rebelfm

Good taste never goes out of fashion as the Wincanton executive boldly and brilliantly demonstrated today with the inspired booking of The Worzals(mangled or otherwise) to entertain this good natured holiday spirited crowd from a small tent witness by the curious whose attention space usually lasted to a rousing chorus. They belted out their full catalogue 'I am a cider drinker', 'My Dad's a cider drinker', 'I will be a cider drinker'. 'My goat's a cider drinker' and the tear-jerker 'People round here don't come from around here'. Bit like Jimmy Logan tribute act Jamie Locust turning up at a Shawfield laundering meeting.



Any requests? Worzals back home

Good was also present within the guess the going today. It was firm and that's all I'll say about it. Wincanton is nowhere near anywhere in particular and clearly wants to attract only those with their own vehicles (including presumably combined harvesters) as there is not much chance of getting here by train. Also not many signs for the track so thank god for the satnav invention is what I say. Firsy bit of bad news is 'many thanks for £18 to get in and perhaps you'd like a £3 racecard'. Smarting from this pilfering I didn't really have a close look at the food and drink so no review there. Wincanton is quite a spacious track for a gaff, decent paddock (pleb free at these prices) and plenty of stands offering fair viewing.



Impressive modern stand

The undulating nature of the track obscures some of the track as does the golf course club house. This right handed track is very fair and despite the undulating nature does not disadvantage long striding galloping types but does appear to suit hold up horses.

Not done full review but here are the headlines

Race 1 Mares mainen hurdle 2m6
Red hot favourite manages to beat unbroken field of in season mares despite hurdling like drunk

Miss Overdrive; hot odds on favourite strong mare made all and won easily despite not being fluent, she has run in a cuple of decent races including the David Nicholson's rce at Cheltenham. Has not been lifted too far in the weights but is unlikley to finad as easier task again and although not a complete negative she remains one to leave clear of
Be Kind; On toes in paddock moderate form including recent 2nd at Taunton. Was all over the place looking  a very difficult ride
Little Fee; sketchy jumper who fought bit
My Legal Lady; poor hurding throughout on heurdling debut
Peotic Beat; looks a hard ride and jumping poor little to encourage for future
 
Race 2 class 3 Handicap hurdle 2m6
AP gives master class when managing to win race twice on sweating headcase

Moghaayer; Looked well but was edgy and sweating. Suits right handed tracks. Always prominent and led until between last two hurdles but battled back under an inspired ride to get up on the line.
Forest Rhythm; looked lean and maybe a bit lacking in condition. chased leaders and led approaching last. Was caught near line
Lupanar:Looked in good nick beforehand. Held up and under pressure made effort around halfway but failed to see challenge through from 3 out appearing not to be suited by today's fast ground. This is underpinned by most of his decent form is in soft ground and around right handed tracks, It is a long time since he won and there appears little respite from the handicapper and even given advantageous going there is not much confidence for future success,
Noddies Way; prominent but not fluent and soon beated
Anak; held up but never challenged being soon beaten



AP was in top form tonight

Race 3 Somerset National 3m4
Can six seasoned staying chasers produce entertainmnet? They can when AP is in a completely possesed mood to win three way photo

The Ferbane Man; held up until produced from 4 out led 2 out and batteld well to just hold on. I had  seen him well beaten earlier in the season at Newcastle where the soft ground was against his preferences. He had won all his races on fast ground and it is clear that this is within his preference. He ran well today but it was a tight finish and I wonder how well handicapped he actually is.
Upham Atom; exagerated waiting tactice and only produced coming into the straight made rapid progress but just failed to get up
Knighton Combe; disputed lead for much and won the battel of the front runners however was caught approaching 2 out and although ended third battled on stoutly to be a close third. For an older horse he continues to run very well over these 3m4 type races. Probably had training problems in the past as has not that meny miles on the clock, The fact that having to make his own running with Dizzy thus leaving themselves open to hold up horses he ran with plenty of credit.
Double Dizzy; led or disputed lead for much but once headed 3 out quickly was outpaced.
Cold Mountain; never really a factor once the pace increase in the final mile
Earth Planet; not always fluent and was outpaced from about a mile out



Surely not another National. Someone calll time on this proliferation.

Race 4 Novice handicap hurdle Class 4 2m
Announcer mangles common Irish girl's name yet again  as Aine's Delight purches clear.
Aine's Delight; held up and produced from about 4 out punched clear 2 out and was driven out for an easy victory. No real sign in previous efforts ove3r hurdles to indicate such a powerful win even duringher flat form there was little to indicate todat's win. She did win very easily which cannot be discounted but because her mark from 90 is likely to be driven upwards so best watched
Take The Wine; strong favourite generally mid division. Not always that fluent and was beaten when failed to quicken approaching 2 out. Had been driven 12 lbs to 104 on the basis of only one race. The horse ran as well as could be expectd but is clearly pushed up too far by the assessor. Needs to come down as leat 5lbs and at 5 yeqars old can win if that rating comes down.
Raise Again; always chasing leaders but failed to quicken as was and was a well beaten third. 21 runs and no wins over hurdles, 51 runs and a single career win says it all don't get involved in this one's efforts too come
Moonbalej; led or was prominent throughout. Was outpaced from about 4 out
Medicine Man; disputed lea throughout until bad mistake 4 out and weakened quickly
Capdalight; always behind



Aine get you gun. She's at the back but soon her name gets the plumby tone of the half baked English semi-genteel

Race 5 Class  Handicap Chase 3m2
Stunk more than a three day old kipper with a burst boil lodged in a kiln cleaner's jockstrap

Classic Clover; carried 2lbs overweight in error? made all but began jumping slowly and looking more and more laboured in final mile but somehow held. Stables second string
Reymystrero; made steady progress on distant leader from 4 out and despite looking the stronger and jumping better failed to get a blow in. Appeared to get a relatively easy time of it and from my viewing point should have got up
Terrible Tenant; Although close up going into back straight final time quickly dropped out of being outstayed
Skipper's Lad; odds on favourite and stables first srting. Never in the hunt and unseated rider



And they're over and clear at the damp tarpoling jump

Race 6 Bumper 2m
Conor O'Farrell confirms that the new Charlie Swann has arrived 

Indie Go; looks a good chasing (is from the Fort Leney family and set to be a decent juming as he matures)sort in the making and appeared to be a bit backward in the paddock. Settled toward rear in muddling pace. produced from 2 out with well timed run to lead inside final furlong to gradually pull well clear and belie the long odds. Impressive riding
Chuckery; did not impress in paddock as a workmanlike type. Produced from 2 out and held every chance until failing to quicken at distance, probably unsuited by the slow pace
Ambrose Hill; looks a good sort and interesting when hurdles. Would propably prefer softer ground was not disgaced in third having had every chance into final furlong
Shuflewing; 6/4 favourite neat looking in good condition was disadvantaged by the fact that the race deteriorated into a five furlong dash. From Circus Plume broodline and must surely win a bumper once we get better pace in a race. Worth keeping on the right side.
Tula Tots; on her toes and very green, outpaced from 4 out
Midnight Lira; sparely made and very green being tetchy in the paddock throwing her jockey. never a factor



One Conor O'Farrell, there's only one Conor O'Farrell

Nootbook

Miss Overdrive (Negative) up £10
0
showed speed on reappearance but jumping let her down. Still unlikely to win any time soon

Taste The Wine up £130
0 3 0 1 20/1 2 2 2 4
Looked good and bar a lack of fluence appeared a decent sort. Has not come down from 104 and three recent seconds pushed him up 6lbs. He took his good form on the flat and managed a win. I think he can win off the 110 mark but I will have to fold as eight races have elapsed from the original effort

Shufflewing down £20
4 0
Bit diappointing last run but that was in very heavy ground. Difficul to rate but I would prefer to see him run on fastish ground but time to move on

The unseasonably dry spell has given worries as to the quality of the going and the potential injuries endured by horses. The verdict of jockeys overheard speaking to conections after the first was that although fast ground there was no jar. So well done Redcar on getting safe surface today. Redcar is close to the coast not far from Stockton-on-Tees so is still a pretty industrial area set in an urban landscape. Having said that it is a long way from Beruit and has a comfortable feel to it as a town. Believe it or not this is a popular holiday location with the Yorkshire coastline from Scarborough to Redacr having some nice beaches, great views of the North Sea and some historic landscapes. This is Captain Cook's moeland and Whitby is just a few miles away. It is not a bad place to visit for the weekend and take in some racing. When I first came here in the 19070s the feature race of the year was the Daily Mirror sponsored Andy Capp Handicap which seems to have been surplanted by the John Smith's straight Mile series for three year olds.

The course has a large asphalt car park right in front of the stands for free and getting out after the last was not difficult despite this being a well attended fixture (probably because the kids were still on Easter holiday). Price of entry was an unexpected £12. Whilst sauntering down to the seven furlong start, passing numerous tidy yet compact semis whose back gardens butted onto the course I noticed several well used poorman's gates so if you want to see the entertainmnet for free it is not that difficult. I weakened and bought a £2.50 racecard but was bitterly disappointed to see that my rant over juvenille foaling dates has still not been included in the things. They are not cheap and yes they are glossier than in the past and the form guides are a bit more robust but I expect more information. For example in greyhound racing if a dog has been sick or was recently lame that would be in the racecard (along with the whelping date by the way) they also include something I have long been disappointed to see omitted from the horse world which is the weight of the animals. Trainers I have worked for in the past seemed unaminous about was the 'fighting' weight of the dog, that is the weight when they are likely to be at their best in condition terms and this may vary dependent on trip. You might want to work on building muscle for a sprinty type or keep them lean for a stayer. Finally I would like to see more information about other aspect of the horses equipment. Such as whether a noseband is to be fitted (it is thought that this is not just a means of noticing the horse but as an aid for keeping their concentration up) or if abnormal bits and tack are to be used would add a bit of colour and may well be influential in the horses performance.



The facilities are pretty basic but comfortable and well thought through. For example there is a viewing balcony for the plebs which means an elevated vista for the paddock, viuew of the racing almost over the winning line and provides a vantage point overlooking the winner's enclosure which are all very useful. This co-joins the main grandstand and food / drinks area. The food itself was pretty basic but not that great value. I got a pie and a brew for about £4.50, the tea was tepid but at least you can add fresh milk (one of the worst inventions that the food industry has come up with is UHT milk by the way) and the pie was half the size as proper one from pie eater territory of Haydock made palletable only by ladling in the brown sauce. There are extensive grandstands offering a great view of the racing and you can if you like walk all the way up to the straight mile start to watch the loading up if you wish. The track itself is pretty well flat and is a fair gallop. The races tended to be run straight down the middle infering that the best ground is here (I have been to Redcar four times and on each occasion the straight course races followed that trend) so based on this and the results of racing there did not appear to be any advantage from the draw. The grand old ladies of Plumpton would have been fainting with the vapours if they ever venture to this heathen enclave almost within the Arctic Circle where the locals seem to speak a derivation of norse. They would be greeted with the vision of appropriate investment by the Redcar executive in a fine sapling cherry tree which I can only assume they had dashed out to Wyevale to secure at the weekend following advice from the blog. In a decade or two this twig protected and supported by some stury posts of diameter double the 'trunk' will no doubt dominate and inspire in its isolated yet magnificent singularity. Well done Amy Fair as I am sure it is your attention to detail which has led to this inovation.

The first race was a five furlongs maiden auction stakes for two year olds. The winner was the filly Van Go Go who was holding the most encouraging form from her only run when trhey loaded up. She is a Feb foal from a non discript pedigree but put her experience to good use, always being prominent, led two out and stayed on well under strong driving. She was well suited by conditions today and although a resolute sort I think she may find winning again soon with a penalty difficult. Second home was the unfancied feb foal and  debutant Flambard House who looked well in the paddock and went about business wonce settled in an eye catching manner making progress from halfway staying on well to go down by a length. His pedigree and style suggests he will do well over 6 furlongs as a two year and can be expected to stay up to a mile when mature. Comes out of this race with credit and if not over tried and at a tougher track, can lose maiden tag soon. Third was the experienced Middleton Flyer (nothing of note in his pedigree) who is slowly improving and this one and a quarter length defeat was better but still seems to be a short runner leading and being headed without quickening from about two out.  Of the others the well fancied first time outer Gone By Sunrise (feb foal geared up for 5 furlongs) on toes in paddock and raced green. Fayr Fall(cheap but this could be a real bargain as well bred to get a mile with time) was a very promising fourth first time out. A tidy sort, was acting up a bit in the paddock but raced very well held every chance at the distance staying on without getting a hard time of it and I think could well win next time out as clearly got over his nerves, raced with promise and sure to improve with this experience. I tyhought Latte (march foal already gelded pedigree suggests 5 furlongs is best trip) looked a bit backward despite having had a run and ran green again.

