rebelfm

The Racing

The opening race was a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over 16f and rated as a class 4. Qalnas was always prominent, lead clear into the straight and appeared to have the race at his mercy clearing the last. However he edged right, hit the running rail and then either tired badly or just dossed. I think it was the latter rather than the former and that if he hadn’t been ahead for so long he would have won this race. He had previously run very well in a good hurdle I saw at Taunton earlier in the month behind a very useful one of Paul Nicholls and I am sure he will win when running in a well run race being held up off this 114 mark. He had previously run well staying on in similar mud over further in France. But fair play to Peter Hatton he produced the winner Kadouchski to be a clear second coming to the last and drove his mount home once he had seen the leader wandering around like a drunk at a wedding. He had won over CD last season off a higher mark so it was not totally unexpected and a return to the 100 plus will probably anchor him in the near future. The third ( Posh Emily had run well in a hands and heels at Taunton for Jake Greenall when I saw her run last and you would think she is capable against her own sex off 105) and fourth (Super Dirctor lacked fluency) were both not far off the winner. The rest were hopelessly adrift including well fancied second favourite Rajamand whose hurdling is so poor that you cannot see him winning even off a stone lower and basd on his prices someone must love him so why not accommodate them heavily next run?



Good grief how did we win that one?


The Charlie and Lola handicap chase over 2 miles was not in celebration of a dodgy video but for a series of children books. This was because today at Sandown we had a family funday. This was a typical good class (class 3 in fact) flying chase which are a great spectacle at Sandown especially the septet of fences on the back straight which really sort the wheat from the chaff. Lord Singer made it a very strong pace given the going,  jumping boldly throughout (in fact a bit too boldly on the odd occasion where he reached for the flight a bit) he gave best approaching 2 out and stayed on at one pace for third. He is probably better off at a slightly lass testing track and one where his front running style will suit. I think he can win off his 122 mark and has run well in the mud although best form is on good ground. The main beneficiary was Russian Flag who missed one fight out a bit but quickened well from 2 out to win ridden by useful claimer Alex Merrian. Second home was the well handicapped but complicated ride Dinarius. He consented to run, was held up and produced to hold a fair chance approaching last but couldn't reel in Russian Flag. Fourth home was Clouseau who ran well being close up time one paced from 2 out. Of the others Viable stayed on well having been run off his feet early on and giving the impression that he may benefit from a longer trip.



Best turned out the not unattractive Gina Andrews


The Richard O'Sullivan 40th Birthday "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle was a well contested  race over 16f. With Cheltenham around the corner there were quite a few reputations on the line. The biggest of them was the Nicky Henderson trained Kid Cassidy. He had previously thrashed a very useful novice in the form of Tornado Bob and then a fair third to one of the best middle distance novices Rock on Ruby. He looks a bit of a tricky temperament horse as was led by pony to the start and wore earplugs. Hurdled pretty well and looked to have the race in the bag at the last but appeared not to quicken weakening quickly. It was later reported that he bled and this probably explains the tame finish. In my experience bleeding is a recurrent issue for specific horses and I doubt we will see Kid Cassidy out on anything softer than good. This gave Hildisvini the ideal opportunity. Ridden of the pace and produced from 3 out he joined issue 2 out running on well to score decisively. Previously won easy in Warwick bumper, he is bred to stay 2m4 and on the basis of this smooth win would have a good chance of following up particularly if tried over further. Hurdled effectively for a debutante. The third home was well made Shuil Royale who had previously won both of his bumpers and appears to have a bright future. However did not hurdle fluently once the pace stepped up and was beaten before 2 out. Will need to improve hurdling before being backed with confidence. The other three were thrashed so no idea how good or bad they are.



Debutant Shuil Royale looked very smart beforehand but was a big disappointment today

Top novices met in the 16f class 2 Carling "Made With 100% British Barley" Novices' Chase which was billed as an Arkle trial. Only three made it and there was  plenty of class on show for this two miler. First past the post was Dan Breen who had been well beaten in the supreme last year and had won a minor novice at Bangor.  Ran well today jumping well in the main until hitting 4 out and  led over the last but hung to the right under pressure seeing trip out and just hanging on. Second home was Georgio Querkus  jumped well apart from a couple of errors, stayed on resolutely up the hill and was overhauling Dan  Breen despite being hampered close home and then failing by a head. The third was the favourite Pepe Simon who again failed to sparkle over fences as well as hoped. On review I would not think any of these three can step up to championship although the first and second could still pick up middlish events. In the stewards room quite rightly Tom Scudamore lost the race and was banned for careless riding. He did squeeze up Georgio Querkus right in the shadow of the post but was a bit unlucky another stride and he would have been ok. However if he had used a right  hand drive rather than left handed he could have kept Dan Breen straight and thus he may very well of  won.



Over the last and Dan Breen has the upperhand over Giorio Quercus everywhere bar the stewards' room


There was a very competitive 2m4 class 3 David Lindon & Co Handicap Hurdle. There were two representatives from Alan King who both ran with great credit. Top weight under the welter of 12 stone 7 pounds was Prince Du Seul finished third but ran well smoothly coming into contention 2 out, still holding every chance but failing due to weoght and the cloying ground. Surely best running in class 2 to bring down weight. Probably suited by this 2m4 and good ground. Second home was China Gold who was held up and then made smooth progress on the inside to challange approaching 2 out. Made errors at both of the final pair of obstacles but stuck to his task to finish second. I had seen him finish second after a two year lay off in good ground at Doncaster earlier in the month and it was good to see no bounce effect. He had a hard race today, could do with a break until he gets the good ground he needs and remains on the 115 mark which is a winning level. Well worth keeping an eye on him. Aviador saw out the trip very well and clearly acts in the mud. Will be lucky to get in below 115 when reassessed and on that basis is likely to find following up hard. The favourite was Royal Charter who ran ok to finish fourth. He finds himself on a difficult 111 mark for not an awful lot to date. Of the others Festival Dream clearly will be better over 3 miles, there was little of note for the rest other thsn Red Rouble look a chasing type and not a natural hurdler, Royale Charter looked well but was a bit one paced probably needing further, Manele Bay led early setting fair pace but weakened quickly after the 5th.



Panoramic view of the paddock with runner up China Gold nearest the camera

A good class 3 Farm Frites Handicap Chase over 3 miles is always spectacular to view so I took the chance of watching  from the railway fences. From that position it was clear that Dashing George was going well from 5 out and was quite likely to win going very easily and jumping well. This was a big swing in form and I am sure the handicapper will take a fair amount of note so expect a lump of weight to stop any repeat (currently 115) . Leac an Scail finished second running on from behind and ran with much promise he is on a good mark at 114 and has won a big handicap at Hexham in spring 2008 off 118 so who knows he could have another shot at it . Theatre Dance came from a different parish to take third. Is on a very attractive mark of 119 having been originally rated as 134 after a couple of good novice efforts. Suits a flat course and will stay beyond 3 miles. Fourth was Drybrook Bedouine who may suit tighter tracks like Taunton and Antonious Ceaser (co favourite) suits stiff right handed tracks and good ground.



Dashing George and Antonius Ceasar battle it our as they head to the railway trio

The meeting was rounded off with a bumper which on the face of it looked good quality. Problem of weighing up this type of race is that they often end up being half mile sprints after a mile and a half canter. A full scale gamble ensued on Make A Trick whose odds collapsed from sevens to 7/2. He has produced wide led 2f out and by the distance had pulled clear. Very well related to champion hurdler and could be very useful. As could the runner up Ambion Wood who came from well behind having failed to quicken and gave the clear impression that given a well run race will be winning bumpers before long. Although a big outsider on his debut the third home Willows Saviour had a hard luck story having nowhere to go at the furlong pole. Did fail to quicken so difficult to say how much potential. Ballytober was a strong favourite and had every  chance 2f out but failed to quicken. The fancied second favourite Clever **** looked particularly smart in the paddock and after holding a good position entering the straight quickly folded.




Gamble landed on the well bred Make A Trick relative of Make A Stand



One to follow is bumper runner up Ambion Wood


The vast stand at Sandown

The Course

Without doubt this is one of the best laid out courses with plenty of investment but also well targeted investment.



Classic Trials

The run in to the Derby might begin with the 2000 Guineas but I also think that the Sandown event previously known as The Guardian Classic Trial has a glittering past but has it any relevance to the future?

Notebook

Qanlas down £10
F
Was well fancied first effort but fell when held and hasn't been seen since and we will close the  book

Posh Emily down £35
43200001 7/2
whatever else she is well suited by taunton having won three times there so if off this 96 mark must have more chances however the assessor may do enough to take her out of harms way so I will lick my wounds but at least she won one in the end

Rajamand (Negative)
NR
Not seen out since and I have binned it now

Lord Singer down £30
340
Not really done much and after three foes I binned him

Prince du Seul up £35
U 1 9/2
Bit unlucky on reappearance but followed up with a nice Plumpton win last time out and I have now binnde him but at leasr on a positivenote

Leac An Scail down £20
00
Thrashed on both runs since being noted and I have now binned him

Make A Track £32.50 up and still live
1(7/4) 1 (5/2) 2
Ended up being a pretty decent bumper runner and now over in Ireland. Hurdle debut in a decent field got going after not being fluent early and then finished well once hurdling got together. I am keeping the faith with him as he may yet developed into a decent irish novice


Ambion Wood up £20
1(3/1) 3
Won as expected on subsequent bumper. Ran with plenty of promise on debut over hurdles and due out at Exeter and is one to watch so I will keep alive

On my visit in 2002 the main reason for going to Huntingdon was to watch Best Mate race. This was the second visit to the track with the previous trip being back in 1984 on august bank holiday Monday.  The track is easy to find by following the A14 heading towards the M11. It is well signposted and is really in Brampton rather than Huntingdon. It is a right handed track with easy bends. It is pretty well flat and generally pretty fast in terms of gallops. I would say it would be a classic track that doesn’t favour  a specific type although it is less demanding than most and a short runner can get home or be covered up for a run.

The facilities are not that brilliant in comparison to other tracks in fact it is a bit basic. There is plenty of parking and this can be close to the action. This was the route we took in 2002.
The previous visit was due to the proximity of the contract I was working on at the time. This was the resurfacing of the American forces bases nearby known as RAF Alconbury. This was interesting from the point of view of how a scruffy Manchester mob of asphalters can be assimilated into a peaceful Cambrigeshire hamlet. It was also interesting to see how the American servicemen ‘fit’ into the local area.

Let us first deal with the principle visit discussed. This was the 2002 meeting featuring Best Mate. He had won the Cheltenham gold cup the previous march for the first time and his trainer Henrietta knight had chosen the Peterborough chase as the ideal prep to attempt at the king George / Cheltenham gold cup double. The Peterborough Chase is a grade 2 chase over two and a half miles. Given its position in the calendar of late November / early December and the calibre of horse it has attracted over the years it is difficult to see why it has not been given grade 1 status. In the past this race was often a midweek feature and it is to revert to this position in the calendar in 2009. However from 1998 to 2008 including the 2002 running it was a Saturday feature race for the channel 4 television  coverage.

The course stated;
“It became clear that owners and trainers were very keen to have specific ‘horse-jockey’ combinations available for races of the calibre of the Peterborough and that the staging of competing Saturday cards at Haydock Park and Ascot compromised the chances of the race attracting a larger and more competitive field.

The full list of winners since 1988 is
1988    Townley Stone
9    George Mernagh
John Webber

1989    Clever Folly
9    Neale Doughty
Gordon W. Richards

1990    Pegwell Bay
9    Jamie Railton
Tim Forster

1991    Sabin du Loir
12    Peter Scudamore
Martin Pipe

1992    Remittance Man
8    Richard Dunwoody
Nicky Henderson

1993    Travado
7    Jamie Osborne
Nicky Henderson

1994    Martha's Son
7    Rodney Farrant
Tim Forster

1995    Travado
9    Richard Dunwoody
Nicky Henderson

1996    Dublin Flyer
10    Brendan Powell
Tim Forster

1997    One Man
9    Richard Dunwoody
Gordon W. Richards

1998    Edredon Bleu
6    Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight

1999    Edredon Bleu
7    Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight

2000    Edredon Bleu
8    Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight

2001    Edredon Bleu
9    Norman Williamson
Henrietta Knight

2002    Best Mate
7    Jim Culloty
Henrietta Knight

2003    Jair du Cochet
6    Jacques Ricou
Guillaume Macaire

2004    Le Roi Miguel
6    Ruby Walsh
Paul Nicholls

2005    Impek
9    Tony McCoy
Henrietta Knight

2006    Racing Demon
6    Graham Lee
Henrietta Knight

2007    Racing Demon
7    Tony McCoy
Henrietta Knight

2008    Monet's Garden
10    Davy Condon
Nicky Richards



“From 2009, the intention is to revert to a midweek fixture in its traditional mid to late November slot. The effect of this will be that the Totesport Peterborough Chase once again becomes the central feature of the afternoon’s racing, hopefully with a high class field of quality horses and leading riders.

