A Sandown situation

Earlier today, on hearing of the death of Ian Balding, I dug out my copy of Brough Scott's 'Of Horses and Heroes', to read the section dedicated to Mill Reef. It begins:

"Mill Reef was so small you could put your arm over his withers. He may have measured 15.2 hands, but he was so neatly put together that he seemed even less than that - until he moved. Then there was absolute assurance at every step: at the walk, the trot, the the canter and on into the gallop. He was mesmerising."

I've struggled to get my ducks in a row for tomorrow's card at Sandown - and Hurricane Bay, my pick for the 1.50, has just been declared a non-runner.

Not the best of starts to the new year; what follows is only for those who enjoy reading about form... 

At present the course is completely covered but temperatures are forecast to fall to -3C overnight. An 8.00am inspection has been called, with clerk of the course Andrew Cooper saying the covers give the meeting 'a fighting chance'.

Small fields and good ground wouldn't constitute typical mid-winter fare at Sandown. The 2025 Veterans' Chase Final, due off at 3.05, is the feature but I've taken a passing interest in the other chase for veterans on the card, the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Qualifier, due off at 1.50.

At the time of writing Jet Plane heads the market. 

In March 2024 Dan Skelton's charge, in receipt of two pounds, beat Can You Call two and a quarter lengths over course and distance off a mark of 124. 

He didn't jump particularly well then but stayed on to collar the eventual runner-up in the final 110 yards (as entries in the form book habitually say). The gelding went off the 22/1 outsider of eight that day; the trainer could offer no explanation for the apparent improvement in form (as entries in the form book regularly say).

Jet Plane's form rather took off after that.

Raised two pounds, he beat William Cody 12 lengths next time out (eased inside final 110 yards) and then in October finished third behind Jagwar at Wetherby off 135. 

His second behind Gracchus De Balme in the 2025 Aintree Foxhunters reads well; after that run connections clearly decided to target the Grand Sefton (along with the Duty Free) and he was backed in to 4/1 favourite on the day. 

Pilot Harry Skelton looked to have a full tank of fuel two from home - a place looked a formality - but he stalled on the runway, finding nothing and finishing seventh, over ten lengths behind winner Colonel Harry.

Last time out he beat Moonshine Man comfortably at Leicester and the handicapper reacted by raising him seven pounds to a career-high mark of 137. The Topham in the spring is a likely target.

Can You Call's profile suggests he would prefer more cut underfoot.

Evan Williams' charge finished third behind Eldorado Allen (Numitor pulled up) in a series qualifier on the Old Course at Cheltenham in November and returned four weeks later to beat Torn And Frayed and Eldorado Allen on the New Course from a mark three pounds out of the handicap. Now rated 128, he certainly looks weighted to reverse placings with Jet Plane on their meeting in 2024.

Triple Trade appeared to have a hard enough time behind David's Well and JPR One over two miles at Cheltenham three weeks ago. The first two established a clear lead; Joe Tizzard's charge made up some ground from the rear but finished ten lengths adrift in a race that was run in a time below standard.

Minella Trump was last seen winning a hunter chase at Carlisle in May so could lack a race fitness edge while the grey Numitor has failed to complete on his last three starts and has since undergone wind surgery.

Hurricane Bay won the Prince Of Wales Cup at Fakenham in June where he wore a first-time tongue tie after it was reported he had made a noise when pulled up behind Coco Mademoiselle in the Staffordshire Plate at Uttoxeter. 

Lucy Wadham's inmate underwent wind surgery in October and ran well behind the well-regarded Moon Rocket at Doncaster at the end of November. Fifteen days later he returned to the South Yorkshire track where he ran well but only to a point, weakening badly up the home straight when fifth behind Docpickedme.

He doesn't have too many miles on the clock - in a recent Straight from the Stable article [RP Weekender 10-14.12.25] his handler described him as 'a good ground horse'. I was hoping, racing off a mark two pounds higher than when winning at Fakenham, he could be competitive on the better ground at around 11/1 - but the gelding has just been declared a non-runner.

Sigh. 

Wishing all readers a happy new year.

Royal Ascot 2013 - Tuesday

Things will be different at Royal Ascot this year...

Firstly, Sir Henry Cecil, with 75 winners the most successful trainer of all time at this meeting, will not be present. His passing has been mourned by racing people around the world.

