Happy New Year And Some Suggestions - If Any Racing Goes Ahead That Is!

ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN

Short and sweet again this week as I am still catching up after “daring” to take New Year’s Eve off for a wedding, but it is a fairly quiet time of year with office parties etc taking centre stage ahead of the racing for many!

Poor viewing thanks to fog caused apoplexy for some racing fans but I refuse to start 2025 with negative news (for once) and will focus on the retirement of Daryl Jacob from the saddle followed by the announcement that J J Slevin will be his replacement for owners Simon Munir and Issac Souede. I have now reached an age where retirements are nothing new I’m afraid, so I am no longer in shock as I would have been 20 years or so ago, but it I do still feel a touch of sadness that old friends are no longer doing the job they were so good at – followed by the relief that they got to quit in one piece give or take a few breakages.  We all live on a conveyer belt I suppose as youngsters come through and others fall off the other end, but Daryl will be missed by punters like me who felt he gave his all on pretty much every mount I can remember. 41 isn’t a bad age to retire in my view, and it will be interesting to see what he gets up to next (is there any room for new faces in ITV racing?), but I am fairly confident we haven’t seen the last of a man who I cannot see spending seven days a week on the golf course.

Time doesn’t stand still and it was a matter of days before J J Slevin was announced as the new retained jockey, though I am a little wry that does suggest the owners will be focussing even more on Ireland – and less on the UK. He has already been riding in the green colours so it is seen as a seamless transition, leaving me to wish him the best of luck in his new role – and you a Happy New year with plenty of winners.

Onwards to the horses this Saturday, weather permitting…

If the weather allows then Sandown put on the best card this Saturday though finding winers doesn’t look as easy as I had hoped – that’s Saturdays for you! With the Nicky Henderson horses starting to fire at last it may pay to side with French import Khrisma in the opener at 12.05pm after the daughter of Pastorius scored twice in bumpers at Moulins and then at Lyons Parilly before finishing a seven and a half-length third at Fontaineblue in a Grade one on her final start. Bought privately for J P McManus, she makes her debut over hurdles here getting 7lb from all her male rivals, she is reported to have schooled well at Seven Barrows though stakes should be kept to sensible levels for her first start in over a year.    

Kids Say Lastgojoe looked the part when taking his bumper at Catterick last time out where he made all the running to come home unchallenged, but I am pretty hopeful he will set things up perfectly for Wise Eagle to land his hat-trick. His two starts over hurdles this season have seen a 23-length victory at Musselburgh and a 14-length romp at Catterick, and on both occasions he followed the leaders before being produced for comfortable victories. He does have to give weight away to all of his rivals today which makes his life a lot tougher, but he is kept at a sensible level for now which may be all he needs for another victory.

There are few better at placing their horses these days than Lucinda Russell and somehow, she has found a race for Hunters Spring where she gets weight from all her rivals despite being the only winner under rules in the field. The World and his wife seemed to know all about the daughter of Soldier Of Fortune before her Newcastle debut where she was sent off the 11/10 favourite after plenty of support, and she duly landed the bets with a comfortable two and a half-length success. Back at the same track in the 12.13pm this afternoon and with Conner McCann on her back once more and claiming 7lb form the saddle, I am wary of Truly Yours who heads up from the Twiston-Davies yard for his first start, but he has to give 6lb to his more experienced rival which may prove a touch beyond him.  

Lastly, I have had a look at Wincanton and if Kado De Joie continues on an upward curve, then he looks all set to land his hat-trick in the 3.15pm with James Bowen in the saddle. Owned by a Noel Fehily Racing syndicate, he has won his last two at Fontwell and Lingfield with more ease than the narrow official margins suggest, and an added 6lb form the handicapper may not be enough to stop him following up this afternoon.

Sean’s Suggestion

Khrisma 12.05pm Sandown