The Racing

The opening race was the 22f Huntingdon Audi A1 Mares' Novices' Hurdle which was won in good style by a progressive mare Naughty Naughty. Restrained in mid division and produced from 4 out to smoothly lead approaching the last and go on to win easily. Clearly capable of better, is a good fluent hurdler and gave the impression of being able to stay further. The joint favourite was Line Freedom who has ability but is still far from a polished hurdler often throwing good opportunities with scruffy jumping. Was again prone to errors once the pace quickened. However this was not at the cost of winning the race as she was clearly second best. Will win when hurdling skills honed but appears on a slow leaning curve. Third home was Yvonne Evelyn who looks very one paced and may benefit from a stiffer course. There were a couple of promising performances from outsiders Tsarinova ( nicely bred and probably needs 3 miles, would have been closer bar an error in the straight) and Lady Karabyer (staying on in note-worthy style although only as a remote fifth). The other joint favourite Dream Function pulled far too hard and although in a prominent position when a blunder at halfway killed her chance was unlikely to have taken a hand in the finish.



Jockeys up for the opener

The second race was the class 4 Racing UK Novices' Handicap Hurdle ove2 just under 17f. This was won with a very enterprising ride from young Rhys Flint. He stole a clear lead early on, Gave Laterly a breather at halfway, kicked on again to win comfortably. Laterly hurdled well and kept concentration to avenge a similar winning position when unseating Tom Scudamore on his hurdle debut at Fakenham. Is highly unlikely to have things his own way again, may well be heavily penalised by the handicapped for this facile win and as such a combination of these factors are likely to limit opportunities especially if reassessment leads to a rating at or above the 7lbs norm (ie at or above 110). The logic behind the plunge on Thuderstorm is very hard to understand on his form and his 101 mark other than McCoy had just won, it was a JP McManus runner and hence cannot lose. But lose he did through a combination of poor technique and probably not that high a level of ability. I think Thurdestorm will find winning hard unless colossal reduction in rating. Easton Clump finished second somehow or another and is sure to be over-rated in the market for follow ups as I am sure the handicapper will not raise him at all on the basis of this run so a 95 will suck in the odds making him a good lay next time out. The mare Maralyn has a 10lbs hike for her Leicester win and although ran ok today was anchored. The white flag had come up a long way from home for the rest who were waiting in the wings should the frontrunner fold. There did appear to be a limit to the potential evident in the field behind the winner.




Great ride from Rhys Flint nicks the race for Laterly

Weatherby’s Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Novice Chase over 16f attracted the debut of the highest class hurdler to the sphere this season. Starluck had been very nearly top of the tree and is a consistent performer at the championship level. Therefore there was plenty of interest in how he would transfer over to chasing. He had been well backed in the Arkle before this debut so clearly there is plenty of confidence in his jumping ability. Today he was a little novice at the first couple but as the pace increased and he got into his stride the jumping became pretty smooth. Had a tendency to jump to the left but when asked to quicken three out was very impressive leaving these for dead without having to be pushed. I would say he is the highest class entry in the Arkle this year, he has now shown that his jumping is more than fair and as a consequence I think he has every chance of winning. I am not convinced it is a premier group of novices over the 2 miles this year and the Irish group looks no more than useful. The grey Pascha Bere looked the most likely to push Starluck. Although in general jumped fine was outclassed and there is little to gauge as to his potential. The same goes for the other two



Starluck and AP a winning combination in major novice chases this season I would say

Feature race of the day was the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle over 20f. A race worth £15,000 added attracted a good field and provided a stiff review of the Cheltenham credentials of one of the fancied middle distance novice hurdlers in the Nicky Henderson trained Minella Class. He was made a strong odds on favourite today and although travelling strongly his hurdling was not that great. He still held every chance over the final two he was out battled on the run home. It is possible that the tacky ground held him but he needs to battle up the hill if he is to win at Cheltenham and on the evidence today that looks unlikely. As such I am quite negative about his ability to win championship level hurdles. The winner was Aikman who although not entirely fluent was very game and having outgunned the favourite proceeded to pull clear for a comfortable win. Clearly very useful and saw our 2m4 fully. Both Pride of Battle (probably better going left handed) and Captain Kirkton (bit one paced ) ran with great credit being close up throughout  and just giving best close home.



Big reputation of Minella Class about to get dumped despite holding every chance as leaaders come down to the second last

The John Bigg Oxx handicap chase was a class 4 event over 24f was won in by Honourable Arthur despite idling on the run in. In truth he had jumped this lot into the ground and had been ahead for some time until being joined by Backfromthecongo on the run in. This seemed to galvanise him again and he manage to put his best foot forward and assert by a couple of lengths. This gave a nice hat-trick of wins and you would have to say that another 7lbs or so should put an end to this progressive soft ground performers run for a while. The runner up Backfromthecongo had been prominent for much of the race and after being outpaced a bit from 3 out suddenly found himself with a chance as the leader ambled around the track a bit. However  Backfromthecongo didn’t jump the last well and also looked very awkward giving in a bit on the run in. Is best suited by right handed courses and the 106 mark looks fair but ability to last out 3 miles in the mud is open to question. King Jack ran ok but finished a bit legless and is probably better over 20f than three miles, whilst Ginolad ran in snatches staying on well late to suggest may well win soon over a trip in excess of 3 miles (has run with credit  over 3m2)



Honourable Arthur jumped well and saw off the renewed challenge of Backfromthecongo


There was an exciting finish to the Racing UK Handicap hurdle which was a class 4 over 20f. They went a good gallop with Crackajack Boy  (how is he rated 98?) setting off but missing out a few hurdles and was pulled up before the straight, this left Torran Sound (probably better over 2 miles and mark of 98 a bit high)  to lead from the second until 2 out who had every chance but ran out of steam going into the last to be 5 length fourth. At the last 6/4 favourite Decent Lord (would be worth a look over 2 miles again in the mud where he had just run up a hat-trick) looked to be going well coming into the second last which he decided to clobber that hurdle, still trying hard from the last but could not quicken up. The winner was Rossbrin (unlikely to follow this up as had race run to suit and anything above 83 will shackle him) who was well ridden by Andrew Tinkler who bought him from off the pace with a well timed run. He came stands side where the ground had not cut up and challenged approaching last where he slowly ground down Just The Job (on a reasonable mark of 100 tentative vote to recover losses) close home for a neck victory. Just The Job had a similar passage through the race and had first run on Rossbrin but hit the last which knocked some momentum out of him.




The two on the stands side are about to pounce late on the better ground to take the spoils in the final hurdle

We finished off with a hunter chase over 3 miles which I enjoy. This one was a very good battle with three in with a shout at the last and only a neck in it at the end. The odds on favourite Noakarad De Verzee (jumping not up to much and best opposing) was always up there, was a bit sketchy at a couple but in general ran well only giving best in final 100 yards. The winner was Mount Benger (cannot see much further progress) who was weak in the market and never seemed to be going that well on the first circuit. In fact he had to be kicked and coaxed along by his rider S Keating who did brilliantly well to get him home. The whip waving celebration told it all and for £635 for first place prize money you can see that this amateur level of the sport is exactly that a sport. The runner up was second favourite Templer (could pick up another hunter as is very consistent) who is in the ante post lists for the Foxhunters. He clobbered a couple and appeared to have lost his chance at the second last. Rallied again and joined issue on the run in where he was just outlasted. The others are of little note.




Great entertainmnet in the hunter chase finale

Notebook

Naughty Naughty
Looked capable of continuing to race well in novice events but switched to handicapping with only limited appea but did have a 9lbs jack up in the weghts. Is now down to 121 which is effectively where she was before this win and thus appears reasonably handicapped. However I baulked at backing her once the reassessmnet was clear.

Easton Clump (Negative) up £10
P
thrashd next run and not seen out since giving impression that it is likley he is finished so on that basis I Haved finished with him

Starluck down £20
34
I misread the signals of a small horse over fences as clearly he struggled in subsequent efforts and the rumour is he is likely to return to hurdling but I have given up backing him

Decent Lord down £20
20
Ran reasonably well both efforts but have given up on him now

Just The Job down £22.50
2 P 0 4 1 (9/4)
Nice win last time out but sure to be deassesssed so we will bin him. Before that was abit hit and miss.

Templar up £20
0 1 (EVENS) 3 2 1 (5/1) 3
Proved to be a decent hunter and backed the last six runs  with plenty of enthusiasm.

There must be two racecourses in Leicester. There is the one which has been branded as down-market. This decription has been posted on high profile web sites. As the source of at least one of these is one of the most respected judges in the game I cannot question the findings and opinions. Therefore I will have to accept that I must have been at a totally different track. Perhaps I was in Oadby rather than Leicester. So to save confusion I am entitling this post as from Oadby Races.

The entry price at £12 for virtually the whole of the enclosures for a pretty good card was excellent value. The facilities are in general very good. A cheaper than usual racecard was priced at that level because it was entirely in monochrome which presented a slight mither as you had to read the colours and remember the key runners when watching through the binoculars. There is a decent tea-room with good quality food which does not revolve around burgers and chips. You can have a a jacket spud with a couple of fillings, choice of proper tea in a china cup all for less than £6 including a slab of cake. If you had a bit of time a full carvery with a broad choice of meats including fish is available at £20. Plenty of bars and betting facilities. Parade ring and winner's enclosure all close together. The main stand looks like it was built to a similar specification that many football stadia were built during the post war boom in spectator sports. It has charm and looks pretty good. There was a good crowd which is often the case in point when there are a couple of decent hunter chases going on. The car park is free and close to the enclosures. The travel is a little problematic as to get to the M1 you have nearly cut across town.



'It's our stand and we love it' classic pre 1970s structure beloved by football stadia

Feature Races

This season the top race at Leicester is the mid April flat race called The Leicestershire Stakes. This is a listed affair now but did have Group 3 status a few years ago. Whilst today's meeting featured two hunter chase races with one  being The **** Saunders Novice Hunter Chase and the other a valuable event sponsored by the local pawnbrokers worth £12,500 (big money in the hunter chase world). So what is the likely fate of the first three in the novice hunters’ chase today?

The **** Saunders has been running since 2002. The inaugural running was won Private Pete who mainly restricted subsequent efforts to pointing but ran respectably in the Aintree Foxhunters of 2003. Subsequent winners were Sol Music (ex handicap chaser who regularly ran with consistency in middle ranking hunters) Cape Stormer (standing dish at Fontwell hunters and ran with credit but no success in good Cheltenham hunters) Gazart (Not seen after this win) Raregem ( ran well in the foxhunters but fall seemed to lead to deterioration in form) Chita Flight (never ran as well subsequently) Whistling Straights ( ran well when 3rd in the Leicester Pawnbrokers but out of depth at Cheltenham and Aintree) Lisadell King (developed into one of the top novice hunters of the year). All in all a bit of a chequered history of subsequent success for the **** Saunders victor.

Leicester City is a football team with the nickname The Foxes. There is no doubt that this is linked to the long lineage in the county for hunting. There are several well known hunts in the East Midlands possibly the most famous being The Quorn which is to the north of the city. So to have a couple of feature hunters is well in keeping with the local traditions.

The ban on hunting with dogs was not the finest hour of Tony Blair's administration. The fact that it appears to be off the Condems agenda seems to suggest that these public school metrosexuals have little time for the anachronistic, traditional or rural. However what is the problem with hunting? For a kick off to those of a religious persuasion I am sure the fact that animals do not have souls is not lost on them. The fact is clear that hunting originated as a means of either securing food, a process to control vermin to allow food to be produced or a combination of the two. As such was an important component of rural life. These traditions are kept up in the field sports many enjoy today. Extending this slightly and we see that hunting with hounds is at the heart of jump racing and greyhound racing. So the vigour of their dismantling through their base mechanism is of concern. Now, no-one wants to see animals unnecessarily distressed. This goes for the game in the hunt as well as the animals competing in the various sports especially those involving horse or dog. As such the various sports need to tread a fine line between modern society’s urban based peccadilloes and preservation of tradition fabric with the necessary culling of vermin / stock.

