Mustaffiz ran a huge race last week at Chelmsford when 3rd in a seriously hot race where the first and second ran to career-best or near career-best speed ratings.
He was tracking the pace from an advanced midfield position and travelled really well as he approached the home straight. Switching for the centre of the track may have cost him momentum, when perhaps going for the clear passage toward the inside would have been the better option.
Suddenly he found himself with a clear a passage and bumped into the eventual winner in a fight for space. He held on for third but had no chance with the first two home.
The gelding has nicely progressed from run to run lately, since his mark has dropped to a more realistic level and when he caught the eye as a potential improver early last month, as he ran quite well, slightly better than the 5/10 finish would make you believe the next time, followed by the aforementioned lto performance.
This is an easier race as he drops into 0-60 but stays on the same 60 mark. He’s been given an obvious chance to win and has the added bonus of a nice low draw and should enjoy the fast pace to track.
10pts win – Mustaffiz @ 13/2
……..
6.00 Wolverhampton: Class 6 Handicap, 6f
The handicap newcomers could be intriguing contenders, you just don’t know what you going to get with them. The more proven form in the race is certainly beatable.
That says unexposed over the 6 furlong trip is also Turbo Tiger, who showed promising signs when last seen over the minimum trip at Newcastle last month.
That day he moved quickly and keenly forward, probably wasting quite a bit of energy in the early part of the race. He was swamped over 1f out, seemingly flat footed, before coming back for more in the final half furlong.
That was impressive. Only a horse in good form can do that. It also appeared he clearly has the stamina for 6 furlongs, given how he seemingly enjoyed the stiff finish at Newcastle.
He was freshly gelded only a few weeks prior and it was good to see that he improved a bit from his previous seven career runs. Although, he wasn’t disgraced in the majority of those, ran with credit and didn’t always got the luckiest of runs.
There is a danger that he is too keen over 6 furlongs, but I feel everything we saw so far points to him wanting the additional furlong and confidence grows as he’s a full-brother to a decent sprinter who does his best over 6f, with a 2/2 record on the All-Weather over 6f.
This here represents a drops in class, taking on slightly lesser opposition and may be more significant than the paltry pound he lost in his official rating.
Having the #1 is a huge bonus in a race with not too much pace. He can just move forward easily to grab the lead and hopefully never to be seen again.
The last two days of my betting have been severely influenced by luck. Yet, as a punter the word ‘luck’ must be eradicated from the vocabulary.
Letmelivemylife wins it in a photo. Thomas Equinas gets a dream run through on the inside. Galileo Glass doesn’t get the gap. May Remain is beaten on the line.
The margins are small in racing. A millimeter or a split second can make a huge difference. The conclusion can only be that luck plays a vital role in the outcome of races.
A thrilling finish to the Support the @IJF_official Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap as Letmelivemylife gets up for a last-gasp victory under a fine ride from Rab Havlin for trainer Sean Curran. pic.twitter.com/JoO4eEEW8m
— Chelmsford City Racecourse (@ChelmsfordCRC) March 2, 2023
What does that mean from a betting perspective? Well, some days luck won’t be on your side, no matter how much juice you’ve got in your bet. Another time the misfortune of others will be your luck.
Punters often remember – or see – only when luck turns against them. They don’t recognise when it is in their favour. The negative emotions felt from misfortune are profoundly intense. That’s natural, there is a psychological reason for it. Put simply: losing always feels far worse than winning ever could feel great.
That can be s problem if a losing day stretches into multiple days or even weeks. Negative emotions take over and it can become increasingly difficult to stay emotionally indifferent to the outcome of bets.
However: betting for profit doesn’t depend on luck. Not in the long-run. Therefore, it doesn’t truly matter whether a selection gets beaten in the closest of photo finishes today, or if the much needed gap is going to be denied tomorrow.
Good, quality bets that represent consistent value (i.e. beat SP/BSP) will turn a profit in the long-term. This universal truth will, no matter what, absolutely not depend on any luck whatsoever.
Also universally true is the fact that losing runs are inevitable and that variance has a lot to say about this.
With that in mind there are only two key ingredients to betting profit: 1.Value Bets 2. Emotional indifference to the outcome
A way to put these two points into one single common phrase that translates well to betting: bet the process, not the outcome.
One the point of emotional indifference we can certainly learn from the ancient Stoics – a philosophy that is all about decoupling the mind from negative emotions and seeing things for what they are, in a rational way, no matter what happens to us right now.
