You tend to think of Wincanton as something of a speed track but the three miles one and a half furlongs of tomorrow's Badger Ales Trophy will take some getting on ground that is currently described as good to soft, soft in places. There has been plenty of rain around this evening too - a young lady walking home in front of me was carrying a very fetching Paddy Power umbrella which sported the wording '5/1 it blows over' - I wasn't remotely inclined to take the odds.
This year's Badger Ales wouldn't be the best renewal in recent years but it still looks pretty open with 14 set to face the starter. In the past ten years four favourites have obliged (Montifault 11/4 2001; Swansea Bay 2/1 2003; Royal Auclair 7/2jf 2004; Abrigante 15/8 2007) while five winners have been priced in double figures (Swansea Bay 14/1 2002; Iris Bleu 10/1 2005; Parsons Legacy 16/1 2006; Cornish Sett 12/1 2008; Ellerslie George 14/1 2009). In the same time frame no horse has been older than nine when winning so on grounds of age I'm going to discount Madison Du Berlais (the pick of Pipe's two on jockey bookings), Hello Bud and Gone To Lunch. Paul Nicholls won this last year with Meanus Dandy but this year stablemate The Minack is more likely to start favourite according to the layers. I've never been 100% convinced about The Minack after he nearly threw away a Kempton novice hurdle (January 2010) when hitting the front two from home. In a post three weeks ago I said I'd seen Benbane Head touted more times than I'd want to recall over the past year; he made a mistake early doors at Cheltenham in that race and was never really competitive thereafter. I'm tempted to go for a bigger-priced animal in this. At Ascot last weekend Dover's Hill got no further than the second when unseating Aidan Coleman and breaking the jock's collar bone in the process; he could go well provided the fences don't get in the way and a similar comment could apply to Vic Dartnall's course and distance winner Richard's Sundance. This horse went off the boil in the second part of last season so I'm taking plenty on trust here but the yard is flying at the moment (four wins from nine runs since October 21st) - Richard's Sundance each-way at 16/1 is the suggestion.
On paper the Elite looks between Grandouet and Celestial Halo but makes little appeal as a betting medium while I'm undecided about Silviniaco Conti in the novice chase. This is a horse I like but I burnt my fingers a couple of times last year and I'm just wary after he finished third behind Cue Card on his chasing debut. He's bound to come on for that and will be more suited by this trip but he's priced up at short odds in a race that is no foregone conclusion. Mad Moose has more chasing experience than the rest while Jetnova is an Irish pointer and Kilcrea Kim an exciting prospect. This evening Paddy Power offers 5/1 Kilcrea Kim which in my book represents a play against the favourite - Kilcrea Kim is the selection.
At Down Royal in Ireland Noel Fehily rides The Nightingale and Kauto Stone for Paul Nicholls as yesterday Ruby Walsh's lodged appeal against a five-day whip ban was unsuccessful. In today's Times Alan Lee reports that jockeys' leaders have admitted privately that 'their impasse with the BHA is at crisis point after this judgement.'
Seven go in a trappy-looking JNwine.com Champion Chase at 2.20. The two top-rated horses, Sizing Europe and The Nightingale, have yet to win at this distance while Quito De La Roque and Bostons Angel look out and out stayers - judging fitness for this first run won't be easy. Midnight Chase could surprise a few - he ran an excellent fifth in the Gold Cup last March - but he wouldn't want too much rain. Connections decided to bypass last week's Charlie Hall to come here (although I'm not totally convinced this is an easier option.) Midnight Chase is 6/1 with William Hill this evening - I'll take an interest provided the rain stays away.
Showing posts with label down royal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label down royal. Show all posts
Friday, November 04, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
Frozen courses
Probably the only thing I have in common with Kempton's clerk of the course Barney Clifford is the fact we both took a peek under the covers this morning and didn't particularly like what we saw. Kempton's Boxing Day card has been abandoned; Monday's revised eight-race card at the track is now subject to an inspection on Sunday (Boxing Day) at 2.00pm.