The Alastair Down Selling Stakes for two year olds run over five furlongs was restricted to four runners with the defection of two declared runners based on from what I was told were worrries over the ground(may be a bit quick for Shes Reel Dusty and Bertie Dancing who were the non runners)  First time outer Spiders Of Spring (Mar foal will probably develop into a six furlong horse)won despite looking green in the paddock and going down and ran about a bit fighting the bit for the first half was then shaken up to win with a bit in hand despite the official distance being only a neck. There was predictably for such a weak contest no bid for the winner. Hot favoourite and runner up Ciara Boo (April foal so more scope based on that. Pedigree suggests seven furlongs is within her scope as a two year old. So the question is why run her in three quick 5 furlong races when nursery events are some way in the future) and came to this race with experience but was held well despite holding every chance. Not much potential. Third home was twice a runner up and first time pieces Queen Of The Hop who despite being quitely fancied was under the stick from half way, looked ungenuine and although has a bit of talent taking into account proximity in the circumstance ran ok but best avoided. The other runner was the debutant Mad For Fun she looked very green and was given a considerate race by Mickey Fenton.




The seven furlong auction stakes was for three year old maidens. It was won by Clara Zetion.The filly had encouraging debut which led to her going off a short price 11/8 favourite. She was held up and made smooth headway under a patient ride by Philip Makin. Has potential to be seen to best effect over a mile with time. The gelding Auto Mac finished second and doing so belied his 66/1 odds to stay on stoutly giving strong impression will need further than a mile. Mother Jones again failed to settle and although leading for much failed to quicken. Has had plenty of chances so far and best given a wide bearth.

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The first handicap of the day was a qualifier for the John Smiths Redcar Straight Mile competition for three year olds. It was won in resolute style by hold up horse Buzz Law. This followed up onthe geldings Nottingham reappearance victory. Clearly fit and having trained-on has an attractive mark today of 89, seems suited by a galloping straight having also won at Nottingham and Newmarket obvously on the upgrade in handicaps over the mile. Bosama was the only horse to give the winner a fight when finishing a clear second. He appeared to have had a rough ride though so did well to get second but was not good enough in any event to win but on today's mark was very much better than most of these thus 74 isa handy mark on the turf. Plenty fit enough after four runs this year so not a great deal of improvement can be expected. Third home was the prodegy of the great Aussie sprinter Choisir. To me Chisen Character may be on a good make of 71 but to be successful to my eye needs he needs to drop down in trip as didn't appear to see trip out.



The second handicap was a class 4 over six furlongs. Doctor Parkes off top weight of ten stones prevailed and it was not before time. Held up and produced 2 out being punched out to win in good style indicating that six furlongs will suit better than five. The handicapped has shown little respite during the last ten or so unsuccessful runs as he has been stuck within the 82 to 86 range but to his consistancy. Genuine and you would like to see this five year old progress to a good level in sprint handicaps. Second home was Solar Spirit who came to challenge at the distance and had every chance put was outpaced a bit so perhaps a runover a sharp seven at say Catterick may be the next port of call. Karaka Jack is off a decent mark if the gelding ever gets near his second in the Esher Cup form again. Ran ok today without too hard a time to finish third and looked plenty fit enough. Might pay just to keep an eye out for him as this may turn out to be a useful race in this class 4 level at this early stage of the season. The Harry Rednapp owned Arrys Orse was a never nearer fourth difficult to see if he can go one and win again as has had training difficulties but is a fair sort.



Hot favourite Frequency prevailed but had a hard fight to battle through in the conditional jockeys' claiming stake over six furlongs. This was a particularly uninspiring event and I doubt much will come out of it.



The final race was a fillies handicap class 5 over ten furongs. Winner Easy Times was pushed clear in good style having looking well in the paddock beforehand and appears to have some potential to win more races as galloped well. Second was 2/1 favourite Lady Chloe who looks a useful sort she was given a patient ride under Paul Hanagan and I am sure she will win soon particularly if her mark is around today's 60. Her pedigree suggests may be better served by returing to mile races  as appeared to weaken a bit in the final final furlong. Gambling stable and not completely certain despite being favourite that she was 'wanted' today. Of the others several fancied runners were easily beaten today including Cool Baranca (appeared fit but took keen hold on way to post) Sparvento (on toes and edgy in the paddock, pulled hard to post and was soon beaten about three out)and Talk Of Saafend (not won for years and had an unsuccessful go over the sticks as well, well beaten fourth today)



How did they do next three runs to a £10 stake

Flambard House down £40
4 2 2 2
Expensive to follow althougnone of the seconds was at a decent each way level of 16/1. I should have binned him after the third effort but hung on. One paced although off 74 may pick up a small mile handicap for three year olds. I have shelved him though.

Fayr Fall down £2
3 1 (5/6)
Once had victory in maidne auctio his 69 mark looked unattractive for nurseries so I off loaded him sharpish

Doctor Parkes up £90
1 (10/1) 2
I backed him at Chester when  I was there for the Cheshire Oaks which was great and then he ran well in a decent race at York when second. However his mark was then a stone over the redcar level and I made my excuses from there


Lady Chloe down £2
2 1 (5/6)
She ran a good second at nice 12/1 each way level next time and broke maiden tag back at Redcar. However once handicapping her rating was almost a stone higher than she was rated at the time of this Redcar run so clearly not a gambling proposition from there.

The Craven meeting used to be veiwed as an essential meeting to begin to view the coming year's classic generation. This has dimished recently but it remains a key early season meeting and has enough to interest flat turf afficianos starved over the bleak winter break. The facilities on the Rowley course are pretty good geared up as they are to take big crowds for the classics. However on a less than throbbing day perhaps a more general admission philosophy would be useful. For example the upper stands were practically empty for the races and the proles were not allowed to take advantage of improved views despite having said a fond farewell to a score should they want a racecard. One of my gripes on the racexcard front is that for £3 you should have a lot more form in there and you should at the very least have the foaling date of two year olds. This aspect drives me nuts especially in the early part of the season when May foals and later are often significantly less mature than the older ones. We ought to start a protest, in fact I will not buy another racecard and stick entirely to the Timform version until this fiasco is sorted.Food on the track is fine although a bit pricey (bacon barm and a brew for a fiver?). On the viewing aspect it is always a bit of a quibble that for middle distance races the punters only see the horses for a couple of furlongs. However the fact that even for two milers the horses basically run on the straight which makes this a unique venue suiting the long striding galloping sorts and because more races are truly run a horse needs see the trip out well. Nowadays with a massive TV screen and close circuit pictures all over the coursse no-one can complain they do not get to see much of the action. This is all a far cry from the  day when I was here for the 1,000 and there was no commentary for the first two races and no giant screen. It was a waste of time but it is clear that there is a trend towards being more openminded to the customer needs. The ambiance is strong and the statures and memorials to greats from the past really set a subtle reminder that this is perhaps the great flat course of GB. Best bit of fun is the Le Mans style race out of the car park across the grass and aiming for the single track concrete causeway. You can get a fair head of steam and I am amazed thre are not more bangs.



The grandstand provides a backdrop for a well sculptered bronze of the great cup horse Persian Punch in full speed.



The great Brigadier Gerard appears to be gazing imperiously over his prospective inheritors from his pre parade ring vantage point

The John Fairey maiden fillies' stakes for 2 year olds over five furlongs attracted a fair sized field and predictably Richard Hannon's filly Tea Cup (feb foal but pedigree suggests will be better over 7f as a juvenille and 10f when mature)started a well backed favourite but dwelt in the stalls and never got into contention coming through in her own time suggesting that indeed she is likely to need further. The race was won in fair style by the most experienced filly in the race Princess Banu (Mar foal sprint bred) who was always prominent and had to be pushed out quite vigorously to score. The runner up was the robust Royal Blush (Mar foal may stay mile with time). She is well connected to group winner Applaud (Cherry Hinton winner) and showed plently of promise when staying on well under a considerate Dettori ride to be second best on the day but one to keep an eye on in good class races as will not stay a maiden for long as very likely to emerge as the best on this bunch.Of the rest Dark Ages (Mar foal who will be best over the minimum trip based on pedigree)and Guru Girl (Feb foal pedigree suggests she needs further)had enough stamina to profit from their early pace and finished in the minor placings.



Can she repeat Applaud's Cherry Hinton win in time? The useful Royal Blush sure to break her maiden any time soon

The Wood Ditton(a historic and prestigious race worth a pittance in prize money at this meeting) over a mile is confined to unraced three year olds and there were 14 runners for the renewal today.It looked a strong race with some very nice types and many with interesting pedigrees. The race was won by Godalphin's Midsummer Fair who was in the van throughout and was punched through approaching final furlong to win well. The best thing to note from this run was the impression given by young jockey Michael Barzalona who appears to me to be a pretty good prospect. Henry Cecil (in general his horses ran quite well today) saddled a very interesting recruit today in Air Traffic (whilst pedigree suggests a mile she has Chesire Oaks winner as bottom line grand dam so who knows he could be a Derby prospect). He was very green in all aspects and slowly got into the groove staying on well without being given the hardest race he'll ever encounter. Is an entry for the Dante and he looks classy enough to be a group horse if he learns from this first experience. Also of considerable note is how well the Michael Stout trained Laashak (bred to be useful at up to a mile and a half) stayed on under what I would term an easy to finish third and is another that could well be group class. He looked very well in himself and keep an eye on his progress. The fourth home was England Rules who took a keen hold and in the circumstances and granted the quality around him ran with great credit. The favourite, Above Standard, was well backed and held every chance two out but failed to quicken and finished fifth. Not disgraced and may need a drop to seven furlongs. Of the rest Galloping Minister needed the run being a big bulkiy sort and having already been cut is surely destined for the jumps. Has plenty of scope to make a chaser one day.



May be the Dante next stop for the well bred and promising Air Traffic

The most valuable race of the day and worth over £100,000 to the winner was the Tattersalls Million confined to three year olds and run over a mile and a quarter. This attracted a useful Aiden O'Brien entry in the filly Together (multiple group 1 entries including the 1,000 guineas so clearly well thought of) who had won a group 3 over seven furlongs last year and had some good group 1 filly form as a juvenille. However despite being a well backed favourite and being prominent holding every chance two out she faded back in the field to finish fifth (to be fair to her she did get slightly hampered which wouldn't have helped). The conclusion to be drown is either she didn't stay, she was hampered out of any chance or she wasn't good enough. I would say she will struggle to win in group one company as if she was a miler she would have been held up and if she is a ten furlong horse she was comprehensively beaten. The winner was Richard Hannon's Auld Burns who was ridden in midfield for much but made headway and led inside the final furlong for a sound victory. He beat the useful Measuring Time who was always prominent but could only stay on at the one pace and could well be better served by a mile and a half. The third was Questioning who seemed to weaken at the distance but was far from disgraced and may be better over this the trip at a less demanding course. The colt to catch the eye most was the fourth home Namibian. The form suggested that he is better with cut but he ran very well on this fastish ground and was making smooth headway when had little room inside the final furlong. On good or softer ground he will prove hard to beat. He had a rough ride through today and was hampered final furlong, is well suited by further than this 10f trip and provided still on mark of 83 is worthwhile positioning in a decent handicap sometime soon and is entered in a valuable sales race back here in June.



Namibian was an unlucky fourth but as long as the handicapper isn't brutal he may be on a very lenient mark

The Abernant stakes is a listed sprint over six furlongs and is a good quality early season contest. It attratced the Ayr Gold Cup winner Jimmy Styles who had won a decent event at Doncaster a couple of weeks previous. However he was well beaten today and on the basis he seemed to run his race this gives an idea of the event's relative quality. First home was the Roger Charlton trained Genki who went off at surprisingly attractive odds despite having plenty of encouraging form. Was racing just off the pace untill bursting through with a good turn of foot before the final furlong to win without being too hard pressed. Has a good record at Newmarket and probably prefers a galloping track. Of the rest Iver Bridge Lad almost put his Dubai pipeopeners to good use when running up, Diamond Dinkum raced well off the pace but stayed on well under strong urging to finish third and has some fair group form and can win in listed company again. The mare Anne of Kiev ran well to be fourth but may be better over a less testing six or dropping back to race over five. Society Rock has some very good group one form but had missed most of last year so fitness was on trust. Was mid division throughout and was not given too hard a race. This would not have done him any harm and is one to watch. Inler looks a right one , acted up coming out the paddock, pulled hard to the post and was beaten around two out after being prominent early. The card said he's a gelding, the announcement from the course PA said he is an entire, I would say if he isn't now he may be soon. Finally of note is Himalya who completely missed the kick, struggled for room throughout, but once he did he stayed on steadily and without being placed under too much pressure to give the appearance that the finishing position is best forgotten but that this run is remembered. I think he will prove to be a useful handicap sprinter again this year once on a mark of around 105, has run well in Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot so keep an eye out for another shot.



