Long time, no communicado...

Been away for a bit.
Just two choices tomorrow, both at Ascot.
Day of the eagle runs in the 13.55. This is the title of a fantastic track by Robin Trower, a superb guitarist.
My tip of the week goes in the 14,45. Arnold Lane is a track by a very early Pink Floyd, back in the days of the legendary/mad as a hatter Syd Barrett.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

This week I have managed to find four horses with a link to one band... Rainbow. Rainbow were formed in 1975 by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, after he left Deep Purple. Over the years they had more members than you can imagine, the only constant being Blackmore himself. The band finished in 1984 when Purple reformed to top up their pension fund. After Blackmore left Purple again, he briefly reformed Rainbow, but that didn't last long. Ritchie Blackmore nows wears tights and plays medieval music... really.
All of these horses, run on Saturday. First up is Rainbow Riches, in the 4.20 at Bath. Next is Diamond Rainbow in the 7.25 at Limerick. Those links are obvious. Next up is Cozy Tiger in the 5.30 at Sandown. One of Rainbow's many drummers was Cozy Powell, and he played on Rainbow's best stuff. He had a hit of his own in the early 70s with Dance with the Devil - it's not often you have a hit with a drumming instrumental. After Rainbow he joined Whitesnake, and later worked with Peter Green. He died stupidly in 1998, when he drove his car at high speed whilst using his phone, and crashed.
Finally, my tip of the week is Stargazy in the 7.35 at Lingfield Park. This reminds me of Rainbow's best track Stargazer, from their best album, Rainbow Rising. An epic track - so epic that a friend of mine recently rediscovered it, and listened to it constantly for about a fortnight... go listen and enjoy.

Long time, no communicado...

After a short break, I'm back with my wonderful tips!
First up is Teenage Kicks, in Saturday's 2.45 at Worcester. This was the Undertones biggest hit and a fantastic song. Famously, it was John Peel's favourite record.
Next selection is also at Worcester on Saturday, in the 2.10. The Boss is, of course, Bruce Springsteen.
Next up is Monterey, in the 5.40 at Newmarket. Monterey is also the venue of probably the first rock festival, featuring the Who, Janis Joplin and an incendiary set by Jimi Hendrix.
Finally, my tip of the week is Million Faces, running in the 3.15 at Doncaster. This is a lyric from Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive, "I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all". He probably has seen a million faces, but whether he's rocked them all is a moot point.
Ta-ra for now...

Here we go again...

Couldn't do any last week, so let's see if the break has changed my luck.
All runners go on Saturday.
First up is Bohemian Rhapsody, which, of course, is the title of Queen's most famous ditty. This runs in the 5.50 at Newbury.
Next is Darkness, running in the 5.25 at Uttoxeter. The Darkness have recently reformed after a bit of a break. Their first album, Permission to Land, was huge, but they got a lot of criticism because of singer Justin Hawkin's high-pitched vocals. The jury's still out, I think.
Next is Saints and Sinners, running in the 2.05 at Bangor. This is the title of one of Whitesnake's albums, made with a proper bluesy British line-up, before they went all American hair-metal.
Finally, my tip of the week is a nod to prog, with Close to the Edge, running in the 8.20 at Doncaster. Recorded by Yes, it is probably their finest hour, a masterpiece of prog rock grandiose, right down to the Roger Dean gatefold sleeve. Absolutely splendid.
Ta-ra

Still waiting...

