Strange times indeed as someone famous once sang (was it John Lennon?), though all the noises here in the UK seem to suggest racing of some kind will be on the agenda in the next few weeks, but for whose benefit I wonder?
Owners have already been warned prize money will be reduced (which makes sense when you consider no racecourse entry to subsidise the purse), and a maximum of 12 runners per race at select venues, but where does that leave me as a would be punter. Half of the fun of trying to turn a small profit (or more realistically a small loss) is second guessing a trainer’s intentions, but all that goes out of the window now for obvious reasons. A sweeping statement perhaps but surely not one of the horses concerned will have been targeted at any of the new races (how can they be when conditions, tracks, and dates were and currently are an unknown), while fitness is yet another unknow quantity suggesting the formbook can be thrown out of the window. Although I would love to say I won’t be naïve enough to get financially involved, I will (because I have missed the sport so much for what feels like years), though that may well be sensibly limited to market movers on the day – someone somewhere will know which horses are or aren’t tuned up for the day and that person certainly isn’t me!
Somehow, eleven years have passed since we all witnessed the 2000 Guineas triumph of a certain Frankel, one of my “I was there” moments and one I remember with delight. I was in the Press Room at Newmarket that day and was one of many wondering if we had our race cloth numbers confused as Frankel made all of the running while we worked out if that was in fact his pacemaker. Naturally, social media is alive with video of his achievement closely followed by a reawakening of the Frankel v Winx debate, which could get all the more interesting as the season unfolds, and even become a Frankel v Winx v Pinatubo argument if the last named is anywhere near as good as he looked as a juvenile.
Meanwhile, racing folk have been all hands to the pump in these trying times from top to bottom, from Sheikh Mohammed flying in PPE, to Oisin Murphy auctioning a riding lesson, to Ron Robinson (and yours truly) trying to raise money for Racing charities who must be as hard hit as anyone. Ron (who owns Post Racing) has come up with the brilliant idea of a free to enter writing competition for 5-9 and 10-13 year olds with some decent prizes of Kindles etc – and the chance for their parents to donate to Greatwood, The Injured Jockeys Fund, Racing Welfare, The Bob Champion Cancer Trust, or Racing To School, all very worthy causes. If you have or know of any children who may be interested (or just plain bored) in writing a story feel free to direct them to www.5magicwords.co.uk and share the web address around – though sadly it is limited to the United Kingdom for this year anyway.
On to the racing around the World this weekend and its quiet to put it mildly – no surprise there. Australia race Saturday morning though to be fair, I suspect others know considerably more than I do! I have called in favours from all of my friends (both of them), and they suggest it could well be worth having a little on Xilong at Morphettville in the 6.16am (set your alarm UK racing fans). First-time blinkers look interesting and with placed form in better company, the daughter of Deep Field looks well worth a second look and seems sure to go close from a decent enough draw.
On Sunday we return to Sha Tin where it would be fair to say the racing is competitive if not up to the high standards of last weekend where we had a mixed bag of a winner, a second and a stone cold last from Aethero who clearly has his issues. Eleven races on Sunday will keep the local punters busy as the Purton v Moreira jockey battle hots up even further, though finding a winner will be as tricky as always. With no statistics whatsoever to back me up I often have a quid on each Neil Callan ride and have a winner at a price now and then but for today, I will stick with the one (small) bet on Smiling Face in the opener at 5.30am (and I’ll watch it with a coffee at that time of morning). Jockey turned trainer Douglas Whyte has booked Joao Moreira to ride the three-year-old son of Acclamation on only his second start. Backed as if he couldn’t lose on his debut here three weeks ago, he got het up in the stalls before the start and then lost a couple of lengths when the stalls opened before being hard ridden and failing to pick up as hoped (despite plenty of assistance from the saddle). Truth is better was clearly expected but he put in a sterling piece of trackwork on Thursday clocking 55.5 ( a sedate 29.6 followed by a far better 25.9), suggesting he may have learned from his earlier exploits, and if he can break smartly on Sunday, I can see him leading hem all a merry dance in this small field.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Xilong 6.16am Morphettville Saturday
Smiling Face 5.30am Sha Tin Sunday
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