11 entries were declared for Wetherby’s Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase on Saturday (2 November). By Tuesday morning this had already been reduced to 10 with the news that The Giant Bolster has suffered a minor setback and will miss the race. Any deterioration in the ground at Wetherby between now and Saturday could also see other runners drop out.
But the presence of Long Run in the race certainly whets the appetite so early in the jumps season. He has not run at Wetherby before and has usually started his season later in the autumn.
Master Of The Hall finished a distant last in last year’s race but lines up again. In three races last season, when trained by Nicky Henderson, the gelding was beaten by a total of 139 lengths. He is now the charge of Micky Hammond.
Last year’s runner up Wayward Prince is also back for another go in this season’s renewal. Quoted on sportinglife.com his trainer Hilary Parrott explained:
“Wayward Prince will run in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase as long as the ground is not bottomless. Good to soft ground would be fine, but he doesn't like a slog. I ran him at Newton Abbot just to sharpen him up. He has come out of that in good form and has been working nicely. He went all right on his last run over fences at Aintree, but he is a bit of enigma and his best two performances were in last season's Charlie Hall and when he won at Aintree. He would have a chance of making the frame if he could reproduce that run behind Silviniaco Conti, but it is shaping up to be a very hot race."
Silviniaco Conti was an impressive winner last year and Paul Nicholls looks to have another contender from a similar mould in the form of Unioniste. Just a five-year-old, Unioniste has had five runs in the UK, winning three. He was sent off favourite for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March and finished fourth. He is by the same sire, Dom Alco, as Silviniaco Conti too.
The 2013 Charlie Hall is promising to be a fascinating early season showpiece.
29 October 2013
21 October 2013
A Day At The Races: Qipco British Champions Day
It was an excellent day out for British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday. There were some exciting finishes, a good crowd, and some shock results.
The winning SPs for the six races were: 20/1, 7/1, 16/1, 11/2, 11/4, and 12/1. The fact that there were no winning favourites could be interpreted in two ways, depending on your view about Champions Day taking place in mid-October.
Either: it shows how competitive the racing is, which it should be given the prize money on offer
Or: the soft ground (not unexpected in autumn) deters the fast ground horses from turning up at all and favours those who handle the conditions the best on the day but who are not necessarily the ‘best’ horse.
The presence of Frankel in previous years did set a very high standard but, in general, Saturday did not feel like great champions were being crowned.
But that is not to deny the fact that there was some great entertainment. The finish to the Qipco Champion Stakes was a suitably close one for Champions Day – Farhh (11/4) holding on by a nose from Cirrus Des Aigles with Derby winner Ruler Of The World half a length back in third.
Similarly, the opening race, the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, had another tight finished with Royal Diamond (20/1) coming back to pip Harris Tweed by a nose on the line. The winner was both ridden and trained by Johnny Murtagh, who was had a successful time at Ascot this year.
Olympic Glory (11/2) was very impressive against his opposition in the British Champions Mile under Richard Hughes, with 2/1 favourite Dawn Approach back in fourth place.
At the end of a long day’s betting, cheering, and going up and down escalators in the grandstand, the delicious steak burger from the Cock n Bull Rotisserie was a much needed restorative before the journey home.
The winning SPs for the six races were: 20/1, 7/1, 16/1, 11/2, 11/4, and 12/1. The fact that there were no winning favourites could be interpreted in two ways, depending on your view about Champions Day taking place in mid-October.
Either: it shows how competitive the racing is, which it should be given the prize money on offer
Or: the soft ground (not unexpected in autumn) deters the fast ground horses from turning up at all and favours those who handle the conditions the best on the day but who are not necessarily the ‘best’ horse.
The presence of Frankel in previous years did set a very high standard but, in general, Saturday did not feel like great champions were being crowned.
Hot Snap and Talent in the parade ring
But that is not to deny the fact that there was some great entertainment. The finish to the Qipco Champion Stakes was a suitably close one for Champions Day – Farhh (11/4) holding on by a nose from Cirrus Des Aigles with Derby winner Ruler Of The World half a length back in third.
Farhh returns victorious
Similarly, the opening race, the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, had another tight finished with Royal Diamond (20/1) coming back to pip Harris Tweed by a nose on the line. The winner was both ridden and trained by Johnny Murtagh, who was had a successful time at Ascot this year.