“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” – Marcus Aurelius
If we got value in our bets then the misfortune today isn’t truly misfortune, when the action we perceive as misfortune is only one of the possible outcomes, in any case.
Last night reminded me in no uncertain terms about this: I backed 2 winners from 2 selections. Both were probably lucky to win in their own right. One got the most perfect run against the inside rail, the other benefited from a rival perhaps not getting out early enough, which may well have made all the difference in a tight photo.
That was in total contrast to the days prior, even recent weeks and months, and made me remember the importance of the aforementioned key ingredients.
Betting-wise the last half year was largely challenging. Especially the last three weeks, as I couldn’t back a winner, no matter how much value I got and how well selections were backed on the day.
I didn’t become a poor punter overnight. In fact, over the last three months roughly 60% of my bets beat SP… for minus 75pts return. Autsch. If one of the “unlucky” ones would have won, the red would have turned green. Other times my “lucky” winners could have lost on another day and may have changed the outcome of a green month.
Having extensive records of all my bets helps to see things in the right context. Largely, I am happy with my body of work over the last while. If I beat SP more often than not, I know I will win in the long-run.
I know this for a fact after nearly a decade of betting on horses and recording every single bet. In a time when my process has marginally changed and relies on a specific skillset that is different to the general punter hence generates an edge.
It’s a statistical certainty – and far from unusual if I consult my records – that there are times of despair, though; the average odds were 8/1+ over the aforementioned last quarter – losing runs are inevitable. Yes, 19 consecutive losing selections are tough to take on the chin. But it happens.
Long story short: luck may determine the outcome of today. It won’t determine whether you are going to be a profitable punter in the long-run. If you’re still in red after 1000 bets that’s not down to a lack of luck. It’s because of a lack of skill.
With that in mind: take the days when things go against your selection easier, and recognise the days luck is on your side. If you know you have an edge you will win in the long-term. That’s the only thing to care about.
Painful. Two 2nd placed efforts, including one beaten on the line and one blatant non-trier. Frustrating day. Again. May Remain looked to have it with half a furlong to go but then tired rapidly to get pinged shortly before the line. Agonising to watch.
Big Bard was probably too far back, finished solid for second place, but ultimately was fair and square beaten, in truth.
Muy Muy Guapo drifted out to 14/1 SP today, the writing was on the wall. And so it happened, as ‘surprisingly’ the colt started slowly and didn’t get a ride that would have given him any chance to get close.
That’s okay. it’s the game I have chosen to play voluntarily. It’s just the little bit harder to take during such rotten spell as it is for the last three weeks.
…….
5.50 Chelmsford: Class 5 Handicap, 7f
Give A Little Back? Probably not here. Up in class, around Chelmsford, this may be too sharp, the opposition too classy. I still hope to get my day with him another time.
The other one who is of serious interest is Letmelivemylife. He caught the eye in no uncertain terms last time. That was his debut for a new yard after a break since August.
He was held up after an alter enough start, travelled really strongly but gave ground away when turning widest. He wasn’t really asked for full effort until late and finished nicely, nonetheless.
You would hope he can improve for the outing. However, he wasn’t seen since then, now it’s four weeks later, that begs the question why? On the other hand, he seems a tricky sort given his lightly raced profile over the last two years.
He certainly has got a bit of talent as he won twice on the All-Weather as a juvenile and as a 3yo, both wins over 7 furlongs, including here at Chelmsford, when he also ran to a 76 speed rating.
We didn’t see much of him since, and after a bunch of poor showings, he has fallen down to a 74 handicap rating, from an 84 career-highest, only five runs back.
Clearly he showed a significant return to some form the last time, and that gives plenty of hope in this class 5 contest over a C&D he’s 3-1-1 from a good low draw.
10pts win – Letmelivemylife @ 13/2
…..
6.25 Chelmsford: Classified Stakes, 7f
I am not totally sure whether Thomas Equinas truly stays 7 furlongs. But around Chelmsford in a race that may not be run at the furious gallop he should have a decent chance.
If he does get home he could have a class edge here given he ran extremely well of higher marks at this track over 6 furlongs than what will be required here on level weights where few rivals look legitimately better than the 50 limit.
There were good things in nearly all his last four runs, visually or on the numbers. At this venue in early December over 6 furlongs he was only 2½L beaten off a 57 mark, running to a 54 speed rating. He wasn’t disgraced the next few times, especially his January run here once again was eyecatching.
