Thoughts on Halloween

Quick notes from Wetherby yesterday... Deep Purple ran a fine race in the Charlie Hall - Evan Williams' charge was fairly eating up the ground at the finish, much as he did in the race last year. The Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on December 9th is the next stop. Interviewed on Channel 4 by Derek 'Tommo' Thompson, owner Graham Wylie put up three to keep an eye out for - Tidal Bay (finished third behind Fair Along in the John Smith's Hurdle), Presenting Forever and On His Own; the last named has a five day entry in the 3.10 at Hexham on Friday. Coastley was going well enough for a 28/1 shot in Fair Along's race but put in a howler at the ninth flight that practically stopped him in his tracks. He was pulled up shortly afterwards but could be of interest in the future, a comment that also applies to Gary Moore's Bogside Theatre who ran well for a long way at the head of affairs before taking a crashing fall three from home - the obvious concern is the mare's confidence will have been affected. Calgary Bay, a big-looking beast, appeared to be travelling sweetly and set for a place at least as the principals came to the top of the final bend but the gelding found disappointingly little when asked a question. Perhaps Martin Todhunter's outsider That's Rhythm (finished fifth) will be worth a second look when dropped a little in class. Gilbarry went into many notebooks when taking the opening novice chase by beating 6/5 favourite Osric, the pair 30 lengths clear of Knockavilla in third.

This season Paul Nicholls has moved stables and now writes a column for Betfair. The Racing Post, not to be outdone, hit back by announcing on Saturday they had signed up Nicky Henderson. In his first piece for the trade paper the Lambourn trainer kept punters in the picture by indicating many of his string were two weeks away from where he wanted them to be.

Weird Al returned to the track at Carlisle earlier today; Ian Williams' charge got up on the line to dead -heat with Little Josh over a trip that is probably short of his best. I was surprised to see Cape Tribulation sent off favourite for this intermediate chase; the bay didn't jump all that well at Hexham the last time veering left on occasions - that trait was evident again. He lost his position from the eleventh and was soon pulled up.

With Cheltenham's Open meeting less than a fortnight away, a quick reminder that Cheltenham Racecourse station is currently closed due to a landslip south of Gotherington Halt. Repair work has started - the latest estimate I have is that services are unlikely to be restored before mid summer; further details on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway website.

Finally, as highlighted on The Morning Line, Donald McCain's Drill Sergeant (formerly with Mark Johnson on the Flat) is blessed with ability but comes with quirks. Holding a fifteen length advantage in a Haydock novice hurdle, the Rock Of Gibraltar gelding pulled himself up at the the exit to the stables, going from first to last in a matter of strides. McCoy worked the magic though and the 11/10 favourite still ran out the winner, beating Brother Bob a length. In a recent stable tour article Donald McCain had said, 'It is possible we will ride him more positively in the future over 2m...' My guess is connections will be reviewing that approach. Incidentally, the form appears to pay a compliment to Kilcrea Kim who beat Drill Sergeant over two and half miles at Bangor. That one has a five day entry in the 1.35 at Exeter on Tuesday.

Carlisle considerations

Lydia Hislop wrote a piece for Tuesday's Guardian in which she highlighted the fact that punters' distrust of going reports from racecourses had reached an all-time high. The forecast going for both Haydock and Carlisle tomorrow is heavy and, to be honest, I'm going to take those reports at face value because Newton Abbot's card has already been called off (waterlogging) and it has done little else here other than rain all day.