At the time of writing the current state of play is:
Boxing Day 26th December
Kempton Park - abandoned
Fontwell Park - 11.00 am inspection Christmas Day
Huntingdon - abandoned
Market Rasen - abandoned
Towcester - abandoned
Wetherby - abandoned
Wincanton -abandoned
Wolverhampton - inspection 6.30 am Boxing Day
Leopardstown - abandoned. Rescheduled Thursday 30th December
Limerick - abandoned
Down Royal - abandoned
Monday 27th December
Chepstow - abandoned. Welsh National meeting rescheduled January 8th
Kempton Park - inspection 2.00 pm Boxing Day
Southwell - no inspection currently planned
Wetherby - inspection 9.00 am Boxing Day
Leopardstown - abandoned
Tuesday 28th December
Catterick - abandoned
Ffos Las - course currently covered
Leicester - inspection 8.30 am Boxing Day
Wednesday 29th December
Kelso - abandoned
Thursday 30th December
Haydock - inspection 11.00 am Tuesday 28th December
Makes grim reading, doesn't it? Pass the port, please...
At the time of writing the current state of play is:
Boxing Day 26th December
Kempton Park - abandoned
Fontwell Park - 11.00 am inspection Christmas Day
Huntingdon - abandoned
Market Rasen - abandoned
Towcester - abandoned
Wetherby - abandoned
Wincanton -abandoned
Wolverhampton - inspection 6.30 am Boxing Day
Leopardstown - abandoned. Rescheduled Thursday 30th December
Limerick - abandoned
Down Royal - abandoned
Monday 27th December
Chepstow - abandoned. Welsh National meeting rescheduled January 8th
Kempton Park - inspection 2.00 pm Boxing Day
Southwell - no inspection currently planned
Wetherby - inspection 9.00 am Boxing Day
Leopardstown - abandoned
Tuesday 28th December
Catterick - abandoned
Ffos Las - course currently covered
Leicester - inspection 8.30 am Boxing Day
Wednesday 29th December
Kelso - abandoned
Thursday 30th December
Haydock - inspection 11.00 am Tuesday 28th December
Makes grim reading, doesn't it? Pass the port, please...
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Ups and downs
It's all in a day's work for a jockey... While Paul Hannigan was collecting his first Flat jockeys' title at Doncaster on Saturday following a titanic struggle with Richard Hughes (final score: Hannigan 191 - Hughes 189), Ruby Walsh was riding Kauto Star and The Nightingale to victory in the two big races at Down Royal. Then disaster struck - Walsh suffered a double leg fracture when his mount Corrick Bridge fell in the Rainbow Telecom Handicap Chase. Walsh faces a protracted period on the sidelines and that enforced absence leaves champion trainer Paul Nicholls with something of a headache. A poll on the Racing Post website indicates 39% of their readers think Sam Thomas should get the leg up on Nicholls' best horses. The big Cheltenham Open meeting starts on Friday - watch this space as they say.
The failure of racing and the bookmakers to come to an agreement on the levy is likely to have serious implications for the future funding of the sport. The government's Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is now charged with making the decision. Journalist Greg Wood wrote a bitingly critical piece in Tuesday's Guardian in which he argued that Paul Roy's position as chairman of the British Horseracing Authority was no longer tenable - watch this space as they say.
Viewers of BBC1's business reality show The Apprentice will know that Lord Sugar's prize for this week's winning team was a day out at 'Royal Windsor' races; I did note Lord Sugar failed to point out to winning contestants that it was a Monday afternoon meeting in mid October... Anyway, Synergy members enjoyed a slap-up meal and a glass of champagne before the serious business of finding winners began. Overseas property developer Jamie Lester, who incidentally had set up his own company by the age of 24, was shown striking a £2 wager (in what one could only describe as a rather extravagant manner) with well-known layer Barry Dennis. 'Two pounds on the nose Green Earth!' cried Mr Lester about his selection in the first. Now, given that the winner of The Apprentice is likely to pull a job that will pay in the region of £100,000, Mr Dennis might have expected to have taken a slightly larger wager from Mr Lester but the layer was politeness itself, merely commenting on the fact that this particualry punter 'liked it on the nose'. I harboured further concerns regarding Mr Lester's business nous. At the pre-race meal he stated it was a 5/1 chance any of the five at the table would make the final and 10/1 any of them would win the competition outright. 'Nice' said Stella but consider this - at the time of filming, it would have been known that there were ten contestants left in the competition. Assuming for the sake of argument each of those contestants had an equal chance, it looked to me as though Mr Lester was selling 9/1 chances at 10/1. And we all know that's the road to rack and ruin...
