ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN
Well, we have had an interesting and unusual week in the big wide world of racing, with Peter Savill (owner of Plumpton) setting up a new racing group (because there weren’t enough to deal with already) known at the Professional Racing Association – or PRA for short. Before we look at what he (they) is all about I need to at least make one comment – why oh why is there felt to be a need for a new organisation, who is or isn’t doing their job in the first place – I’ll leave you to work that one out!
Their remit, reading the article in the Racing Post (funnily enough, they haven’t asked me for any input), seems to centre on openness and transparency from the racecourses over media rights and other income sources, with the new group adding a kite mark to courses they see as contributing their fair share to prize money (at least third of their racing revenue), and effectively blacklisting any courses that refuse to play ball. With 150 trainers apparently signed up, the threat is there to boycott any courses failing to deliver what seems to me a very fair figure (or those who refuse to give out the financial details needed), though we all know ARC have threatened legal proceeding in the past against similar threats, so only time will tell if they are able to go through with it – or are barking up the wrong tree. Meanwhile, the Thoroughbred Group have announced they are close to putting a package together to be agreed by the BHA and the Racecourse Association of their own to potentially muddy the waters, and it will be interesting to see where that goes with regard to the increased prize money everybody is screaming for.
Something a little light-hearted next, and where does everyone stand on the (latest) Geoff Banks saga? The story goes about a punter who was due to collect £350 getting paid out £3500 instead and Geoff calling the police to try and get his money back, so far without success as far as I know. That incident has, in turn, reawakened the age-old punter v bookmaker argument with some saying the lucky punter should pay it back – and the vast majority saying keep it, how many times have punters been done over or words to that effect! I am not even willing to have an opinion on this one, I can genuinely see both sides – but as far as I know it’s a civil matter and calling the Old Bill didn’t do Geoff’s reputation any favours, but the cold hard truth is they will get it back over time from the very punters cheering his demise, be that via shaving the odds or doing away with on-line bonuses of some sort.
Good news next and hats-off to trainer Craig Lidster, owners Goodracingco Paula Hanagan Simon Mapletoft, and three-year-old filly Alfa Kelelenic, who rattled up her five-timer at York when winning a competitive seven-furlong handicap. Yet another winning offspring of Havana Grey who is doing much better than expected at stud, she will go up another 5lb for that victory, but who knows where she will head to next with the Ayr Gold Cup in late September the only contest she is currently entered for. Just like Post Racing (see Podcast) , Goodracingco support charities including Motor Neurone Disease, Racing To School, Racing Welfare, and others as well as the Rob Burrows Racing Club (https://thegoodracing.co/product/rob-burrow-racing-club-rbrc/) and the Graham Lee Racing Club (https://thegoodracing.co/product/graham-lee-racing-club/ ), both excellent causes, and at £49 a year and £17 a year respectively, I won’t be putting anyone off. Contrary to all the doom and gloom in our sport there are plenty of “good guys” in the racing game and having a bit of fun with the hair on a horses bum as your share for a pittance can’t be a bad thing in my eyes.
Lastly, when is a chaser not a chaser? When she wins a race despite not jumping one of the fences. A strange one from Ireland this week as Arctic Fly, trained by Willie Mullins, won the 4.15pm from Killarney last Saturday by a head, beating Michael Hourigan’s Ballywilliam Boy to land the 6785 Euros first prize to get off the mark over the larger obstacles at the first attempt. A look at the replay shows us all that the six-year-old managed to force herself a gap between the wing and the fence at the second, effectively missing the actual fence, something that was not even noticed by the commentators as the race unfolded live. Unsurprisingly it has caused uproar, but under the current rules (expected to change) she doesn’t do anything wrong, and to my old eyes she did try to jump and gained nothing from her exploits. Apparently Irish fences used to have a flag in each corner so you had to jump between them, and if that had still been the case disqualification awaited, but she don’t break any rules, and to me it looks another case of punters talking through their wallets, or simply looking to conjure up a little more mischief for out much beleaguered sport.
Podcast here for those hard of reading....https://theworldofsport.co.uk/2024/08/30/alfa-kellenic-geoff-banks-and-the-pra/
On to the racing Saturday….
2.05pm Beverley
There may be only seven runners for this Listed contest over five furlongs, but with the favourite currently trading at 4/1 it is obviously fiercely competitive. According to official ratings Clarendon House is the best in here at the weights and he can go well for trainer Robert Cowell who is a dab hand with the sprinters, but sometimes you have to take a risk, and I will be backing Staincliff at a bigger price for Jack Channon. A lightly raced and effectively unexposed three-year-old, the daughter of Advertise was second at Sandown on her debut before winning at Newcastle, after which she was put away for the winter. Returning at Windsor in a novice stakes over the five furlongs, she cruised home by over eight lengths, and connections seem to have decided to avoid handicaps for now and throw her straight into Listed company. She has the benefit of a low draw in the two stall, always helpful at Beverley, and although the lowest rated of the seven, she gets both her three-year-old and her filly allowance here and is fully entitled to improve for her first run of the season too.
2.25pm Sandown
The score in the last 10 runnings between three and four-year-olds sits at 5-5 so nothing to learn there, but luckily everything seems to point to the chances of Tamfana who is close to impossible to oppose. David Menuisier trains the daughter of Soldier Hollow who won two out of three last season – but is yet to get her head in front in 2024. That said, she started with a length third at Deauville at this level, but built on that with a length fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, a three-quarter length third in the French Oaks at Chantilly, and a two and three-quarter length fourth in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp when she failed to see out the mile and a half. All of those were Group Ones so she is fully entitled to find this Group Three company far more to her liking, and back at a mile after failed attempts over further, she would be by far the most deserving winner.
3.15pm Chester
Real Dream returns form wind surgery and is well worth a market watch for any signs of confidence pre-race, but I am a firm believer that they often need their first race back, and I will be looking elsewhere for the winner. Sharoe is the only C&D winner in the field after winning this last year but he has been off for 300 days and is entitled to need the run after such a long break which points me toward either Lillie Langtry fourth Caius Chorister, or Willie Mullins Absurde. A decent hurdler who won the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, he has won over this trip at York as well as over shorter elsewhere (so he has both speed and stamina), and with his stable more than capable of tuning them up whenever and wherever, even the 9/4 on offer is sorely tempting.
3.35pm Sandown
With a first-time out winner a bit of a rarity for the Andrew Balding yard, it could be folly to overlook Royal Playwright, who scored by three lengths at Salisbury last month and looked a colt with plenty more to offer as he gains in experience. Field of Gold heads the early markets after winning at the second attempt for the Gosdens and he is another who has untapped potential, but a chance is take on Ralph Beckett’s Matauri Bayeach way. He looked a little more workmanlike than his main rivals when making his debut at Leicester where the son of Lope De Vega, who is a full-brother to Breeders’ Cup winner Aunt Pearl, and who cost 500,000gns as a yearling, showed all the signs of inexperience before knuckling down to come home alone. I am confident he will improve considerably for that, but how much is obviously the $64,000 question!
Sean’s Suggestion:
Tamfana 2.25pm Sandown
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