I was sad to hear that 1984 Grand National winner Hello Dandy had died last week. There is an interesting article about him on the link below.
http://www.mischiefblue.co.uk/dandy.html
Not a lot to report from today’s racing. Dom D’Orgeval won on his chase debut while our other list runner, Ring Back was 2nd at Plumpton.
The only jumps meeting tomorrow is at Folkestone. There are no runners from our list to follow.
One of my horse racing links has some “sports simulation” games that you might like to have a look at. They include “Two Furlongs From Home” a horse racing (flat) game which includes being able to re-run "big" races from the past, including Epsom Derbys from 1953. The link is below.
http://www.freewebs.com/johnbowness/
1953 is a little before my time as I first got hooked on horse racing around 1960. Thinking back, it was not long after that there was a spate of racecourse closures. Alexandra Park or “Ally Pally” went in 1970. The London Cup run there that year was won by a young 5 pound claimer – a certain Pat Eddery. Another familiar name to current racing fans, George Duffield, rode the winner of the very last race at the track. Duffield of course only retired quite recently.
Hurst Park was another track to close around this time. They used to stage races named after Henry VIII’s 6 wives. The Jane Seymour Stakes, the Catherine Parr handicap etc.
The name Hurst derives from "Hyrst", an Old English word for a small wood that presumably once stood there. The land was once used for other sporting activities -archery, cricket, pugilism, golf and occasionally for illicit duelling. The first game of cricket known to have taken place here was on 13th July, 1731, and the earliest recorded instance of a player being given out leg-before-wicket occurred here in 1795. Several bouts for the Prize Fighting Championship of England were fought on Molesey Hurst in the early part of the last century. I think there is a Tesco store where the old racecourse used to be now.
Pass Me By, took the £30,000 Sussex National at Plumpton for Suzy Smith recently. Ms Smith trains at the defunct Lewes racecourse. The Lewes track was another to bite the dust in the 60s. The great Fred Archer once rode 6 out of 7 winners at Lewes. He also had his last rides there in November 1886 shortly before falling ill and committing suicide during a bout of delirium. He was only 29.
Anyway, back to the present day I thought that Verasi was a game winner of the Lanzerote Hurdle. He is one of those horses that always seems to win at a big price. His 3 successes in handicap hurdles have come at 16/1, 12/1 and 20/1.
Although we have had a steady stream of winners from the list to follow they have been at skinny prices in the main. There is only one lister in action tomorrow at Fakenham and that is Dom D’Orgeval in the 2.20. He ran up a hat trick of hurdles wins last season and made a fine reappearance when 3rd to Inglis Drever in a Grade 2 at Newbury. He makes his chase bow here and if reproducing anything like his hurdles form he should win. The fences at Fakenham are not difficult but the tight track does not suit every horse.
We also have one “lister” at Plumpton. Ring Back runs in the 2.30. She won a bumper at Warwick last March and has shown enough in novice hurdles to suggest she can land a small race.
Returning to the 60s nostalgia for a moment, I have been listening to a Nancy Sinatra CD whilst penning these notes. The line from “These boots are made for walkin’” that goes “You keep losing when you ought to not bet” is perhaps one we should all take note of!
Take care.
Gungadu and Madison du Berlais were winners for our list to follow today.
Of the other list horses Kinburn put up a good performance in the Warwick Classic. His jumping wasn’t exactly fluent but it was still an improvement on some earlier efforts. Ladalko was a worthy winner of the race. When his jumping holds together he has plenty of ability. I wonder how he would take to the Grand National fences?
Racing Demon made a mess of the first hurdle and ballooned the 2nd but was creeping into the race when he crashed out in the handicap hurdle. Verasi was a game winner for Gary Moore who trains near Brighton racecourse.
Royal Shakespeare got off the mark over hurdles in ground he wouldn’t have liked much while Secret Ploy won over hurdles for the first time. He has only been out of the first 3 once in his career and that was at the Cheltenham Festival.
Romany Prince won the handicap hurdle at Kempton, albeit being helped by a bad blunder at the last by the then leader. I remember following Romany Prince on the flat when he was trained by D Elsworth. I quite fancied him for the Chester Cup in 2003 but he was drawn 16 of 16 and was never able to get into the race. His dam is by Old Vic who is the dam of top chaser Our Vic.