On the comeback trail and a moderate placing still leaves question marks against Society Rock but is one to keep an eye on


The Craven is a group 3 race over the Rowley Mile and in the past has been an indicator of 2,000 potential. The winner today was Ed Dunlop trained Native Kahn. A tidy grey who has already won at group 3 and run well in group 1. He started the odds on favourite and destroyed the field today with an easy victory. On the plus side was that he showed good pace clearly at home on fastish ground and this mile. On the downside was he seemed a bit awkward and still a bit green. On this run I do not see him as a classic horse but I am sure with time he will mature and when he does he is likley to be a very useful miler well above average as a Craven winner and will take more group races this year. Of the others Libranno ran as well as could be expect but at a respectable distance behind the classy winner, Casual Glipse will probably be seen to better advantage over seven furlongs, whilst Yaseer will be better over ten furlongs and looks to have ability to make listed.



Native Kahn may not win the guineas but is likely to take good rank in the 2011 classic generation's milers

The Earl of Sefton is group 3 race over the same Cambridgeshire course and distance where Royal Ascot winner Ransom Note was well beaten when fancied. Today he stepped up to group company, making most and staying on resolutly showing great attitude. He held by a length the fit and in form french raider Polytechnicien (who seemeed to be caught out by the game battle thrown down by the winner having been bought with what looked a well timed and winning run by Oliver Pesilier). Third home was 2010 Craven winner and 2010 2,000 guineas fifth Elusive Pimpernel. He had not been seen since May last year and ran a very encouraging seasonal reappearance running out of stamina and race sharpness at the furlong pole which indicates that a programme as a miler is most likley to bear fruit. He can gain listed success this season based on this effort. Of the rest Steel Tango plugged on for fourth in the way of a horse needing further whilst Forte Dei Marmi who had progressed well in handicaps last year looks short of listed quality. The saddest sight is of 2010  Lingfield Derby Trial winner and leading fancy for the Derby appearing out of sorts with racing. He acted up in the preliminaries looking mardy and showed little enthusiasm for the race being tailed off in the end.



Bullet Train; will we ever see him back to his best again?

The Rossdale Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs looked an unpromising location to spot a potential three year old filly star for 2011. However I think the winner Diety (entered in Irish 1,000 guineas)has every chance of doing just that. First time on the  racecourse she appeared green going down and was allowed a little time to settle before being produced from about two out for a smooth and impressive victory. I think she can step up in trip to a mile and look forward to seeing where she is aimed at next. There were several with experience against her and runner up Flashbang had the strongest form. Prominent throughout she appeared to be going strongly before Diety pushed past and eased clear. It may be that Flashbang met a classy filly today and as such other opportunities will come her way and I cannot see her ending the seqason as a maiden. Others with experience were Queens Troop (who pulled too hard, showed early pace but will not stay this trip until learning to settle better) and Heatherbird (prominent throughout but failure to quicken when every chance indicates that six furlongs for now is where more success may come). Of the debutantes potential was clear in To The Spring (moved nicely when needing run and without getting a hard time of it to finish third) Tanasseq(went down well, was outpaced early, however was getting the hang of things late on to stay on well) Elraabeya (appeared very green)



Very impressive debut by Diety and this could be a group filly

The meeting closed off with a typical pugnacious handicap win for Frankie (he must be the jockey who has developed the closest relationship with racegoers in my lifespan with his open connective manner) who was on board a Mark Johnson battler Art History (aren't they all from him) outstaying the field from the front. I think that the biggest interest for the future was the Henry Cecil trained Glencadam Gold. He looked a bit burley in the parade and beforehand you would have though he needed a run. This ten furlongs seems to suit him well and he battled on without being overly pressured. Given that his mark does not go much higher than this 84 I think he would be a good bet to win next run in handicap company. The favourite at 7/4 was Labarinto who went nicely down to post and looked very well and fit in the paddock. However he weakened from before the distance after holding every chance two out to finish fourth. Of the remainder Casual Mover was on his toes for the prelims and was never a factor probably still green but can improve on this run.



Frankie looks on as he punches home another game front runner

Notebook

Royal Blush down £42.50
1 (4/6) 0 0 0 0 0
Looked to have continued progress when winning next run, following two runs saddle slipped and was hampered so excuses. However three very poor runs culminating in a thrashing when I saw her run at Folkestne so will leave completely alone

Air Traffic
Not seen out since this promising run so assume something has gone amiss


Laashak down £30
2 0 0
tried over ten furlongs and probably doesn't really stay it. left now


Namibian up £75
2 4 3 1(7/2) 1(7/1)
Developed into a very good group 3 horse winning the Queens Vase. Tried too high and unfancied in Gt Voltigeur group 2 . Could be a useful cup horse but I would send him hurdling as looks the conformation and sty;e to excel

Society Rock up £210
2 1 (25/1) 2 0 0
Has been a very good sprinter this season genera;;y running well and topping the year with a group 1 ascot win


Diety down £40
0 3 0 0
Has been far better on flat or galloping tracks rather than tight and turning tracks is on a sound mark and could do well next season however this is the end of the road for my backing her Placed one when attractive each way option


To The Spring down £60
0 3 0 3 0 0
Bit of a disappointment nad hasn't loooked like winning this season

Glencadam Gold up £10
3 1 (2/1)
Followed up fair third with nice win at newmarket. The jacked up to 95, went group racing and at that stage I withdrew from backing as didn't look group class

The further you go west in Wales the happier the people seem to become. Here in Carmarthenshire with Wexford and the mighty metropolis of Corcaigh only a boat ride away you can see why they have plenty to be happy about. So today I made my second ever visit to the brand new racecourse some 10 or so miles west of Llanelli at Ffos Las. It was an evening meeting and was absolutely full for what was an entirely uninspiring racecard of only five jump races. If we have to have a bumper let's make sure there are six jump races to support it. Maybe it was the jazzband put on by the executive to bookend the evening that enticed the welsh out of their endless choir practice and apron making. However despite the ragtime melodies on offer many racegoers were out the traps quicker than Ravage Again following a particularly poor class 5 seller to take advantage of the one gate left adjar by the officious or completely mardy men in green coats. Clearly they haven't been able to secure a ticket in the bunks for the Swansea ship to paradise. The facilities are not bad although the crowd was lucky with the good weather tonight as the stands and bars cannot really accommodate under cover this size of a crowd. It is in fairness a well laid out spacious track which has a bit of character, something new football stadia soulessness in design to accommodate utilitarian cost effectiveness fails to do.I quite like the statue which is a bit different. I was not keen on the quality of food on offer, chip van fare and I was unlucky enough to chance upon purchasing a cheap colonel saunders clone. Biting into the crisp coating of peppered breadcrimbs a spurt of molten lard spewed out onto my jacket like projectile vomit from a needy toddler. My advice; don't be enticed by the trap of cheap food unless you like reconstituted fat mascarading as meat heated to just the right point that rather like a persistant boil your incisors wil liberate the puss (copyright Egon Ronez). The paddock is big enough and because the track is so flat there is ease of viewing. A tip for the tight fisted is park in the car park, use your laptop to log into betfair and watch in spendthrift spendour at the furlong pole in the secure luxury of your private box / motor vehicle, all for free. I for one would be the first to support the mardy ones using their clear brooding menace to root out these ne'erdowells and expel them physically from the private grounds. Otherwise you can see the day when the car parking area which I got into comfortably for precisely £0 being subject of a charge. I hasten to add that I paid the required £10 at the gate to obtain conventional accesss. The atmosphere was very casual and warm with plenty of the locals speaking in their strange language disconnected from most mainstream eurpoean tongues which sort of emphasises the unique nature of the Welsh. The english myth is that (particularly in Noth East Wales) that locals when in their pub come stone lambing parlour on hearing a scouse intruder will grunt in a sing songy phlegm coated stacato some nonesense to each other and thus destabillise the already maladjusted scally who will report back to base the ignorance of the Wrexhamite. Image my shock that the Welsh really do speak welsh to each other in the same way as Iexperienced when working in The Black Isle where the highlanders north of the great glen speak gallic to each other. Mortifying when my own gaelic only extends to recalling the words of the soldiers song and the sign of the cross from my schooldays (not much use when trying to ask for directions when west of Tralee). Ffos Las deserves to succeed, deserves trainers / owners support and deserves English racegoers support. Perhaps a bit better racing might help a bit because this is a very fair test of a galloping horse and being West Wales and on reconstituted sub strata there is enough rain to ensure it is unlikley to ride firm and the resulting drainage is unlikely to ride heavy.



Someone turn these ladies around and tell them the racing is behind themFfos was build on the site of an old opencast coal mine run by Celtic Energy and restored by big hitter muckshifters Walters. When we built Silverstoone by pass Walters were our partners and they were a top rate outfit to work with. The results were that contact went like a dream. Despite foot and and mouth stopping work for several months the contract ran to time. This part of Wales has intersting geology. The sedementary rocks are silica in nature rather than the limestone that predominated across the water and further east on the welsh coast. The mixture of sandstone, shale and coal provides good drainage and useful rock. The coal is obvious but the sandstone is transported all around England and Wales for surfaces of the motorway network because of the grip and therefore safe aspects it proivides. Restoration is an important planning aspect of a quarrymans life. Generally there needs to be an environmentally leant plan rather than the old fashion route of fill the hole with rubbish and then build a housing estate on top. Now old works are more likley to become a nature reserve, particularly if flooded and landscaping for birds and fish to populate, with leisure apects such as sailing and mountain biking bolted on as business opportunities. The trade bodies hold big flash meals to celebrate examples of excellence in restoration. Generally they are won by boring biodiversity ideas. Usually centred on some close to extinction newt or a falcon's nest being protected. Something like Ffos Las is akin to the football ground in Braga, Portugal where an old quarrry has been converted into a sporting venue. Quite brilliant.

However the racing was not brilliant. There were no horses of note to take forward on a positive level. I will consult my notes on friday and compile a summary when I getback from The Craven tomorrow night and upload the photos.

The card opened with a selling three mile hurdle. It was won by a horse I saw at Uttoxeter being Sun Tzu who has well beaten by a horse who then went up over a stone. He has now picked up a couple of moderate races in quick succession, was bought for 6,300 at the subsequent auction and may be a due a hike in the weights having been on 103 for a while. Quite where the new owner thinks he will get his return over hurdles is baffling to me unless chasing. Only  aspect of note is that the Don McCain plodder Always Bold stuck at the back of the field  today was mysteriously claimed for six grand. What recession?

We then had a procession for the second in the form of a maiden hurdle over 20f There was only two horses in it from a long way out with favourite Mountainous (good points form but mainly with a cut and today's ground may have been a little too quick) comfortably held by another debutant from between the flags Beneficial Reform (won well enough but I doubt he beat much and will find shouldering a penalty difficult.



Whoa there neddy next stop Barry Island

A three mile novice chase was reduced to only four runners when Gotoyourplay was pulled up lame in what looked like his near hind. It ws won but a reasonable round of jumping by Ballyvesy who held off the renewed challenge of odds on favourite and habitual runner up The Rainbow Hunter. The nett conclusion is that this was a low level novice event, Ballyvesy will struggle to find as easy an opportunity and there must be a real problem in getting the rnner up to putting his head in front if he couldn't do it today. There were two other finishers apparently but I was in the bar before they were sighted.


A wide open handicap hurdle class 3 over two and a half miles. They ran round like a herd for most of the race until Pure Faith got first run and went on to win has ben prolific and appears to have escaped the handicappers wrath and won four of last eight runs and rated 124 for three of them! The joint favourites were second and third. William Hogarth (often close up and stuck on 125 despite only winning once from last 12 runs) and Open Day ( a stone off his handicap entry pint of 135 but still cannot win a handicap

The last jump race was a very moderate class 5 handicap chase. The Isle of Inishmore is yet another of these horses who the handicapper must have lost their formbook. He has won three of his last four and is on only 4lbs higher than his first winning mark. The gambled on favourite was Mr Bond who has never won often fails to complete and has been on basically the same mark for the last few runs. If he had won I would personally gone up to the stewards box, held my own enquiry and warned off each and every one of the punters who put their faith in a horse for which the term moderate at best is a complemnet and the fantastic one liner used in the old days when Timeform was brutal 'of little account'. The Racing Post's comment on runner (kind term) up Lucky Dasncer 'failed to quicken flat' can be interpreted that just failed to quicken at any stage of this race and is clearly going to need a very very modest event to win.paceless.



Framed by the magnificence of the sandstone spoilheap feature in full pseudo  mediteranean scrubland splendour

The meeting was closed off with a bumper which most of the racegoers appeared ambivalent to preferring to get some more alcohol down their necks, get out of the packed car parks and thus home before midnight or limber up for some toe tapping appreciation of the resident jazzband. The short priced favourite Wheres The Hare won by a comfortable two lengths with the pair clear for Rebecca Curtis who has a good bumper strikerate. How  good is he? I am not sure but did cost over £100,000 at the Cheltenham April sales. Only Sentimental journey gave him a race. He is modestly bred and probably fair. On balance I am not sure if Wheres The Hare is much more than moderate

Notebook

Beneficial Reform(Negative) up £30
lost next three runs and was then sent handicapping which was when I folded my hand on him. His prices were often short so was a good laying medium.