Last time out from a wide draw after a sluggish start he ran okay when taking into account that he went wide, given a lot of ground away, throughout the race.
Slight worry that he was twice in a row not the sharpest out of the gate. A better draw here and a less frantic early pace may help the cause.
It’s not often that this small and completely irrelevant blog gets much attention. And why would it? However, the piece about my self-experiment with the ProCush whip seems to have hit a nerve within the racing bubble.
This site received in the last two days as much traffic as it normally would get in two-three full months! The original tweet was seen over 225k times, and messages came flying from all over the globe.
It was an even bigger surprise when doing the cooking on Monday night when I usually listen to the Betfair podcast to heat Kevin Blake highlighting the piece (58:36).
It’s been a crazy 24h, that’s for sure. I am only a racing fan who writes about the sport. Nothing special. It shows there is appetite for real info on the whip, though. Something to address by the governing bodies. For all they lack the will, obviously.
On the betting front Galileo Glass finished a super 2nd today, but didn’t get the gap when needed. He surely would have won otherwise. Big Impact ran too free, unfortunately.
Ends February on minus 10pts. After a super start to the month, I now haven’t backed a winner in nearly three weeks, 16 selections and counting, and also 45pts down on the year. It will be all updated here by tomorrow, as always.
…….
2.30 Lingfield: Class 5 Handicap, 6f
Muy Muy Guapo was a huge eyecatcher when last seen at Kempton. He was a bit awkward away from the gate, settled in last, then travelled strongly into the home straight.
He was easily able to answer every acceleration from the front group, but didn’t get a clear passage, while not really asked for full effort at all.
That was his Handicap debut and first run for the Simon Dow yard off a 100 day break. He is very much expected to improve for the run.
There is clearly a lot of talent, certainly compared to the opposition here. He’s still a colt and cost £115k as a yearling. Horses in this grade don’t often travel that well and can answer every pace acceleration that easily as Muy Muy Guapo did last time out.
He was even rewarded with a pound off his mark for that pretty spectacular effort. He looks tremendously well-handicapped.
10pts win – Muy Muy Guapo @ 5/1
…….
3.00 Lingfield: Class 6 Handicap, 6f
Big Bard ran better than the bare suggests the last two times. He came on my radar thanks a brave front-running performance on the last day of the old year. That form looks quite strong on paper.
He ran with credit next time out over 7 furlongs too, after things got rough in the early parts of the race, which meant he was set alight and pulling hard. He still travelled really well for a very long time.
The drop in trip to 6 furlongs is sure to suit here. He also has been dropped another 2lb, now rated 58. He looks handicapped to go close.
He ran to speed ratings 59 and 60 since September, although on turf, but his career best speed rating on All-Weather is 59, which he achieved twice, albeit at Chelmsford.
The race could be set up for him from the #2 draw with not much pace to compete with, if Hector Crouch wants to move forward.
10pts win – Big Bard @ 9/1
……..
8.30 Kempton: Classified Stakes, 6f
Good things come in threes, once again? I certainly hope so. I have given up on Paddy K after his recent gallant, but ultimately unfortunate runner-up performance at Southwell. He remains a maiden.
Instead, I go back to my trusted source of despair, that is May Remain. The 8-year-old ran a massive race last time out, when he moved rapidly forward from the widest draw and set the world alight from the front.
No surprise to see him finish a very tired horse. Still, he managed to finish 3rd, and that form doesn’t look bad in the context of this field.
He has the benefit of a #2 draw here, which is absolutely ideal. This course and distance favours front-runners and low draws. He won’t have his own way up front and there is danger that he does too much early on.
But the latest form, as well as a number of previous runs this winter, gave the impression that he is simply excellent form, and possibly better than the vast majority in this field.
It was eventful day on multiple fronts. Only on the betting front it didn’t click. Still searching in vain for the winner that gets me out of this rotten spell.
Sharron Macready went off favourite in the end. Great, I got a super price, once again…. it counted for nothing. No excuses, though. She had every chance and wasn’t good enough.
…….
7.30 Southwell: Class 6 Handicap, 7f
Is this ‘the’ day for Galileo Glass? The early market suggests it could be the case. More so, it’s been his last two performances that suggested he is close to peak form, however.
Mid-January over this course and distance he was a significant eyecatcher as he was restrained at the back of the field after a good start. He turned for home in last position, seemed poised for a solid challenge, but didn’t get a clear run before he finished easily.
