The excitement here in the UK is slowly beginning to mount as we all start to (finally) believe that racing is on the way back after the virus induced sojourn, but I do question exactly who is really pulling the strings?
You will have all read of certain trainers being openly critical of the BHA here, but that does seem a little like everything else virus related – divisive, and based on individual opinions with far too many unknown factors left in an already complex equation. I am old school – I want racing back when it is safe to do so, I would far prefer no lives to be lost that racing is responsible for, meaning I would sit it all out another month if that meant we could get back to long term normal and not risk another (possibly harsher) lockdown – but I don’t own or train horses, so what so I know.
Some feel racing needs a prompt return for the sake of the horses, but when I read a headline referring to the scheduled return for the first seven days saying “From a bookmaking point of view, handicaps are the most attractive proposition for punters”, I have to wonder who is the puppet and who pulls the strings? Of course they will be fun to watch, and I may even be tempted in to a bet or three, but it’s the early season juveniles and the return of those with classic inspirations that I would have preferred to see.
Meanwhile, over on the continent Germany are ahead of the curve with racing from Hanover on Thursday afternoon where Andreas Wohler and Marcus KJug both trained doubles on a ten race card, while jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev outdid them all with a treble. The lack of a crowd looked strange but clever camera work can mitigate that disaster, though it would have been interesting to chat to the jockeys regarding tactics, are the front runners used to a roar from the crowd to tell them a challenger is hot on their heels I wonder.
The first top class European action for what feels like for ever arrives on Monday when France put on three cars from Longchamp, Compiegne (over jumps), and Toulouse, and the great Andre Fabre looks the man to follow with the eagerly anticipated returns of top two year-old Victor Ludorum and Sottsass who was last seen coming home third in the Arc, and looks the sort to do even better at four. They should (on paper), both be too good for their rivals on Monday but will no doubt be priced accordingly, and there is still that sneaking suspicion that they are being rushed back to the track to get a run in to them before bigger and far more important targets over the weeks and months ahead.
On to matters more urgent and we have a winner last weekend (and an odds on loser but we won’t mention that), one each from Australia and Hong Kong, so we may as well try to repeat or better that this weekend – though both are on Saturday morning so if you fancy following me in, you will need to get your bets on bright and early. I don’t ever find this easy with the names filing to roll off the tongue as they do back home, but I do like the look of Trevello in the 4.05am at Doomben who ought to prove pretty difficult to keep out of the frame at the very least. The current 5/1 or so looks sorely tempting in the circumstances after the Snitzel gelding came home a highly respectable third to Niedorp and Garibaldi in better company last time out. Track trip and going should hold no fears and he loos a slow burner who is yet to really show his very best, and in the hope there is more to come he looks the best bet on the cards down under on Saturday morning.
In Hong Kong the jockeys’ title is swinging like a pendulum from week to week after Zac Purton rode a fabulous five-timer at Happy Valley on Wednesday. That puts him for clear of Joao Moreira who drew a blank but the popular Brazilian will be hoping to cut that lead this weekend with a very strong looking book of rides. It seems highly unlikely he will leave the track empty handed, but guessing which will win is not an easy task and I will take a risk elsewhere.
Simple Elegant is forecast to go off an 8/1 chance and if he can get away smartly from the ten stall, he could run a huge race. Slowly away last time back in January that was his undoing from early on so we are taking that risk again here, but when he gets away he can prove very hard to catch from the front and off just eight stone nine here I am praying for a bit of a surprise, with this class the best he has ever raced against.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Trevello each-way 4.05pm Doomben Saturday
Simple Elegant each-way 10.45am Sha Tin Saturday
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