Olympic Glory (11/2) was very impressive against his opposition in the British Champions Mile under Richard Hughes, with 2/1 favourite Dawn Approach back in fourth place.
Olympic Glory streaks clear
Away from the track, the exhibition of objects and memorabilia from Sir Henry Cecil’s life and racing career was very popular with race goers as was the collection of sporting trophies in the grandstand.
Frankel's trophies
At the end of a long day’s betting, cheering, and going up and down escalators in the grandstand, the delicious steak burger from the Cock n Bull Rotisserie was a much needed restorative before the journey home.
Telegraph Fantasy Racing Update
The decision to remove George Baker from our stable was, looking back, a bad one.
The jockey earned 630 points on British Champions Day with a second place on Harris Tweed (8/1) in the long distance race and his win on Seal Of Approval (16/1) in the Fillies and Mares Stakes.
We did have both Royal Diamond and Harris Tweed as our selections in the opener, earning a total of 372 points.
In the sprint race the Jack Dexter-Graham Lee combination earned 140 points for a neck-length defeat to Slade Power.
But other than that it was only bits and pieces and we ended up in around 6,000th and 14,500th place with our stables.
Definite room for improvement next season.
The jockey earned 630 points on British Champions Day with a second place on Harris Tweed (8/1) in the long distance race and his win on Seal Of Approval (16/1) in the Fillies and Mares Stakes.
We did have both Royal Diamond and Harris Tweed as our selections in the opener, earning a total of 372 points.
In the sprint race the Jack Dexter-Graham Lee combination earned 140 points for a neck-length defeat to Slade Power.
But other than that it was only bits and pieces and we ended up in around 6,000th and 14,500th place with our stables.
Definite room for improvement next season.
16 October 2013
Rebel fits the bill
The other weekend, when all Flat racing eyes were fixed on the Arc at Longchamp, jump racing enthusiasts were looking west to Tipperary instead.
In the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase over two miles four furlongs, Michael Winters’ Rebel Fitz was recording a comfortable victory (2/5f) to bring up five consecutive wins.
The eight-year-old has now won 14 of his 23 races and British racing fans will be waiting eagerly to see him run at Cheltenham this coming weekend (at the time of writing he holds entries on both the 18 and 19 October).
Jockey Barry Geraghty gave a good interview to At The Races after his win at Tipperary. He said that very soft or heavy ground would not suit him because it would affect his jumping. So it is less likely that Rebel Fitz will run in the depths of winter when the ground is often heavy. But the spring festivals – Cheltenham and Aintree – could be ideal, assuming better ground.
The notes for three of the gelding’s recent five victories include the statement “sweated up”. But, while this can be a bad sign for some horses, in this instance it has not hurt his ability to run well and win.
In the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase over two miles four furlongs, Michael Winters’ Rebel Fitz was recording a comfortable victory (2/5f) to bring up five consecutive wins.
The eight-year-old has now won 14 of his 23 races and British racing fans will be waiting eagerly to see him run at Cheltenham this coming weekend (at the time of writing he holds entries on both the 18 and 19 October).
Jockey Barry Geraghty gave a good interview to At The Races after his win at Tipperary. He said that very soft or heavy ground would not suit him because it would affect his jumping. So it is less likely that Rebel Fitz will run in the depths of winter when the ground is often heavy. But the spring festivals – Cheltenham and Aintree – could be ideal, assuming better ground.
The notes for three of the gelding’s recent five victories include the statement “sweated up”. But, while this can be a bad sign for some horses, in this instance it has not hurt his ability to run well and win.
14 October 2013
Interview with 'Tommo'
Quite an insightful interview with racing commentator Derek 'Tommo' Thompson from the Yorkshire Post.
Some interesting comments on the new format for Channel 4's racing coverage:
“I don’t think they’re [Channel 4] providing the type of coverage that the public want. I may be wrong, and they may be right, but the viewing figures are down by 70 per cent. I’ll leave it at that.”
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/tommo-s-tale-of-friendship-s-power-when-the-odds-were-against-champion-1-6131368
Some interesting comments on the new format for Channel 4's racing coverage:
“I don’t think they’re [Channel 4] providing the type of coverage that the public want. I may be wrong, and they may be right, but the viewing figures are down by 70 per cent. I’ll leave it at that.”