Above all else I will always associate the trainer with the Ascot Gold Cup at a time when the race and the great stayers were adored by the public. Le Moss beat stablemate Buckskin in 1979 and repeated the trick the following year beating Ardross three quarters of a length in a thrilling duel inside the final two furlongs.

Ardross was subsequently sold out of Kevin Prendergast's yard in Ireland and in 1981 turned up to collect the spoils, this time trained by H.R.A. Cecil. The following year the horse came back to win the same race on his fourth run of the season, breaking the track record in the process. Marvellous memories indeed...

This year sees Channel 4 cover the meeting for the first time, with every race scheduled to be shown live; presenter Clare Balding received an OBE for services to Broadcasting and Journalism in the Queen's Birthday Honours on Saturday.

Traditionalists have bemoaned the arrival of Royal Ascot coverage interrupted by advertisements but times have changed... The racecourse has struck its first sponsorship deal for this meeting in 302 years - Swiss watchmaker Longines is Royal Ascot's 'official partner' in a five year deal worth £7 million.

Reassuringly, other things are likely to remain much the same as ever, such as the below-par performance of the blog's tips. Here are brief comments for Tuesday's card...

In the opening Queen Anne Stakes 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom looks the one to beat but he'll be no price. Those looking to oppose will point out the trip is shorter than ideal and connections wouldn't relish soft ground if rain came. The each-way value about Elusive Kate disappeared in the week.

Shea Shea will be a warm order for the King's Stand but only two favourites have obliged in the past decade (Miss Andretti 3/1 2007 and Scenic Blast 11/4 2009). Currently priced at around the 2/1 mark, I'm not tempted.

It was a surprise to many to see Dawn Approach declared for the St James's Place Stakes after his performance in the Epsom  Derby two and a half weeks ago. Aidan O'Brien's Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician looks a threat but a minor setback in the past few days is a concern - Coolmore has also declared Mars, sixth in the Derby, as insurance. Connections have long been sweet on Toronado but he has enough to find on the book. Dawn Approach, racing back over a mile, is the percentage call but you couldn't have foreseen that performance at Epsom on Derby day - I'll watch from the sidelines. The favourite has obliged on six occasions in the past ten years.

My each-way chance in the Coventry is Wahaab at around 12/1.

I always like one with NH form in the Ascot Stakes (5.00). Last year Simenon took the spoils for Willie Mullins and then four days later added the Queen Alexandra Stakes for good measure; I'll look closely at Simenon if he goes in Thursday's Gold Cup - he met trouble in running last time in the Chester Cup. This year Mullins saddles Midnight Oil, rated 135 over hurdles in Ireland, and the Motivator gelding is the each-way suggestion at 10/1. On a line through Bondage this one wouldn't have much in hand over Philip Hobbs' Big Easy (fifth in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham off a mark of 136) but Hobbs' charge was slightly outpaced that day and that is a concern here.

The Welsh Grand National, Clare Balding, Mr Little's Noisy Car and the Tolworth...

Originally Clare Balding was rostered to cover the Welsh National at Chepstow for the BBC so there's a certain irony in the fact that, due to mitigating circumstances, nine days on she fronts this year's renewal for her new employers at Channel 4.

Channel 4's brand new racing coverage didn't get off to the most auspicious of starts on new year's day. Cheltenham was called off so Balding gave us a whirlwind tour of Nicky Henderson's stable instead; a couple of races from Musselburgh were thrown in for the sheer hell of it while Nick Luck, Jim McGrath, Graham Cunningham and Tanya Stevenson spent a sizeable chunk of the airtime available impersonating a job interview panel.

Their appearance brought to mind a previous occasion when one such panel enquired of me 'What was the last work of fiction you read and what do you remember most about it?' I replied 'Mr. Little's Noisy Car. The thing I remember most was Mr. Little finding a tiger in the boot of the car.' The kids were quite small at the time; I didn't get the job.

It's early days for Channel 4's new team and I don't want to appear too judgmental. Mrs Tips, never one to keep quiet for no reason whatsoever, tells me the jury is out...

18 have been declared for the Chepstow feature tomorrow but the picture is complicated somewhat by the fact that both Across The Bay and Alfie Spinner have also been declared for the 3.40 at Sandown. The perceived wisdom is Across The Bay runs at Chepstow while my Welsh National fancy, Alfie Spinner, is heading to Sandown. Gutted.