The Rainbow Hunter (Negative) up £20
Managed to fall next two runs. Not seen out since and I have now closed the book on him

Always Bold down £10
Beaten next run but then dropped 5pounds and won at 2/1. Looked to have improved and I ended my involvement from a laying perspective.



   

Ludlow is one of the best country tracks in the country and on a sunny spring day such as today there are few better locations to be at. The remarkable note on the going was that despite some horrendous frosts and severe snow of the winter and an excessively dry recent period we had a reasonable cover of grass and good ground. Bob Davies and his team did a great job in the circumstance and having had a chance to walk a fair amount of the course it really was good jumping ground in my opinion.



Ludlow's stands provide great viewing particularly from the rooftop vista

The entry to the course at £10 is for you and your car and to gives access to the centre of the track facilities. However due to the fact that the paddock, pre-parade ring and winners’ enclosure are all in the centre, the Tatts is separated out from the cheap zone and has a course crossing to get to the grandstand. You need to spend £6 more for this benefit. You do in any event get a free racecard so I didn’t think it was too exorbitant. There is also an access point for the club enclosure from the centre to enable flow too and from paddock etc. On top of the stands is an uncovered additional viewing area giving a fantastic view of the racing and well worth the climb. Catering at the course is not bad and there are enough facilities with basic fare on show.



Good looking local lad done good

The countryside in Shropshire is very picturesque and the journey down from Shrewsbury is a good way to be experience it. This is Darwin territory and no wonder a geologist wanted to be in the middle of this area as the rocks are very interesting. Several of the best roadstone quarries are in this vicinity and the connection between the rocks with natural history probably led to this being Darwin’s base. Shrewsbury also took advantage of putting itself further on the tourist map when the celebrations for some centenary relating to Darwin happened a couple of years ago. These types of spurious affectations are even more hilariously applied to quarries. I remember a Leicestershire quarry celebrating 200 years of existence. Yet it was used in stone age days and was formed by a volcanic intrusion roughly 250 years ago. Going back to Shrewsbury they decided to make a concrete object of urban art in association with the festivities. Now from my perspective I think it is a piece of great artistic value due to a peccadillo towards concrete. However I have to confess it looks like a couple of dozen slabs of concrete resting on each other and not a double helix or the backbone of a pre-historic reptile. All in all having worked on this project with the sculptor it is fascinating to get a perspective on how these arty types think. They would be great horse traders I am sure. Anyway, if you are going to Ludlow from the north, take time to pop in en route to Shrewsbury (which is like Chester  probably was before it got football wives snottyness) and remember to take a peek at what a wonderful art medium concrete can be.



Here's one I made earlier out of concrete, steel bolts and sticky backed plastic

News from the blog for week commencing 21st of March was of our positives to back given conditions we had Lordsbridge winning on a flat track at 100/30, Chrysanda winning at 10/11, Eyre Squire obliged at 7/4 and Make A Track well fancied to win another bumper which he did at 7/4. On the downside we had Bettabob and Naughty Naughty both beaten after big hikes in the weights, whilst Wild Desert and Lord Singer well beaten but still poorly handicapped. Hollow Blue Sky beaten in bumper but we are waiting until hurdles over 2m4, Promised Wings disappointed when 4th at Newbury and Strongbows Legend ran well when 2nd at 2/1. Of the negatives as lays we had Saulty Max pulled up at 3/1 and Easton Clump pulled up at 4/1, but Turko won at 11/8.

So we had three winners at up to 100/30 with two lays at shortish odds being successful. However we had a losing lay and two fancied horses going down. Four runners are too poorly handicapped to back and we are awaiting a bumper runner moving over to hurdles. It was a tight week but the blog ended up on the right side.

The racing opened up with a mares hurdle over 21f which looked a decent quality event. One of the blog’s positives, Kaituna, was a comfortable winner of the race being well ridden and produced from behind the leading trio to pull clear approaching last. Fiddled the last but was safe enough. Certainly looks like she will stay further and remains capable against mares in this sort of company. At OR of 105 she is on a useful mark. King’s Queen was not disgraced as the runner up. She led for much but appeared to be stretched by 2m5 and a drop in distance may well help. She has been raced over this trip in general probably because her points form over 3m indicated stamina but it is always dangerous to assume too much. My view is that she may well be able to have enough pace to win over 2m to 2m2 on good ground. The third home was the well backed favourite Seren Cwmtundo who was not fluent throughout, had won a modest event at Taunton and is not up to shouldering the penalty whilst she is on a welter OR 117 in comparison to her demonstrated ability. Constitutes a negative on the basis of the continued over-estimation by connections of talent which often leads to a short price. Of the others Bully Whiskers an ex Irish maiden who jumped poorly and gave no indication of winning potential despite attracting market attention finished tailed off. Debutante Emerald Glade fresh from some low grade wins on the flat went off not unfancied at 12/1 but ran in snatches, jumped very novice and ended up finishing weakly from a fair fourth position.



Winning mare Kaituna heads off to the start with the weight of The Blog's beer money

A novice chase over 16f had a reduced level of interest when quietly fancied Cottage Flyer was a non runner. The race in the end was easily won by odds on favourite Fahrisee who led from halfway but was not that fluent. He has now won two novices but is on an unattractive mark of OR 132 and lack of fluency suggests he will struggle to win again as this was a particularly simple task. The runner up is the increasingly frustrating Thumbs Up. He failed to consent to run when I saw him at Haydock recently and again today planted himself but did decide to race. His jumping is very moderate and gives little confidence from a backing point of view. On another point he did lose a hind shoe and the other hind shoe looked to have been loosened to the point of close to falling off. This would not have helped, may well have occurred at the start but cannot lead to poor jumping or temperamental issues. Courella was well outpaced from 5 out and the other runner Dark Haven pulled so hard as to have lost any chance before halfway.



It's even money whether he consents to start, Thumbs Up would rather rip his own shoes off first

The first handicap of the day was a highly competitive 21f class 3 hurdle. The winner, Haventgotascoobydo,  has established a good relationship with Warren Marsden. I had seen him finish fourth in unsuitable heavy ground at Uttoxeter on new year’s eve. He is a hold up horse and was produced very well today staying on well after making rapid headway from 4 out led after 3 out and held on well for a 5 length victory. Has now won twice at Ludlow and the course suits these tactics. I was quite impressed but based on OR of 115 (and likely to go higher) he may only be attractive if he goes up less than the 7lbs norm. Troubletimestwo was second and gave every indication that he really needs further so 24f should be considered. I think he is well worth having a look at handicaps as the current 109 from a top level of 126 indicates that he is on a good mark. Third home was Mad Moose who I had seen win well at Haydock and the view was that he could take advantage of a favourable mark given the future assessment. It is also apparent that he is best fresh. Ran reasonably well today, had every chance approaching last but failed to quicken as well as he did at Haydock. Best left until freashened up. Fourth home was Peaceful Means who was held up and produced to lead three out but was soon headed and this seems to support the view that he is much better targeted at 16f. I think that on 104 he is on a good mark, showed he has retained ability above the mark he is currently sat on and that running over 16f to 18f will see him to best advantage. He comes out of this race as a positive.



Approaching the line first time and eventual winner Haventgotascoobydoo (in green) is held up well off the pace

Richard Johnson rode a great race on chase debutant Russian Epic who was woken up by a poor early mistake to slowly jump his way into race and then power clear to win well in the feature class 3 21f handicap  chase. He had the kitchen sink (tongue strap and pieces) chucked at him, he is clearly better over fences than hurdles and as such I think he can follow up and win another a handicap. Cruchain jumped well and is showing gradual improvement now concentrating on chasing. He was prominent throughout and seemed to stay ok. Given that the winner was very well handicapped you have to conclude that Cruchain was a bit unlucky to bump into Russian Epic today under these circumstances. His form suggests that he may be even better suited by 2m although I saw no sign that he failed to stay this trip. Akarshan ran ok to finish third but wasn’t that fluent.  Shake The Barley ran better than the position suggests and was not given a hard run, is on a good mark on 108 and this 21f trip suits. One for the future and seems best on good ground on tight turning tracks, Has won on the idiosyncratic Fontwell. He comes out of this as a positive and as a 6 year old has plenty of potential.  Of the remainder Restezen D’armor is well out of his depth on current mark but was backed in the market. The edgy and moody The Snail was sulking away at the back throughout, Man From Highworth eased quickly given the impression that the veteran may have picked up an injury and Tyup Pompey was soon beaten after showing prominently till halfway but was plugging on for 5th.



Impressive novice Russian Epic wins the feature handicap



Richard Johnson is led into the winner's enclosure

Supernoverre won the 16f claiming hurdle. He was in mid div until produced 3 out, lead between last two fences and kicked clear. Has produced best on tight tracks. Not sure how good this mob were and whether he can follow up. The runner up was gambled on favourite Second Brook who keeps giving the impression that he needs 20f and if is in similar company on goodish ground should win although after 20 fruitless efforts remains one for the optimists. The rest are moderate in the extreme. Mister Fantastic (made most but was headed and outpaced in the straight), Goose Green (better suited by firm ground and improved a bit on earlier hurdle efforts. In the past indicated that he was best on flat or twisty tracks) Bahr Nothing (jumped poorly) Ask The Oracle (never fluent and suited to slow going all weather conditions on flat) and finally Magnitude (given an easy from 3 out after racing prominently he should suit a soft ground seller)



Claiming hurdle final hurdle

Double Mead was the strongly backed and successful favourite of the hunter chase.  He did jumped moderately as is often the norm for hunters and it was a bit rough around the final turn. Despite a sizable bump Alex Dunn held her line well and kicked on from 2 out to win well. Generally best right handed. McCauley finished second having challenged throughout. His jumping let him down today but not disgraced to finish second, is still a novice hunter and may be better in that class as has some ability. The veteran Almaydan is a bit of a light of former days having been a very respectable handicap chaser in his youth. Plods around enjoying himself but would need to be exceptionally well placed to win again. There were a couple of mulish performances from very well backed horses. The Waley-Cohen combination Otage de Brion opened a short 7/2 second favourite he jumped very poorly and was soon detached looking as much unlike the 142 rated chaser from last season as it is possible to find. Perhaps he has lost confidence following a recent fall. Cedris Libani who had been very useful a couple of years ago and traded at 9/2 after a Ludlow double. Reluctant to start and when consented was a fence behind until Mr Burton decided he had had enough exercise for the day at around halfway.

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Alex Dunn rides a fine race after a rough ride around the final turn on Double Mead

The meeting closed off with a strongly contested bumper. As the blog stated after the Towcester meeting that if AP turns up for one ride in a mid week bumper then get on. This time I availed of the offered 2/1 with gusto. The Nicky Henderson trained debutant Sizing India looked a very useful sort in the paddock, decided to ship The Champ en route to the start, raced a bit greenly but when produced from 3f out he showed smooth acceleration and won in the manner of a very useful recruit. Looks more a hurdler than a chaser, at 6 years old he needs to get going and he could prove very useful in next year’s novice hurdle events. As such I am sure we will see him out again soon, perhaps even the champion bumper at Punchestown where he must have a good chance. Wherever it is he ends up next he is going to follow up in a bumper this season. The reason for such a delay for his racecourse appearance was that he was never right last year due to worms and casting.  What further supports this view on Sizing India is that 5 length runner up Castle Conflict had some very good pointing form and ran well leading for much only giving best at the furlong pole, a promising run. As was the third home Orangeaday who was beaten a further half a length in third. This four year old raced with much promise hinting that further would suit. He is closely related to the great stayer Anzum and is worth keeping tabs on him when he goes hurdling next year.  The rest were pretty well outclassed. There were exceptions in that Crescent Beach ran very green and was not disgraced as a distant fourth. Whilst course and distance winner Parsnip Pete clipped the heels of a horse ahead  and unseated Paddy Brennan early on so we will have to guess as to how close he could have finished.