Heavy ground at Haydock is something else and, having looked at the card, I'm not keen to get involved. Carlisle host an all-chase card - the concluding hunter chase to be run over three miles and half a furlong at the end of the day will take some getting. Venetia Williams' two runners catch the eye - Ma Yahab (2.50) and Ginolad (4.00), Aidan Coleman riding both. Ma Yahab ran a fine race in the Kim Muir at the Festival; after appearing to hit a flat spot after the tenth, the chestnut gelding stayed on strongly to finish fourth behind Ballabriggs, beaten little more than four lengths. This looks very competitive though - there must be a fair chance Ma Yahab will not have recovered fully from his Cheltenham exertions and he has eleven stones eleven to carry in testing conditions. Other yards from the South have their eye on the £25,000 added prize money including Kim Bailey (Buffalo Bob), Paul Webber (Appleaday) and Jonjo O'Neill (Supreme Keano) while last year's winner Antonius Cesar merits respect with the jockey claiming a useful-looking five pounds.

I won't be tempted in that race but I am tempted by Ginolad in the two and a half mile novice chase. This gelding was one of Australia's top chasers - he has a Grand National at Flemington to his name (run over two and three quarter miles) and finished sixth in the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan last April. Following a successful debut at Fontwell in December he has struggled a little but looked to be coming into form the last time at Newton Abbot where he went to win his race three from home but failed to see out the longer trip, finishing last of the four runners. The step back here to two and a half miles should suit, as should the small field, the going and the stiff finish. Having said all that, on official ratings there isn't much between the runners. Oliver Sherwood sends just one up from his Lambourn base, Trevor Hemmings' Finney, while Youngstown was never really travelling in the National Hunt Chase at the Festival. Mr Woods is a course and distance winner who has made the odd mistake in the past and likes to race from the front. Heez A Steel appears to have a stiff task on his chasing debut - Ginolad gets the vote.

Racing snippets

Plenty of drama at Wetherby yesterday - a thrilling finish in the Charlie Hall while Barry Geraghty would be the first to concede it was not his finest hour when taking the wrong course in the mares' listed hurdle. He received plenty of cat calls from disgruntled punters for that blunder but, fair play to the man, he was on national television a few minutes later holding up his hands and accepting responsibility. The stewards hit him with a twelve day ban which starts on November 14th, Paddy Power Gold Cup day.

As if all that wasn't bad enough for Geraghty, over at Ascot the Henderson stable bagged a couple of winners with French Opera and You're The Top - both ridden by one AP McCoy.

I always associate the specialist miler Cesare with Ascot. Connections have decided that the eight-year-old has been a little disappointing this season so James Fanshawe has indicated he intends to send his charge hurdling - I'll watch with interest.

Racing folk will always tell you there's more money in the Flat game; a couple of notes, just to prove the point... Teletext report Eddie Stobart CEO Andrew Tinkler has recently spent over £400,000 guineas on a gelding named Royal Diamond while the stud fees for Sea The Stars make interesting reading. In his debut season he will cover in the region of 120 mares at a cost of 85,000 euros (£77,000) a go. Over three years the horse, set to stand at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland, will generate income in excess of £50 million.

Having said that, at the other end of the scale, all weather racing celebrated a signifcant milestone at Lingfield on Thursday - its twentieth anniversary.

Finally, a pointer from today's NH card at Carlisle... Knockara Beau (a horse about whom I missed some fancy prices for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle last March) took the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase, beating the well-touted Killyglen and landing a couple of lumpy wagers in the process. He looks worth keeping an eye on this winter.

Easter cards

Easter is an awkward time of year - family, holidays, wet weather, all that sort of stuff, and the run-of-the-mill racing that comes with it doesn't do much to ameliorate the situation. Earlier today (Good Friday), heaven knows how, I ended up listening to Classic FM's Hall Of Fame marathon for a few minutes, in which they count down the top 300 classical works, with the 'all-important Number One' due to be announced just before 9.00pm on Easter Monday. I think I was listening to Exsultate Jubilate K.165 by one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but I couldn't be certain. Enough of that; here's a few notes on the Easter weekend's offerings...