List qualifiers tomorrow are as follows. All at Leopardstown.
12.50 Ballytrim
1.50 Oulart
2.20 Ross River
French Saulaie dotted up for our list to follow at Huntindon today. Although he was 4/6, as the commentator said at the time “if all odds on favourites won like that the world would be a better place.” Saulaie is French for willow plantation, I bet you didn’t know that! Cathedral Rock put in a pleasing effort in 3rd in the same race.
Richard Johnson rode French Saulaie and completed a double later in the afternoon on board Chopneyev for Richard Phillips. Chopneyev is a horse that I used to follow over hurdles. He has had his injury problems but has now run 4 times in quick succession and is really making hay in the soft ground. Can you make hay in the rain? Oh well you know what I mean. Chopneyev is certainly tough and showed far too much resolution for his rivals.
With all the rain that has been falling some of tomorrow’s meetings hinge on inspections. I will carry on with the usual preview in the hope that something goes ahead.
Sha Bihan won over 2 miles 6 last week at Fontwell and is raised 8 lbs in the weights as a result. The extra 2 furlongs of the 2.45 at Kempton should help him and he does handle soft ground. Alan King’s horses are in excellent form and I am hopeful of a big run from this one.
Henrietta Knight’s Racing Demon, 3rd to Kauto Star in the King George is switched to hurdles for the 3.15. He is well treated in comparison to his chase mark and ground, trip and track should all suit.
Gungadu found one too good for him at Warwick last time and looks to get back to winning ways in the 2.00 at Warwick. He is related to The Tsarevich who was 2nd in a Grand National. He has never won in anything softer than good to soft.
Bleak House represents our list to follow in the 2.30. He is a bumper winner and was 3rd behind Kicks for Free at Haydock last time having won over hurdles at Aintree. He is yet to race on soft ground but is likely to appreciate the trip.
Madison Du Berlais was 4th at Chepstow in his last run. He has gone down a couple of pounds in the weights, acts on soft and is probably running over his best trip in the 3.00.
Jumping errors are proving costly for Kinburn this season but if he can put in a good round of fencing he would have a chance ion the 3.30. Ladalko is another win plenty of ability but can be an erratic jumper. Either of these could win if on a good day. Tana River is a thorough stayer who revels in the mud and has never fallen in his career. He is on a hat trick and has to be respected here. Tana River is an 11 year old, as is Robert Alner’s runner in this, Sir Rembrandt. He was 2nd in this race last season and showed he is no back number when runner up in the Rowland Meyrick on Boxing Day. D’Argent defied a long lay off to win in the soft at Cheltenham last month and if in that sort of form again would be in the firing line here.
Another veteran, Jungle Jinks is a bit of a standing dish at Wetherby, having won there 5 times. On his last 4 visits to the Yorkshire track his form figures read 3133, he loves the mud and is entitled to be in the shake up in the 2.20.
The advance going at Punchestown is heavy which should suit recent Limerick winner You Sir in the 12.55.
Back tomorrow evening – see you then.
As things turned out Classic Fiddle was the only runner from our list to follow today and he won at Hereford at 8/11.
It seems likely that the current monsoons will wash away some more meetings over the next few days but hopefully Huntingdon will go ahead.
Qualifiers from our list to follow tomorrow are as follows.
Huntingdon 1.50 French Saulaie and Cathedral Rock
Kelso 3.10 Troll
Soviet Song 18 February 2000
By Marju out of Kalinka ((Soviet Star)
Soviet Song won 5 Group 1 races at 2, 4 and 5 yaers of age. She recorded back to back impressive wins in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes in 2004 and 2005. She won the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at 4 and was an unlucky runner up in the same race in 2005.
She was kept in training as a 6 year old and repaid that faith by assserting her authority over rivals in the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal AScot.
She will perhaps best be remembered for twice beating Attraction in 2004, the year that filly won the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas. I had Soviet Song on my list to follow in 2003 when she was a three year old and she actually failed to win that season when perhaps the James Fanshawe horses were not 100%. She did finish 4th to Royal Rhythm in the 1,000 Guineas that year though and second to the same horse in the Coronation Stakes.
She was the world's highest rated female horse in 2004 and was eventually retired at the end of the 2006 season.
With 3 runners from our list to follow involved the novice chase at Wincanton was always going to be an interesting one for me.