Fitted with a visor for the first time when last seen, over the same course and distance, he was sharp out of the gate, possibly did a bit too much early on, though, yet travelled strongly into the home straight. He didn’t quite get a clear run over 2f out; in any case he didn’t have a chance with the winner and tired.
Both runs appear to be strong form, and made plenty of appeal visually. He drops into 0-60 class here, dropped a pound in the ratings, where he’s meeting a really poor bunch of rivals in this field.
The #11 draw is a not ideal, there is a clear danger that he is going to be caught wide. It’s worth taking the risk simply because I think he has quite a bit in hand in this field. The booking of Oisin Murphy is a bonus.
10pts win – Galileo Glass @ 5/1
……
8.30 Southwell: Class 6 Handicap, 6f
I am following Big Impact for a while. He’s been quite consistent this winter, having performed with credit and ran to some solid speed ratings.
He looked somewhat in the grip of the handicapper, but he caught the eye a number of times when he ran better than the bare form suggest also.
Now down to a mark of 55, 4lb lower than his last winning mark, as he drops down into 0-55 class, he must have a tremendous chance.
He’ll enjoy the ideal #3 draw here and should enjoy the fast pace of the race. He tends to pull hard; so happened last time out over this course and distance. Then from a wider #7 gate he just didn’t settle and wasted a lot of energy.
It was still noteworthy that he kept coming back for more in the closing stages. He should get a lead here from Ustath, and hopefully drops his head. That’s the risk, always.
But this is a not an overly competitive race. He’s clearly in excellent form as evidence of three speed ratings of 56+. He’s potentially on a lenient mark and can move forward from the perfect draw.
Would you believe it: I am a racing fan for over a decade and never had an actual whip in my hands! Time for a little self-experiment.
I’m not an exception. That much became pretty clear in all the recent – often heated – discussions about the new UK whip rules on Twitter.
It was a tweet from respected racing journalist Graham Cunningham that pushed my curiosity to the point where I simply had to get an answer to the “whip question” for myself: does it hurt?
As you read through the replies to Cunningham’s tweet you can’t help but notice how the vast majority of people speculate. Few speak from actual experience of real-life experience with a ProCush whip.
Good segment. But, speaking of denial, spare us the 'whip doesn't hurt' cobblers. Hugely respected former Aussie chief steward John Schreck: "To say these whips they use now don’t hurt is so wrong and nobody should fall into that: of course the whip hurts, that’s why it’s used." https://t.co/JKqzhpkDqD
So I ordered one. To be precise: the “Flexible ProCush Flat Whip with Micro Chip”. It cost about €50. Sold as “designed solely for flat racing with an 8 inch padded shock absorbing end”.
I have it here, right in front of me, as I type these words: It’s quite large – 70cm long – at the same time the whip is incredibly lightweight – about 150gr (less than half a pound). It’s certainly flexible with a somewhat “rubbery” feel when you swing it.
The end is “softish”. You can squeeze it; there is some give. It feels a bit like padded foam. However, and that is also the truth, it feels less soft than I had envisioned after watching the explainer videos recently published by the BHA.
This isn’t a pillow on a stick. It’s somewhat soft and somewhat firm at the same time, if that makes sense. Curiously, the harder I squeeze, the softer it gets.
Continued from previous post.
The whips used in British racing are cushioned and foam-padded.
This video explains how the whip currently used in British racing is designed. pic.twitter.com/vO5LnX9HPS
At the bottom of the handle of my ProCush whip it states this type of whip is BHA approved. Good to know. Apparently there is a microchip somewhere in there as well. Not sure where, and even less sure why.
First impressions: I guess you can kill with this device: a fly – if you’re quick and do it the right way. Not much else could be killed with this thing. It won’t work as a torturing device.
The Whipping Experience
What happens if I smack my hand and fingers (I also smacked other parts of the body, for reference) with the most incredible force my little arms can create? Obviously, that was the key question to answer.
Time to swing the ProCush and give it a good lash. Initially I try it on my own before asking someone else to grab (enjoy?) the opportunity to hit me.
There is a loud, slapping noise….
I expected the slapping sound. It is familiar from my visits to the racecourse. Although the sound is duller than I heard it there.
It somewhat hurts for a brief moment. Hurt and the feeling of pain are relative, though. In German we have a word for this type of sensation: “zwiebeln”. “Stung” seems be to the closest description in English. Although, that feels too harsh to describe the actual feeling.
