INTRODUCTION
Uttoxeter was the first racecourse I attended. That was back in the 1970s. The meeting stimulated my interest in the chasing game. Everyone seemed to know something. A friend of my Dad's had connection with an exflat horse called Benevolence, he was backed from 4s to 5/2 fav and won. There was a trainer called Martin Tate who had a stable jockey called Charlie Mann and they mopped up a rake of races landing gambles and having the odd classy horse such as Bawnogues. Uttoxeter's big race of the year is The Midlands Grand National which is held on the Saturady after Cheltenham Festival. It must be a worry as the gigantic hulk spreads its shadow that encrouchment with a Saturday grafted on must be a concern to the executive. Especially as a long distance handicap chase or a Festival National stands out on a hypothetical list of potential new events. Cheltenham is the dream of owners in the jump game. Just to have a runner there keeps owners heart's beating. As such the flagship has to be built up in prestige and prize money even at the expense of money at the coalface of the game and maybe even at the expense of established events around the gaffs. It is always a good track to pick up a bit of gossip from. I remember getting the train from Stoke to Uttoxeter (the course is right next to Uttoxeter station and on the Nottingham to crewew line which is dead convenient))and getting a strong tip for a Birch trained horse called Fob who had a string of duckeggs and was lined up for a small handicap hurdle. The old fella who told me even spelt it out in case I was too think to hear. I can still recall it today 'Yes it's called fob, that's right F-O-B fob. That's right he'll win' He did of course, backed down from 14/1 to 9/2 favourite. I still remember hearing some men clearly from Brum saying 'All the yokals were on that one - should be an enquiry - no form for ages'. I learnt some valuable lessons there. I remember putting my beer money on the odds on favourite in a three runner novice chase. It trailled in a poor last. I avoid small fields like the plague as a consequence of that experience. Local trainer Bill Clay would have the odd winner and occasionally a good class horse like Jer. So it was at Uttoxeter that I decided to begin recording an attempt to get around all GB racecourses and as many Irish as I could and try and do the journey inside two years.
COURSE
Uttoxeter has changed significanly in the last 40 years. Plenty of investment and a slick operation makes it a great track for the family. There has been a real change to how racing is packaged and is evident at Uttoxeter as much as anywhere else. I took one of my colleagues for his 25 year service night to Uttoxeter. They had themed it Bootleg Beatles where a passable cover band belted out mainly early era stuff, trying to mimic in the most nasal scallywag drone that the lead-man could muster whilst being positioned just beside the paddock. There were perhaps a hundred souls hanging around including a few contemporaries of the originals who hankered after a missed chance in those far off teenage years to be The Cavern hatgirl. It is difficult to say whether these moderatly talented journeymen musicians are really worthwhile but if it rounds off a night for some in the summer there is clearly a niche there. The track has one of those indoor boozarama come betting shop emporiums. Perhaps it corales potential antisocials but it does seem a bit strange to go racing and never see a horse in the flesh, each to their own I suppose. To keep the riff raff out a couple of greencoated doorman check badges, to get inside you need to have paid top price. This is presumably to ensure best behaviour as of course there is a link to ability to pay and decorum. However the best place for those who want to see a bit of value is to use the cafe under the old stand and watch the racing from the grass bank by the final chase fence. There are plenty of summer meetings and for families there is enough for kids to do particularly if you go into the centre of the track and take a picnic plus a football. Good value day out. The track to my eye is a touch on the galloping side with some undulations. There is a longish straight and I have always thought the final open ditch was awkward. Horses who kick on from three out are often difficult to reel in, especially on soft ground as I get the impression that it gets gluey quickly at Uttoxeter. The fences look regulation without being clearly harsh.
RACING
Div 1 of the maiden hurdle was of a fair level and with four in with a chance at the last there could be a few that win novice events this year. The winner was Maxdelas who stayed on well for the 2m4 in the mud but may have benefited from getting first run on Coolbeg. The Tom George trained third was staying on well without getting close enough to cause trouble and would have to be one to keep an eye on maybe at a tougher track over this trip. Second home was the Donald Mccain trained Railway Dillon who led for much in ground which he may have found too testing as pedigree suggests 2m4 would have been fine. Fourth and only beaten 51/2 lengths was the held up Havingascoobydo who lacks fluency still so best left until signs of hrdling ability (I have never keen on backing hurdlers unless they can hurdle well). The rest were well beaten and nothing stood out as notable.
Div 2 of the 2m4 maiden hurdle gave Donald McCain quick recompense for the defeat of Railway Dillon when the very useful Tornado Bob galloped well clear of the field, despite contriving to blunder, appearing to almost do a Devon Loch near a course crossing and missing out the last hurdle in an eventful run down the striaght. Clearly still green but with plenty of potential. Difficult to see much in the others as few jumped with fluency and therefore it would be a brave man who would spot one of these as capable of picking up a novice this season.
The Novice chase was easily won by McCain with warm favourite Glenwood Knight. This was achieved despite an error. He is from the same family as Papillon and you would imagine that 3m plus will be his forte in the end. However it is difficult to gauge how good this form is based on the runnng of his competitors. Howard Johnson's Silent Cliche was a clear second favorite but was never really travelling well and was inexplicably caught for second on the run in. Surely he is better than this and can win a novice this year. However my view of the second home, Not So Prudent, is that he is probably no more than modest and flattered by his finishing position. The rest, including the tickled at O'Neill runner Hopeful Start, all look on the moderate end of the poor scale.