The Hunting Act (2004) was introduced to bring down these sports by making the use of dogs to hunt as illegal. This included the use of greyhounds in coursing and foxhounds in the field and by connection horses for traditional fox hunts. In 2008 the Conservatives made great play on their support for hunting and thus opposition for The Act. The party’s website of the time had the following conclusions as an either / or response  to the question of the cause for the insignificant level of prosecutions under The Act.
1.    The hunting community is almost entirely law-abiding and is no longer chasing foxes with dogs.
2.    The law was incredibly badly drafted, almost unenforceable and perhaps the biggest ever waste of parliamentary time.

You have to ask yourself whether the terminology for point 2 is correct as there have been many other pieces of ‘bad law’ and poor decisions or endless drivel under the heading Philly-busting. However I am sure you get the gist of their argument.

What is clear is that most effort to preserve some kind of continuity has been in the foxhunting world. This seems to be on the basis of a group of horses and dogs ambling around the countryside who happen to see a fox that by sheer bad luck got caught by the hounds. Whilst foxhunting continues in whatever guise, the same cannot be said for coursing. In Ireland the sport continues to survive and the National Coursing Meeting at Clonmel in early February is very much a rite of passage stuck midway between Christmas and Cheltenham it offers some respite for the charmless days of the mid-winter. Clonmel is very well run, no weak hare is coursed and the slippers key task is to ensure that the hare’s lead is not so great as to ensure there is not a fair test of the dogs or too short so that the hare is caught. Contrary to popular myth the purpose of hare coursing is not to kill the hare.


The Races

The card today was entirely chase driven and kicked off with an interesting handicap over 20f set as a class 4. On first reading looked a very competitive race. That was how it panned out with five horses in with a chance over the second last. It then developed into a tight battle up the hill with Handtheprize prevailing by a head from hatrick seeking Phar Again. Handtheprize was well ridden by Toole. He has progressed well this year but may struggle to follow up if heavily penalised (current 98 I would say looking at this effort he can just about stand maximum 5lbs)  being suited by the slight cut in the ground and the stiff up hill finish. The runner up Phar Again who clearly is suited by the course and distance particularly when making most of the running. Still looks on a fair mark based on his historic high os 120 (94 today) so reassessment for both would be interesting. Acts best on good ground. Mylord Collanges jumped a couple sloppily but in general ran well. Is on a good mark based on his previous level and there is a chance that given a right handed flat and/or sharpish track could win soon. Of the others the 3/1 favourite Pacha D'oudairies looks a bit of a plodder suited by heavy ground. Appears not to stay 3 miles, Phoenix de Nottes was ridden by a 7lbs claimer who was far  from disgraced when fourth, is well suited by good ground and may be better over 3 miles.




The final flight has a bank which is an ideal vantage point to watch the action

The second race was a 16f chase which saw a top notch effort from the ultra consistant novice Betabob who jumped very competantly. He has had a very busy season since coming over from Ireland appearing particularly well suited by the 2 miles and good ground. He was nicely ridden by the very useful amateur Robbie Henderson (well worth his claim). Missed out the first, was settled into a nice stride after that lack of concentration, was pushed up gently heading out on the final circuit and then came through with a smooth challenge 2 out to pull comfortably clear after the last. He was rated as 115 today and based on this run must be worth 10lbs on that and if not over penalised for this you would have thoguht a shot at a handical would be worth considering in the spring. Scond home was Lordsbridge who ran with credit looking very well in the paddock and jumping decently well for a novice. This stiff undulating course may not have suited as has looked more suited by flat tracks such as Newbury. The well backed favourite at 7/4 was Bathwick Quest appeared very one paced. On balance of form she appears to requier heavy ground.  Of the remainder L'homme de Nuit was not suited by the strong gallop, Uncla Ant pulled far too hard and needs to learn to settle and Washandgo is clearly to me useless.



Betabob Home Alone

The feature race of the day was a £12,500 added hunter chase. It is a valuable event in its own respect but merits being a=viewed as a pointer for the big hunter event during the spring at Aintree, Statford and Cheltenham. There is every chance that the first four home will prove to be toeards the top of the merit order of this season's competitors in this sphere. As such the admirable winning performance of William Somers is to be respected. Racing up with the pace, jumping well in the main and showing plently of tanacity in winning. Regular jockey M Wall seems to get on well with him and this should be noted. He had finished second in the feature of the end of term hunters night meeting at Cheltenhham last season where his jumping let him down a bit. However he appears to be much improved and must have a chance in  this year's Foxhunters. Second was the talented but previously enigmatic Turko who was very good three seasons ago but seemed to lose his way after finishing second in the Leopardstown Hennasey. Now hunting showed fresh heart jumping well to be clear runner up of this valuable race. Sometimes these types fail to continue the sparkle and as such is best watched next run. The second favourite, Battlecry, jumped sketchily on occasions and was ridden close up with the ace, leading into the straight but was overhauled before the last. Previously was third in the RSA but never really trained on from that run. Clearly useful in this sphere but it is difficult to see him turning the tables on the front pair. The odds ob favourite and previous runner up in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham, Turthen, never went the early pace but slowly got into contention four out. He stayed on at the same pace and was not given an overly hard race today. Goes well for Miss C Tizzard. Has done well in the past at the highest level of hunters and appears to be a solid jumper who may well stay extremes.



2009 Foxhunter runner up Turthen parades before pipeopening fourth place
The 2 mile class 4 handicap was landed with ease by Baseball Ted. Always close up kicked clear before second last. Has been in good heart in class 3 and 4 events this year.  Clearly still on the upgrade. The favourite was Randjo who was upped a stone for a recent facile Fontwell win. Didn't appear to be going with same fluency as of recent runs and may be better on flatter tracks. Fontwell's figure of eight brings out some specialists and maybe this will prove to be the point. The most interesting ru was the third home Guns of Love . He ran well and jumped fine but was swallowed up approaching the last and failed to see out the hill. On the basis of this he is suited by an easy 2 miles 4 or a drop to 2 miles  on good ground going right handed. Given this requirements is on a winning handicap mark (87) and as such must be follwed given these conditions



Over the second last and Guns of Love is about to show why he needs a flat easy track to be seen to best effect
**** Saunders is well remembered as one of the high profile point to pointer joskeys who epitomise the hunter scene with such effect in the 1970s and 80s. Today's race was eventful to say the least 20f novice hunter chase. The odds on favourite What Of It was very lucky to win. This was not because he ran poorly but because of the misfortune of others in the race. In general What Of It was being run out of it and needed to be scrubbed along from halfway appearing held on more than one occasion. He did however stay  on well to hold the renewed challenge of the unlucky runner up. You would say What Of It woul certainly stay further on a less demanding course and will win races throough his jumping ability. The hunter in this race with the most potentia; has to be the runner up Louis Pasteur. He made two horrendous mistakes at the same uphill fence which may have been a bit of rider error as the rest of the round was first rate. He was by far the best hunter here, will stay further and at only six can develop into a high class hunter over time. Surely he can pick up a novice hunter this season. Battlefield Bob was not well ridden today in my opinionas was made far too much use of and finished knackered before the second last. May well have stayed the trip if held back a bit. But was modest under rules and difficult to be too positive.





Watch this one win next time out; the unlucky 6yo Louis Pastreur with Robbie Henderson who is well worth his claim
Final event was a scruffy 24f handicap class 5 I am affraid to say which didn't take a lot of winning. Strong staying One More Dinar won readily with his first clear round over fences as in the past poor jumping had let him down and any weight increase from his 81 mark will anchor him. He was an easy winner from perenial loser Donald Will Do who is probably a bit more effective (relative term)over 2m4. On the basis of this there is little of merit behind these two. Third home was Jacardo who is suited to Towcester, Randolph finished fourth and has only won over fences but ambled home in his own time. The rest looked rubbish including the gutless favourite Glenfly who remarkably by finishing only 36 lrngths adrift ran his best race for some time.



Off to the start for a modest bunch


End of week commencing 13th February blog advise performance

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

Handtheprizeover up £23.33
3 1 100/30
continues in good heart and only up 4ibs for these efforts. Still not entirely fluent so open to a bit more improvement is clearly suited by RH but will close off on him now

Betabob down £30
0 4 2
Looked capable of more when winning here and has been slightly disappointing. Suits stiff courses and in general jumps well. Would not be shocked is he bobbed in but I will close off aften three runs

Lordsbridge up £23.33
3 1(100/30)
Best suited by the flat galloping stracks nad took advantage at Newbury. Up 5lbs which is enough to discourage subsequent backing.



Bathwick Quest(Negative) up £60
33F420
jumping continues to be very suspect and I would be tempted to cotinue to lay him but enough if enough.

William Somers
NR
Lack of follow up and approaching a year since this run has led to me closing off on him


Turko (Negative)up £16
U 1(11/8)F 0
Is one to continue to lay as in general jumps very moderately although talented but time to close off now

Turthen down £10
0
Fairish run in foxhunters and not seen  since time to turrn over


Randjo down £20
4 4
Disappointed and lacks fluency so binned

Guns of Love down £20
4 4
Blundered badly on second run and confidence dented badly I would say so off hired as they say


Louis Pasteur down £13
1(4/6) 3 2
Hardly fluent when winning next time out but at least won as exected. Followed next two runs in modest events but jumping became increasingly eratic and best avoided


One More Dinar (Negative)  up £10
0
Well beaten but 10lbs over winning mark. Now being wound up for another run and with little respite from the assessor is one to lay. However I think nine months since the race so I am forgeting about him now

£39.66 up

Towcester 3rd February 2011 Soft
INTRODUCTION

Towcester is clearly a settlement of Roman vintage. It sits on the banks of the River Towe and served by the first great straight highway of the day which became anglicised to Whatling Street and is now known simply as the A5. Whatling Street was later incorporated in a great 1800 project after the Act of Union with Ireland to connect the two great capitals of London and Dublin. As such it ran through England and Wales via the Anglesey port of Holyhead to Ath Cliath. 



The track sits right next to the River Tove

The links to aristocracy abound throughout racing and so it is here. There are well known photographs of Pricess Anne sitting on the grass having been dumped during a race at Towcester in the 1970s. At the inception of Towcester race sits the influence of Elizabeth The Empress of Austria Queen of Hungary, affectionately known to millions as "Sisi". She is said to have been as intelligent as she was extravagant, and was decades ahead of her time. Although the imperial surroundings of Schönbrunn Palace and the glittering Vienna Hofburg were her home, the consort of the Austrian Emperor established a special relationship with all classes of her subjects. Little wonder then that following her tragic death Princess Diana was often likened in obituaries to Sisi: Both were women of extraordinary beauty and represented their countries with dignity and elegance. Both succeeded in winning a special place in people's hearts even amidst the ceremony and protocol of ancient dynasties. Both were dedicated to social causes. And both died tragically before their time.




The picturesque Express Gate often used as a backdrop for wedding photographs

Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary visited the Towcester area and attended an Easter holiday meet in 1826 which is an element of the document of the intriguing life story of a woman who was an "empress against her will", who was at once fairy-tale princess and liberated woman, a dieting fanatic and expert equestrian, a poet and inveterate traveller. In fact the Empress was mates with the resident Spencers of the day and went around for a bit of snap and sport. Whilst staying at Easton Neston she went by train from Blisworth station to Lamport where a similar race meeting was held by the Pytchley Hunt at Hopping Hill. Earl Spencer had a special pavilion erected and provided a magnificent lunch for his guests. ‘Bay’ Middleton raced in his colours of black, pink hoops and a black cap and was invited to the lunch.


The event at Hopping Hill so delighted the Empress she decided to establish a race meeting of her own to be called the Grafton Hunt Steeplechase. A course was laid out in Easton Neston Park and a stand erected for guests. She then sent to Hancox, a London jeweller, to make a cup for the winner, and to be called The Hohenembs Cup. To enter the race the horses were to be from the Grafton, Pytchley, Bicester and Mr Selby-Lowndes hunts. The weight to be carried was 13st and the length 3 miles. Bay Middleton entered on a horse called Musketeer. A special marquee was also erected so that all the people who had helped her during her stay could be entertained and the food was ordered from a London caterer. Bay Middleton won the race by 3 lengths which was probably a great joy for the Empress. The similarities between the two women are palpable and leaves you wondering whether The Empress was in fact  Lady Diana role model even to a violent death.