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Two very promsing bumper horses in the paddock beofre the final race with four year old Orangeaday (finished third) leading up Sizing India (winner)

Notebook

Seren Cwmtundo (Negative)
Not been seen out since so bin now


Peaceful Means down £30
2 0 0
Appeared to be set for chasing and I am not convinced he is much good anyway so have binned

Russian Epic
Not been seen out since and has now been ditched

Shake The Barley up £50
1(7/1) P 3
Nice win over 3m at Perth led to efforts at this distance but on stiffer tracks. Left alone after three races


Sizing India down £10
0 
Fifth in good bumper at Punchestown festival. Keeping tit alive as I am sure he wll make a hurdler

Orangeaday down £20
0 0
Still in bumpers but last run was promising when fifth in cheltenham event. Will persevere
Currently £10 up

The main course for the North West Haydock is a well organised course. There are sizable stands and modern with betting, drinking and eating facilities. I still quite like the cheaper Newton Stand myself and when there are different stand segregation plans I think it offers the best value. However, today the Newton and Tatts were combined for £12 which was not too bad. Plenty of free parking helps make the car favourite for a Newton le Willows sortie. The course is near the main Manchester to Liverpool road near the M6 so road communications are perfect. Rail is a bit harder but who needs public transport in these days of cheap fuel. Clearly plenty of money rattling around metropolitan Lancashire as there was a bumper crowd for a fairly non descript midweek platter of jump racing. There is a big paddock with plenty of viewing and enough trees in it to satisfy the fine old ladies of Plumpton. There is a good cafe where a decent pie chips peas gravy plus a cup of tea can be had for £7 so not too much of a sting. However try finding which places/stands you are able to get into at Haydock and you’ll get the sort of officious sneer reserved for the dodgiest of scouse hotspots on laydeez nite. Not brilliant on the PR front I would say. The track itself is a flat oval with quite tricky turns particularly the paddock bend. This makes it a bit of a specialist track  although I have often paired Haydock and Newbury for similar circuits. There is a long run in which often catches out long term leaders. One good place to watch the races is by the paddock with a head on down the straight.

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View of the main stands taken from the paddock bend

Cheltenham week proved to be a good one for the blog. At Cheltenham Conor O’Farrell was tipped to win a handicap and Beuna Vista did so backed at 28/1. Conor also finished placed in another at 20/1. The assessment of the Triumph concluded that the Adonis at Kempton was the key trial and the winner of that race followed up at 8/1 in the big one. Rock On Ruby was second in the Barings at 7/1 whilst 
Indian Daudai was placed at 25/1 in the Fred Winter as advised. Biggest loser for the blog at Cheltenham was Wishfull Thinking well fancied for the Golden Miller but finished second. Away from Cheltenham Samizdit won again at 4/1 and Red Ambion won a bumper at 3/1. Lays were advised for  Bolin Felix (2nd at 13/8), Lake Legend (6th at 7/1), Easton Clump (PU at 4/1) and Orang Utang (2nd at 10/1). However some failures were recorded such as Cuteandyouknowit (unseated when hampered) and Naughty Naughty (9th at 10/1) and decent Lord who was second.

The opening race was a Handicap chase  class 3 over 24f in the prevailing  good to firm ground. It was won by Musisca who was not always fluent, led last, but was struggling to hold on and may not completely stay the trip. Significantly better over fences than hurdles and best suited by flat tracks. At 6 could still be on an improving curve and was due to go up to 118 from today’s 115 so reassessment will be interesting. It was a hard fought win and it might be hard difficult to see him shouldering more than a 7 lbs hike. Second home was Marleybow who  was a bit unlucky and but for a blunder 2 out I think he could have won. He  Jumped well in the main and was certainly well suited by 3 miles.  He is on a good mark of 110 but he has continued to throw in the odd error throughout his chasing career and as such cannot be backed with great confidence Third was Daldini who chased after the leading pair without much impression and although making a mistake late on he was never anything other than a remote third. Is on a handy 103 mark at the moment and his previous form seems to suggest that he need soft ground and in fact has won in the mud so his display today may have been influenced more by the going. Therefore he is best left well alone until we have conditions to suit. Given that happens and over 3 miles Daldini looks a possible winner although not the more consistent of jumpers. Of the others Seize ran a strange race. Hopelessly out of touch throughout he made steady progress jumping well in the main to finish a staying on but well beaten fourth. Currently on 108 and likely to come down the weights again this run was a lot more promising than the bare figures suggest. He has won around Perth and it would be no shock to see him return there in the coming spring / summer. Youngstown was well supported in the market  and went well till blundered  at the 11th, then completely fell apart from the 14th being pulled up a couple of fences from home.  He is probably unsuited by fast ground and will be back finishing closer to the front when encountering soft ground.

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Fourth home . . .  somehow

Next race up was a 2m Novice Handicap Chase rated as a class 3. The winner was Humbie who was not fluent and looked an awkward ride possibly not totally genuine. However was good enough for what was probably not too high a quality novice chase. Mistakes littered his effort and it must be doubtful if he can follow up on this win despite being suited by good ground which is likely to be the norm for the rest of the season. Glencrea was a strong favourite but was not jumping that well  and finished an easily held runner up.  Had won a moderate novice at Catterick and on the basis of this is on a 125 mark which is well out of his scope. Our Bob was supported in the market but was soon beaten despite making some of the early running. Not a natural jumper and worth avoiding. Gentleman Jeff was held up and once making a bit of a show he clobbered a fence and unseated his rider. Not the best debut and not a lot to underpin support in the future. The well fancied Thumbs Up looks a temperamental sort refusing to start, so keep that in mind n the future.

Third race was a 2 mile Selling Hurdle Class 3. This was a high quality seller with decent prize money and was won in good style by Mister Fong. This well backed second favourite landed a bit of a gamble held up and then produced from 2 out he eased through to win. There was no bid.  Had previously won a maiden on fastish ground and is clearly better on top of the ground, is on a very handy 110 mark and if not excessively hit by the assessor can follow up this time in handicap company. Grand Diamond started favourite. Not a bad run as after being held up made an error when being produced for his run. The blunder knocked the stuffing out of him but he battled on well to be clear second best. Clearly suits top of the ground and must have a chance of winning as is better than his 115 rating. Miereveld jumped poorly and gave away any chance with this performance. Best on the soft and in headgear (not worn today) however current 103 mark is too high.

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Kick on Jason, another gamble landed by someone else

The Class 3 20f handicap hurdle was won by Mad Moose who was mid div for most and when produced from halfway made smooth progress pulling clear to win very easily (well ridden by Sam T-Davies). However is sure to be penalised heavily for this win and that 120 mark is going to soon disappear.  I think he is unlikely to follow up. Glingerbank ran ok today. However has performed much better on the tight tracks of Perth and Kelso. Is 11 years old now and I doubt he is going to win another race. Nicene Creed was second home. Bizarrely, had previously run in the International hurdle at Cheltenham. This has led to a very high mark of 125 from which I doubt very much that he can win from. Ran ok today coming from well behind to run through defeated horses to be a remote third. Thanks For Coming was a fancied runner based on the market but finished thrashed and last. Better off back in novices and over 2 miles, However this was a particularly bad run as he never settled .

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Around the paddock bend

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Easy for the Mad Moose as young Twiston Davies adds more to his growing reputation

The Handicap Chase run over  20f was a  Class 3 event. Interestingly the first two home being well clear of the rest had both had the winter off which emphasises the benefit of coming fresh to fast ground. Nikos Extra was a very impressive winner cantering all over this lot and only had to be shaken up to win as he liked today in what looked a reasonable class 3 event.  Had previously  seemed to be suited best by a right handed course although in truth looks like he is best on flat tracks. Had some useful novice form.  Currently on 125 mark and given his performance he must be able to pick up another handicap. Well regarded and best suited by 20f and good ground. Invisible Man  was made favoutite; was a clear second best today akthough he did run really well but just was outclassed on the day. Tonguestrap definitiely helped.  Failed to stay 24f last run and appears well suited by 20f on good ground (breathing difficulties would suggest that he will  not be seen at best on soft ground). Has run well at Marken Rasen and with plenty of summer racing there worth keeping an eye out for as if not crippled due to the quality of the winner a mark below the current 132 will see him having a great chance.

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Impressive Nikos Extra returns to the winners enclosure

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He was followed at a respectful but encouraging distance by Invisible man
A Novice hurdle over the  fixed brush was run over  20f. The race was destroyed as a contest when strong favourite Cantlow was  withdrawn before they left the paddock on the advice of the vet. This left A Bridge Too Far (very well bred out of same family as The Dikler) as a 2/5 favourite and despite jumping right won easily jumping the fences cleanly and giving the impression over these ‘baby’ fences of having the ability next season to do better over fences than hurdles. I saw him win a minor novice at Wetherby in January and I expect good things next season in novice chases. Forget about the rest they were hammered.

The 2m Bumper closed off proceedings. Ballyclough was pretty well disregarded by the market in what looked a pretty hot bumper. Was held up and made his move coming into the straight running on strongly to win by an easy 4 lengths. Looks a very promising recruit, will be hard to beat in bumpers despite a penalty and cost a lot of money as is from a good NH family. Red Rocco ran well without threatening the winner. He is slowly improving and I saw one of his recent runs when he was fourth at Doncaster. He is finding the lack of pace in the bumpers a problem as clearly needs a decent test. I think we will only see him get his head in front when hurdling and as such remains an interesting recruit once switched to obstacles. Ebinour was a very hot favourite given the strength in depth of this bumper. Had won easily on his debut but could not shoulder a penalty and despite every chance 2 out appeared to have a bit of temperament when failing to act well to pressure. Hollow Blue Sky ran another solid race considering stamina is his likely forte. I saw his debut at Towcester when he ran green and today he tried to force the pace but was a sitting duck. He ended up a close up fourth, I think he has the ability to win a bumper but based on his pedigree I think he will do very well when hurdling and better still chasing over 2m4 next season.  City Press was well supported second favourite on his debut maybe because of being trained by Nicky Henderson.  Was easily handled today showing little potential. 

Notebook

Seize up £40
2 4 0 1 7/1
Next run was a tidy 20/1 each way and soon he was picking up a race at 7/1. Went up half a stone and stuck there which was why I then binned backing him again


Master Fong down £40
0 4 2 2
Disappointed afterwards really despite a couple of seconds when he looked like he had a good chance on the book. Now racing in France with no interest from me whatsoever


Grand Diamond down £30
0 0 2
Not been all that apart from a fair second at Perth

Nikos Extra
Went up 10lbs for this win and as such has been left alone

Ballyclough up £10
1 evens
Won on hurdle debut and is an interestng recruit but may find a penalty a touch difficult so lect

Gosforth Park can be a windswept venue with next stop The Urals. It was such a bleak day yet contrary to popular myth I did not see much if any bare thighed ladies or T Shirt wearing men. Bang goes another preconception. Neither were people stotting around drunk. In fact it was a good natured crowd at decently appointed track which is one of the biggest in the north. This was the first visit to Newcastle for a jumps meeting since I lived in the area in the late 1970s. During that time I attended all three days of The Plate meeting. I also saw a great battle for the Fighting Fifth involving Sea Pigeon and Birds Nest as well as one of the early novice chases of the great hurdler Night Nurse.  I reckon all told this was my eleventh visit to Gosforth Park. The previous meeting I attended in 2009 was themed as a Ladies Night and was sponsored by a cosmetic treatment company based in the North East. This makes an interesting case study for corporate marketing. Newcastle racecourse is known locally as Gosforth Park. It is very easy to find as is two minutes drive from the A1 about four miles north of Newcastle city centre. There is a frequent free bus service from the town to the course. Ample free parking exists and the entry price of £14 was a bit on the steep side taking into account the quality of the racing on show. The course is set up to handle tens of thousands that flock here for the pitmans derby in June and as such on a day like today the couple of thousand souls rattle around a bit. Food is very reasonable priced here. For £7 I got a great roast dinner with coffee. Compare that to £5 for a lamb pie at Plumpton.

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The massive grandstands at Gosforth stand barely a tenth full today diminishing from the atmosphere

It is a recurring trend in this study that the cost of entry is out of synch with the quality of the fare. Maybe the fact that it was going to be a popular evening event and that this was a grade one course with very good facilities supports the price charged on this occasion. However for a lacklustre pre Cheltenham jump meeting I would have thought we could have had all enclosures available for the same price rather than about £21 for 'access all areas'.  The concourse is very roomy and all under cover. There are plenty of bars and places to get decent food with tables to eat of while seated is a luxury not always present at other venues. Viewing at Newcastle is very good although on the round course the runners disappear from sight for about 100 yards at the seven furlong pole. But as the course management hire in the giant close circuit TV screen punters miss none of the action. The course is a stiff gallop with easy bends and is slightly uphill along the straight. There is a galloping mile long straight and the round course joins this at around a half mile out. The round course is about a mile and three quarters in circumference.

The Aesthetic Beauty Centre with branches in Newcastle and Sunderland took the opportunity to sponsor all six races on this Ladies Night card. Inside the racecard there is advice as to what to do with your betting slip after a race has finished. Although there are plenty of circumstances where the result given by the judge is overturned, it is a ritual of punters to discard the losing ticket. It is almost a casting out of the demons as soon as possible to ensure a clean slate and clear head to regain the loses incurred.

Gosforth Park stages many high profile races in the year. These include the Beeswing flat race, the Fighting Fifth hurdle race and The Eider steeplechase. However it is the late June Northumberland Plate meeting which is without doubt the biggest of the year.

