Friday, March 12, 2010

The Saturday before the Festival...

I always try to treat the Saturday before the Festival as a time for quiet reflection - the calm before the storm; essentially it's a time to keep your powder dry. Sandown's feature tomorrow is the fiercely competitive Imperial Cup in which 24 are set to face the starter. This year, noticeably, there's not one runner from the Pipe yard. Over the past decade, suprisingly for such a competitive race, the favourite has won on five occasions. During the same time period the winner has carried less than eleven stones on eight occasions while novices have a very good record - four and five years olds have won six renewals. One I have a liking for is Tocca Ferro; I've used this Emma Lavelle quote about her charge in the past... 'We like him... There are certain horses you get that give you that extra special feeling and he would be one of those... I'm dreaming about collecting a big trophy with him.' I wonder if the Imperial Cup is the big trophy Ms Lavelle has been dreaming about... I'll probably take a small each-way interest, watch the race and then turn my attention to next week's jamboree.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi GeeDEE

Any big punts lined up for next week?

The excitement is growing at NTF HQ!! Well for me anyway, dunno about the rest of them ;-)

Hope all is well at PGs Tips Towers.

GeeDee said...

Excitement building, Ben!

For the first time in over ten years I won't be going on Weds - other commitments taking priority :(

Pointed out a few fancies a month or so ago and I've sat and watched the prices fall without getting involved. Punjabi 16/1 looks good now.

Seen a number of layers very keen to get Dunguib in the opener. I'm a fan but won't get involved at such a short price.

Of the main races, the one I'd have no qualms of taking on is Long Run. Precocious talent but five year old, can be reckless at the obstacles and an amateur on board - if it comes to a close finish, you'd back the pro every time.

Just going through the Coral Cup entries and came across Ashkazar - do you think they're planning a stunt in one of the handicaps?

GeeDee said...

In the Imperial Cup Tocca Ferro (10/1) put in a decent effort, leading two out but he had no more to give coming to the last and faded into seventh; the selection would probably have been better suited with cut underfoot.

Qaspal, carrying ten stones three, continued the remarkable record favourites have in the race by collecting the spoils at odds of 11/4.