This part of Northamptonshire was last (and probably the only time) in the eyes of the global press a decade or so ago when television cameras in helicopters were trained on Junction 15a of the M1. A string of black cars, some with flowers chucked on them, appeared to be the subject. One of them had a box in the boot. The box was later concealed with stealth outside of the gaze of the world nations. It was in fact almost hidden pirate style on an island within a lake. A task aimed at minimising the holy shrine to the martyr syndrome. Truth is many people suspect that the box and island trick was a bit too obvious and in fact the box was put into the family church crypt.  The box of course contained the earthly remains of Queen of Hearts. She was a leggy attractive if sparingly made mare with a tendency to weaken under pressure. She was sent to the paddocks having schooled poorly. She was first put to Greco- Hanoverian stud Flower Talker who it was suspected required the assistance of a studhand to finish the job. The first foal, Follicle Challenge, has been described as gangly and backward. Her second foal was a further colt called Ginger Nuts who has yet to see a racetrack but was coltish in a point to point out in the shires. He is thought to perform well without a teaser and despite classic bloodlines is thought to have been cut on the advice of a senior vet. Queen of Hearts was often loose in the paddocks and several donkeys were thought to have mounted but generally whilst she was out of season. She was last covered by Layabout who was an unbroken son of prolific sire Pass The Passport. She was yet to have been confirmed in foal before she hit the 13th in the Grand Prix D'Underpass where three others were also brought down. Follicle Challenge is to be mated to Clone of Hearts a bay filly by Commercial Pilot out of Trolley Dolly. She gained black type in the Useless Recreational Course Stakes at Fife. However appeared unfurnished when flashing her tail in a Catwalk Maiden on the all weather, appearing to have a liking for sand and moving freely preferring limited cover. She is a complete outcross for the Bratwurst Royale line.

COURSE

At the intersection between Whatling Street and the A43 is the northern end of the Silverstone by-pass. This was one of the first new build dual carriageways which were designed and built by the private sector in recent years. This contract was challenging to say the least but not because of the technical difficulties. A nearby plague village was part of the route, there was also a significant chance of Roman finds so the contract had its own pre-works archaeologist to review plans and see if the cut threw up any interesting finds. However the biggest issue was a total redesign of the pavement because of the Foot and Mouth epidemic closed most of the site for several months. We had a very tight programme to hit. This was because the need to ensure that the dualling from the north was opened in time for the British Formula One. The work finished on time somehow or other. In fact the Silverstone Motor racing circuit is one of my professional successes. My team developed a brand new surface for the Grand Prix designed to dry quickly, have predictable grip and last. When we finished the surface asphalt I took the opportunity to take my Vectra for a spin. Because the track had been completely redesigned I can legitimately claim that for a short period of time I held the lap record around the new Silverstone Grand Prix course. When I went  racing at Towcester around 2000 it was in a right state. Unloved, very cold and lacking in atmosphere just about covers it. Coming here for the first time I am struck by a lot of change. First of all there are the brand new buildings constructed in 2005, comprising of The Empress and Grace Stands. The Empress Stand was designed with some flair, it is a bit child’s fort-like in image, complete with medaevil flags on turrets. Free entry is a major plus and a brilliant innovation. Application recompensed by a significant crowd far above justification for a modest card on a cold but sunny February mid-week. Thus justifiable reward for this super value for money. Added to this for racegoer is a high deffinition giant TV screen and an entertaining / informative Towcester Television channel. It all makes it very hard to fault an admirably run customer focused operation. One final thing to improve things is to get the prixe money up, this course deseres a big race day. Walking around the course is easy, enabling spectators to get very close to the action. The nature of the course is a tough uphill final 5 furlongs and because of the wide expanses and easy turns it makes Towcester galloping in essence. The fences are not that stiff. The going today was not that testing as they did not go in very deep so I would put it at soft. A drying wind helped. The track certainly is the main reason for the testing nature today and not the going with quite a few edging left heading home. There is also interesting news that Towcester is set to be the Ascot for the greyhaound world by building a track here. Whisper it softly by there is only one sport where the money is haemouraging from owners quicker than horseracing.



The Empress Stand owes a little to Kafka imagery and toy fort chic yet remains endearingly unique in racing

THE RACING

Opening race was a 2m novice hurdle. The favourite was The Chazer at strong odds on when market opened and continued to be well backed on the day following promising form including a good run at Exeter. This was not an event high on quality but the winner (Jimmy The Saint) soon got into the swing of things after a couple of early mistakes. Stayed on strongly to hold favourite on debut. Previously had run with credit when second in modest bumpers. As race lacked depth difficult to assess, but at least promising. The runner up (The Chazer) held every chance despite persistantly hanging left and moved violently so when appearing to tire on the run in. He had looked beaten at the last. The trainer was of the opinion that he would suit left handed and would win next run. However he is quite exposed and has run right handed several times sometimes with credit. My view is that he needs blinkers and even then I am not sure he is genuine enough to win particularly on a testing track. The Third home Bee Cee Pee M plodded on cearly hoping for anonimity and who can blame hime with a name like that.



The eventual winner Jimmy The Saint tracks early pacemaker Bit of a Clown



A conditional jockeys 2m handicap chase was a very competitive affair. All appeared to be in with a bit of a chance on the handicap. Surprisingly the strong favourite was Molly Round a chase debutante having her debut effort in handicap company. She is a touch on the stumpy size and at the fences I saw her at she seemed ok. However after only four flights she fell. Despite this the race developed into a real tight finish. Veteran Kinkeel battled on gamely and only went down by just over a length. He continues to go for the record number of runs in jumping in the world. Retains plenty of zest. The winner Karasakal appeared fairly treaded and was in good heart. Again stayed on well jumping ok in the main. Intrigingly. Karasakal appeared to be wilting a bit on the run in when moving a bit out to the left. But was then joined by the loose horse Molly Round. This seemed to galvanise and he then kicked on again. Both Devils River (races prominently) and Ilongue (hold up horse not completely fluent) both ran well. A good tight finish suggests that the field is reasonably handicapped and as such nothing looks thrown in or handicaped out of races at present. 



Devils River leads old stager Kinkeel at the first with favourite Molly Round (in green) soon to depart at the fourth

The 2m handicap hurdle was between two horses from a long way out. Yossi, an early leader soon jacked this in and may need firm ground. Nous Voila quickly gave up the ghost 3 out despite having sound form a couple years ago and remains out of sorts. However this was a gritty win for Orang Outang who battled well to get upper hand on Marlborough Sound with the pair well clear. Despite this good effort, on review of being a lightly raced veteran, that he is not that well handicapped and it is difficult to see either following up with a win. Even less likely is the rest short term potnetial of this motley crew including  old boy Andy Gin who looks out of luck with the handicapper.



Firm ground Yossi (soon weakens) leads early on with Orang Outan second having a lead on Marlborough Sound. This latter pair was soon to draw clear and batttle finish out

The 3m handicap chase was eventually a fair buckle. However the jumping of most was woeful and many didn't seem to act on this testing track which really exposes any stamina limitations. Victory Gunner outjumped his rivals (a relative term) with the experience of a thirteen year old. He is on a historically low mark courtesy of some pretty poor runs usually more often than not  pulling up. So this was his day and second home Atherstone Hill were 45 lengthd clear of the third. On this basis you'd have thought these two are thrown in at the weights. The reality is that the white flag goes up quick for horses here and some who may have had a bit of bad luck. (like Ballyegan who ran ok till unseated rider) may offer some potential. The winning distance of some of today's races including this one flatters the leading hoses.






With Towcester Church in the distance the field gallop down to the first

The 2m4 mares maiden hurdle was turned into a procession by Bunglasha Lady. There is no point discussing the rest of the field. Bunglasha Lady was so far clear that she was eased right down soon after the last and still held them comfortably walking in. The remainder were furlongs back. Question is was this a good field and Bunglasha Lady is in the David Nicholson Mares class or were they very very poor in which case she may pick up a small mares event preferably over 2m4. More the latter than the former I suspect.



Colleens Pride attempts to pull Gerald Quinn's arme out their sockets

Did anyone cheer when the favourite was presented with the race following the fatal fall of the clear leader at the last in the novice chase? You have to hope not. I couldn't tell as I watched this from out in the country. It was devastating I am sure to Venetia Williams and the rest of the connection involved in The French Horse. Ran and jumped very well for a novice and pulled smoothly clear having the race in the bag when clipping the last and fatally falling right in front of the stands. Still it's an ill wind that doesn't blow someone some good. In this respect the perenial runner up Fredo at last got some compensation for a string of seconds since he went novice chasing. I saw him jump well in the main on his chase debut at Stratford in the autumn behind the brilliant yet also dead Tell Mansini.I would say Fredo was not entirely suited by the testing track. If he ran at a flat gallop course like say  Uttoxeter or better still Haydock we may see him follow up. The rest jumped poorly.



Along the back-straight there is a modest wood of new trees which is a good point to get a feel of how open and galloping this track is

If McCoy has one ride only in a bumper as a midweek closing event out in the sticks you need certifying if you miss out. Nurse where do I sign? This was to my eye a brilliant exhibition of waiting in front. They merely had a gentleman's canter around for best part of a mile. This hindered the chances of out and out stayers like Monbeg Dude who were completely devoid of toe when the pace quickened. He was entered into the novice today so clearly schooled ok. I would have thought a 2m4 maiden hurdle would be the best option now. Of the rest the gambled on Hollow Blue Sky  (well backed favourite on racecourse debut dspite the McCoy factor so some confidence somewhere)is half brother to last year's Foxhunter winner the very useful Baby Run so keep an eye out for this one in time. The winner Destroyer Deployed did win in good style and may be quite useful but the lack of pace tempors the view. The second home was Howards Legacy who gave a gallant effort but failed to stay final furlong and may need a less testing circuit.

    


Out of the early evening gloom we just make out the great AP heading into the winners enclosure with Destroyer Deployed

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

The Chazer (Negative)down £60
1(7/1)0
Got him very wrong as popped up next run at a laid £7/1 got a bit back after and now to novice chase and could be OK so leavig alone

Marlborough Sound(Negative) up £10
0
Saw him run at Carlisle when hopeless and I wouldn't be surprised if jacks it in now so will leave alone

Orang Utang (Negative) up £10
2
A fair second next run but not seen out since and may be out the game so will leave alone

Bunglasha Lady up £46
1(3/1)1(13/8)
She followed up with a good double and hasnt been seen out since. I think she could chase but will close off on her

Fredo down £20
4P
moderate form after and I lost faith with him when pulled up


Hollow Blue Sky down £30
4 0 0
Sent novice hurdling over 2m and seems suited to jumping but the trips have been inadequate. Well worth an interest when put over a testing trip

INTRODUCTION
I can almost gaurantee that that fella Gillespie is the sort of man who keeps tinkering and tinkering with something, trying to make it absolutely spot on in his eye. He reminds me of the sculpter who the comapany I worked for sponsored. This was back in the late nineties, all new labour and stuff. Our head of PR was really a sort of lobby man trying to make a virtue out of blasting holes in the ground to the urbanites now in power. There was this scottish artist called something quinticentially pictish like Mad Rab Farquahart MacUrquartson the third. Somehow managed to get hold of the catelogue of a forthcoming soiree of fine art chiseled by our caledonian pal.A range hewn from a pinky grey flecked granite obtained from an obscure quarry outpost of ours somewhere near Ullapool. Amongst a host of names of objet d'arte the one that stood out for me was 'Boar With Severed Snout'. You can imagine the scene. A half tonne boulder sat on a hillock on a blowy moor. A hunched figure tip tapping away. There's a nice tusk there, just smooth it our a bit, grand. Just get the fine curvey chisel and knock it gently with the toffee hammer to get the right curl on the old tail. Think I'll just give it a kiss with the panel pin hammer to get that nose right.. Ahhh I've knocked the feckin nose off. I know waht I'll do, where the number of that sas fella. In a similar way 'let's move the last hurdle a bit this way, that's right I like that.'  'Let's move that second last fence just round the corner a bit to Fen Shui it a bit.' What else to fiddle with? Well there's plenty of scope for new events should the eventual permission for the Saturday extention arrive. What about a festival selling hurdle, a race for horses of sixteen hands minimum, bareback novice chase. Did you see last season's hillarious whippet racing. Trying to be a bit like a coursing type buckle,but with a very poorly thought out zig-zag (sensible dogs just ran in a straight line). Did they try it first? Probably only with EG's 12 year old over weight lab. Next time flush a few rabbits out if you've the nerve.