Teaforthree has an obvious chance with underfoot conditions sure to suit; this has been the target all season. He's tipped up everywhere - the layers appear to be taking the name literally as several offer no more than a rather miserly-looking 3/1. I share John Francome's view on Michel Le Bon - the horse just doesn't jump anywhere near well enough.

The last winner older than nine was Riverside Boy back in 1993, a stat that knocks out half the field. I've looked for something with course form that's aged under ten and with less than 11 stone to carry - Charlie Longsdon's Universal Soldier fits the bill. This one finished just over 13 lengths behind Teaforthree in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in March and is now six pounds better off; the first-time blinkers are a cause for slight concern. I'll take a small each-way interest in Universal Soldier at 10/1.

The Tolworth at Sandown (2.25) looks most intriguing with layers offering 7/2 each of three this evening. Geraghty rides Royal Boy rather than course and distance winner Golden Hoof; the latter-named boasts the same official rating as Melodic Rendezvous (135) who had Royal Boy threequarters of a length behind at Cheltenham three weeks ago. That was Royal Boy's first run for nearly two years and connections will fancy their chance of turning the form around. Clive Cox's Poet, a winner of Group Three races on the Flat, jumped like an old-hand on his first try over hurdles at Newbury 17 days ago; an article in yesterday's Times indicated John Francome has done much of the work with this one with the Champion Hurdle the target if things go to plan here. Of the principals, I have to oppose both Poet (on account of age - eight) and Melodic Rendezvous (his handler was decidely downbeat about his charge's chance on heavy ground before the Cheltenham race.) Court Minstrel is not lightly dismissed and appeared a little unlucky in running when bumped and hampered after the last behind Dodging Bullets at Cheltenham - Henderson has a benchmark in  River Maigue, second that day and a winner since. Royal Boy gets the nod; whatever happens, the race will prove useful for future reference.

I won't play in the finale at Sandown. I suspect Team Tizzard are giving Hey Big Spender a runout before another crack at Warwick's Classic Chase (next weekend) while at the time of writing my former Welsh National fancy Alfie Spinner is priced up favourite. Triolo D'Alene has had a breathing operation and could come on for his seasonal debut but to date hasn't proved he stays this trip. Fruity O'Rooney definitely does stay the trip and could well make a bold bid (seventh in Hennessy) but in the past has tended to jump out left when racing on right-handed tracks.

Some short snippets...

Harry Findlay's successful appeal on Wednesday has received plenty of press coverage this week - Greg Wood argued for a change in the BHA rule book in Friday's Guardian. Meanwhile the exchange operator Findlay used to lay his own horses, Betfair, appears to be considering a stock market flotation in the autumn which could value the group in the region of £1.5 billion. Saturday's Times reported that the two founders, Ed Wray and Andrew 'Bert' Black, will share a paper fortune of £375 million if the float goes ahead. Betfair is the world's biggest betting exchange with over three million customers in 140 different countries.

In future 'Bert' Black is likely to pump some of that money into Manor House Stables where Tom Dascombe trains a number of horses for Michael Owen. However it was trainer Tim Vaughan who provided Owen with his first double as an owner when Paddy Partridge and Holoko Heights took the opening two races on the card at Uttoxeter on Wednesday.

It looks as though trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies intends to try and keep the Plates spinning. Grand Slam Hero won the Summer Plate at Market Rasen yesterday and connections have indicated they now have the Galway Plate on July 28th in their sights. Bet365 still offer 16/1 this evening but William Hill go 10/1.

In the world of golf, congratulations go to the new Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen. Mrs Tips reports Clare Balding saying on radio a racing acquaintance of hers had backed the winner at odds of 480/1. I wonder who that might be...

Finally, a quip from Johnny Vegas in a 60 seconds interview that appeared in a recent edition of Star magazine. Asked if he'd ever cheated on anyone, Vegas replied: "I have never cheated on anyone, certainly not in a relationship. I cheated on my dad when I said I put bet on for him, but I kept the money. That was 20 years ago." Of course, had the horse come in, he could simply have gone back to his father and handed over the stake, saying he forgot to put the bet on. Such an honest gesture from one so young may well have prevented the probable parental thrashing that loomed ahead. However, if the young Vegas had already spent his dad's stake money on several bags of sweets, then the only sensible course of action would have been to stuff an old exercise book down the back of his pants. Ah, the good old days - where did it all go wrong?