West Country memories

Simon Nott's tribute to on-course bookmaker Brian Edwards in this month's Racing Ahead brought back a couple of memories. Brian, who traded as George Edwards Plymouth, died on 17th July after a long struggle with cancer. I struck a few bets with Brian at Newton Abbot and Devon & Exeter back in the early nineties, a time when I was green enough to think I might come out on top...

In particular I recall going to Newton Abbot one fine spring evening to back a horse called Biloxi Blues in the handicap chase. The grey had decent form in the book and, at a time when Mark Coton's Value Betting was all the rage, I thought I'd stumbled on a value bet and a bit more as the daily papers reported the price as 6/1. Finishing work early, I drove to the course but was more than a little dismayed to see the bookies open with Biloxi at 6/4. The price soon began to contract so, making the best of a bad job, I walked up to Brian and asked for a fiver at 11/8. Quick as a flash, he reported 7/5 to his clerk and I walked away, not quite sure whether I'd been done or not.

The race itself proved rather eventful... Dean Gallagher decided to try and make all on outsider Wimbleball and he quickly built up a lead of twenty lengths or so. Despite hitting a couple of fences fairly hard, Wimbleball was clearly enjoying himself and his lead was still intact halfway down the back straight second time around before Richard Dunwoody decided it was time to play catch-up on Biloxi. Wimbleball wasn't for stopping and had the race in the bag coming to the last but he took one last liberty with that last fence and came crashing to the ground; Dunwoody carried out a nifty piece of steering, jumped the obstacle safely and 5/4  favourite Biloxi Blues collected the spoils. Brian's face told its own story immediately after the race; a couple of punters looking to collect before the winning jockey had dismounted were given short shrift.

Some 15 years later I was at Exeter with two brothers-in-law for the 2004 New Year's Day meeting. We hadn't been that successful but my companions had compensated by indulging in several of their favourite beverages. Waiting for the free bus home, my colleagues asked for an opinion on the concluding bumper. Philip Hobbs' Supreme Serenade was odds-on but I ventured they might want to consider opposing with Paul Nicholls' Alexanderthegreat; this conversation took place outside a couple of ptiches, one of which belonged to Brian. Brian appeared to be in conversation with his fellow layer but as soon as he heard me mention Alexanderthegreat, he immediately marked the horse out from 5/1 to 11/2. I started to smile but these subtle nuances escaped my inebriated colleagues who then demanded an explanation. I tried but it was proving hard work and at the end of it all one brother-in-law walks straight up to the layer offering 5/1 and strikes his bet...

In the event, Nicky Henderson's Copsale Lad (3/1) won impressively from Alexanderthegreat. Copsale Lad did me a couple of favours after that and some three years later popped up at Newbury at odds of 14/1. Unfortunately on that occasion I'd bid more than I should have for a day at the races with The Times' Alan Lee and he'd tipped me the second, Minella Tipperary...

R.I.P. Brian Edwards.

Points of view

Denman put in an exceptional performance yesterday, carrying 11 stones 12 pounds to victory on soft ground in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury; the horse is clearly back to his very best. Over the past two Saturdays we have seen Kauto Star win by a nose at Haydock and Denman demolish a high-class field at Newbury. Anticipation for their clash in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March has started to build already; this evening Blue Square bet 9/4 Kauto Star, 5/2 Denman, 8/1 Cooldine, 10/1 Imperial Commander.

Just for a second or so, as Denman and What A Friend raced to the final flight, it looked as though Sam Thomas' mount took the lead judging from the reverse camera angle used by the Channel 4 team in their replay. Thomas' mount seeemd to wander around slightly at the last but Denman powered away on the run-in to take the spoils. Thomas will have had mixed emotions talking on television afterwards, having ridden Denman to victory in the same race two years ago; he spoke eloquently and deserves plenty of credit.

As Alan Lee pointed out in Thursday's Times, Richard Dunwoody hasn't been afraid to put the cat amongst the pigeons in his latest book 'Method In My Madness'. Amongst other things, Mr. Dunwoody has suggested that Richard Johnson might have had a better chance of being champion jockey with a different agent and that jockeys' titles should be settled on prize money rather than winners. Writing in the same paper the next day, Tom Scudamore picked up on the latter point... 'To me, the mark of a champion jockey is consistency throughout a season, not just brilliance on the biggest days.'

A story that ran through the summer months (seems such a long time ago now) was the search to find a buyer for Ayr racecourse. This business snippet was spotted in last week's Sunday Times, suggesting the Reuben brothers, who took over Northern Racing two and a half years ago, are on the verge of doing a deal.

Finally, I was annoyed to have missed the Pantomime Horse Grand National which took place in Birmingham City Centre last Sunday. Spank the Donkey won the fillies event while Hoof Hearted took the colts race. Must make a note of the date for next year...