Trends for Triumph Hurdle for you to make some sense of:



YEAR    WINNER                    SECOND                    THIRD
2010    1st Adonis (kem)    2nd Prestbury (chel)    1st Winning Fair (fair)
2009    1st Execution(Asc)    1st Finess(chelt)    3rd Spring (leo)
2008    1st C4(Don)            1st Finess(chel)    2nd Spring (leo)
2007    1st Finess(chelt)    2nd C3(Kem)            1st C4(Font)
2006    1st A.Baker(Sand)    4nd Finale(chep)    2nd Adonis (sand)
2005    1st Racing Post (Kemp)    2nd Premier (Kel)    1st V Ludorum(Hay)
2004    1st C4(Sand)            2nd Fen(Hunt)            5th Sharp Minds (Naa)
2003    1st C3(Kem)            1st Adonis(Kem)            1st Winning Fair(Fair)
2002    2nd  Cashamns(Leo)    1st Cashmans(Leo)    3rd C3(Weth)
2001    Foot and Mouth       
2000    1st Adonis(Kemp)    1st C3(Newb)            1st Mdn(Gow)
1999    1st Adonis(Kemp)    1st Nov(Thur)            1st PPower(Leo)
1998    1st Cat&Mouse(Sand)    1st Ripley(Sand)    1st BBridge(Leo)
1997    1st Grade3(Pun)            2nd Highclere(Newb)    1st Finess(chel)
1996    1st Ripley(Sand)    2nd Adonis (Kem)    1st Highclere(newb)

Clearly a win last time out is essential, especially if it's the Adonis. Irish not done well of late but Leopardstown form looks noteworthy especially the Spring.

COURSE

How did they get this meeting on? I had a good walk around the centre of the track today. The puddles were thick or solid with ice, the grassed ground was pretty well solid. People know old Simon C and pull his leg with his pre festival saga of 'I think it's too dry so I'll turn the taps on a bit'. Then irrespective of the actual conditions announces 'good to soft and good in places' on the Monday night. But to be fair to him and his team they pulled off a minor miracle today, fanastic effort. The course is known to most of us. It is a very stiff test, many undulations, stiff fences some taken running downhill. It is a bit idiosyncratic and does generate plenty of course specialists. One thing I did manage to do was take a close look at the cross country fences. Normally there are Stasi all over the place stopping you from getting close to the action and coralling spectators into a small paddock of a viewing area. Not today, and being able to view many fences close up showed how well laid out the course is, some right angle turns, on occasions only three strides betweeen obstacles, tricky landing side falls. It is a bit like the Hickstead Derby course in a way. I will view this with a lot more interest on the Tuesday now. Generally I use the Cross Country for beer break! For those not used to Cheltenham the centre viewing is a good way of getting close to the racing, but it is often cold for the festival and it is very exposed. There are loads of bars, my fav is The Arkle. Can't remember which bar or if it is still there but a poem was written on the walls of one 'Aubrey's up the money's down the English bookies quake. Come on m'lads and give a cheer, b'god t'is Cottage Rake'. Bred in the mighty Rebel County itself , there was a rumour that a bronze was to be commissioned and placed outside Mallow Station. It was objected to on the basis disrespect to the nearby Marian Shrine. A pity, as a tribute to one of the true greats of jump racing at the birthplace of steeplechasing itself would have been appropriate.


THE RACING

The opening race was a juvenille hurdle which has thrown up only one triumph hurdle winner in the past dozen or so runs, but four of the last five winners have filled first or second back here in March. I had seen Local Hero run at Doncaster and was in two minds as to whether he will make into a Triumph winning horse in my view. Whlist he has plenty of pace and really battled dourly up the hill to win today, his jumping was a bit sketchy and I would say still not swift enough to convince me he will win. I think that whoever wins the Adonis in February on the statistics is to be respected plus I still believe that Sams Winner is the juvenille with the best form so far but based on recent history he will need another run and that run needs to be a win. Second home was Third Intention who had run with much promise in a debut win at Newbury. Jumped well again (including out-jumping the winner at the last) but was overhauled up the hill (showed no signs that he lacks stamina or that he is in the least ungenuine). The third was the Timeform part owned Indian Daudaie who whilst not entirely fluent did jump well in the main and stayed on well up the hill without excessive encouragement (not given the hardest run I have seen) Worth keeping an eye out for what kind of mark he is alloted with the Fred Winter in mind. Of the others  the steady early pace meant Maoi ChinnTire and Akula were flattered by their proximity and Mark Twain ran as well as he can which is a lot lower than his current handicap mark.





Tony McCoy enquires as to when schooling for Local Hero is likely to start

The second race on the card was a novice handicap chase over 2m5 and the jumping of all contestants was very novicey and there must be some doubt as to whether any of these on present form can be backed with confidence in next races as a clear round is taken on trust. The winner was the one paced and strong staying top weight The Giant Bolster who is aimed at RSA (can't see it winning). Rodi Greene must have been knackered as he worked very hard to cajole TGB home. I thought he may have used the whip a bit more frequently than the rules probably permit. But then I couldn't quote the law and as I didn't hear of an enquiry he must have been waving it around alot. A bit like that old sketch of the orchestra conductor and the fly.(???). Pearlysteps, Vino Griego and Ravethebrave all ran with enthusiasm making up for what appeared to be a lack of natural agility. To gauge the merits of these novices and their potetnial based on current evidence just compare and contrast with Wishfull Thinking to see how a novice can jump (in the third race today).



The third was the 2m5 Grade 3 Murphy Group Handicap Chase which was run at a very good pace with several who like to push along the pace. The race was won by the very progressive novice Wishfull Thinking (wearing tongue strap for the first time). He had previously tried to defy a penalty at Cheltenham behind Reve de Sivola and was an unlucky and hampered second impressing with his jumping. He is obviously well suited by this course and distance emerging from this showing as one of the best middle distance novices seen out to date this season. His jumping alone makes him appear to have a good chance at the festival and personally I would prefer to see him in The Jewson (The Golden Miller) rather than RSA. Mainly because I have an interest in him running in that event. Little Josh and Buffolo Bill both wanted to take on the pace and were soon in bother. Calgary Bay ran and jumped well staying in pretty good style to be a clear second behind what might well be seen as a handicap snip in retrospect. Thus providing optimism that Calgary Bay is well in himself. If handicap mark roughly holds he may be a live Festival Plate chance ( come on Mr Handicapper the winner was only a fair novice and on that a drop of 3 pounds would be about right). Third home was Backbencher who was staying on ok but clobbered the last. Noland ran out of steam about a mile out, Chapoturgeon jumped and ran poorly and The Sawyer never looked like making it a hatrick of wins in this race.






Walking in at the start of the Murphy's where the novice Wishful Thinking outjumped a top handicap field

Argento  (previously called Cotswlod) Chase over 3m1 was the big race of the day and seen as a Gold Cup trial although none of the last five winners have followed up. The weakening favourite was Punchestowns who had failed to see out an extended three miles over hurdles. He was soon off the bridle today and never got near to challenge as such on the running is probably best aimed at the Ryanair or the Aintree 3 miler. The winner was the resurgent Neptune Collonges who jumped great and was soon clear. Although winning distance was rapidly reducing it was probably a fairly cosy win. Tidal Bay never seems to jump completely straight or completely fluent. He does however stay very well up the hill here and did so again today although the finishing proximity probably flattered a bit. The Tother One was not always jumping well in comparison to the rest and may not have stayed. Madison De Berlais generally ran a not totally detatched last.




Neptune Collonges helps Nicholls announce that his horses back in good nick if they were ever really out of touch

They went a steady early pace in the Neptune hurdle which is ususally a good gauge to long term stayers including very useful and a fancy for this year's Gold Cup Diamond Harry and top class stayer Restless Harry who has  been placed in the World Hurdle. The very cramped price for Backspin in such a good race was a bit of a surprise. This appeared to be on the back of winning The Challow last run. Admittidly form which represented the most impresssive inthe field before the start. The winner was Bobs Work who had run very well over course and distance in his most recent outing and again looked very genuine when repeating the effort to win well staying on strongly up the hill. The second, Rock On Ruby, was very impressive jumping well and looks a real prospect. Drive Time looked a bit fresh going down and pulled a bit, despite jumping fine in the main hit 3 out weakened quickly by 2 out to be pulled up appearing to have something was amiss (he had been noted as having a knock causing a cut last time out). It was a surprise that Brunswick Gold did not set the pace which had suited at Doncaster. A return to those forcing tactics is likley to give him more chance of a win. Backspin had every chance at the second last but didn't seem to quicken or stay thoroughly, It may also be that he did not completely settled in a fairly muddling early pace. As such he may be best over a testing course and over a well run 2 miles (could be an interesting Supreme runner). Whilst the third home was Happy Simpson who ran with much credit but not as fluent as the first two.



Milling around before two exciting staying prospects Bobs Worth and Rock On Ruby battle out the Neptune

The Cleeve Hurdle has been won by some great stayers in the past including Big Bucks and this was won by the exciting grey Grand Crus. He had been impressive in two handicaps earlier in the autumn at Haydock and Cheltenham. Upped in class he was hacking throughout and won in a canter from a very good field. He is without doubt a fine adversary to the fantastic Big Bucks. You cannot gauge the form between the two at the moment as neither has been extended yet this season so why bother betting just enjoy potentially a great spectacle. Knockara Beau put up a fine front running performance. Organisateur missed out the third from home and was soon flat to the boards finishing tailed off. Bensalem was not disgraced whilst Mobasher stayed on well to be third



Grand Crus and Tom Scudamore announce that the World Hurdle is now the most eagerly awaitied race at the festival

The meeting rounded off with a Class 2 handicap hurdle over 2m1 which was a close run afair won by the thoroughly genuine Art Professor who is well suited by Cheltenham an assessment based on previous outing and confirmed today. His renewed effort just overhauled Alazari who had looked like he had the race in the bag halfway up the hill, it's a painful sport. The favourite was Cunning Clarets a mudlark best held up. This in not always the best tactic at Cheltenham and when making a  mistake when begining to make a run around 4 out he pretty well had the stuffing knocked him out of him and was eased. Could be worth watching out for when back in the Border and Scottish tracks over 2 miles.

How did they do next three runs to a £10 stake (EW 20/1 or greater)

Local Hero (Negative)
405 up £30
Outclassed in top juvenilles

Indian Daudai
54(20/1)F 0 down £40
Fair each way fourth but was not in general anywhere near as good as I had hoped

Wishfull Thinking up £40
21(9/4) 1 (11/4)
turned out to be probably the best novice chaser of the year but has come out with a massive mark so will bin at the end of novice year

Calgary Bay down £10
F
fell in national and I am never keen on backing ex national hotses during follow up season so binned after that run

Rock on Ruby up £15
2 3 1 7/2
one of top novice hurdlers laast season and comes out with a good mark and I will continue to back, won the Gerry Fielding so I am keeping him for now as can make into a top hurdler this season

WETHERBY

JANUARY 24TH 2011

Good to Soft

Introduction

As I parked up in the centre of Wetherby racecourse I sort of hoped the house in the distance was Harewood House and it was where the Dickenson operation emanated from. To me Wetherby is linked to the Dickensons. On my first trip to Wetherby in March 2009 I thought it coincidental that at Cheltenham just three weeks earlier I had seen Michael Dickenson (seen as in ‘oh that’s that fella Dickenson over there isn’t it?’ rather than ‘How the devil are you Mick haven’t seen you in ages?. He was by Arkle chatting away looking very relaxed and in good nick. I remember press articles in the late 1980s, particularly around the time of the Sangster / Manton experiment where a tetchy nervy individual close to the edge was the way I recall the press appeared to like to portray the man. Either Dickenson’s American adventure had eroded these facets of his character or they were never really there. I think we know that the media requires intrigue, as they say why spoil a good story with the facts. Of course Michael Dickenson went on to be one of the most successful trainers of the early 1980s following plenty of wins for his parents in his riding days. The tough sparely made Bregawn led home his ‘famous five’ at Cheltenham in 1983 a feat I doubt will be equalled (sticking my neck out there a bit I know). Michael wasn’t just a great horse trainer but also developed a super string of jockeys. Graham Bradley was one of these but that is another story. The Tony and Monica Dickenson trained horses of the 1970s have a prominent position in my teenage years of staring at the chalkboard listening to the crackling Extel commentary. Bookmakers’ shops in those days were full, almost a bit of a community in themselves. When United  were away and me and my mates didn’t have a Vale match to go to, we would while away Saturday afternoons in Ladbrookes following the ITV Seven in the adjacent Red Lion. Its rival was down by the cut and was a shop in a time warp even then. It was called was John Nees (I’m not kidding although if a marketing man had got hold of it I guess the strapline of having everying covered may have featured) . This shop was next to our local The Swan which was a small canalside pub. At John Nees you didn’t get a fancy carbon copy of you bet, you merely got his business card with a reference number stamped on the back. There was no chalkboard just a massive A1 size sheet which had all the day’s runners printed. The results, odds and non-runners were felt-tipped on in a spider’s web of lines and circles.  John Nee really dreaded the manager of Ladbrookes popping in. He was a clued up punter who specialised in the big meetings such as Cheltenham. He couldn’t bet at Ladbrookes and when the word went round he had lumped on Outpoint in the Coral’s in 1977 we piled in on the 10/1 shot a mudlark with conditions in his favour.