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/tommo-s-tale-of-friendship-s-power-when-the-odds-were-against-champion-1-6131368
08 October 2013
Off The Bridle
I was watching Channel 4’s coverage of the racing from Longchamp at the weekend and Mick Fitzgerald made the comment to the effect that “the last horse off the bridle wins the race”. His comment brought to my mind a great race that was a definite exception to the statement. But first a little explanation of what the statement means.
One of the pleasures of watching horseracing is trying to ‘read’ a race, seeing which horse is travelling the best and trying to pick out the likely winner a few furlongs from home.
An indicator as to how well as horse is running can be to look at the jockey. As a general principle the horse of a jockey who is sat still in the saddle could be considered to travelling better than a horse whose jockey is having either to fight to restrain the horse from running away with him or who has to roust his mount along to keep him in the race.
You might often hear a commentator say excitedly that a particular jockey is “sat motionless” aboard his horse while his rivals are urging their horses along "asking them questions" and “getting animated in the saddle”. These statements link back to Mick Fitzgerald’s comment above.
The horse of the ‘motionless’ jockey is still on the bridle and, in theory, is travelling within himself. The horse of the ‘animated’ jockey is ‘off the bridle’ and being asked for every effort by his jockey.
Racing wisdom would suggest that, if you have two horses side by side in the final furlongs of a race, the most likely winner is the one still on the bridle with the less animated jockey.
But, of course, it is not always so simple. A number of scenarios could play out to contradict the perceived wisdom:
• When asked for his final effort the horse ‘on the bridle’ might not actually find much more energy or speed to see off his rival – often called ‘just a bridle horse’
• His jockey might also have left his effort too late and not given his mount enough time to get up to top speed before the winning post arrives.
• Some horses stop running when they get in front (or ‘pull themselves up’), thinking their work is done, allowing a beaten rival to get past them again
• Alternatively, the horse already being urged along might find even more speed and ‘heart’ when his rival quickens and battle back to win.
There is an interesting take on this topic on the Betfair website here.
The Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival 2005
The Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2005 was a great race and provides a dramatic exception to the statement that the “the last horse off the bridle wins the race”.
Paul Carberry was the jockey aboard Harchibald and in the pre-race parade Channel 4 presenter Alastair Down said “he won’t be able to sit on the bridle all day here” (at 35 seconds in the video below). As it turned out, that was a very prescient statement as a dramatic race unfolded.
If you pick up the video at 9min 45s the finals stages are a textbook example of the topics discussed above and commentator Simon Holt’s comments explain it all.
Hardy Eustace (the eventual winner, 7/2jf) was being ridden hard by jockey Conor O’Dwyer, whilst Paul Carberry is sat still on Harchibald (7/1).
It looks for all the world like Harchibald will cruise past Hardy Eustace for the win based on the two jockeys’ body language. But Carberry leaves his effort very late, seemingly concerned that his mount will not quicken when asked. Indeed, there was little response from the horse.
As well as being a great race it sticks in my mind for another reason. I was working in the race room of a bookmakers at the time and the racing manager had clearly had a large ante-post bet on Harchibald to win.
After the final flight he was ecstatic, convinced Harchibald was going to win easily and already mentally counting his, no doubt, sizeable winnings. But with every stride from that point on he became increasingly agitated as Carberry continues not to ask Harchibald for a final effort up the Cheltenham hill.
Indeed, the racing manager becomes more animated than the jockey, screaming at the television for the jockey to ‘HIT IT!’
After the horses pass the winning post and Harchibald is beaten there was a moment of deathly, disbelieving silence before the racing manager explodes into a fury of invective at the injustice of what has just unfolded.
I nearly chewed my tongue off trying not to burst out laughing, not at the misfortune of someone having a large bet go wrong – there but for the grace of the racing gods go all of us – but more at the ability of racehorses and 200 metres of turf to bring about such a swing of human emotions in little less than 60 seconds.
As long as you have the betting ammunition for another day, that is what makes horseracing so compelling.
One of the pleasures of watching horseracing is trying to ‘read’ a race, seeing which horse is travelling the best and trying to pick out the likely winner a few furlongs from home.
An indicator as to how well as horse is running can be to look at the jockey. As a general principle the horse of a jockey who is sat still in the saddle could be considered to travelling better than a horse whose jockey is having either to fight to restrain the horse from running away with him or who has to roust his mount along to keep him in the race.