I'm struggling to find something that makes much appeal on Saturday. Only five go to post in the Sports 360 & The Football Conference Handicap Chase at Haydock; at the time of writing the Sporting Life price up Philip Hobbs' Gershwin 6/4 favourite. This six year old looks plenty short enough in the market considering his limited chasing experience. Dominican Monk warrants consideration but a reading of his form suggests the ground may ride a little quick for him. In the Weekender Colin Russell expects a big run from Tom's Toybox with regular amateur Lucy Horner claiming five. Beggars Cap unseated Graham Lee in the Grand Annual but prior to that the horse had finished seventh behind Leslingtaylor at Doncaster, with Tom's Toybox a further seven lengths behind in eighth. On that occasion Coach Lane was third, beaten just under ten lengths by Leslingtaylor. In the meantime Coach Lane was pulled up at Lingfield but, if you forgive him that run where he didn't jump well, he looks bang in with a chance here yet in the tissue is priced at 10/1. The Sporting Life claim Coach Lane is out of form which I think a little unkind - I'll wait to see how the market shapes up tomorrow before making any decisions.

At Carlisle the opener looks between Sa Suffit and Fit To Drive while a lot of the fancied runners in the Totescoop6 Handicap Chase have shown their form when the ground is riding on the soft side. In the concluding hunters' chase Geeveem, formerly with Paul Nicholls, will be worth a second look as he's the top-rated individual and being by Supreme Leader should handle better going.

In the Weekender Malcolm Heyhoe is keen on Heebie Jeebie in Sunday's finale at Plumpton and I'm with him. I was at Stratford when the mare, having her first run for nearly nine months, ran a stormer over slightly further to finish third, less than a length behind Quiny Boy and Bolton Hall. That day the front three pulled nearly thirty lengths clear of their rivals and the first two have been placed subsequently. On official ratings Heebie Jeebie has something to find with some of these but I'd like to think she'll improve for the run; the tissue has her 8/1 - at that price you could back her each-way. Benayoun rates an obvious danger.

Easter Sunday is one of the two days when you have to pay to get in at Towcester. A decent show from Burton Port in the 2.55 at Haydock on Saturday will point to Busker Royal's chance in the 3.10, those horses having finished fourth and sixth respectively behind Big Eared Fran at Sandown recently. I marginally prefer Venetia Williams' Pterodactyl in this. There isn't much between Inaro and Rydal Park in the open hunters' chase at 4.40; last time I fancied course and distance winner Rydal Park to beat Back Nine but the selection fell at the tenth. One to note though is Sleep Bal who is rated some sixteen pounds higher than Rydal Park - he warrants close inspection.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Easter!

Easter Saturday

Tomorrow at 4.00pm Doncaster hosts the Lincoln on what is traditionally considered the first day of the new Flat season. I've always considered the race a bit of a lottery and won't be getting involved. Several of the fancied ante-post runners, including Zaahid and Don't Panic, failed to make the cut and race in the Spring Mile at 2.50 instead. With the ground riding good to soft, the general opinion seems to be that high drawn runners could be at a disadvantage. Rio Riva has been touted in several quarters during the week, was second in this race last year (when run at Newcastle), is joint top rated in The Racing Post, will handle the ground and has a decent draw in stall five; that's a number of positives but, as I've indicated, I won't be playing.

The jumping cards on offer are not out of the top drawer. At Haydock Captain Oscar looks the one to beat in the concluding bumper while, a bit further north, in Carlisle's opener several of the runners are closely matched. King Mak would have won last time out at Market Rasen but for trying to demolish the last fence - he gets the vote here.

Only six go to post at 3.30 for Newton Abbot's best race of the day and question marks surround all the participants. Likely favourite Squires Lane might be considered somewhat fortunate to have won last time; here he's taking on horses that have been running in better class races without showing too much form. Both Mister Ed and The Risky Viking are preferred to the twelve year old Paxford Jack. The Peter Bowen stable hasn't had the best of seasons but is now returning from a quiet spell but I'll take a chance with Nick Williams' The Risky Viking if he's priced up around 4/1.