Any sensation of pain subsides rapidly. There are no lasting marks on the skin. This isn’t painful in the sense of what I have in mind when thinking about something truly “painful”. Yes, there is impact. Yes, there is a form of pain. That’s the truth. Yet, you can’t compare this to a “proper” whip in any shape or form… nor to being hit by a leather belt.
The human hands are pretty sensitive (so is my backside, which got smacked as well). Unlike, as far as I understand, the huge hindquarters of a thoroughbred – the position where they are hit with the ProCush. Obviously it’s difficult to know what a horse truly feels when hit by a jockey with force.
At the same time, my instincts tell me that in a race situation, when the whip is used, horses are full of adrenaline and will hardly feel a thing beyond the sensation that something made contact with their skin.
The smacking noise, however, as I have observed myself on the racetrack, is quite loud, and it certainly would put me in a state of alert if it suddenly appears out of nowhere.
I also feel the current instructions for use of the whip make it difficult to hurt a horse. You are not allowed to strike above shoulder height. I tried myself, and it’s not that easy to get an overly dramatic amount of leverage and force applied in this position. Granted, I am not a jockey who’s doing this for many years.
ProCush Summary
This little unscientific self-experiment taught me something: the whip debate is overblown. Most people have no clue when they talk about the ProCush. They never had one in their own hands and have no sense of how it feels to be hit with the whip.
Yes, it’s not a plush pillow by any means. But it’s not a whip in the traditional sense of a whip, either. It’s a device that elicits a sensation on the skin for sure. It creates a loud, smacking noise upon impact. It stings for a brief moment – at least on a human hand. And that’s it. It’s not a torturing device. It’s totally unusable to really hurt (i.e. injure) anyone with it.
I must say with this experience in mind, I can better appreciate why the ProCush is used as a tool to focus a horse on the job. Sudden contact of something external with the skin plus a loud noise would focus anyone and anything on the here and now. It would illicit a response of total alertness.
In that sense, I can see how it can help to galvernise a horse or keep it focused, when it matters most in the closing stages of a race.
Future of the Whip
My personal view is clear: I have no issue with the ProCush whip being used. Is it really required, though? That’s a question I find tricky to answer. I am not a horseman, never rode beside a pony on a holiday farm and therefore can only go by what I observe in racing jurisdictions that have banned the whip.
If I see races from Scandinavia, for example, I dread the time when the use of the whip for encouragement is banned in the UK. Those races don’t make for pleasant viewing. The fact jockeys have little options to re-focus their mounts in the closing stages makes these races boring. They seem to favour one particular type of horse. Therefore appear dull and one-dimensional to me.
That’s my personal view. There are plenty others who seem to be of an opposite view. That’s okay. There isn’t a right or wrong answer here. If racing in the UK, and perhaps at some point in Ireland, would go down the same route as Scandinavia, then that’s the way it is. I wouldn’t be interested in the sport much longer, though. That’s also okay.
On a final note, one thing is totally obvious: the ProCush whip is the smallest issue racing faces to ensure a sustainable future where it remains relevant as a sport with a vibrant core audience that follows with interest.
The whip debate is a distraction. Perhaps a welcoming one for the governing body in the UK. Distracting from their colossal failings to address the real issues. I fear for the future of the sport. I am saying this as a racing fan first and foremost.
No humans were harmed in the making of this article
Competitive race that should be fast and furious as many are keen to go forward. I also have three eyecatchers running here. I still want to get involved.
Favourite Glorious Charmer is one of those who will look to get some of that early pace. Bidding for a hat-trick, the #5 draw may not be an issue, but he must overcome a new handicap mark of 56. He hasn’t run beyond a speed rating of 52 in the last two years. Looks poor value.
Bang On The Bell down in trip after a recent comeback run makes a lot of appeal. He may be able to come with a strong finish thanks to the fast pace. But a #9 draw is a disadvantage and has a poor record over this C&D.
Of course I have to like the chances of Proclivity, and to a lesser extend Prince Of Rome. The former ran a huge race last time out. He should run his race, though possibly showed too much of his hand lto to be considered well handicapped in this field and pace scenario.
Prince Of Rome won’t have his own way up front. I felt there were not too many excuses last time. 2lb lower than lto is intriguing but the fact he hasn’t run speed ratings that match or better his current mark in a long time tell the tale. Not giving up quite yet on him, but it has to be another day.