You might often hear a commentator say excitedly that a particular jockey is “sat motionless” aboard his horse while his rivals are urging their horses along "asking them questions" and “getting animated in the saddle”. These statements link back to Mick Fitzgerald’s comment above.
The horse of the ‘motionless’ jockey is still on the bridle and, in theory, is travelling within himself. The horse of the ‘animated’ jockey is ‘off the bridle’ and being asked for every effort by his jockey.
Racing wisdom would suggest that, if you have two horses side by side in the final furlongs of a race, the most likely winner is the one still on the bridle with the less animated jockey.
But, of course, it is not always so simple. A number of scenarios could play out to contradict the perceived wisdom:
• When asked for his final effort the horse ‘on the bridle’ might not actually find much more energy or speed to see off his rival – often called ‘just a bridle horse’
• His jockey might also have left his effort too late and not given his mount enough time to get up to top speed before the winning post arrives.
• Some horses stop running when they get in front (or ‘pull themselves up’), thinking their work is done, allowing a beaten rival to get past them again
• Alternatively, the horse already being urged along might find even more speed and ‘heart’ when his rival quickens and battle back to win.
There is an interesting take on this topic on the Betfair website here.
The Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival 2005
The Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2005 was a great race and provides a dramatic exception to the statement that the “the last horse off the bridle wins the race”.
Paul Carberry was the jockey aboard Harchibald and in the pre-race parade Channel 4 presenter Alastair Down said “he won’t be able to sit on the bridle all day here” (at 35 seconds in the video below). As it turned out, that was a very prescient statement as a dramatic race unfolded.
If you pick up the video at 9min 45s the finals stages are a textbook example of the topics discussed above and commentator Simon Holt’s comments explain it all.
Hardy Eustace (the eventual winner, 7/2jf) was being ridden hard by jockey Conor O’Dwyer, whilst Paul Carberry is sat still on Harchibald (7/1).
It looks for all the world like Harchibald will cruise past Hardy Eustace for the win based on the two jockeys’ body language. But Carberry leaves his effort very late, seemingly concerned that his mount will not quicken when asked. Indeed, there was little response from the horse.
As well as being a great race it sticks in my mind for another reason. I was working in the race room of a bookmakers at the time and the racing manager had clearly had a large ante-post bet on Harchibald to win.
After the final flight he was ecstatic, convinced Harchibald was going to win easily and already mentally counting his, no doubt, sizeable winnings. But with every stride from that point on he became increasingly agitated as Carberry continues not to ask Harchibald for a final effort up the Cheltenham hill.
Indeed, the racing manager becomes more animated than the jockey, screaming at the television for the jockey to ‘HIT IT!’
After the horses pass the winning post and Harchibald is beaten there was a moment of deathly, disbelieving silence before the racing manager explodes into a fury of invective at the injustice of what has just unfolded.
I nearly chewed my tongue off trying not to burst out laughing, not at the misfortune of someone having a large bet go wrong – there but for the grace of the racing gods go all of us – but more at the ability of racehorses and 200 metres of turf to bring about such a swing of human emotions in little less than 60 seconds.
As long as you have the betting ammunition for another day, that is what makes horseracing so compelling.
04 October 2013
Good Friday racing approved for 2014
Good Friday has been a day traditionally free of racing fixtures in the UK. But that could change in 2014 after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) “approved the principle” of racing taking place on Good Friday. The 2014 fixture list is due to be published shortly and we will see which courses are allocated a fixture for Good Friday – Friday 18 April.
One concern was that the racing stable open days which take place at Middleham and Lambourn on Good Friday would be hurt by racing taking place on the same day.
But Rod Street, chief executive of Great British Racing, reasoned (albeit in the language of marketing non-speak): "We have long been advocates of making the sport more customer-focussed and these new initiatives are progressive. Good Friday will deliver significant new revenues and give our many different customers a compelling reason to participate on an important leisure day.
"A well-coordinated national promotion of Good Friday fixtures will ensure it is a special racing day. It also provides the opportunity to give more exposure to the excellent stable Open Days as part of a broader publicity campaign. We support the BHA in placing minimum performance criteria against the Good Friday fixtures they award, which will promote good quality racing and customer led marketing initiatives.”