Inside the racecard there is advice as to what to do with your betting slip after a race has finished. Although there are plenty of circumstances where the result given by the judge is overturned, it is a ritual of punters to discard the losing ticket. It is almost a casting out of the demons as soon as possible to ensure a clean slate and clear head to regain the loses incurred. However I have a confessions to make. Back at the 1979 plate meeting I went on the Thursday afternoon opening day. In the 2 year old stake which kicked the meeting off I had backed the even money favourite Awanamy Lady. She looked for all the world the winner about 2 furlongs out but weakened quickly to be beaten 3 lengths into second place. After a good few minutes the announcement that there was an objection by the second to the winner on the basis of the jockey having struck the runner up with his whip on the filly's nose obviously attracted my interest. Unbelievably the positions were reversed. I then frantically began searching for my betting slip which by good fortune I had written my bet on the back. Equally luckily I found two other disgarded slips one an even score the other a tenner at 5/4. Nervously I hung around the bookies who had the other bets struck and when things had calmed down a bit I claimed the other two bets as well. Completely without scrupples but there you go. This blog is turning out to be a good confessional box!


Racing

The opening event was novice hurdle over 16f where the field was composed of maidens. The going was soft but appeared not to be too holding. The winner was Jukebox Melody who had shown ability when winning a couple of bumpers but had appeared a problem when running far too freely on debut. Seemed to settle much better today and won in reasonable style however I would think he will find following up with a penalty difficult. Alpha One surprisingly finished second after some poor runs. Much the same can be said of the third home Andreo Bambaleo who had been well held in bumpers. Lucky Sunny was given a very easy ride finishing 5th and has previously looked to have some ability but has a tendency to hang. It could be that he will find himself on a useful handicap mark. In a similar vein I did not think Next To Nowhere was pushed too hard for a second easy and if given a rating on this is sure to improve. It is well worthwhile keeping these two onside and look at the weights. If they appear fair to the finishing position today taking an interest in their handicap debuts could prove profitable.

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Over the second last and Jukebox Melody has kicked on to win opener

A class 5 handicap hurdle over 20f was won by a horse I have been keeping an eye on since it finished a staying on third at Wetherby in January. In the blog that followed I made a strong case for the hands and heels events as a clear case that use of the whip to encourage extra effort as being unnecessary. However if we look at today’s winner Cute N You Know It we can see that in the hands and heels she plugged on at one pace  without getting into a serious challenging position. Today however she led from 4 out and under very hard driving she plugged on resolutely to win. She is often equipped with cheekpieces so has a possible concentration issue and it has to be said that without vigorous urging she would not have prevailed. I think she needs to prominent if not forcing the pace over 2m4 to be seen at best advantage. She may find her new mark following this victory will halt further progress. Miss Tarantella was a bit of a disappointment. She really should have maintained her lead when she headed the winner on the run in but appeared to lack resolution. I would say she is well left alone. Top weight Final Veto had every chance 4 out but was soon beaten getting home in his own time to finish third although he was well clear of the rest.

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Early on and Cutenyouknowit is prominent in third on her way to a gutsy win

Novice chase over three miles attracted only four runners but was a race which looked quite open. The winner Lockstown appears a very difficult ride probably needing to be held up. He jumped ok and was the best on the day but he did not beat much therefore I would say he will find carrying a penalty difficult. The second Bear Dancing looked very well in the paddock and was showing improved form today. But was very ponderous at his fences today and is not a natural jumper. He will find winning difficult. The other two were well beated, The Ferbane Man looked to be carrying a bit of condition and jumped sketchily whilst Cloonawillin Lady pulled more than was good for her.

There was absolutely no gallop in the class 4 handicap hurdle over 16f. The muddle led to a half mile sprint where Willie Hall bounced back having given up the lead before the last got up close home. He looks like a pair of blinds would held no end. The runner up was Rolecarr who was not comfortable with the pace and is much better in mud. Given a stronger run race and deep ground I think he remains on a good mark and can gain recompense. Difficult to say too much positive about the rest.

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I cannot see this doing much appears to be the thought of the jockey

The 20f novice was a much better class event than the 16f opener to today’s racing. It was run at a good pace and won at odds on by chaser in the making Tiptoeaway. He had some fair form coming into the race but didn’t run away with this race and was not always fluent. I would say he will struggle to win again over hurdles but look forward to seeing him chase next season when he could well be a force. I was much taken by the runner up mare Lua De Itaoan who despite being tapped for toe till over halfway, slowly gained ground looking like she will be very much at home over 20f but really needing a stiffer more undulating track such as Carlisle or Leicester to maximise advantage. Money Tree finished third having every chance but despite appearing consistent  genuine is just not good enough. Of the others front-running Diamond   D’amour just cannot hurdle well, Direct Approach can hurdle but appears paceless (maybe needs better ground?) Doctor Light (appears useless) were all well beaten.

Rounding off the jump racing today was a well contested class 3 chase over 20f which was a victory for the handicapper. Most held a good chance heading to the third last. However it was the excellent jumping of Categorical which won the day for the topweight who continues to announce the great nick Revely’s stable is now following the doldrums of the new year. 

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In the red and Categorical held up and jumping smoothly takes an early fence on the way to victory

The most impressive runner of the day was the filly Chapter Five in the newcomer bumper over 16f. She won pulling a cart easing through from the distance to win very easily. Representing the Reveley stable and confirming the useful form the yard is currently enjoying

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Impressive mare Chapter Five in the winner's enclosure

Notebook

Lucky Sunny
NR
Not seen after this run at Newcastle so I have binned him as looking at finishing off the to follow

Next To Nowhere
NR
Also not seen out again and I will close it off now

Rolecarr up £183
0 1(18/1)1(10/3) 4 2 0 4 3 1 (9/2)
Has been a great one to follow because not only has he picked up threewins he has been an each way interest at 10/1 and 25/1. Went up the handicap but looked well worth following and has now begun his chasing career with a lot of promise and I am keeping him onside with my Hexham to follow rather than this one so I will close off his hurdling to follow.

Tiptoeaway (Negative) up £12
P 4 1 (5/6)
Well btn in only subsequent hurdle. More promising over fences including an odds on win last run. Left alone now

Chapter Five
NR
Yet to race subsequently in NHF or hurdles so although an interesting recruit we have binned following her
Currently  £213.33 up

If you want a varied climate come to Carlisle. Today there was the whole range of options for all. There was a stiff gale which when combined with hail enabled those in its teeth to experience shot blasting first hand. However when this blew out after the third it was a very sunny early spring afternoon. Carlisle has been developed out of all recognition since I visited in the late seventies and early eighties. It is very well run and to be fair in comparison to local neighbour Newcastle I think it is the preferred place to come racing in the northern outposts.

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Facilities have been improved no end over the years to be a top track

Situated at Blackwell in Cumbria just south of Carlisle, Carlisle racecourse is a  horse racing venue which hosts national hunt races from September to April and flat and jump meetings between April and August each year. Set in the Cumbrian countryside, the course offers picturesque scenery and a range of facilities alongside prestigious racing all year round.

History

Carlisle has a rich history of horse racing dating back to the sixteenth century. In 1599, during the reign of Elizabeth I, the Carlisle Bell was first raced, referring to the bells which were originally awarded to the winning horses of the race during the Elizabethan era, a meeting which continues to be popular in today's racing calendar. Carlisle's racecourse was originally situated at Swift, moving to Blackwell in 1904 with the course's first grandstand built shortly after. In 1929 a Tote betting system was launched at Carlisle, the first Tote to be established on a British racecourse.

During the 1960s extensive developments were made to the course to make it suitable for night racing with the addition of a new grandstand to accommodate the increasing number of spectators to the sport. Also of note is Carlisle's first ladies race, held in 1974 and Red Rum's performance at Carlisle, which famously saw him win at the September meeting which preceded each of his three wins at the Grand National. The facilities at Carlisle have been developed further in recent years, most notably with the Jubilee Grandstand in 2002 which offers equine enthusiasts a luxurious racing experience. A big screen has also been built opposite the main grandstand which broadcasts close-up action of every race.

Races/ Events

The racecourse at Carlisle has two undulating tracks suitable for flat, jump and national hunt races. The flat and jump course (currently shared) is a right-handed pear-shape which covers a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs. The national hunt track is a right-handed circuit which covers a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs.
The highlights of Carlisle's annual programme of races are:
Bell and Plate Day: The most prestigious racing day in Carlisle's calendar, the Bell and Plate Day is held at the end of June and features the £30,000 Carlisle Bell and Carlisle Plate races which date back to the sixteenth century.
Easter Saturday: A popular race day held on the Saturday before Easter, the event features a handicap chase which is broadcast on national television every year.
Countryside Day: Designed as a family event, countryside day features a steeplechase, border hound trailing and the Coors Cumberland Handicap Chase which, at £40,000, is the most valuable meeting on the racing calendar.

Travel

Carlisle Racecourse is easily accessed by road or public transport.
By Road: Approaching Carlisle from the north or south leave the M6 at Junction 42 and follow signs to Dalston. After approximately two miles, turn right at the staggered junction and the racecourse will soon become visible on the left-hand side.
From the north east take the A69 or A66 to the M6 and leave the M6 at Junction 42, following signs to Dalston. After approximately two miles, turn right at the staggered junction and the racecourse will soon become visible on the left-hand side.
From the west take the A595 towards Carlisle. Continue straight at the Thursby roundabout and after approximately one mile turn right, following signs for Dalston. Continue into Dalston and at the T-junction turn right. At the Bridge End pub turn left over the bridge and follow signs for Durdar. At the next junction turn left and after a mile the race course should become visible on the left-hand side.
By Public Transport: Carlisle train station is situated in the city centre, approximately two miles from the racecourse. Taxis are easily available from the train station or alternatively take bus numbers 65 or 66 from the city centre, which stop in close proximity to the racecourse.
Parking: There is free parking on racedays opposite the Grandstand.

Carlisle Bells and other Trophies

Before the 20th century, Carlisle had two racecourses.
To the north was Kingmoor. This was common land first given to the citizens of Carlisle by Edward III. The Kingmoor Races were held on important local festival days and the Carlisle racing bells were used here as annual prizes.

During the 19th century, the ownership of Kingmoor became tied up in a complex legal case. Eventually, in 1865, racing had to be abandoned on this course.

The second race course was the Swifts, a large area of open ground in the middle of the city by the River Eden. This was used for fairs, horse races and Cumberland wrestling matches from at least the middle of the 18th century.

Although conveniently located for spectators to reach, the Swifts course often flooded and featured several tight turns. In fact, it was not uncommon for horses to miss a bend altogether and end up in the river! In addition, this site could not be fully enclosed and the race horse owners wanted to start charging spectators. Because of this, the Swifts was eventually abandoned in favour of the current site south of the city at Blackhall, in 1904. Progressive upgrading of the facilities has taken place over the years but none as significant as the construction of a brand new 'state-of-the-art' Grandstand along with ongoing drainage work on course and car parks. The Jubilee Grandstand offers first class facilities for both race days and non-race day events

Carlisle Racing Bells and Cumberland Plate

Carlisle Racing Bells are the oldest known horseracing prizes in Britain. They date from the later part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The history of the bells

The larger bell, perhaps dating from the 1580s, has the inscription:
'The sweftes horse thes bel to tak for mi lade Daker sake'
(The Swiftest horse this bell to take for my lady Dacre's sake)
The second bell, is inscribed: 1599 H.B.M.C. In this case, the initials are believed to stand for:

Henry Baines, Mayor of Carlisle

The Carlisle bells are remarkable survivors from the early days of organised horseracing.
Civic records show that in the 17th century the city had at least 4 racing prizes.
In 1619, for example: "We request that Mr Mayor and his bretheren shall call for the silver broad arrows and the stock and the horse and nage bells with all expedition to be employed for maintaining of a horse race for the city's use (upon the king's moor) at such time yearly as they shall think convenient and to article".
The silver arrows and stock have been lost, but the two bells (the horse and nage bells - nage being northern/scottish word for a horse i.e. a nag) would seem to have survived.
Bells, bridles, plates and purses
Although racing horses seems to have been a popular activity in Britain for many centuries, the first properly recorded races date from the 16th century.
Over the following century, the Jacobean kings (James I, Charles I, Charles II and James II) gave racing their royal patronage and encouraged the setting up of permanent new courses all over the country.
During this period, silver bells were common racehorse prizes, along with bridles, plates and purses of money.

Racing at the Swifts in the 1890s

Important local families (like the Dacres), town officials and trade guilds would have given such prizes in order to attract the best horse owners and riders. The more prestigious the event, the more people it would attract to the city, all of whom brought money to spend on local goods and services.
The bells seem to have survived as part of the council's collection of civic silver and were in fact lost for many years before being rediscovered in a box in the town clerk's office during the later 19th century.