The trip to West Yorkshire reminded me of one of the toughest technical battles I have had to fight in my career in road-building. We had won supply on a local highway. This job ran from just north of the Ferrybridge power station all the way to the Selby roundabout which is just shy of Wetherby racecourse. Problems existed before our central technical team was called in to look at some of the asphalt breaking up under site traffic. Not totally unusual but an early indication of something not right about the job. However big problems were identified when the road was opened to the general public and by Christmas 2004 we knew there was something to get hold of and quickly. Big depressions emerged in substantial areas of the job. Because we moved fast and employed one of the top consultants we had the high ground. Quickly we took command of the debate and the quality information thus ensuring that the repairs were not at our cost and using one of the company’s specially engineered materials.

The skirmishes caused casualties. A friend of mine lost his business as a consequence through the cash-flow problems a protracted dispute inevitably provides. Yet when it came to arbitration his testimony swung the day from an insurance perspective which helped many organisations. He didn’t recover enough of his investment although our company bought out his business and employed him in a senior capacity. Our managing director at the time ensured that all those involved in the successful outcome of this dispute were treated as some form of protected species. Today’s visit to Yorkshire acted as a memory jog to the previous ones where my colleagues in the fight were South Yorkshiremen. The down to earth nature and loyalty of this part of England are legendary. You think it is a myth until you work with them and then you realise it is true. A difficult admission from someone who lived most of his life on the other side of the hill as they say!

The fracas in Yorkshire taught me more than anything else that business is war. If you do not spot when war breaks out, have not devised a clear strategy and tactics you are at a significant disadvantage. You need a clear command structure. Ensure there is a small team who know specifically what their individual roles are. Collect, assess and disseminate all useful intelligence. Unless you do all these things prepare to fail.




COURSE

I don’t know whether the Brinks-Mat robbery was planned in the AI bar at Wetherby or not but the security in handling your money made you consider before entering the course to secrete your money in orifices that no self respecting Artful Dodger would contemplate invading. First you have to have the correct £12.50 in change. There is a man in a shed whose job it is to dole out these monies. Next you give the wedge to the lady behind the turnstile who then pushes the notes and coins through a slot and into a box. I use the word box in a way that does it no justice. It is constructed out of three eighth gauge mild steel fabricated by the fourth year metalwork class with the emphasis on utilitarian crudity rather than with any effete southern finesse. I estimate it weighs about the same as a reasonably well nourished whippet bitch. You don’t even get a badge or a receipt. Wetherby is too near the motorway to have a country track feel. In a way the motorway dominates the skyline you see from the stands. You can also see what I think is Drax power station churning out steam into the air as a mark of the historic importance of Yorkshire coal and access to water from the Calder. There is what looks like a fancy stately home. I hope it is Harewood House although it probably isn’t. Wetherby as a track is really well set out and it is difficult to envisage anywhere having a poor view of the action. Great value view is from top of the grand old building called the Gallery Stand, although a sharp north westerly hits you in this exposed eyrie. Plenty of money spent on the new facilities elsewhere, such as the smart new premium stand, very impressive weighing room and the oddest pre-parade ring I think I have seen, almost zoolike. All under cover, wire mesh to stop any iffy behaviour like a carrot with a bit of dope on it which could be swiftly shoved into the mouth of the favourite by a thin moustachioed trenchcoat wearing villain last seen scuttling off to somewhere with wi-fi so he can lay the beast on Betfair no doubt. The facilities in the centre of the track look like they were built in the 1950s and that’s probably because they were. There isn’t much to buy from the catering other than beer, tea and crisp in the middle in contrast to plenty of variety in the main enclosure. With regards to the new stands, all steel slag white cement, my gripe is that the crush barriers are at an annoy height in that you can’t lean on them in a slothful gait and added to this is that the gap from the barrier to the back of the step makes it uncomfortable to stand next. This is contrary that used to prevail  at Football grounds. There is a fair racecard which sells at £2.50. Which seems a bit steep really even if it is par for the course these days. In it you get a glimpse of racing’s marketing team in action.  Every track has to have Caribbean Night and not to be outdone Wetherby has a Calypso package. Of course a ladies’ day is essential and it must have some clothes for the girls to buy, heaven forbid you forget this piece of advice as the racing will never hold the attention of these feckless dear-hearts. You cannot possibly miss out on the Irish Day which is sometime within six weeks of St Patrick’s day with the essential ingredients of Guiness, Guiness gravy and craic. Just a bit of a guess here as to the definition of craic, but do you reckon there might be a bit of Division 3 Riverdancing going on to the accompaniment of the ubiquitous fiddle plus tinwhistle band stashed away within the confines of the course? Perhaps in the giant and probably empty barn of a building whose only clue to what happens within is a substantial ‘Toilets’ sign above it. Surely the advert is a pisstake; three ginger bearded, green floppy hat wearing fellas having the time of their lives. The Rubberbandits must be beside themselves. This Olde Oirland thing is past its sell-by date. It’s now a modern hard angry place ready to take its medicine but out for blood having learnt its lesson.

The Racing


First race on the card was a juvenile maiden hurdle over 2m4. The odds on favourite was Tigre D’Aron (magnificently pronounced by Stewart Machin who rarely missed the chance to use that sort of phlegm coated moan from the back of the throat which is the mark of the true French ‘r’ aficionado) trained by course leading winner Howard Johnson.The gelding had a bit of French form and jumped fine making most but either dossed a bit approaching the last or didn’t fully stay. Either way he only just held on. Second home was High Ransom who was bought cheap based on being exposed on the flat but with enough good jumping relatives to provide hope of a future in the game. As this was her first time over hurdles it was a good run and you would expect that she will pick up a race before long. The rest were well behind so it is difficult to be too bullish for the remainder’s future hopes although I felt White Diamond, a usefulish filly on the flat over middle distances, ran a promising hurdle debut to finish fourth. Whilst Grammes And Ounces improved a bit on debut running to finish distant third.











The Class 5 2m4 handicap chase was a seller in all bar name. Only Allanard jumped with a bit of consistency and here at Wetherby that is of high value. As a consequence he came home easily ahead of the senior competitor and out of sorts Panthers Run who was very one paced. Of the rest Qbuster weakened coming into the straight, Carraduff (quietly fancied) was never running with any enthusiasm and Go On Be A Lady stayed on strongly to claim third (she could be better over 3m but is a bit of a ponderous jumper to say the least).

The top hurdle of the day was the class 4 handicap over 3m1. There was a lively market and the Johnson trained Monogram was a touch weak favourite as significant money came for the Michael Easterby trained Borero. Monogram was up with the pace throughout and seemed to jump fine. However gave best at the last to finish 11 lengths third and looked like he was a little short on stamina, may need to drop back to 2m4 again. The winner was very well ridden by Jake Greenall a conditional jockey. Scrubbed along a long way from home and appearing to have a fair bit to do coming into the straight he got after him and pushed clear from the last to land the gamble. Looks a tricky ride, will probably get a fair chunk of lead for this win, and an enquiry after the race merely accepted that PPP0P0 form figures were part and parcel of stinging the bookies and in any case the horse had lost confidence over fences, needed to have a return to hurdles and was completely flummoxed last time out when some fool forgot to put the obstacles out. Of the rest regular Wetherbyite Terenzium ran so badly suggesting he’s now bored of the place, Arctic Echo gained from having a strap fitted for the first time finishing a respectable second having always being there or there abouts but needing plenty of rousting from halfway. Double Eagle was prominent till 3 out and pieces didn’t do a lot. Mtpockets up from Devon was soon beaten and Emperor Charles ran promising race without being knocked about and is one to keep an eye on over this trip.

The best race on the card was the 2m4 novice chase. There were three pretty good horses in this race. The most experienced and a course / distance winner was Knockavilla who ran his best race to date today jumping well in the main. This distance suits well but he is a bit below the top of the novice charts. If he keeps his 125 OR he must have a good chance in a handicap. The most recently successful in the field was Glenwood Knight who I had seen win a Uttoxeter event earlier in the year. However that race was plenty weaker than this one. He jumped pretty well today but put in a short stride at the sixth and fell heavily. Luckily he wasn’t badly injured although looked to be a bit stiff in the off hind. I doubt we will see him out for a while. Sir Tantallus Hawk was hopelessly outclassed as such a stupid name would merit. The winner was the hugely promising Alfi Sherrin. He was a very progressive hurdler last season and ended up favourite for a hot festival handicap. He started a bit carefully at his fences but soon got into a nice rhythm and jumping well for his debut. Pulled clear coming to the last and won very cosily. This 2m4 looks right up his street and I would like to see him get a handicap mark and have a go at the Jewson.




The novice hurdle over 2m1 looked a bit low in quality and very sparse in experience. The bit of knowledge that A Bridge Too Far had was when runner up in a Ludlow bumper and he put it to good effect winning this event pretty well. Of the rest the other joint favourite Omokoroa went out tamely, Johnson’s Northern Cross was midfield for much, Sweet Sugar was backed a bit but was never better than midfield and Ubi Ace stayed on in promising style for his debut to finish 3 length second, suggesting that he may be able to win a small novice somewhere small. The other Devonian upstart to run at today’s meeting was the Salto Des Mottes who raced in midfield and never threatened. This made it difficult to see which of the two was the van-filler. I blame Channel Four myself. A couple of weeks ago Neil Mulholland had his leg pulled about his horses needing passports to get out of the West County where he has been very successful. Now he finds himself with two moderate runs and a long journey back to Tiverton. Bet he wished he hadn’t bothered still he has a good one for this year’s Gold Cup in Midnight Chase.

The 3m1 handicap chase was a class 4 affair. It was an interesting race. The favourite was the apparently progressive Canal Bank ridden by AP McCoy (who had a double here today), two horses who had raced against each other when I visited Doncaster 12 days ago in La Pantera Rosa and Work Boy (who impressed and was on the to follow list), a couple of out of form greys and a CD oldstsager in Shrewd Investor. The race was ruined to an extent by poor jumping. First Canal Bank went flying before halfway, then we had the grey Blazing Diva jumping poorly and getting detached (PU in the end) finally La Pantera Rosa fell down the backstraight final time when beginning to force the pace. The winner was Work Boy who is a big strong individual. He pulled clear from the old man of the party approaching the last. This was despite wandering a bit and getting in the way of Shrewd Investor there was no interference which would merit changing the result. The other grey, Sieze, trotted in for an unpromising third. I think only Canal Bank (with the exception of my to follow Work Boy from Doncaster) would be likely to win any time soon from this lot. But obviously only if his jumping was to improve. 

The last race on the card was for conditional jockeys and was one of those hands and heels events. This one was a class 5 2m4 hurdle. Looking at how this race panned out you would have to say why do jockeys need whips? This mob of new boys positioned  and jumped their horses fine and rode out finishes in a sound manner. In fact the three who contested the finish of the race all produced nice jumps at the last without a quick crack to remind the fella of the big lump of hedge he is in danger of hitting if the jockey hadn’t just given him a swift flick to keep his mind on the job in hand, more sound than bite but what a sound. Anyway the best jump conjured up was by another of those Carberrys this time it was Peter. He rode a good race on King Benny who finished strong. Others worth a mention are the mare Cute N You Know It (that’s enough stupid names please, I am sure it means something at a dinner party or something but it looks infantile in a racecard) who was given a grand ride by very useful youngster Tom Kelly to finish a plugging on second (might need 3m) just picking up Rhyton who is ex Michael Stout no less. Some Catch, who had her supporters today, was a respectable third. We saw little of uneasy but still strong favourite Sambelucky.