A further interesting development in the 2014 fixture list is the creation of a British Champions Weekend. It will see Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Day moved to the day before Qipco British Champions Day. The British Champions Weekend will, therefore, feature six Group One races and GB£4.5 million in prize money.
The British Champions Weekend could be seen as a response to Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) July announcement of its own Champions Weekend to be held on 13-14 September 2014. HRI’s CEO Brian Kavanagh said the Irish Champions Weekend will feature 10 Group race, including five Group One contests (so the BHA has outdone the HRI with six).
13 September 2014 will host the Champions Stakes at Leopardstown, and the following day will have the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.
The HRI’s announcement ruffled feathers at Doncaster and Ladbrokes because it clashes with the St Leger on Town Moor, which Ladbrokes has done so much to improve and promote through its sponsorship.
Whatever the racing politics, it does mean that the late summer, early autumn period is getting pretty stacked with some top quality racing in 2014, particularly when you throw Arc weekend into the mix too. Racegoers might face some difficult decisions as to which meetings to attend.
One concern was that the racing stable open days which take place at Middleham and Lambourn on Good Friday would be hurt by racing taking place on the same day.
But Rod Street, chief executive of Great British Racing, reasoned (albeit in the language of marketing non-speak): "We have long been advocates of making the sport more customer-focussed and these new initiatives are progressive. Good Friday will deliver significant new revenues and give our many different customers a compelling reason to participate on an important leisure day.
"A well-coordinated national promotion of Good Friday fixtures will ensure it is a special racing day. It also provides the opportunity to give more exposure to the excellent stable Open Days as part of a broader publicity campaign. We support the BHA in placing minimum performance criteria against the Good Friday fixtures they award, which will promote good quality racing and customer led marketing initiatives.”
A further interesting development in the 2014 fixture list is the creation of a British Champions Weekend. It will see Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Day moved to the day before Qipco British Champions Day. The British Champions Weekend will, therefore, feature six Group One races and GB£4.5 million in prize money.
The British Champions Weekend could be seen as a response to Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) July announcement of its own Champions Weekend to be held on 13-14 September 2014. HRI’s CEO Brian Kavanagh said the Irish Champions Weekend will feature 10 Group race, including five Group One contests (so the BHA has outdone the HRI with six).
13 September 2014 will host the Champions Stakes at Leopardstown, and the following day will have the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.
The HRI’s announcement ruffled feathers at Doncaster and Ladbrokes because it clashes with the St Leger on Town Moor, which Ladbrokes has done so much to improve and promote through its sponsorship.
Whatever the racing politics, it does mean that the late summer, early autumn period is getting pretty stacked with some top quality racing in 2014, particularly when you throw Arc weekend into the mix too. Racegoers might face some difficult decisions as to which meetings to attend.
03 October 2013
The British Horseracing Show 2014
There is an online survey being sent out at the moment asking for opinions about an event called the British Horseracing Show.
The survey says the show will take place at Earls Court, London between 13 and 15 June 2014 and will show off all the elements that make up the British horseracing scene:
• A chance to talk to top trainers and jockeys
• See thoroughbred horses in the training ring
• Practise being a race commentator
• Riding a classic race on an Equiciser
• The betting village – talk to tipsters and betting experts to learn about betting
• Chance to learn about racehorse ownership and syndicates
• A Jockey Bar hosted by well-known jockeys
• Exhibitors from betting companies, racing clubs, ownership syndicates and other racing related services and products
• Numerous chances for hospitality, food and drink
The survey also says the show plans to feature the 2014 winning Derby horse and its connections, the race having been run a week before the show in early June.
It all sounds a very enjoyable day out for racing enthusiasts and a good idea to promote racing to a new audience. An internet search yields little further information on the show and there is no obvious mention of it on the BHA’s website or Lovetheraces.com, so maybe the results of the survey will determine whether the event actually goes ahead or not. I, for one, hope it does.
The survey says the show will take place at Earls Court, London between 13 and 15 June 2014 and will show off all the elements that make up the British horseracing scene:
• A chance to talk to top trainers and jockeys
• See thoroughbred horses in the training ring
• Practise being a race commentator
• Riding a classic race on an Equiciser
• The betting village – talk to tipsters and betting experts to learn about betting
• Chance to learn about racehorse ownership and syndicates
• A Jockey Bar hosted by well-known jockeys
• Exhibitors from betting companies, racing clubs, ownership syndicates and other racing related services and products
• Numerous chances for hospitality, food and drink
The survey also says the show plans to feature the 2014 winning Derby horse and its connections, the race having been run a week before the show in early June.
