I am not sure if I have fully recovered from Royal Ascot just yet but the sun is shining, the ground is being watered (strange weather in the UK once again for 2019), and although we have to wait for Newmarket’s July meeting followed by glorious Goodwood, all is good with the World as far as I am concerned.
Plenty of news releases over the past few days with the big (and perhaps most controversial one) seeing the Breeders Cup decide to remain at Santa Anita this year despite the horrendous publicity earlier in the year after the loss of far too many horses for my liking either racing or during training. My own personal view remains that the “do gooders” of this World see racing as an easy target BUT as an industry we cannot ignore our issues and whoever is paid the big bucks in the Breeders Cup Media offices needs to pull their fingers out and go on a damage limitation exercise rather than the current tactics that seem to stink of “ignore it and hope it goes away” which in not good enough?
Meanwhile, fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be amused to see the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) and Careersinracing putting on Golden Ticket Week 2019 from tomorrow onwards as rewards for stable staff. Fifteen of the little beauties will be hidden at racecourses and training centres across the land and each one is worth £100 voucher for a well-known supplier so let’s hope they are all found and cashed in as the people who look after the horses we love and support deserve every penny for keeping our sport going on a daily basis.
Back to the negatives sadly and how many of you have read every word of the terms and conditions of your favourite bookmakers? I ask because there was an excellent article in The Guardian after a well-known bookmaker here in the UK used their terms and conditions to void all antepost bets from Switzerland. Now I don’t live in Switzerland (I can barely afford a Toblerone let alone a chalet in Gstaad), but the concept remains the same – their terms and conditions allow them to do what I see as an unfair term and one that could and perhaps should be challenged in court. Picture the scenario – you back a horse for the 2020 2000 Guineas at odds of 33/1, said horse wins the Dewhurst and the Racing Post Trophy and is then crowned champion two year old and his odds are now 3/1 favourite over the winter. Naturally, as a sensible and savvy punter I have done all the maths and laid off my bet on exchanges locking in a guaranteed profit, nothing illegal, nothing immoral, and frankly common sense. Three weeks before race time and there you are, sitting pretty – and then they cancel your bet and refund your stake. From planning your next vacation one minute you are now sat with liabilities on the exchanges and nothing to counterbalance with – for me that isn’t right and is something I will be bringing up at the next meeting of the HBF (Horserace Bettors Forum) as an alarm bell ringing very loudly.
On to the racing this weekend and very little jumps off the page screaming “back me”, you will be glad to know. The big race of the weekend is clearly the Irish Derby from The Curragh where Epsom winner Anthony Van Dyck is short priced for the double, but it is not a race I will be betting on and I am happy to sit back and watch minus a financial interest. Newmarket’s July course starts off with the Listed Empress Stakes and Summer Romance certainly caught the eye when winning on her debut. A daughter of Kingman, she may well go all the way to the top and a win in the 2.05pm is eagerly anticipated and on a weekend where discretion may well be the better part of valour, the grey filly will be my only bet this weekend.
Horses to Follow.
Positive –Picking a first time out winner may not be that original but the Clive cox trained son of Dutch Art won by five lengths despite being carried from one side of the track to the other. His trainer certainly seems to think he is a super smart prospect describing him as “…a very nice youngster and as good as we have had”, yet he is sitting at odds of 50/1 or so for next year’s 2000 Guineas. Worried as I am by the bookmakers Ts and Cs as mentioned earlier, the temptation is too much, and I will be tempted in to a few quid each way just in case.
Sean’s Suggestions:
Summer Romance 2.05pm Newmarket Saturday
Good luck as always.
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