Veteran Astrophysics was an excellent winner over course and distance two weeks ago. This is tougher but he could get a nice lead into the home straight from the #3 draw.
No question, though, the one I want to be on here is the filly Sharron Macready. I am more than happy to give her another chance after last weeks poor effort at Southwell.
She finally dropped to the minimum trip there but after an awkward start was once again mad keen. She just went off too hard and burned out quickly.
There is no doubt she is better than that. She was often overly keen in many of her races over 6 furlongs. But ran well, often better than the bare form. The September performance here Wolverhampton over 6f was especially noteworthy. I also liked her Kempton run two starts ago when she kept answering the challenges.
This will only be her second ever opportunity over the minimum trip. She is still lightly enough raced to remain open to improvement, especially if she can settle better.
The expected fast pace can only help her I believe here. So does the #1 draw. She can move forward, using her early speed to get to the front, while others have to do more to get to their preferred position.
Tongue tie and hood are fitted. That could help her to settle better. If it does indeed then I am more than hopeful she proves better than her current 64 handicap mark.
I also take it as an encouraging sign that connections run her so quickly back to back with the new headgear. Strike while the iron is hot – she seems ripe to win, if she can relax a bit better.
Not that it means much, perhaps, but the early prices have quickly vanished as well, but I am more than delighted having snapped up across the night an overall price that is possibly quite a number of points too big as it gives the risk of the filly not settling too much weight, in my view.
She is probably the second best horse in the race with the likelihood of an ideal trip she has no excuses and every chance to outrun the price tag.
It’s not really happening for me right now. Even though – and that’s all I can ask for – it was a massive run by Royal Tribute last night at Dundalk. But was only good enough for a 4th place finish in the end.
It was odd to see him held up in last after an excellent start. He made a huge move from 3 furlongs out to lead at the final furlong marker, but he mad that move right into the hottest part of the race, so no surprise to see him fade late.
I’ll try to maintain positivity. Especially in light of a superb day of racing today. Kenilworth, South Africa is the place to be. 2.15 is the time to remember: Cape Derby time – Charles Dickens goes off the hot favourite and let’s just hope he can show something spectacular.
………
1.40 Kenilworth: Listed Jet Master Stakes, 8f
A wide open contest, that sees top rated Al Muthana return to his preferred distance. he was the shock winner of the King’s Plate, but couldn’t follow up in the Met over 10 furlongs, which wasn’t a surprise to see.
Obviously, if he would run to the level of form shown over this course and distance in January, when beating Charles Dickens, he’s the one to beat.
Two issues he may encounter, though: he’s got overcome 62kg on his back. And the low draw, albeit generally a positive, may mean he has to challenge against the inside rail, if he doesn’t want to lose a lot of ground to angle out toward the preferred stands’ side. The market sees it the same, and has a fair 6/1 chance.
Favourite Silvano Dasher won two hot handicaps on the bounce. He’s got to prove his stamina over this trip, though. From his wide draw he’ll be ridden for a turn of foot I assume. Makes little appeal at current odds.
Lightweight Imilenzeyokududuma looks attractive. He is progressive, loves this course and distance and should enjoy the perfect race tracking the pace from his #4 draw.
At the prices I simply have to back classy Warrior, though. He ran really lately, in hot races, often having to overcome wide draws. His stamina was stretched in the Met when last seen, but his run was huge against the very best opposition.
He also was a fast finishing 3rd in the Grade 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy prior, when he had to overcome a wide #13 draw, then over 9 furlongs.
The drop to 1.600m looks absolute key today. His record is 7-4-2 over this course and distance and he’s got the added bonus of Richard Fourie in the saddle.
The #7 is possibly ideal. Fourie will have every option to chose his race tactics, but I assume he’ll settle somewhere 4-5 lengths off the pace, with the aim to angle out wide for an early challenge from 500 metres out against the stands’ side.
Warrior is a class act in this field and certainly over his preferred trip. He didn’t have many opportunities to run over this C&D since winning the Cape Mile back in November 2021.
10pts win – Warrior @ 6/1
………
2.40 Lingfield: Class 2 Handicap, 1m
I was seriously impressed with Diderot’s comeback run last month. 203 days off, he returned at Southwell in a competitive class 3 Handicap. No surprise on his first run in such a long time to see some signs of keenness early on, before he happily took the lead of the front-runners.