The Lady's Plate

The second well-known horse racing prize is the Lady's Plate. The origin of this is unclear, but it was being run from at least the 18th century. A new prize would appear to have been given to the winner every year. One example is known to have survived into the 20th century. A silver coffee pot (made in Newcastle) was given as a prize for this race in 1726 and was Carlisle Bell puts Ascot’s antiquity in shade

Life At The Races by Cornelius Lysaght

'NOW here’s a thing. All that pomp and circumstance over five afternoons at Royal Ascot, where everything drips with seemingly antique ceremony, is actually a mere stripling compared with the racing event of this week.
Ascot, in something approaching its modern form, was moulded at a time when Nelson and Wellington were front page news, but seeking the winner of the Carlisle Bell first troubled the punting subjects of Elizabethan England first time around. The race for the bell, inaugurated in about 1599 by one Lady Dacre, whose husband was governor of the city’s garrison, is quite likely the oldest in the calendar.  Which was all very nice for myself and a group of friends when a horse we own, named Travelling Band, won the £15,000 first prize last year (with money on offer like that, who can say Carlisle is a “gaffe”?). More so, as I, for one, had long been imagining grabbing the bell with both hands and ringing it with some vigour. Not quite, because the impressiveness of one of Carlisle’s most prized museum pieces is in its age and Old English inscription, rather than its sight or sound. Made of silver gilt, it is tiny, about two inches high I should think, and is treated with the utmost respect when taken from its home at the Guildhall Museum to the races to be put on display.
As the winning owner, you do, however, get a fine replica, including that inscription. It is rather clever, actually, because it reads: “The sweftes horse thes bel to tak, for mi Lade daker sake.” The reference to swiftness is a pun about the fastest horse which also plays on the Swifts, a former location of the racecourse, now covered by that most recent of popular inventions, the local leisure centre. Bells were once almost as popular a prize as the handsome cups handed out nowadays, and one, the Lanark Silver Bell, last competed for in 1977 when the Scottish course staged its final fixtures, put even Lady Dacre’s generous offering in the shade.
King William the Lion of Scotland instituted that during his reign (1165-1214) as he was partial to a spot of racing and hunting while in residence at Lanark Castle. There has been all sorts of talk of racing returning to the once popular Lanark track, close to the River Clyde, but although there were point-to-points staged around the tight track with its tricky bends, nothing has yet materialised. The bell was sold at auction in London during the 1950s. Its whereabouts today are unknown.'


Racing

The meetign sarted off with a select field in the three miles novice hurdle. Carlisle is a very undulating track and with soft / occassional heavy ground takes some getting. The race developed int a match beteen hatrick seeking Eyre Square. He ran very well but just lacked a bit heading home and I would say he is a better jumper than hurdler and back over fences will continue to go from strength to strength. However that is to take nothing away from winning mare Alexandra Road who batttled on superbly over this extended trip for her to give impression will be again difficult to beat over this sort of trip when onditions suit. Could be a very useful sort for next year.

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Alexandra Road and H Broke impressive winner in staying novice hurdle

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First two home are sure to be seen to good effect next season

There was a big field for the 20f novice hrdle which followed the stayers event. Odds on for much of the beting skirmishes, Tigre D'aron had perviously failed to impress me when he was a lucky winner at Wetherby. Today he ran a listles race despite holding every chance to 3 out when failing to act in the ground. This was not a strong race and I doubt he will now flow up on his Cheltenham commitments. This shuld have left the stage clear from the reasonably well supported Vivona Hall who had some nice bumper form and an encouraging debut to underpin support. However he ran extremely badly to be never a factor and pulled up. Looking at his action I would say this ground was dead against him and will be seen to best advantage in good ground as such worth keeping an eye on. As such it would pay to underate the efforts of Armedanddangerous (who will find a penalty very hard to shoulder) and Silent Snow (close up in this poor race in bad weather where perhaps noisy hail might have been more appropriate)

The novice chase over 20f looked very open with three vying for favouritism. The winner was Mister maker who stayed on well under pressure and looked like he is suited by stiff going out lasting the other market principles Lord Villez (who plodded on at one pace and may need further) and favourite Indian Groom (who made a mistake at a crucial point knocking the chance out of him. The other pair were well beaten. Difficult to rate this as the first pair seemed to jump well for novices.

The first handicap of the day was a 26 furlong class 4 slog over fences. Only the winning mare Dancing Diva(who was an easy 15 length victor) comes out of this as a positive. She had shown good form on flatter tracks and it would appear that her main prerequisite is a thorough test of stamina.

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Long distance chase with dramatic sky, it was wierd weather today

A class 4 20f hurdle of the hands and heels variety for conditional jockeys followed the long distance chase. This was won by the condituingly impressive new recruit Aodhagan Conlon by over three lengths. Texasholdum is an old stager and is on a fair mark of 110 having won not that long ago off 115. I would not expect too much handicapper respite and as such a follow up victory is a bit unlikely. The runner up Ascedant is coming down the handicap hurdle charts a bit recently and now off 115 must be handy enough to pick up a race. Ran well tday and based on his flat form holds his ability well (has won a hatrick) plus would probably suit a flatter track like Musselburgh better. Keep an eye out for him.Of the others Rare Coincidence did ittel but then this was his 142th race under rules so can be forgiven the odd modest effort, well fancied favourite Faireynuff was soon weakening and looking at his form is probably mre at home at a sharper track like Catterick, Marlborough Sound was soon out of it which didn't surprise me as he had not impressed at his last run at Towcester last month and bottom weight Dickie Henderson finished a close up third showing first glimmer of form for some time although looked in the past as well as being suited by the mud.

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Modest mod of handicap hurdlers at an early flight

Th two mile chase was a good buckle between Sheriff Hall (good jumper who has improved for fitting of tonguestrap and has good form on flat tracks so watch for a return to that environment) and Against The Wind (had previously run very well at stamina sapping hexham so clearly suits these tough tests)with the latter prevailing by 3 lengths. The thrid home Banoge had a good confidence builder and blinkers fiorst time did no harm. On a useful mark of 96 having won off 115.

The bumper has won very easily by 15 lengths. The experience gathered to date including a CD runner up was put to use by Rojo Vino. However I would rate this as a por race and the winner unlikley to carry a penalty to success and as such is well worth opposing next time out.

Notebook

Eyre Square up £53
1(7/4) 4 1 (4/9) 2 4 1 6/1
Is still a live handicap chase prospect off the current 120 as his fencing is now pretty good. Confirmed this with a 6/1 victory off this mark. Will shelve now


Alexandra Road down £10
P
Not seen out since pulling up next time out and I think he is unllikely to return as the force he looked after this run

Vivona Hall
NR
Not seen out since but is now starting to show up on the entries and I think I will keep faith for now

Armedanddangerous (Negative)
NR
Starting to show signs that he is about to race again and I see no reason to refuse to lay

Silent Snow (Negative) up £10
3
Not seen since this subsequent run and I am now dropping him off my list

Ascendent up £25
1(5/2)
No further efforts and having won next time out I am binning him now


Sheriff Hall down £30
33F
No great signs of winning any time soon and an early departure with tonguestrap on led to him beng binned from my list


Rojo Vino (Negative)
Not been seen since and now binned as a potential lay

Downpatrick is set in the spectacular scenery of East County Down not far from the Mountains of Mourne. The area is a tourist magnet with the landscape and the St Patrick trail. Getting to the course from Belfast is easy as north to south links are generally pretty reasonable. However east to west such as on the way back to Leitrim are torturous to say the least. Through Newry, Monaghan and Clones to name three most people would have heard of. The north of Ireland has some great stuff to see including Donegal, Lough Erne, Giants Causeway. Plus it has seen plenty of investment over the years including the renovation of Belfast to being a smart modern provincial centre. One thing you do see is the substantial properties built in the boom times and the virtually empty barnd new housing estates. You do have to worry a bit for the recovery in the area both sides of the divide. The UK side has a heavy dependency on the public sector, in fact it is said to have the highest proportion og GDP consumed at 70%, for example Scotland and North East England is said to be ‘only’ around 60%. In the Republic the austerity measures have begun to dig a bit deep and it is anyone’s guess as to the new Finna Gael / Labour coalition’s stance to repayment structure. I understand Gerry is dying to get stuck in flushed with success in having a seat in the Dial. It might be urban myth but it was recounted to me that Gerry had to accept a title when ‘retiring’ from the british parliament. Baron Adams no less. How heavy an aristocratic title must rest on those shoulders!

The course has plenty of good parking. The facilities are a bit basic but there is a great tea room known as The Bistro and there are plenty of bars. The course is an undulating right handed configuration with a very stiff incline to the winning post for about a furlong and leaving the stands and equally quick decent. The going on the day was perfect jumping ground despite the wet winter. The finishing straight is short coming from the last after a tight right hand turn and narrows a lot making coming with a run a bit difficult (not unlike Kelso) and there is an asphalt road between the racegoers and the emergency traffic

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The asphalt road between racegoers and finishing straight is unusual

Because of the hill and the fact that the paddock is positioned parallel to the run in it makes it incredibly steep. In fact staying the trip around the paddock is more stamina sapping than racing around Taunton! All in all a grand course with a great atmosphere. I was lucky with the weather though today as I would image this is a grim place in poor weather as there is little cover and the wind coming off the hills has little to stop it hitting you square in the face.



Get in the parade ring late at Downpatrick as the uphill nature must knacker a horse out!

The Racing

Opening proceedings was a maiden hurdle over 18f and was sponsored by J P McManus and worth E10,000. It was quite a modest affair given sizable prize money where the clear favourite was Henro Boy on the basis of being close up in a fair Naas event and winning a bumper here in the autumn. In the event of the race he was bought down at the first by the falling Schenkel which told us nothing. The second favourite Couleur de la Loi was very disappointing being never in the mix and soon dropping out. This left the way clear for a good three way battle with Garamor Boy prevailing. He had precious little form to recommend him but he had run with a bit of potential here on several occasions. He sees out this 18f well including the steep hill. Will find carrying a penalty hard work. The Noel Meade trained length and half runner up kid Curry stayed on fine but could never reel in the winner and probably might be seen to better effect over slightly further and suits good ground.  The filly Dizzy Rascal was third plugging on to be only 2 lengths off the winner. Looks to need 20f and on present mark of 83 would appear to be very handy. Could also oblige in mares’ maidens.

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There you go I thought we could do it -  connections stunned by Garamor Booy's win in the opener

The mares’ novice over 18f was won in enterprising style by Brave Beauty and Paul Carberry getting first run on the Davy Russell ridden odds on favourite Belle Brook and then proceeding to outpace that mare on the climb home for a comfortable 5 length win. Was bogged down in the Punchestown mud last run but had been very promising in her bumpers and with this under her belt can be expected to progress nicely. Definitely a decent mare. The runner up Belle Brook has some very handy form running well in listed novice hurdles so it was no shock to see her go off at such prohibitive odds today of 30/100. Although tapped for toe a bit entering the straight she did stay up the hill ok. It is most likely that she was beaten by what may prove to be a very useful mare for the future.  Streamtown showed some improvement to get a close up third and she appeared to prefer this shorter trip than the three mile plus she has been campaigned over to date.

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One for the future; Brave Beauty being unsaddled after an impressive win

Final hurdle on the card was a low key 20f affair won by the 40/1 outsider Eddie Zero. Held up off the pace and making smooth progress to lead on the run in. He had shown no form whatsoever in hurdle and points to date and probably he will not be seen on the premises again! The race was altered significantly by the unseating of the hot favourite Arctic Mick three out when looking to take a hand. He had won last time out at Navan but is set to climb the weights to 97 which is 17lbs above his last winning mark. Lookoutnow (ran well to be headed on the run in no form previously) the consistent Akadyr (a decent third but is on a difficult mark) and Clara More (believe or not same name as my wife’s grandmother, challenged at the last running well for a 50/1 shot) finished in a heap for minor honoours. There is little to be seen out of this race I would say.


The big race on the card was the Ulster Grand National which became a battle between the well fancied Omagh based Hughies Grey and the useful mare from Ballymena Posh Bird. The former prevailing by 4 lengths and the pair pretty well clear. They both jumped very nicely and Hughies Grey took them along from early on in the race. This was impressive for a novice and bodes well for the future. It will be interesting to see where he goes next with Fairyhouse a distinct option. Currently on 116 so with luck might just get 4 or 5 lbs for this. If so can follow up. One to watch in long distance chases. Posh Bird is another novice who jumped nicely throughout and is not disgraced by proximity to a horse on a good mark. She has been a frequent traveller to picking up the boat at Larne and could well pop up at such as Ayr or Sedgefield as is on a tidy mark. I thought she ran with much promise and will pick up a handicap before long over a long trip (Durham National?).Selection Box ( hopelessly handicapped after a flash effort two years ago at Down Royal behind One Cool Cookie ) and Posh Bird's stable companion to Bally Wall( very consistant but not as yet over tried by handicapper; has previously won a fair novice at Ayr so could be on the Scottish Grand national list ) completed a clean sweep of the first four home for Northern trainers. Of the others the only note to be made is that the well backed favourite J P Mcmanus owned Flemsford was soon tailed off and do not think he fully sees out three miles plus.

