUN. Tops my 
ratings and class figures for the race - clocked the best form and speed 
figures of any of these last time out and represents a trainer with a 
decent strike-rate recently. 7/2 looks generous.

Another really, really interesting horse is at Fairyhouse in the 3:10 
maiden hurdle. I know, I know Fairyhouse has some great Grade1 action 
but bear with me. I have an old copy of the RFO Jumpers to follow from 
last year where Noel Meade touted SIGMA DIGITAL as a horse to follow 
over hurdles. He again mentioned it in his stable tour this year -:

"A good type who finished second to the smart Catch Me on his hurdling 
debut at Naas a year ago, cracking his pelvis in the process. He is 
close to being ready to resume and should make into a good novice 
hurdler at around 2m4f. He needs soft ground."

Now there is no mention of the forecast favourite that stable-jock 
Carberry rides Chateau D'Eau in the stable tour and both have an entry 
in a Grade1 novice hurdle the week before xmas.

I decided to rate the race and was disappointed to see that Sigma 
Digital was down the ratings but then I changed the DQ last time to 5th 
and lengths beaten from 128+lengths quoted in the RP to 13 lengths he 
was actually beaten in reality and voila he tops the ratings and with 
the 3rd best class figure in the race, not his fault that Carberry 
failed to weigh in after all. Won his bumper in style, finished 2nd to a 
decent sort on his hurdling debut and I think he will run well today. He 
is likely to be a decent double-figure each-way price and should improve 
markedly for that run last time which he was bound to be in need of and 
I hope to see the grey come scything through the pack ;-)

My horses for the three big races are 1:05 Cork All Star, 1:40 Kazal 
2:10 Macs Joy. Most interesting in the 12:35 is Wanango who has won 
first time out twice in the past, drops in class and tops my ratings, be 
surprised if he is 16/1 quoted in the RP.

As for Newbury, well as usual looks like Nicholls will have a good day 
although I might take him on for value in the 2:05 with Joe Lively. 
Aztec Warrior in the 2:40 and Cottingham in the 3:15 are two I like at 
fairly decent odds.

Dave McAuley wrote:

> Another really, really interesting horse is at Fairyhouse in the 3:10 
> maiden hurdle. I know, I know Fairyhouse has some great Grade1 action 
> but bear with me. I have an old copy of the RFO Jumpers to follow from 
> last year where Noel Meade touted SIGMA DIGITAL as a horse to follow 
> over hurdles. He again mentioned it in his stable tour this year -:
> 

<snip>

Favourite a non-runner so Carberry takes the ride, good in one way but 
bad in another as his price has shortened :-(