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

High Ransom up £4
1(11/8)0
Won first time but then out of depth in classy novice.

Tigre Daron (N) up £20
40
Not up to shouldering a penalty

White Diamond up £25
031 7/2
Fair third at Catterick highlighted preference for tight tracks. Then went flat racing but didn't bother backing as indications were that weighted too high. Cpeices applied last run on flat and that was by far best run for sometime when sixth over too far. Reappeared over hurdles in nov hcap at Faxenham and won well 1st race with the cp on. Can go on now we know what she needs.

Monogram Down £30
232
Blinkers first time nearly did the trick plus a 109 rate when 2nd on last run. However a return to 114 lessens optimism and he is now best left.


Arctic Echo up £110
001(12/1)
No sign of the old boy since he won 1st time with the tonguestrap in place. best left alone now

Knockavilla down £10
P
Hardly the most auspicious of reappearances and I would bin him on that basis


Alfie Sherrin down £20
3P
I thought he looked a good prospect on the wetherby win and some good  efforts over hurdles but poor jumping led to defeat and a pulled up so was binned form the to follow list

Cutenyouknowit up £20
1(4/1)U0
Won next time in a minor event. Failed next twice and is now binned

DONCASTER

January 12th 2011

Good to Soft

INTRODUCTION

Who would be in your top ten staying chasers that never won the Gold Cup?  Mine would be:
10.  Brown Chamberlain (electric in RSA, still cannot believe never made the step up)
  9.   Lanzarote (my first Gold Cup and gutted that the best horse around and only a novice at the time fatally fell)
  8.   Pendil (legendary and before my time)
  7.   Ten Plus(carried 11-10 to win The Manderin, fatal fall in Gold Cup when going strongly 3 out in Dessies GC I still think he would have been hard to haul in)
  6.   Florida Pearl (Irish high class perennial who always ran well but could not quite do it in the Cheltenham Gold Cup)
  5.   Tied Cottage (I backed her when she fell at the last when ahead of Alverton, then when she wins it she gets a substance abuse disqualification. Out and out frontrunner)
  4. Gloria Victus (‘he was one of the best novice chasers of the modern era’ Timeform)
  3.   Carvils Hill (Worried out of it in his Gold Cup when looking streets ahead on form)
  2.   Diamond Edge (Whitbread perennial)
  1.  Wayward Lad (How the feck didn’t this great horse win a Gold Cup?)

So what’s this got to do with Doncaster? Well I was here years ago in the spring of 1984. It was the Premier Chase, he won in an absolute canter and there were no odds offered at all that I saw probably because after tax you would have not been much left. Officially the SP returned as n/o or no offers,  a first for me. He was a great chaser and to my eye the best horse never to win the Gold Cup. He picked up a couple of King Georges along the way. He deserves to be in top spot here not just for his wins but for his part in the monumental races that are worth watching every month to remind yourself why jumping is such a beguiling sport. These were the Dawn Run Gold Cup and being a key member of the Famous Five. I have always had a soft spot for Donny as I did my college course in quarrying here at the Mining College which was initially instituted as a school for pit apprentices. In fact quarrymen are in truth pitmen with clostophobia. Through my time here I came to the conclusion that you cannot escape the fact that Doncaster racecourse principally exists as a flat venue with the St Leger as the pinnacle of the season’s calendar. So it is interesting to look at the most likely trials for the St Leger over the years. The historic markers have been at the summer festivals at York (The Great Voltiger Stakes) and Goodwood (The Richmond Stakes)

Year    Winner            Second             Third
2010    Gordon    3rd    Voltigeur  2nd    Gordon      5th
2009    Voltigeur 2nd    G Freer    1st    Voltigeur   1st
2008    Gordon    1st    G. Thanks  1st    Oaks        1st
2007    Voltigeur 1st    Voltigeur  5th     Ebor        2nd
2006    Gordon    1st    Voltigeur  4th    Voltigeur   2nd
2005    PrixParis 1st    Voltigeur  2nd    Melrose     1st
2004    Voltigeur 1st    Yorks Oaks 1st    Juddmonte   9th
2002    Voltigeur 2nd    Voltigeur  6th    Gordon      1st
2001    Voltigeur 3rd    Voltigeur  2nd    Voltigeur   1st
2000    Voltigeur 1st    Voltigeur  3rd    G Freer     1st
1999    Gordon    1st    Voltigeur  1st    Ballycullen 2nd
1998    Voltigeur 4th    Yorks Oaks 1st    Derby      13th
1997    Gordon    1st    Yorks Oaks 2nd    Royal Whip  2nd
1996    Voltigeur 2nd    P.Chaudray 1st    Irish Derby 9th
1995    Cond(Wind)1st    Voltigeur  1st    Cond(Salis) 1st


COURSE

First thing is that this is a grand course geared up to handle decent sized crowds. It has a large betting and beer drinking hall for the agoraphobics in the modern main stand having escalators to the thoughtfully segregated foodhall upstairs. Good choice of scran on offer but difficult to find a cup of tea of all things. From here a set of doors leads out to a very good viewing patio. There is a Victorian stand alongside with a decent view of the activities but crumbly slate and pitted mastic together with a fair depth per step for the young, stumpy legged or the infirmed to tackle. Perhaps whoever is in charge of welfare and safety can have a shufty when taking a break for a few minutes from Doncaster’s top priority (see later). The track is essentially a flat expansive galloping circuit which seems to suit frontrunners. Most of the back straight is obscured by trees (why can’t these be cut down? This act would hardly be on a par with Amazonian Rainforest clearances reference the effect on biodiversity I would say). Fences are moderate. Cost of entry was a very reasonable £12.50. You pop over to a kiosk to buy your ticket, you pop it into the automatic turnstile and hey presto you’re in. Good big paddock right next to pre parade ring and straight into the stands, couldn’t be easier.  The course amenities are named mainly after recent heroes and often linked to St Leger. But there is no Nyjinski Bar. Surely an omission based on the triple crown being a superior feat to popping over the Atlantic to win the breeders a la Conduit. I do not have too much of problem with Conduit to be honest,  but to celebrate Silver Partiarch for being grey, Halmahera for having a name like a pictish spell and Lucarno for being the kit that launched a hundred engineering careers I struggle with a bit. The course rules focus inevitably on safety and security. To the extent that parents with prolific procreational skills and achievement are actively discouraged. No more than three per adult of kids under eighteen, what are they expecting Fagin and the team? It is however good to see that standards in the Premier Enclosure are strictly applied requiring Jacket, collared shirt and tie, presumably permission to remove ones tie may only granted in a heatwave or if such removal has been fully risk assessed. You will of course be relieved that Doncaster’s top priority is the safety and welfare of the horse and rider, further that erction of the screens does not mean the worst. When we were training greyhounds in Sussex a few years ago the screens did not signify the worst at Fontwell, more the ignition of the starter motor and engine followed by the grinding of the winch gear in Hawkins’ truck not inconspicuously positioned near the figure of eight cross-over emblazoned with the clue ‘meat trader and glue specialist’ on the side (I did make up the second part but not the first of the activities). To be brutal in those days the loss of the favourite in the 2.15 was the gain for the favourite in the A7 at Portsmouth.

THE RACING

Not a bad card at all kicking off with a divided 2m4 novice hurdle. The warm favourite was Loose Performer last seen out in an Irish point nine months ago. Always prominent but could never quite reel in long term leader Jack The Gent. Probably needed the run and might be able to win now fitter. The winner was a big shock despite some promising form in hurdles last season and a good flat pipeopener. Made most battled on resolutely and benefited from being one of the more experienced. However he may find a penalty hard to shoulder. Third home was Muldoon’s Picnic who blew quite a bit after the race and seemed to not quite get home. Trainer thinks race might have come a bit too quick but I think the galloping track may have exposed stamina limitations and a move to a tighter circuit would pay. All in all a good effort with a penalty for Huntingdon win.

The second division was won in great style on his hurdling debut by Johnson trained Drive Time. Had some very impressive Irish flat 1m6 form (including beating Blackstairsmountain) and has a real motor quickening well. Clattered the second last and looked like he may have sustained an injured near fore shin. Didn’t look lame but might confine for a bit and that may dictate next mission. Would not be a shock to see him take high order in middle distance novices this year. Brunswick Gold ran another bold front-running show and will pick up a novice this year at the right track, 2m4 appears to suit. Bollin Felix was favourite but again lacked fluency and does not look a natural so best avoided.

Local Hero was a strong order at well odds on for the juvenile despite having to carry a penalty for a bloodless Wetherby win in similar event. He won cosily but did have to be shaken up in the straight and jumping wasn’t overly quick on occasions. However is clearly very useful and gossip suggests that he has a live Triumph chance. I am a bit in two minds as manner of win was impressive but is his hurdling really of the highest order? Having said all that, I was caught by Eltheeb’s effort for third place. Was the only serious challenger throughout and got Local Hero off the bridle from what I could see. The exertions took it out of the colt and was eased a bit close home where he was mugged for second. He has won on the flat at Goodwood and remains an entire. He was brought from Dunlop’s yard for 48,000 guineas. Must be able to pick up a juvenile I would have thought.  The second was Frankalino who is in the ante post lists for the Triumph (a forlorn hope as there are a few horses with more ability that I could name  and two of them ran today)

The 3m novice chase was won by Adams Island in a driving finish due to his almost faultless round of jumping. With the penalty for a Uttoxeter and a good third paying a large complement to the very promising Wymott this has to go down as a sound performance. The runner up Mostly Bob announced he should be winning soon. Mostly Bob was much cleaner over his fences today than when falling in a promising round at Newbury on his debut and finished a clear second best today. Of the others On Borrowed Wings clearly gave them back on the way to Donny as he was off the pace throughout and jumped slowly. This did not look like a horse who had finished second in a grade 2 last time out (something amiss?) Lake Legend cantered in for third place and did not jump great in the main.

A very competitive class 4 handicap hurdle over 2m4 went to the well backed Wild Desert (a very progressive novice now in handicap company) who showed a fine turn of foot when pressed at the second last to win well from stablemate China Gold (off for best part of two years and well handicapped)both confirmed the opinion that Alan King’s horses are now straight and are generally on a good mark first time out. Of the rest stable mates The Panama Kid and Mac Aeda had a head between them for fourth and had been running in midfield in the main staying on well to suggest a bit further may well suit.

The class 4 handicap chase over 3m was a very close run thing with most in with a shout close home. In the end La Pantera Rosa (who looked very well in himself beforehand glossy coat) held on from a host of challengers including Work Boy (big strong sort who may prove best at 2m6; showed more fluency today than of late) and Quel Bruere  (who was close up and every chance before fading run-in and would be much better suited by a frontrunning ride and 2m6). However the big talking point would have to be the hot favourite’s run. He looked well in at the weights but his running and jumping was inexplicably bad. It takes a bit of the gloss off the assessment of the race as difficult to rate.

The final event was a good competitive bumper. Because Nicky Henderson’s yard is flying the favourite was debutante Hilton Indiana. He ran ok if a little free so no real shock when folded a bit 2 out. You would expect a bit of improvement.  The winner was Knockalongi who quickened nicely and if can jump may wash his face novice hurdling when the time comes. Fourjacks had some encouraging form but again found one too good failing to show speed on run in. Ridden prominently as if stamina is his strong suit and he should stay 2m4 in time. Of the others Venitzia pedigree suggests that he will need 2m4 plus and he ran as if this is the case, Shan Blue looked a useful sort in the ring and had been sold for a fair amount of money in the sales but looked a bit paceless in this bumper and may be seen to better effect over obstacles and a longer distance.

Notebook


Jack The Gent (N)up £40
Not up to carrying that penalty. Leave alone now
3353

Muldoons Picnic down £10
0
To go novice chasing but no big signals of confidence to date time to back off

Drive Time up £20
P1(4/1)F
Hurdling let him down against the best but when racing at a reasonable pace won well. Closing off on him now but it is interesting to note that he is now with Willie Mullins and he may just be rekindled over in Ireland

Brunswick Gold down £2
51(7/4)
Did well behind the best novices at 50/1 and then won when making all in a modest event but then cloddered by the handicapper so I left him alone. Since switched to chases and may do OK off current mark.

Bollin Felix (N) up £25
31(8/15)2 0
Looks very moderate and will find winning again hard but i will close in profit.


Eltheeb up £73
F01 7/1 4 1 100/30
Fell in boggy ground but has plenty of pace so followed on the flat. Four good runs followed with two wins before up 7lbs and became unattractive. Would like to see him have another shot over hurdles as clearly in good heart. However I will close off now on following him.