It all sounds a very enjoyable day out for racing enthusiasts and a good idea to promote racing to a new audience. An internet search yields little further information on the show and there is no obvious mention of it on the BHA’s website or Lovetheraces.com, so maybe the results of the survey will determine whether the event actually goes ahead or not. I, for one, hope it does.
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 7
So what happened…?
The race was won by ANCIENT CROSS at 33/1, drawn in stall 26, aged nine years.
SIR REGINALD (6th) did indeed confirm his form with THE CONFESSOR (9th), beating him again.
POLSKI MAX could not replicate his early season form and finished 15th. Neither could DICK BOS who was 21st.
Graham Gibbons made the wrong choice of COLONEL MAK over PEARL ICE, although it made little difference in terms of his share of the prize money. COLONEL MAK was 25th of 27 runners, PEARL ICE 19th.
BOOTS AND SPURS liked the six furlong trip better than TRAIL BLAZE, finishing 5th to TRAIL BLAZE’s 18th.
AN SAIGHDIUR’s raid was partially successful, picking up £4,600 for a third-placed finish. He was only a neck behind FAST SHOT in second place and a head behind the winner.
HARRISON GEORGE was going well but did get overwhelmed in the closing stages and finished 17th.
Result of the William Hill Ayr Silver Cup (Handicap) 2013:
1 Ancient Cross 33/1
2 Fast Shot 25/1
3 An Saighdiur 17/2
4 Picture Dealer 28/1
The race was won by ANCIENT CROSS at 33/1, drawn in stall 26, aged nine years.
SIR REGINALD (6th) did indeed confirm his form with THE CONFESSOR (9th), beating him again.
POLSKI MAX could not replicate his early season form and finished 15th. Neither could DICK BOS who was 21st.
Graham Gibbons made the wrong choice of COLONEL MAK over PEARL ICE, although it made little difference in terms of his share of the prize money. COLONEL MAK was 25th of 27 runners, PEARL ICE 19th.
BOOTS AND SPURS liked the six furlong trip better than TRAIL BLAZE, finishing 5th to TRAIL BLAZE’s 18th.
AN SAIGHDIUR’s raid was partially successful, picking up £4,600 for a third-placed finish. He was only a neck behind FAST SHOT in second place and a head behind the winner.
HARRISON GEORGE was going well but did get overwhelmed in the closing stages and finished 17th.
Result of the William Hill Ayr Silver Cup (Handicap) 2013:
1 Ancient Cross 33/1
2 Fast Shot 25/1
3 An Saighdiur 17/2
4 Picture Dealer 28/1
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 6
Preview comment:
Irish raider An Saighdiur may be the pick of the remainder as this looks too competitive for old Harrison George.
Explanation:
AN SAIGHDIUR is described as an ‘Irish raider’ because the gelding is trained in Ireland by Andrew Slattery. He is coming over to ‘steal’ a Scottish racing prize.
HARRISON GEORGE was one of the older horses in the race at eight years old and the previewer perhaps thought some of the younger horses would have a better chance than him. The race has tended to be won by younger horses in recent years.
Irish raider An Saighdiur may be the pick of the remainder as this looks too competitive for old Harrison George.
Explanation:
AN SAIGHDIUR is described as an ‘Irish raider’ because the gelding is trained in Ireland by Andrew Slattery. He is coming over to ‘steal’ a Scottish racing prize.
HARRISON GEORGE was one of the older horses in the race at eight years old and the previewer perhaps thought some of the younger horses would have a better chance than him. The race has tended to be won by younger horses in recent years.
02 October 2013
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 5
Preview comment:
The drop back to 6f might benefit Trail Blaze and he's another with decent claims while Boots And Spurs is another dropping down in distance.
Explanation:
TRAIL BLAZE had done all of his racing over seven furlongs and a mile. The previewer thought trying (‘dropping back to’) a shorter trip could help him.
Similarly BOOTS AND SPURS had raced mainly over seven furlongs and a mile and was trying a shorter six furlong race for the first time since January 2012.