For those who simply have to know - Green Earth finished ninth of fourteen in the Windsor, Ascot & Eton Express Nursery Handicap (div 1) run at Windsor on Monday 12 October 2009; the race went to the rather appropriately named Agony And Ecstasy.
The failure of racing and the bookmakers to come to an agreement on the levy is likely to have serious implications for the future funding of the sport. The government's Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is now charged with making the decision. Journalist Greg Wood wrote a bitingly critical piece in Tuesday's Guardian in which he argued that Paul Roy's position as chairman of the British Horseracing Authority was no longer tenable - watch this space as they say.
Viewers of BBC1's business reality show The Apprentice will know that Lord Sugar's prize for this week's winning team was a day out at 'Royal Windsor' races; I did note Lord Sugar failed to point out to winning contestants that it was a Monday afternoon meeting in mid October... Anyway, Synergy members enjoyed a slap-up meal and a glass of champagne before the serious business of finding winners began. Overseas property developer Jamie Lester, who incidentally had set up his own company by the age of 24, was shown striking a £2 wager (in what one could only describe as a rather extravagant manner) with well-known layer Barry Dennis. 'Two pounds on the nose Green Earth!' cried Mr Lester about his selection in the first. Now, given that the winner of The Apprentice is likely to pull a job that will pay in the region of £100,000, Mr Dennis might have expected to have taken a slightly larger wager from Mr Lester but the layer was politeness itself, merely commenting on the fact that this particualry punter 'liked it on the nose'. I harboured further concerns regarding Mr Lester's business nous. At the pre-race meal he stated it was a 5/1 chance any of the five at the table would make the final and 10/1 any of them would win the competition outright. 'Nice' said Stella but consider this - at the time of filming, it would have been known that there were ten contestants left in the competition. Assuming for the sake of argument each of those contestants had an equal chance, it looked to me as though Mr Lester was selling 9/1 chances at 10/1. And we all know that's the road to rack and ruin...
For those who simply have to know - Green Earth finished ninth of fourteen in the Windsor, Ascot & Eton Express Nursery Handicap (div 1) run at Windsor on Monday 12 October 2009; the race went to the rather appropriately named Agony And Ecstasy.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Saturday's selections
Short on time today, so I'm going to crack on. The feature race on a decent card at Wincanton is the Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase. Eighteen go to post over a trip just short of three and a quarter miles. Of those at the head of the market, Paul Nicholls' The Tother One is hugely talented but quirky and far from an easy ride. The Package is another with plenty of ability, nicely weighted here but he failed to go through with his effort last time at Ludlow in a race he should have won. Alan King runs two - Nenuphar Collonges and West End Rocker; stable jockey Choc Thornton has chosen to ride the former. In a recent RP article, the handler hinted the Hennessy may be the target for NC while he describes the latter as 'a good, solid fun horse'. The Hennessy is also the target for Exmoor Ranger but he lost his confidence after a fall in the Jewson at Cheltenham last March - trainer Victor Dartnall, writing in this week's Weekender, says the Hennessy entry will depend on how he races beforehand (i.e. tomorrow!) Beat The Boys comes here after making all at Chepstow which is well known for being a front-runners' track. Two horses I like are Carruthers and Niche Market; Carruthers is likely to struggle racing from the front with top weight while I'm not convinced Niche Market will be ready on his seasonal debut. In a difficult race, I'll have a small each-way interest in Nenuphar Collonges who jumped better as last season progressed.