As he tracked the pace he travelled sweetly throughout, hard on the bridle as he approached two furlongs from home and hit the front. Ultimately the winner came flying from off the pace to catch Diderot inside the final furlong.
It was still impressive to see him being able to keep up strongly all the way to the line, which only horse in near peak form could do.
He ran to a strong 88 speed rating on the day, not too far off his best. Today is a hotter race on paper, but judged on performances over the last twelve months his best is best in this field, in fact.
About a year ago he was only a neck beaten over this course and distance off a 94 mark, running to a 94 speed rating. He followed up with more excellent performances on the All-Weather.
He’s not obviously well-handicapped off 95 today. But he’s very likely to be top form, likely to run to his best, and that could be good in a race where there are question marks to answer for many of his rivals.
The pace will be intriguing. There should be a quite a bit of early speed that will likely suit Diderot to slot in behind the leaders, drop his head then and come with a strong finish in the final furlong to hopefully win the race.
Another desperately disappoint effort from my selection last night. Gowanbuster one of the top negative market movers ran exactly like that. Last bunch of selections all beaten before it mattered… makes for grim reading.
I am the first to be critical of my decisions and work, but in hindsight I must say to feel totally comfortable with each and every selection. It’s hopefully just one of those times, a wild downswing.
It’s been a long week in any case. I was so tired last night I forgot to press the “Publish” button for this post as well as to even check whether the entire stake got matched. It didn’t. Thankfully, prices haven’t changed too dramatically for my Dundalk selection with 10s finally matched.
A winner would do me wonders, perhaps…. that says, Saturday is one to be excited about in any case, and I can’t wait for it: Cape Derby in South Africa with the return of Charles Dickens!
……….
6.00 Dundalk: 47-65 Handicap, 7f
Despite the slightly wider than ideal draw, Royal Tribute makes tons of appeal on the basis of his most recent course and distance run earlier this month.
That day he travelled incredibly well, made his challenge toward the inside rail and pocked his head in front 2 furlongs from home. He wasn’t a match for the eventual winner who came with a strong finish on the stands’ side.
But he ran on for second place, having the measure of two subsequent winners in third and fourth place. The form looks strong, therefore, and a better race than this one.
In my view Royal Tribute wasn’t disgraced last time out when dropped to 6 furlongs. He travelled well once again but didn’t have the pace to challenge and fell away in the closing stages.
Back over 7 furlongs, as a course and distance winner off the same mark he looks one of the likelier sorts to run his race. He clearly continues to be in good form and has the added bonus of Colin Keane in the saddle.
CTK was riding two runs back as well, so he is familiar with the horse, who can be a tricky starter. navigating the #9 draw will be a fine balancing act.
Hope the pace will play out isn’t entirely clear, with some f those potentially eager to move forward drawn wide as well. I hope Keane gets him off to a solid start and can settle no worse than midfield without being caught wide, which leaves every option entering the home straight.
Challenging wide toward the stands’ worked well often in the last weeks in general, so the #9 draw may force Keane’s hands to go down that route, which wouldn’t be a disadvantage per se.
Dangerous opposition in form and well handicapped is scare in the field. One can argue Royal Tribute is rated close enough to his current merit. However, given he was left on the same mark after the huge recent CD performance, gives him in this poor field a strong chance.
Unfortunately the scenario where He’s So Brazen goes off hard and doesn’t get home over the stiff 7 furlongs at Newcastle materialised today. Worse: old ‘friend’ Lucky Lucky Lucky got home to win nicely…. clearly not going too well lately.
……….
8.00 Newcastle: Class 6 Handicap, 5f
Gowanbuster has been knocking on the door lately, as he showed plenty of good signs in all his last three runs since his comeback after a wind operation during last summer. He clearly is in superb form and a winner in the making.
He ran to a 59 speed rating last time out; his best in three years. He was ridden with more patience than usual, and came strongly in the second half of the race the challenge for victory, just to beaten by the even stronger finishing and evidently well-handicapped Tathmeen, who won subsequently again.
That was a huge performance and tied in nicely with his two prior runs that were eye catching in their own right.
He drops to the minimum trip again, which I feel is ideal, given the way he faded late after racing much more prominently than the last times. His C&D record is only 9-1-1 but this race looks perfectly set up for his usual racing style.
He should be able to move forward to grab a relatively uncontested lead, which is an advantage over this course and distance. He has the added benefit of staying further, so should be able to keep the challengers at bay in the closing stages.
Horseracing - International . COM 