Well stap me vitals, and call me Greta – nine TV races on a drizzly, blowy Sunday afternoon and 56 runners between them.
Just goes to show the vital jobs that race-planning, the NTF, and the BHA do in ensuring that public interest is maintained at the highest level. My friend McFly-on-the-wall tells me that the emergency Future of Racing meeting they all attended went along the lines of:
“So after Ascot and before Derby Day and then Goodwood and the July meeting….”
“Sorry Carlton-Browne did you say, I mean all the Festivals are going ahead?”
“Absolutely… and I know what you’re going to say, the horses won’t have had enough time to get prep races in, and the trainers won’t have had the required three or four months in which to manage their owners’ expectations about their 2yo being rated 27.”
“I say CB, that’s a bit unfair. Us trainers have enough on our plates with no racing and therefore no associated extras on the bill. Some of us are very close to the financial edge.”
“Well yes, Blatherin-Groom I was going to come to that. We intend running a series of Sundays during the summer when….”
“Sorry CB, did you say Sundays?”
“Yes BG, Sundays. We’ve even lined up the telly people. We’ve promised them a magnificent spectacle, full of young and some famous horses, competing at the top-end of the racing scale for huge prize monies. Well, when I say competing, what we’re really trying to do is give you trainer chappies a chance to race after the long lay-off. Talking of top-end of racing, one Sunday, for example, we have four Listed races, two handicaps over 6f and 10f both for 4yos 0-105 and then……”
“Sorry CB, Sundays? during the summer? Our kids are still at home, Lady BG’s parents are still living with us, half the grooms effed off to become Supermarket doormen because they wanted to be “front line” and so get free coffee from Costas and never queue at a Supermarket again. On top of that, that’s my one day off of the week, except when I go to Barbados for two months in November.”
“Yes, yes.. but as I was saying, I know we’ve halved the prize monies, but that’s because we haven’t been able to get any money from the bookies because we haven’t been giving them what we want. But that’s no excuse to turn your noses up at this wonderful opportunity.”
“Quite right CB. Sorry, I spoke out of turn. I’m sure it will be a blistering success!”
Sorry gentle readers, I apologise, it isn’t a disgrace at all, simply a question of having the wrong races for the wrong horses at the wrong end of the month. Blame Covid, doing the best we can, Summer heatwave, weather, going, watering, all the stuff we’ve never experienced before during an English summer etc.
Talking of doing the best we can, yesterday was tiresome and proof that some of the above tosh is partly responsible for a dramatic reshaping of the trends. In total, we were down -26.12 points. O’Brien did well though – how does O’Brien find time to fill so many spare trainers licences with progeny? It can’t just be Catholicism, surely?
- 2:40 Newmarket: TURJOMAAN e/w 3rd 15/2 VALE OF KENT win 8th -1.12
- 3:35 Newcastle: GLENCADAM GLORY 16th – RESHOUN 8th both e/w. Add CARWENNAN 6th and SMART CHAMPION 9th to create 4 x ½pt rfc. Do all four with AUSTRALIS 2nd for a ¼pt tricast. -23
- 4:45 Curragh SIR DRAGONET 2nd beaten by another O’Brien -2
- 5:45 Curragh BOWERMAN 2nd beaten by Jess Harrington -2
- 7:15 Curragh SANTIAGO WON 2-1 ARTHUR’S KINGDOM e/w, beaten by all the other O’Brien horses. +2
Meanwhile today…
2:25 WINDSOR Bombardier Golden Beer Carnarvon Stakes (C1 Listed)(3yo) 6f ITV4 6 runners
Archie Watson’s ABOVE was last seen on the soft of the Jersey Stakes. He ran well for most of the race, but patently didn’t like the ground and may just lack Group Class at this stage of his career. He obviously has talent, and it’s interesting that he is dropped back to 6f. My memory says REPARTEE missed the Jersey Stakes on ground concerns and is fancied. REPARTEE win – ABOVE e/w
2:45 NEWMARKET Betway Empress Fillies’ Stakes (C1 Listed)(2yo) 6f ITV4 7 runners
TIME SCALE was very impressive LTO winning by 6l on drying GS ground at Chepstow. Her trainer said this was her next logical step and her price reflects her chance. LIVE STREAM has a decent e/w chance given her eye-catching debut.TIME SCALE win – LIVE STREAM forecast
3:00 WINDSOR Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Midsummer Stakes (C1 Listed)(3yo+) 1m ITV4 7 runners
STORMY ANTARCTIC needs cut surely, and unless the Thames has slipped over the edge, I’m not sure he’s going to get it. The obvious selection therefore is Charlie Hills POGO and 7/2 looks about right. POGO win
3:20 NEWMARKET Betway H’cap Cl2 (3yo 0-105) 6f ITV4 4 runners
ASCENSION win
3:35 WINDSOR Bombardier “March To Your Own Drum” H’cap Cl2 (3yo 0-100) 1m ITV4 9 runners
On a straightforward tip, I’d have to suggest OVERWRITE who was last seen in The Britannia. He did his best and ran a game race, Hayley dropping her whip 100 yds from home, more a sign of her efforts than his lack of effort and a small sheet of tissue covered the 3rd – 6th positions. My fear is that Johnston is just looking slightly overcooked at the moment and is just beginning to slide in the inestimable Trainer Trends guide which does just that. Has he some sort of niggle in the yard? I think to be on the safe side, I shall go with DANCE FEVER to appear alongside JEAN BAPTISTE. Dutch the two or go for the former as you wish – he has at least won on the course. DANCE FEVER win JEAN BAPTISTE rfc
3:55 NEWMARKET Heed Your Hunch At Betway H’cap Cl2 (4yo+ 0-105) 1m2f ITV4 5 runners
DESERT ICON wins beats DAL HORRISGLE
4:15 CURRAGH Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes (G2) (4yo+) 6f ITV4 9 runners
SPEAK IN COLOURS wins beats MAKE A CHALLENGE
4:30 NEWMARKET Betway Fred Archer Stakes (C1 Listed)(4yo+) 1m4f ITV4 4 runners
EL MISK beats PABLO ESCOBAR probably – perhaps a RFC or no bet.
4:45 CURRAGH Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) (Fillies & Mares) (3yo+) 1m2f ITV4 5 runners
Oh no – not again! O’Brien wins this as well with MAGICAL.