The drop back to 6f might benefit Trail Blaze and he's another with decent claims while Boots And Spurs is another dropping down in distance.
Explanation:
TRAIL BLAZE had done all of his racing over seven furlongs and a mile. The previewer thought trying (‘dropping back to’) a shorter trip could help him.
Similarly BOOTS AND SPURS had raced mainly over seven furlongs and a mile and was trying a shorter six furlong race for the first time since January 2012.
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 4
Preview comment:
[COLONEL MAK] Winner of this in 2010 from stall seven, he's back on familiar territory and has come right back to form, winning at Pontefract before only finding one too good at Newmarket. The ground is perfect and David Barron's six-year-old has as good a chance as any on the form book.
Explanation:
COLONEL MAK won the Silver Cup at Ayr in 2010 at 33/1 and was drawn in stall seven on that occasion. His preparation before the race included a win over 6f at Pontefract and then second place in a 6f handicap at Newmarket, half a length behind the winner. So he looks to be showing some good form ahead of the big race.
[COLONEL MAK] Winner of this in 2010 from stall seven, he's back on familiar territory and has come right back to form, winning at Pontefract before only finding one too good at Newmarket. The ground is perfect and David Barron's six-year-old has as good a chance as any on the form book.
Explanation:
COLONEL MAK won the Silver Cup at Ayr in 2010 at 33/1 and was drawn in stall seven on that occasion. His preparation before the race included a win over 6f at Pontefract and then second place in a 6f handicap at Newmarket, half a length behind the winner. So he looks to be showing some good form ahead of the big race.
01 October 2013
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 3
Preview comment:
… while stablemate Polski Max could be interesting if recapturing early-season form. Likewise Dick Bos while Thunderball showed signs of a revival last week when just behind Pearl Ice, who now carries extra. Graham Gibbons rode the latter on Town Moor but has now switched to stable companion COLONEL MAK.
Explanation:
DICK BOS, like POLSKI MAX, has some win and placed efforts in May and June 2013 but his performances fell away in July and August.
THUNDERBALL finished third behind PEARL ICE in the Download The Ladbrokes Bingo App Handicap over 6 furlongs at Doncaster just over a week before the Silver Cup. It was the gelding’s best performance in seven races since winning a 6f handicap in March 2013, also at Doncaster.
PEARL ICE won that race on 12 September 2013 and so, just like SIR REGINALD, carries a 5 pound weight penalty for winning a race within a certain period before the Silver Cup i.e. PEARL ICE carries extra weight than he was originally allotted for the race.
Doncaster race course is also known as Town Moor. Jockey Graham Gibbons rode PEARL ICE to win at Doncaster but will now ride COLONEL MAK in the Silver Cup. Both PEARL ICE and COLONEL MAK are trained by David Barron. The implication of the jockey switching mounts could be that COLONEL MAK has a better chance than PEARL ICE of winning.
COLONEL MAK is in capitals in the preview comment because it signifies this is the previewer's selection as the likely winner of the race.
… while stablemate Polski Max could be interesting if recapturing early-season form. Likewise Dick Bos while Thunderball showed signs of a revival last week when just behind Pearl Ice, who now carries extra. Graham Gibbons rode the latter on Town Moor but has now switched to stable companion COLONEL MAK.
Explanation:
DICK BOS, like POLSKI MAX, has some win and placed efforts in May and June 2013 but his performances fell away in July and August.
THUNDERBALL finished third behind PEARL ICE in the Download The Ladbrokes Bingo App Handicap over 6 furlongs at Doncaster just over a week before the Silver Cup. It was the gelding’s best performance in seven races since winning a 6f handicap in March 2013, also at Doncaster.
PEARL ICE won that race on 12 September 2013 and so, just like SIR REGINALD, carries a 5 pound weight penalty for winning a race within a certain period before the Silver Cup i.e. PEARL ICE carries extra weight than he was originally allotted for the race.
Doncaster race course is also known as Town Moor. Jockey Graham Gibbons rode PEARL ICE to win at Doncaster but will now ride COLONEL MAK in the Silver Cup. Both PEARL ICE and COLONEL MAK are trained by David Barron. The implication of the jockey switching mounts could be that COLONEL MAK has a better chance than PEARL ICE of winning.
COLONEL MAK is in capitals in the preview comment because it signifies this is the previewer's selection as the likely winner of the race.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)