Aztec Warrior and Miaster Quasimodo matched strides all the way until Mister Quasimodo got in close 3 from home and down he went, leaving Azetc Warrior to come home easily. It was possibly hard luck on Mister Quasimodo, who until his error had been jumping well and was possibly going slightly the better of the front two. Take nothing away from Aztec Warrior though who travelled well and jumped economically. Opera de Coeur made mistakes and does not look a natural over fences.
In the last race on the Wincanton card Closed Shop was a hot favourite but could only finish 5th.
Leslingtaylor, trained by John Quinn goes for a hat trick over hurdles in the 12.50 at Catterick tomorrow. He won at Market Rasen last time beating some decent types in the process. He has won on heavy ground on the flat and although he is giving weight all round he has a useful claimer taking 7 lbs off.
Troll was a winner for our list to follow at Sedgefield on Boxing Day. He has gone up 5 lbs for that success but with Catterick being quite a similar tarck and suiting front runners he could well follow up in the 2.50.
Classic Fiddle comes from a good national hunt family and won both her bumper races. She makes her hurdles debut tomorrow in the 1.00 at Hereford for in form trainer Nicky Henderson. Should go well.
Ring Back represents our list to follow in the 2.30. She won a bumper at Warwick last March in heavy ground. This is her 3rd run over hurdles and she has shown enough to be given an each way chance.
Be lucky
There are a couple of races involving horses from our list to follow at Wincanton tomorrow so I will concentrate on them.
We have 3 runners in the 2.40. Aztec Warrior didn’t jump well but still came 4th in a hot race at Cheltenham lst time. He has claims here but lack of stable form just puts me off a bit. Mister Quasimodo got off the mark over fences at Exeter last time out and I fancy him to run well. Opera de Coeur stepped up on previous efforts when 2nd to Trouble at Bay at Hereford. The one they probably all have to beat is Raffaello from Paul Nicholl’s yard who was the subject of good reports prior to his last run when he was a faller. This is a tricky one but I will give very slight preference to Opera de Coeur.
Former Irish points winner Closed Shop is my selection in the 4.10. He was 2nd at Wincanton in October and that was an encouraging hurdles debut. He has won a bumper before that.
That will do for this evening. See you tomorrow.
I couldn’t have been more pleased with Trompette today; she could not have won more easily in the handicap hurdle at Ludlow. This was her 3rd win since arriving in the UK from France.
There is only one jumps meeting tomorrow and no runners from our list to follow.
Not a bad day on the tipping front on Saturday with Silverburn taking the Tolworth at 5/1. Horses from our list to follow occupied the front 3 places. Roman Ark is a real mud lover and he won his 2nd chase of the season at Haydock under a big weight. Scarvagh Diamond was our 3rd list winner of the day racing well clear of her opponents in the novice hurdle at Haydock.
Huka Lodge gave me a winning tip in the handicap hurdle at Haydock. You wouldn’t have fancied this one with 3 to jump, or even after the last really but he came flying home in the finish. He clearly stays longer than the mother-in-law and likes the mud. He is trained by Kate Walton, and another lady trainer had a hurdles winner on Saturday. We were on United last time at 7/1 but I didn’t tip her this time as I felt the price might by a bit short. She duly won in gutsy style at Sandown ridden by the underrated Leighton Aspell.
Needless to say there is a racing calendar on the wall of the Russellform office. January has a picture of Nicky Henderson’s mare Trompette winning at Plumpton. Trompette runs tomorrow at Ludlow in the handicap hurdle at 2.00. With all the rain we have had I have had Trompette in mind as a likely winner as she seems to revel in soft ground. Ludlow normally drains quickly though and rarely rides really soft so we will have to see. Oumeyade represents our list to follow in this race. Four times a winner in France and a half brother to the useful hurdler/chaser Ladalko, Oumeyade went on a few lists to follow I expect. His form this season has been absolutely woeful however and I couldn’t tip him. He may of course suddenly pop up at a big price as Grecian Groom did last week! Trompette gets the each way selection, particularly as N Henderson has a good record at this track.
Like Oumeyade, Harringay, who runs in the 2.30, is trained by Henrietta Knight. He won over hurdles at Ludlow last season and has done enough in his 2 runs over fences to give him a sound chance. He was a faller last time in ground that was probably softer than ideal for him.
That’s all for tonight. See you tomorrow.
ahorse 