I'm still waiting for one of my tips of the week to win. However, one of my other tips, Outlaw Pete, did win last week, at an SP of 9/1. We're getting closer, I'm sure.
So to this week - all runners go on Saturday. First tip is Get it on, in the 4.10 at Uttoxeter. This is the title of one of Marc Bolan & T.Rex's biggest hits. One of the best glam rock bands of the 70s, Marc Bolan was tragically killed in a car crash in 1977.
Next up is All or Nothing, running in the 3.55 at Thirsk. This is the title of a great song from the Small Faces. Led by Steve Marriott, the Small Faces eventually split, with Marriott forming Humble Pie, and the rest of the band joining up with Rod Stewart, becoming The Faces.
My third tip is Fairway to Heaven, in the 2.40 at Thirsk. I'm guessing that the owner is a fan of both golf and Led Zeppelin, so no complaints there. If you've never heard Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, I suggest that you do.
Finally, my tip of the week is Day of the Eagle, in the 3.20 at Thirsk. This is a song by Robin Trower, from his Bridge of Sighs album. Trower was originally in Procol Harum, and then went solo, releasing some superb albums. Still touring today, he is well worth going to see.
That's it for this week... here's hoping...

Still waiting for that elusive winner...

At this stage in the life of my blog, I was going to say something along the lines of "If you had placed a £1 bet on each of my tips of the week so far, you would have spent £4, and you would have received winnings of £xx". Here's the reality. If you had placed a £1 bet on each of my tips of the week so far, you would have spent £4. Er, I'm afraid that's it. No winners yet, although Uriah Heep did come 2nd last week.
So to this week. My first tip runs on Saturday in the 14.40 at Punchestown. Outlaw Pete is the title of a Bruce Springsteen song, taken from his 2009 album Working on a Dream. Springsteen has been around for years, and still performs epic gigs. I saw him once in 1985 and he was on stage for well over 3 hours.
My next tip runs in the 14.20 at Ripon on Saturday - Toto Skyllachy. Toto had some massive hits in the early 80s, including Rosanna, Africa and Hold the Line.
A friend of mine is going to Saturday's meeting at Sandown, and has foolishly asked me for a couple of tips, despite the fact that he actually knows what he's doing when it comes to racing. So, just for him, are two tips, both running in the 15.10.
First up is Free World, which brings to mind the anthemic Rockin' in the Free World, by Neil Young. One of the greatest rock artists around, Young writes some fantastic stuff, and covers so many different music styles you never know what he will come up with next.
My tip of the week, again in the 15.10, is Deep Purple. Running two weeks after being pulled up in the National, let's hope being tip of the week again doesn't worry it. As I've said before, and will probably say many times, Deep Purple are one of the best rock bands around. Full. Stop.

Ta-ra

Back to reality...

After the previous week's successful tips, it was back to reality for the National weekend. Deep Purple pulled up at the 19th, whilst Midnight Haze actually finished. Admittedly, it was in 15th, or last, as some would say, but nevertheless a good effort to get through the carnage. Neither of my other tips figured in their races.
My choice of Deep Purple for the National got me speaking live on national radio to none other than Danny Baker on Radio 5 Live. I'd e-mailed him about the coincidences (see previous post), and got a call asking if I'd go on air and tell him in person. Danny is a top bloke and it was good fun to chat to him. My e-mail was also read out by Planet Rock DJ Rob Birnie, who seemed to enjoy it too.
OK, this week's tips. Blog regular Nazreef is running again, this time in the 3.45 at Newbury on Saturday. See previous posts for the rock connection. Next up is No Quarter, which runs in the 6.05 at Thirsk, again on Saturday. No Quarter is the title of an epic track by the mighty Led Zeppelin, from their Houses of the Holy album.
Shredding is running in the 8.00 at Nottingham on Saturday night. Shredding is a guitar technique used a lot in metal. It involves fast finger-tapping, rapid soloing and whammy-bar abuse... lovely. You can't beat a bit of whammy-bar abuse!
My tip of the week, however, runs in the 4.20 at Newbury on Saturday. Uriah Heep, apart from being a Dickens character, is the name of a great classic rock band from the 70s. Still going today, led by original guitarist Mick Box, Heep were one of those bands who were big but never made that step up. Great live band, and they produced some fantastic albums.
That's it, I'll let you know how they get on.
Ta-ra...