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Delight all around as the Tyrone raider picks up the Ulster grand National

The last jumps race of the day was a 22f hunter chase where they went down like ninepins as six of the 15 all fell. The race culminated in a fine threeway battle up the home straight with the Westmeath trained Kanesh outstaying the Cork trained  Island Peak. Kanesh had been doing well between the flags recently including impressive effort at the local Tyrella meeting. Island Peak has just failed to win outside of maidens in points and although a good effort today you would feel a maiden hunter would be his best chance. The third Island Multifix was only 2 lengths off the winner and stayed on well. Was held on recent form behind Island Peak in a race won by the grand hunter Whyso Mayo (despite being 14 Whyso Mayo is still running well, he has won and finished second in Cheltenham Foxhunters in the past). The rest were all out with the washing.

As ever the card wound up with a bumper. In contrast to recent ones I have seen this was run at a good clip for the 18f. The early leading pair were fancied in the market. Of these 7/2 shot Premier Rule pulled up having apparently gone lame at halfway. This left 7/4 favourite Noble Steel in the lead and he was headed around 2f out staying on at one pace but may be better over 2 miles. He has a bit of points form. This left a  good battle between the always prominent Nutin Fancy the 9/4 second favourite ( very inexperienced but won only point coming from a smart 2m5 chase family so keep an eye out when he takes a fence in time) and the held up mare Bailey’s Ruffit ( modest on hurdle debut) with the former storming clear for a promising and eyecatching 5length success.

How did they do next three runs to a £10 stake

Dizzy Rascal down £30
022
Binned after going up 10lbs without a win. Seconds have all been at decent 9/1 eaxh way but not off a winning mark just now

Brave Beauty level
0 2 2 2 1 2/5 1 5/2  1 evens
Has done well since this effort with a string of good seconds after being highly tried in a grade 1. Came over to Perth for a summer's racing and quickly put together a hatrick was then jacked up to 140 so I declined to follow and withdrew.

Hughies Grey up £70
1(7/1)
Won next time out but then upped to 145 so I declined to back again.


Posh Bird down £30
B30
I gave her the three runs and there was little sign that she was likely to win so she was binned

Island Peak
NR
Yet to race in a maiden hunter since so I have left him off.

Nutin Fancy
NR
Now over whith Philip Hobbs so keep an eye out as has plenty of ability

If you ever wondered where the joint is between country point to points, gypsy horse trading fairs, flapping in the New Forest and National Hunt racing well then wonder no more and welcome to Plumpton. To say the facilities are basic is a bit harsh if this was 1970 but the general standard of courses nowadays is light-years clear which reflects Plumpton in a category of rustic charm transporting the assembly to the halcyon days of Red Rum, Watney’s Red Barrel and the Ford Angular. Of particular note in the charming category is the paddock which was noted by an elderly female racegoer as ‘I always like to see a tree in the paddock you know’. Why? Does it provide somewhere to climb up into if there is a flash flood or useful if a weak bladder takes firm control during a wild evening meeting?

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Nice tree

There are many buildings which have been earmarked for demolition here at Plumpton on the bases of being vacant and these are easily recognisable as those where the rotting wood has had a thick dollop of gloss to hold them together. The Spartan nature of the offices is best exemplified by the Ring Manager’s (!) Office (not in work today) whose furniture consists of a trestle table (no draws) wooden chair (no padding) two windows (no curtains) clearly nodding appreciatively to interview rooms straight from The Sweeney. In fact the age group predominating today were in the category that they may well have been extras in a pub scene with Carter chatting up some beehived bint dressed in a brown fake fur minicoat (the girl not Carter !). Leads to another question; why do southerners over sixty all look like Grouty?

Horse racing happily co-exists with Rugby here in East Sussex probably because the course is such a tight circumference that a golf course of only crazy standard would fit. The rugby goalposts are basically scaffold tubes bending inwards and flapping about in the wind making converting hit and miss. The pitch was waterlogged mainly due to the topsoil depth so gossamer thin as to enable only moss to gain enough purchase. In fact the paucity of the topsoil means the going is never very deep at Plumpton as clay tends to hold rather than shove. The clay here is very good quality and you wander if brick-making might be a bit of a profitable sideline for the executive to consider.

I remember a few years ago being at one of the two NH Sussex tracks where an un-usual incident occurred. I had a thumb through some of my old form books for a bank holiday meeting where the racing comments said ‘led until hampered by streaker half-way’ but couldn’t find it. I can only guess that this incident was the result of a prize fighter losing a bet with the bearded lady one hot Mayday afternoon. I can however clearly recall seeing the field going past the post on their eighth or ninth lap in the three miler when a fat fortyish crewcut man strolled naked in amongst the field of selling platers clutching a can of special brew. Amazingly he was unhurt despite the sort of bonecruching shoulder to shoulder collision usually only seem at St Helens. Glancing through old racecards from Plumpton visits in the 1980s I noticed that the chief steward of the time was Captain A Pratt which was the same name as the course auctioneers being Pratt and Co. So plenty of sellers you would suspect. Also interesting name amongst the stewards was the Waley Cohen a name to come to prominence in the hunter chasing arena twenty-five years later.

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Perhaps they thought there was a carboot sale

Plumpton was definitely the scene of an act of horrendous treachery predicated by myself. In a bumper back on Easter Monday 1984 there was an interesting runner in the  Bourne leisure Group National Hunt Flat Race worth £460 to the winner. Owned by Mrs Lydia Clay ( already contemplating glugging through the case of Veueve Cliquot awarded to Plumpton’s most successful owner of the season) trained by her husband, the charge, Count Frederick,  was a Rhinegold gelding out of a Ribot mare and that was all I needed to convince me that it should scoot home on the prevailing brick hard going. Every board bar one had him down at 3/1. The exception had 12/1 mainly because the lazy clerk had managed a quick peek at the others and stuck the wrong price up. I stepped in to avail myself of the generosity. Ten minutes later my sculldugery had been rewarded but with a heavy heart that the effort was merely reward for which the guilt has now been assuaged in part but this cathartic submission.


The Racing

What’s on Brighton and Hove maiden hurdle over 2 miles for mares opened proceedings. It was won in very easy style by the Tim Vaughan trained Tom David ridden The Hague. She looked well in the paddock and is a strong type who could also jump fences in time. Made a couple of minor errors, always close up led from 3 out and pulled well clear being eased down. Flat form suggests that she suits tricky twisting tracks and appears to act on any going. She could shoulder a penalty in novice company particularly against fellow mares. If a Rock of Gibralta filly out of a Saddlers Wells mare turned up first time out at Newmarket you’d have a second look. The fact that she cost 200,000 euros would make you think that she might have a shot at listed level. Two runs later here she is lost at Plumpton clearly thinking that the clay on her Guicci plates is a bit of a problem. So it was for the Nicky Henderson trainer AP ridden runner up Alystar who held every chance but was not good enough. In fact nearly nutted out of it for second by the staying on South American bred scruff Lucky Dance (sounding suspiciously like one of the fairground plastic horses which some of the pikeys attending today will have thus backed out of sentiment). Bizarrely the most ebullient jockey back in the winners’ enclosure was Colin Bolger on board fourth placed Promised Wings. The mare had been held up and made good progress before an error in the straight but she did stay on well and Colin’s very loud enthusiasm for the mare next run should be noted. For my part I thought she ran with much more promise that in her Folkestone debut.  We backed favourite Koup De Kanon ran like a pig having been scrubbed along to be in contention 5 out making mistakes and finished a well beaten sixth holding little promise on the face of this effort.


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Tom David explains how he got first run on the champ

Keystone Cops event of the day was the mares’ novice chase over 2 miles 4. Halfway through this looked like a ‘What Happened Next’ Grand National special of Question of Sport because for all the world it looked like none of the five would get around. First of all barely a mile into the event the moderately fancied Gan On slowed to a halt pulling up after a poor demonstration of jumping. At the same time Present Gem pulled up with the sort of exaggerated limp of a wheezing fat third former trying to get out of cross country, again. Before the straight the endearingly broncoish Karringabay Queen finally managed to dislodge her partner in the style of a low-key Arizona rodeo mustang. This led the odds on favourite Evella to appear the best placed until you contemplated how sloppy her jumping had been and only a combination of good luck and grim reigns grabbing had enabled the unlikeliest of clear rounds. Only Austerienne seemed to be defying the trend but ambling through on the bit to have the race in the bag 3 out. However a spectacular blunder 2 out led to Choc Thornton grabbing hold of her and approaching the last in Schockermoller style at barely a canter to climb over the fence in the most unconvincing of manners. This lot will not win again any time soon.

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How can I avoid riding this one next time muses Thornton

In the class 4 two mile handicap hurdle the made all winner Beau Lake tried his very best to throw what appeared to be an unassailable lead at the second last with two pretty moderate hurdling efforts. Has now run up a double at Plumpton and on 99 is still somw way off his original mark so could follow up. Olympian is returning to form and is on a good mark. Favourite Oscar Close has some good form in relative terms in Ireland but was disappointing today so probably best left. Fourth home was Chocolat who was the one I liked the look of the most in the paddock. However despite racing wide to find better ground was beaten into the straight. I would guess a return to 2 miles and better ground would help him do well off this 94 handicap mark.


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Runners leave paddock for the third



Beau Lake powers clear to win well

The Highfields Farm Challenge Trophy was a class 4 handicap chase over 2m1. It featured the  perennial around  here in the shape of The Hardy Boy. He was flying over the fences, clearly well at ease around Plumpton’s tight turns until the eleven year old hit the last in the straight first lap when clear and then falling heavily. This left Restezen D’amour well ahead and he powered clear winning as he liked although did take the second last clumsily. Better over 2 mile than further but this was a poor race and the interest was mainly taken out of it by the failure of The Hardy Boy to complete.

The mares’ handicap hurdle over 21f was a tight affair with several in with a chance late on. Arctic Flow prevailed through better stamina and may well stay further but her hurdling is still sketchy. However she may well have been beaten if the leader Heres The Key hadn’t hit the last and although rallied could not haul in the winner who had taken advantage of her error. Kaituna finished third after being held up and not given the hardest time of her life when trying to gain another course and distance win. She could be interesting is retuning here in handicapping company.

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Tight finish as the leaders head to the last

The final chase on the card was won by the very useful claiming amateur Roddy Henderson. He  rode Deep Pockets very well having survived several almost catastrophic errors to find himself miles adrift in second place with 6f to go. He smoothly rode him into contention in the straight and then picked up the long term leader close home. The horse is not all that but the jockey is useful in his field and worth his claim. I had seen him ride two very good races at Leicester earlier in the month.The runner up Western Whisky was made too much use of as the leading pair proceeded to knock lumps out of each other until the favourite Strongbows Legend fell along the backstraight final time. This left Western Whisky with what appeared to be an unassailable lead. But he was knackered heading for home and his lead was smoothly eroded. My view is that both Western Whisky and Strongbows Legend would have won if the other had not participated. Of the pair I think Strongbows Legend is the most likeliest to win in the near future.

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Milling around before the final chase of the card

To finish off an uninspiring card was a selling handicap hurdle in all bar name over three miles. The gloom around the track which had persisted all day was compounded with fading winter light to make this a race too far. Perhaps a bumper would have been a better option as I am not sure if it is entirely safe to race in such poor visibility on a day where fallers and poor jumping had been de rigueur (perhaps it was a bit slippery on top as clay is encountered at about plate depth). A case in point was the front running strongly fancied favourite Saulty Max who seemed to be hurdling and going ok when tipping up 4 out. I do not think she would have won as I thought she looked a difficult and temperamental ride when I saw her run earlier in the month at Taunton which marked her down as a lay. Not one of the field jumped fluently, several pulled up and those that finished were in a bedraggled convoy that looked like the backmarkers limping home in the Lesser Sodden half marathon. Nothing of note other than the favourite’s continuing mediocrity was noteworthy and as such all will find winning extremely hard in the future. This is particularly so if the handicapper decides that Saulty Max would have won if she had stood up and allots weight accordingly. This practice of hypothetical ratings is poor craic as was the case of a  Conor O’Farrell ridden David Pipe trained novice  at Taunton the other week. Up over a stone for falling. Madness

Notebook


The Hague down £20
00
Not done much since as handicapper seems to ahve got a grip and as such will leave him alone

Promised Wings down £30
422
Not been a disgrace since this run as has two seconds one at a reasonable each way punt at 25/1. Can win but I will close on him now

Koup Du Kanou (Negative) up £8
2 1 6/5 0
Hasn't done too badly since this run and suited a stiff course as shown by Carlisle win. Slightly on the right side so I will make my excuses

Austerienne(Negative) up £20
40
Proven to be a hopeless jumper of fences and lost both efforts since. Will close off now up

Kaituna up £27.50
1(11/4)
Won very well next time at Ludlow. But then up 20 pounds and at that point I made an exit from backing.

Strongbows Legend down £30
2 2 0
Thought he could have picked up a modest event but a couple of fair seconds when favourite plus a well beaten run at Exeter this autumn has meant appeal lost and he is disgarded as a betting medium

Saulty Max (N)up £10
P
Useless