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
Showing posts with label Deciphering Racing Previews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deciphering Racing Previews. Show all posts
03 October 2013
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.
30 September 2013
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 2
Preview comment:
Sir Reginald had The Confessor behind when runner-up over 7f at Chester and went one better at Doncaster. He has a chance here, despite the penalty, while stablemate Polski Max could be interesting if recapturing early-season form.
Explanation:
SIR REGINALD and THE CONFESSOR both ran in the chesterBET Powered By Datatote Handicap over 7 furlongs at Chester in 30 August 2013. SIR REGINALD finished second in that race and THE CONFESSOR was fourth. As a result, the theory is that SIR REGINALD should beat THE CONFESSOR again in this race too.
SIR REGINALD then ran in a 6f handicap at Doncaster on 13 September 2013 and won that race i.e. ‘went one better’ than the runner-up spot in his Chester race.
The penalty: SIR REGINALD carries a weight penalty of 5 pounds for winning a race after 24 August 2013. Weight penalties are applied for race wins close to the date of a subsequent race. The official handicapper might not have the chance to reassess a horse if it wins close to a big handicap race.
Both SIR REGINALD and POLSKI MAX are trained by Richard Fahey i.e. stablemates. POLSKI MAX won two races early in the season – in April and May – but has not performed so well in three races since then. He needs to perform like he did in April/May rather than he did in his June and August races.
Sir Reginald had The Confessor behind when runner-up over 7f at Chester and went one better at Doncaster. He has a chance here, despite the penalty, while stablemate Polski Max could be interesting if recapturing early-season form.
Explanation:
SIR REGINALD and THE CONFESSOR both ran in the chesterBET Powered By Datatote Handicap over 7 furlongs at Chester in 30 August 2013. SIR REGINALD finished second in that race and THE CONFESSOR was fourth. As a result, the theory is that SIR REGINALD should beat THE CONFESSOR again in this race too.
SIR REGINALD then ran in a 6f handicap at Doncaster on 13 September 2013 and won that race i.e. ‘went one better’ than the runner-up spot in his Chester race.
The penalty: SIR REGINALD carries a weight penalty of 5 pounds for winning a race after 24 August 2013. Weight penalties are applied for race wins close to the date of a subsequent race. The official handicapper might not have the chance to reassess a horse if it wins close to a big handicap race.
Both SIR REGINALD and POLSKI MAX are trained by Richard Fahey i.e. stablemates. POLSKI MAX won two races early in the season – in April and May – but has not performed so well in three races since then. He needs to perform like he did in April/May rather than he did in his June and August races.
Deciphering Racing Preview Comments – Part 1
The language and style of writing used by journalists in writing race previews is distinctive and can be a little confusing for those not used to reading them.
The next few posts will help decipher and explain the following preview from the Sporting Life for Ayr’s Silver Cup:
Sir Reginald had The Confessor behind when runner-up over 7f at Chester and went one better at Doncaster. He has a chance here, despite the penalty, 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. 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. 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. Irish raider An Saighdiur may be the pick of the remainder as this looks too competitive for old Harrison George.
The next few posts will help decipher and explain the following preview from the Sporting Life for Ayr’s Silver Cup:
Sir Reginald had The Confessor behind when runner-up over 7f at Chester and went one better at Doncaster. He has a chance here, despite the penalty, 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. 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. 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. Irish raider An Saighdiur may be the pick of the remainder as this looks too competitive for old Harrison George.
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