Newbury debrief

I enjoyed a great day's racing at Newbury yesterday in the company of The Times' racing correspondent Alan Lee. The panoramic view from the press office balcony, from where I watched a couple of the races including Kauto Star's Aon Chase victory, was superb (see picture).

Two performances that stood out were Denman's winning of the opener and Well Chief's scintillating victory in the Game Spirit after an absence of 658 days.

Denman could not have been more impressive, his performance leading to a revised quote of 7/4 for the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase at Cheltenham next month. Favourites don't have the best of records in this race but, having watched the manner of his victory here, he is sure to take a deal of beating.

Well Chief brought the house down with an exceptional display and now heads for the Queen Mother Champion Chase as 7/4 favourite. Talking to Martin Pipe in the bar before racing, I felt he wasn't particularly bullish about the horse's chance so went and wasted my money on the disappointing Foreman instead.

All the talk after the Aon Chase was of Kauto Star's final fence fling, a replica of his mistake at the last in the King George at Kempton. As the horse was led in, a young lady with the connections asked the horse imploringly 'Why do you keep doing that to us?' Ruby Walsh didn't look too happy going back to the weighing room; Paul Nicholls talked for a good ten minutes after to assembled press representatives. There was a protracted discussion about how he may be ridden differently at Cheltenham by not coming to the last in the lead. It appeared to me that McCoy rode a canny race on L'ami by ensuring Kauto Star had to jump the last under some pressure.

The concluding bumper with a total prize fund of £20,000 contained some interesting sorts and was run in a murky penumbra. There was a strong word for Carl Llewellyn's Treat Em Mean who raced prominently for a while before fading. David Pipe's Seven Is My Number was well supported. The one four year old in the field, Just A Thought, was backed from 33/1 to 20/1 - I managed to get some shrapnel on at 22/1 - and Noel Fehily took the running up about two furlongs from home. Unfortunately the petrol just began to run out in the final furlong and McCoy produced Crocodiles Rock to win by a length. Just A Thought looks nailed on to win a bumper - the trouble is the cat's out of the bag now.

A day pepppered with highlights, not the least of which was my wife's obliging with a substantial cooked breakfast before my departure.

Newbury selections

Judging by the way the snow is falling here in Coventry, I'm guessing the going will be soft at Newbury if tomorrow's meet goes ahead. Here are my selections; of course, once I've had a conversation with The Times' Alan Lee and he has marked my card, I'll be betting his selections instead...

Two Cheltenham ante post favorites, Denman and Kauto Star, appear to have frightened off the opposition; they are the selections in the 1.35 and 2.40 races respectively, although they're both likely to be long odds on shots.

In contrast the Game Spirit Chase at 3.50 looks an intriguing event. The race conditions appear to suit confirmed front runner Ashley Brook. Well Chief would be a danger to all if at his best but he's been off the track for 658 days. The Champion Chase ante post favourite Voy Por Ustedes is the youngest horse in the race and has to give weight all round. Sporazene has won every chase he's completed while Foreman tends to show his best form on soft ground. You pay your money and take your choice; Foreman looks a decent price at around 5/1 while 10/1 Sporazene offers some each way value if eight go to post.

Alistair Whitehouse Jones, writing in The Weekender, puts up a decent case for Tarlac's profile in the Totesport Trophy at 3.15 while I take David Pipe's Seven Is My Number to show the necessary improvement in the finale.

Super Saturday at Newbury

Saturday's card at Newbury looks something special with, at this stage, three Cheltenham ante post favourites likely to be running - Denman, Kauto Star and Voy Por Ustedes. For some time the press has been describing the day as 'Super Saturday'; I'm lucky enough to be going there in the company of The Times' racing correspondent Alan Lee.

So, when I woke up this morning, one thing I didn't want to find was three inches of snow on the ground.

Let's hope there's a quick thaw, otherwise 'Super Saturday' is in danger of becoming 'Super Snowed Off Saturday'.

The right price

Two weeks ago last Monday the phone rang out of the blue. I picked up the receiver to hear a young lady with a rather seductive voice asking to speak to me. That's unusual, I thought, for a Monday.

The aforementioned young lady proceeded to tell me that my bid in The Times Christmas Charity Auction for a day at the races with Alan Lee, The Times' racing correspondent, had won. Naturally I was flabbergasted.

Regular readers may remember my entry just before Christmas entitled 'What price a day at the races?' Well, I now know the answer; it's a little bit more than my wife is totally comfortable with.

I'm scheduled to be at Newbury on Saturday February 10th in the company of Alan Lee. I shall be taking copious notes from which in due course you, dear readers, will be able to profit.