The Elite Hurdle at 2.15 is interesting. Champion Hurdle second Celestial Halo is the likely favourite but has to give weight to some classy rivals including Blue Bajan who is fit from the Flat and the mare Whiteoak. Katies Tuitor isn't always easy to catch right but bounced back to form at Kempton last time; the claimer takes off five pounds here. If I have a wager in this, I'll look to oppose Celestial Halo with Katies Tuitor.
No bet for me in the novice chase which is no foregone conclusion even though there are only four runners. On balance I prefer Emma Lavelle's Kangaroo Court as Paul Nicholls tempered press enthusiasm for Gullible Gordon after his Chepstow victory, saying the horse needed plenty of time between races.
Alan King saddles Over Sixty in the mares' handicap hurdle at 1.45. The intention is to send her to the paddocks in the new year, with connections hoping to pick up a decent prize before then. In this evening's tissue she's priced up at 8/1 - if those odds are available tomorrow I'll take an each-way interest.
The Nicholls runner Valentine Vic looks the one in the bumper but he'll be priced accordingly.
Over at Sandown only three runners in the novice chase at 1.05 but one of them is Emma Lavelle's Crack Away Jack. He'll be no betting proposition but many will be watching how he fares jumping fences for the first time; Sandown is a tricky track for novices. His trainer has recently been quoted as saying he has always jumped fences well when schooled at home.
At Kelso it will be interesting to see if Santa's Son can give weight to all in the Mayfield Restaurant Limited Handicap Chase at 2.25 while over at Down Royal the Champion Chase and the Ladbrokes.com Chase catch the eye. Notre Pere is likely to start a short-priced favourite in the former but his trainer Jim Dreaper has been upfront in letting punters know the horse will come on for the run. Two to consider if you want to oppose are The Listener and Joe Lively. Arkle winner Forpadydeplasterer returns in the three o'clock; I won't get involved but I wouldn't be inclined to oppose the favourite.
Finally, for those thinking about the Breeders' Cup I suggest purchasing a copy of the Weekender for Nick Mordin's guide - runners and riders can be found on the Sporting Life website.
The Elite Hurdle at 2.15 is interesting. Champion Hurdle second Celestial Halo is the likely favourite but has to give weight to some classy rivals including Blue Bajan who is fit from the Flat and the mare Whiteoak. Katies Tuitor isn't always easy to catch right but bounced back to form at Kempton last time; the claimer takes off five pounds here. If I have a wager in this, I'll look to oppose Celestial Halo with Katies Tuitor.
No bet for me in the novice chase which is no foregone conclusion even though there are only four runners. On balance I prefer Emma Lavelle's Kangaroo Court as Paul Nicholls tempered press enthusiasm for Gullible Gordon after his Chepstow victory, saying the horse needed plenty of time between races.
Alan King saddles Over Sixty in the mares' handicap hurdle at 1.45. The intention is to send her to the paddocks in the new year, with connections hoping to pick up a decent prize before then. In this evening's tissue she's priced up at 8/1 - if those odds are available tomorrow I'll take an each-way interest.
The Nicholls runner Valentine Vic looks the one in the bumper but he'll be priced accordingly.
Over at Sandown only three runners in the novice chase at 1.05 but one of them is Emma Lavelle's Crack Away Jack. He'll be no betting proposition but many will be watching how he fares jumping fences for the first time; Sandown is a tricky track for novices. His trainer has recently been quoted as saying he has always jumped fences well when schooled at home.
At Kelso it will be interesting to see if Santa's Son can give weight to all in the Mayfield Restaurant Limited Handicap Chase at 2.25 while over at Down Royal the Champion Chase and the Ladbrokes.com Chase catch the eye. Notre Pere is likely to start a short-priced favourite in the former but his trainer Jim Dreaper has been upfront in letting punters know the horse will come on for the run. Two to consider if you want to oppose are The Listener and Joe Lively. Arkle winner Forpadydeplasterer returns in the three o'clock; I won't get involved but I wouldn't be inclined to oppose the favourite.
Finally, for those thinking about the Breeders' Cup I suggest purchasing a copy of the Weekender for Nick Mordin's guide - runners and riders can be found on the Sporting Life website.
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