The class 5 handicap hurdle was on the face of it a competitive event for decent platers. But it was won in fine style by the Kim Bailey trained Smokey George. He skipped clear jumping well and clearly relishing the heavy ground.The favourite on his handicap debut was David Pipe's Sarahs Boy who was eased when beaten 3 out after being in the van. I would say overdone on his handicap mark at the moment. Of the others I could see a bit of money for Barney Curley's Sommerstern who ran as if there is another day and that day would not be in the mud, whilst Samizdat was on a very attractive mark (now 77 from a high of 105)attracted a bit of support but ran as if was on an exercise jolly (perhaps needs a bit stronger handling someone like Ryan Mania who got some good runs out of the gelding last spring)
In the 2m4 class 4 handicap hurdle we saw another very easy winner as Twiston-Davies' Supreme De Paille powered clear to give the trainer a double. He goes up over a stone for this and that looks a bit harsh. The favourite was Ban Uisce and he ran like a pig.
The feature of the day was a class 4 2m handicap chase. It was to celebrate the recent win by AP McCoy as Sports Personality of the Year. A well deserved accolade and not completely disconnected from a strong lobby (particularly from Ms Balding who never missed a chance to push the claims without being too overt) and some good promotion through billboards etc. So Uttoxeter took the opportunity of marking the event and this shows again their ability to market which I have to confess is clearly well planned. The winner was Mallusk completing a double for the born again Kim Bailey. Jumped well in the main although a touch novicey on occassions (no shock as this was his first run as a chaser) to win his second race around Uttoxeter. Abey Mboy was the strong favourite and he never jumped or travelled well enough to be a threat. As such it was left to The Cockney Squire to take the fight to Mallusk by making most and showing much improved jumping to finish clear second. May be on a fair mark, seems to suit making the running so worth keeping an eye on if sights dropped a touch.
The final hurdle of the day was what looked like a tricky class 5 handicap over 3 miles. However the amreican part-owner listening to the commentary on his phone back home (hasn't he heard of betfair? He could have had his fiver each way, settled down with his ice tea whilst swinging on the poarch hammock gazing at his laptop). His Celian was soon clear and despite the top weight he soon had this prize in the bag with the manner of it suggesting he will be hiked up a fair bit. Second home was bottom weight Ukrainian Star who ran well despite clattering one in the straight and then appeared to be eased down a bit. I noted a lack of money on O' neill's runner who opened tight then weakening in the market and was pretty friendless. That is just about how he ran. Second favourite Oniz Tiptoes was far from lacking in support, was held up which didn't suit today's conditions but plugged on fine and this suggests on better ground he will be in with a chance on current or lower mark. Worth noting that he has won at Sedgefield. Forget the rest on this running.
Wrapping up proceedings was a bumper to honour veteren commentator GG himself who didn't leave Uttoxeter empty handed. The executive broke the piggy bank by presenting Goode with a magnificent, probably handspun by the virgins of the parish, polyester necktie no less. Anyway the race itself was a good quality bumper and had a well constructed thank-you verse recited by Graham along the back straight. The winner in a driving four-way finish was Just Cloudy who now goes novice hurdling. He just held off the challenge of a highly promising Monbeg Dude who comes from the same family as Fifty Dollars More so 2m would have been too sharp. He was well backed and I would say looks a good chasing type, certainly one to keep an eye out for. The third home was a close relative of useful Massinis Maguire and ran as if needing further. Two of the three mares in the race ran with promise. Particularly the Kim Bailey trained Kaffie who although a touch on the small side is a strong well made mare. She attracted some market suport and was only outstayed close home by a couple of good prospects. She is still a bit on the green side. The fifth was a bit distrant from the closely packed frame but despite this Miss Hippy ran with some potential and appears to need much better ground.
Notebook
Railway Dhillon up £27.50
31(11/4)2
Ran well next two hurdles getting a sound victory. Since switched to chases and as not sure of ability or scope left him alone
Coolbeg down £30
040
Largely disappointing might do better chasing but pulled stumps after three runs
Tornado Bob down £10
1(Ev)20
Good runs with one a win before switch to fences althoughas not sure of ability I left alone
Glenwood Knight (Negative)up £20
FF
Clearly useless and although I doubt will win again I am leaving at this stage
Not so Prudent (Negative)up £30
PU0
Hopeless but I will have no further interest in laying him
Smokey George down £2
1(5/6)2
Hurtled up the handicap after a couple of good runs and became unattractive to back
Sommersturm down £10
0
Only run over hurdles to date was promising and on 75 would kame him a gambling proposition but I will abandon him now as nearly a year of racing has elapsed
Samizdat up £140
01 11/1 1 4/1
Twp great victories were followed by a 11lbs uplift and that was too much to follow so stood down
Supreme de Paille(Negative)
00
Hopelessly handicapped following good victory but turning to chasing could be a good move. I have no real idea of his fencing ability so have deciedd to quit laying as could do OK at it
The Cockney Squire up £25
3P1 9/2
Eventually won novice handicap chase but then was faced with a 8 lbs increase so I didn't back. However unfortuanately was fatally injured in that race
Abey Mboy (Negative)up £30
U4U
Hopeless
Ukrainian Star up £50
1(6/1)0
Won well next time out but after an unplaced run he found himself 8lbs up and that was too much for me so I withdrew
Oniz Tiptoes down £80
42242020
I backed this thing far too many times and then saw him race at Cartmel in Jume and decided enough was enough. I bear no ill and hope he does eventually land a gamble for his owners but he is very genuine if limited
Monbeg Duke down £40
0402
I thought he would be better over timber than he has proven to be. I am sure he will come good maybe when he is older and jumps fences. However I will not be backing him any time soon
Kaffie UP £80
1 8/1
Won well in minor mares event but then clearly out of depth in a feature bumper. Not got too much scope.
1(8/1) 0
To a £10 win stake and a £10 lay
Up £256
I was then at the summer national day and took some photos on a packed day. They must have been amazed at how many showed up