Mostly Bob level
1(3/1)FP0
Looked a fair prospect and followed up well next run but two non completions and a modest effort followed and this has led to calling a halt on the growing pain whilst level


Wild Desert down £30
P0P
The form figures led to the conclusion that something had gone wrong and at £30 down I said no more.

China Gold down £20
22
If there was a chance of a win it would have been this spring. I doubt he will get too may more chances so I have turned it in on him

Work Boy up £315
1(3/1)1(11/2)P 0 0 1 25/1
I thought he looked a good 2m4 to 2m6 horse. Couple of quick wins followed and then upped in the weights to 115 and ran if something amiss. Given time off returned to long distances without a lot of success but still looked capable if dropped in weights which happened when down to 111 (last winning rating was 111 ) and in he came over 2m4. Would keep following but its nearly a year since spotted to follow so closing off now


Quel Beurre down £50
P2P23
Often runs well and that is why he has been stubbornly kept at his current mark. I can now sit back and refuse to back him any more


Hilton Indiana down £10
4
Got a good run for my 16/1 money on his reappearance but not seen since and now left alone

Venitzia down £20
45
Does not look any more than moderate I am afraid

Currently to a £10 stake we are up £20

INTRODUCTION
Uttoxeter was the first racecourse I attended. That was back in the 1970s. The meeting stimulated my interest in the chasing game. Everyone seemed to know something. A friend of my Dad's had connection with an exflat horse called Benevolence, he was backed from 4s to 5/2 fav and won. There was a trainer called Martin Tate who had a stable jockey called Charlie Mann and they mopped up a rake of races landing gambles and having the odd classy horse such as Bawnogues. Uttoxeter's big race of the year is The Midlands Grand National which is held on the Saturady after Cheltenham Festival. It must be a worry as the gigantic hulk spreads its shadow that encrouchment with a Saturday grafted on must be a concern to the executive. Especially as a long distance handicap chase or a Festival National stands out on a hypothetical list of potential new events. Cheltenham is the dream of owners in the jump game. Just to have a runner there keeps owners heart's beating. As such the flagship has to be built up in prestige and prize money even at the expense of money at the coalface of the game and maybe even at the expense of established events around the gaffs. It is always a good track to pick up a bit of gossip from. I remember getting the train from Stoke to Uttoxeter (the course is right next to Uttoxeter station and on the Nottingham to crewew line which is dead convenient))and getting a strong tip for a Birch trained horse called Fob who had a string of duckeggs and was lined up for a small handicap hurdle. The old fella who told me even spelt it out in case I was too think to hear. I can still recall it today 'Yes it's called fob, that's right F-O-B fob. That's right he'll win' He did of course, backed down from 14/1 to 9/2 favourite. I still remember hearing some men clearly from Brum saying 'All the yokals were on that one - should be an enquiry - no form for ages'. I learnt some valuable lessons there. I remember putting my beer money on the odds on favourite in a three runner novice chase. It trailled in a poor last. I avoid small fields like the plague as a consequence of that experience.  Local trainer Bill Clay would have the odd winner and occasionally a good class horse like Jer. So it was at Uttoxeter that I decided to begin recording an attempt to get around all GB racecourses and as many Irish as I could and try and do the journey inside two years.

COURSE
Uttoxeter has changed significanly in the last 40 years. Plenty of investment and a slick operation makes it a great track for the family. There has been a real change to how racing is packaged and is evident at Uttoxeter as much as anywhere else. I took one of my colleagues for his 25 year service night to Uttoxeter. They had themed it Bootleg Beatles where a passable cover band belted out mainly early era stuff, trying to mimic in the most nasal scallywag drone that the lead-man could muster whilst being positioned just beside the paddock. There were perhaps a hundred souls hanging around including a few contemporaries of the originals who hankered after a missed chance in those far off teenage years to be The Cavern hatgirl. It is difficult to say whether these moderatly talented journeymen musicians are really worthwhile but if it rounds off a night for some in the summer there is clearly a niche there. The track has one of those indoor boozarama come betting shop emporiums. Perhaps it corales potential antisocials but it does seem a bit strange to go racing and never see a horse in the flesh, each to their own I suppose. To keep the riff raff out a couple of greencoated doorman check badges, to get inside you need to have paid top price. This is  presumably to ensure best behaviour as of course there is a link to ability to pay and decorum. However the best place for those who want to see a bit of value is to use the cafe under the old stand and watch the racing from the grass bank by the final chase fence. There are plenty of summer meetings and for families there is enough for kids to do particularly if you go into the centre of the track and take a picnic plus a football. Good value day out. The track to my eye is a touch on the galloping side with some undulations. There is a longish straight and I have always thought the final open ditch was awkward. Horses who kick on from three out are often difficult to reel in, especially on soft ground as I get the impression that it gets gluey quickly at Uttoxeter. The fences look regulation without being clearly harsh.

RACING

Div 1 of the maiden hurdle was of a fair level and with four in with a chance at the last there could be a few that win novice events this year. The winner was Maxdelas who stayed on well for the 2m4 in the mud but may have benefited from getting first run on Coolbeg. The Tom George trained third was staying on well without getting close enough to cause trouble and would have to be one to keep an eye on maybe at a tougher track over this trip. Second home was the Donald Mccain trained Railway Dillon who led for much in ground which he may have found too testing as pedigree suggests 2m4 would have been fine. Fourth and only beaten 51/2 lengths was the held up Havingascoobydo who lacks fluency still so best left until signs of hrdling ability (I have never keen on backing hurdlers unless they can hurdle well). The rest were well beaten and nothing stood out as notable.

Div 2 of the 2m4 maiden hurdle gave Donald McCain quick recompense for the defeat of Railway Dillon when the very useful Tornado Bob galloped well clear of the field, despite contriving to blunder, appearing to almost do a Devon Loch near a course crossing and missing out the last hurdle in an eventful run down the striaght. Clearly still green but with plenty of potential. Difficult to see much in the others as few jumped with fluency and therefore it would be a brave man who would spot one of these as capable of picking up a novice this season.

The Novice chase was easily won by McCain with warm favourite Glenwood Knight. This was achieved despite an error. He is from the same family as Papillon and you would imagine that 3m plus will be his forte in the end. However it is difficult to gauge how good this form is based on the runnng of his competitors. Howard Johnson's Silent Cliche was a clear second favorite but was never really travelling well and was inexplicably caught for second on the run in. Surely he is better than this and can win a novice this year. However my view of the second home, Not So Prudent, is that he is probably no more than modest and flattered by his finishing position. The rest, including the tickled at O'Neill runner Hopeful Start, all look on the moderate end of the poor scale.

The class 5 handicap hurdle was on the face of it a competitive event for decent platers. But it was won in fine style by the Kim Bailey trained Smokey George. He skipped clear jumping well and clearly relishing the heavy ground.The favourite on his handicap debut was David Pipe's Sarahs Boy who was eased when beaten 3 out after being in the van. I would say overdone on his handicap mark at the moment. Of the others I could see a bit of money for Barney Curley's Sommerstern who ran as if there is another day and that day would not be in the mud, whilst Samizdat was on a very attractive mark (now 77 from a high of 105)attracted a bit of support but ran as if was on an exercise jolly (perhaps needs a bit stronger handling someone like Ryan Mania who got some good runs out of the gelding last spring)

In the 2m4 class 4 handicap hurdle we saw another very easy winner as Twiston-Davies' Supreme De Paille powered clear to give the trainer a double. He goes up over a stone for this and that looks a bit harsh. The favourite was Ban Uisce and he ran like a pig.

The feature of the day was a class 4 2m handicap chase. It was to celebrate the recent win by AP McCoy as Sports Personality of the Year. A well deserved accolade and not completely disconnected from a strong lobby (particularly from Ms Balding who never missed a chance to push the claims without being too overt) and some good promotion through billboards etc. So Uttoxeter took the opportunity of marking the event and this shows again their ability to market which I have to confess is clearly well planned. The winner was Mallusk completing a double for the born again Kim Bailey. Jumped well in the main although a touch novicey on occassions (no shock as this was his first run as a chaser) to win his second race around Uttoxeter. Abey Mboy was the strong favourite and he never jumped or travelled well enough to be a threat. As such it was left to The Cockney Squire to take the fight to Mallusk by making most and showing much improved jumping to finish clear second. May be on a fair mark, seems to suit making the running so worth keeping an eye on if sights dropped a touch.

The final hurdle of the day was what looked like a tricky class 5 handicap over 3 miles. However the amreican part-owner listening to the commentary on his phone back home (hasn't he heard of betfair? He could have had his fiver each way, settled down with his ice tea whilst swinging on the poarch hammock gazing at his laptop). His Celian was soon clear and despite the top weight he soon had this prize in the bag with the manner of it suggesting he will be hiked up a fair bit. Second home  was bottom weight Ukrainian Star who ran well despite clattering one in the straight and then appeared to be eased down a bit. I noted a lack of money on O' neill's runner who opened tight then weakening in the market and was pretty friendless. That is just about how he ran. Second favourite Oniz Tiptoes was far from lacking in support, was held up which didn't suit today's conditions but plugged on fine and this suggests on better ground he will be in with a chance on current or lower mark. Worth noting that he has won at Sedgefield. Forget the rest on this running.

Wrapping up proceedings was a bumper to honour veteren commentator GG himself  who didn't leave Uttoxeter empty handed. The executive broke the piggy bank by presenting Goode with a magnificent, probably handspun by the virgins of the parish, polyester necktie no less. Anyway the race itself was a good quality bumper and had a well constructed thank-you verse recited by Graham along the back straight. The winner in a driving four-way finish was Just Cloudy who now goes novice hurdling. He just held off the challenge of a highly promising Monbeg Dude who comes from the same family as Fifty Dollars More so 2m would have been too sharp. He was well backed and I would say looks a good chasing type, certainly one to keep an eye out for. The third home was a close relative of useful Massinis Maguire and ran as if needing further. Two of the three mares in the race ran with promise. Particularly the Kim Bailey trained Kaffie who although a touch on the small side is a strong well made mare. She attracted some market suport and was only outstayed close home by a couple of good prospects. She is still a bit on the green side. The fifth was a bit distrant from the closely packed frame but despite this Miss Hippy ran with some potential and appears to need much better ground.

Notebook

Railway Dhillon up £27.50
31(11/4)2
Ran well next two hurdles getting a sound victory. Since switched to chases and as not sure of ability or scope left him alone

Coolbeg down £30
040
Largely disappointing might do better chasing but pulled stumps after three runs

Tornado Bob down £10
1(Ev)20
Good runs with one a win before switch to fences althoughas not sure of ability I left alone

Glenwood Knight (Negative)up £20
FF
Clearly useless and although I doubt will win again I am leaving at this stage

Not so Prudent (Negative)up £30
PU0
Hopeless but I will have no further interest in laying him

Smokey George down £2
1(5/6)2
Hurtled up the handicap after a couple of good runs and became unattractive to back

Sommersturm down £10
0
Only run over hurdles to date was promising and on 75 would kame him a gambling proposition but I will abandon him now as nearly a year of racing has elapsed

Samizdat up £140
01 11/1 1 4/1
Twp great victories were followed by a 11lbs uplift and that was too much to follow so stood down

Supreme de Paille(Negative)
00
Hopelessly handicapped following good victory but turning to chasing could be a good move. I have no real idea of his fencing ability so have deciedd to quit laying as could do OK at it

The Cockney Squire up £25
3P1 9/2
Eventually won novice handicap chase but then was faced with a 8 lbs increase so I didn't back. However unfortuanately was fatally injured in that race

Abey Mboy (Negative)up £30
U4U
Hopeless

Ukrainian Star up £50
1(6/1)0
Won well next time out but after an unplaced run he found himself 8lbs up and that was too much for me so I withdrew

Oniz Tiptoes down £80
42242020
I backed this thing far too many times and then saw him race at Cartmel in Jume and decided enough was enough. I bear no ill and hope he does eventually land a gamble for his owners but he is very genuine if limited

Monbeg Duke down £40
0402
I thought he would be better over timber than he has proven to be. I am sure he will come good maybe when he is older and jumps fences. However I will not be backing him any time soon


Kaffie UP £80
1 8/1
Won well in minor mares event but then clearly out of depth in  a feature bumper. Not got too much scope.
1(8/1) 0

To a £10 win stake and a £10 lay
Up £256


I was then at the summer national day and took some photos on a packed day. They must have been amazed at how many showed up