Despite the continuing presence of the whip debate, and the embarrassing Levy settlement that bookmakers and the industry finally agreed on after a year’s worth of negotiations this week, there have been plenty of positives over the last seven days. And it is these positives I am going to focus on, as it is becoming tiring watching bureaucracy and legislation overshadow the action itself.
Last Saturday saw the true beginning of the National Hunt season, as the first small steps on the long road to Cheltenham were taken at Ascot and Wetherby. The highlight at the latter meeting, the Charlie Hall Chase, was dealt an early blow as favourite Diamond Harry was found cast in his box and therefore declared a non-runner. But the race itself did not disappoint, with Weird Al out battling Time for Rupert up the home straight to score by three and a half lengths. The winner was having his first start for Donald McCain after a disrupted campaign least year, which saw him well beaten in the Hennessy and pulled up in the Gold Cup where he was later found to have bled. His talent, however, is unquestionable, as he jumped slickly under Timmy Murphy and responded nicely to pressure. He is now bound for the Betfair Chase at Haydock where he looks set to clash with Gold Cup hero Long Run and horse of a lifetime Kauto Star.
I do have some reservations about the form on offer though. The horse he beat, Time for Rupert, looked big and will no doubt come on a ton for the run. He also burst a blood vessel at the Cheltenham Festival last year, when favourite for the RSA Chase, but I have doubts whether he will make into a chaser of the highest order. His jumping lacks the clinical edge of the very best, and his cruising speed is certainly not in the league of Denman or Kauto Star in their pomp. I am reasonably confident that an on form Diamond Harry would have won the race last weekend, and I look forward to his seasonal reappearance later this month.
The eye-catching performance of the week came on Monday at a relatively low key meeting at Kempton. Only three horses were entered for the Betfair Graduation Chase, but Somersby showed he has a real touch of class when beating Aiteen Thirtythree by three lengths. The runner up is highly regarded by his trainer Paul Nicholls and heads the market for the Hennessy in late November. But he was unable to match the fluent jumping of Somersby, who relished the two and half mile trip and looks sure to get further. He fell just short at the top level of the two mile division last season, but looks set to make amends in the staying division with his campaign geared around a tilt at the Gold Cup in March. He might just be very good.
The British action this weekend is a little sedate in the context of what is to come, as racing fans look forward to Cheltenham’s Open Meeting, the Betfair Chase, Newbury’s Winter Festival and the Tingle Creek at Sandown in early December. Tomorrow does, however, mark the official end of the flat season and I believe Paul Hanagan – who will claim his second Jockey’s Championship – deserves a real pat on the back. Not only is a great to see a Northern based rider wearing the crown, but also a hard-working, family man who never takes his feet off the ground. I was at Carlisle a few weeks back when Hanagan, on his way out of the weighing room, signed numerous autographs and posed for photos with young fans. It is this sort of approachability, combined with a real love for the game, that makes him the ideal role model to promote racing to a wider audience.
From a punting perspective, opportunities look a little limited tomorrow. Ceilidh House will relish the soft ground in Doncaster’s 2:35 and, after an extremely light campaign, Ralph Beckett’s charge should be fresher than most of her rivals and can claim some end of season glory. In the following race, Pekan Star could be very well treated on a mark of 93 if he fills the promise he showed earlier in the year. He has disappointed twice since winning a hot York handicap in May, but I would be very surprised if Roger Varian has turned him out just for the run. At 9/1 he represents nice each way value.
It is a huge day of racing in the USA, as the second and final day of the Breeders’ Cup meeting unfolds. With levels of prize money on offer that I could only count with an abacus, it is a true spectacle to watch some of the best horses on both sides of the Atlantic compete at Churchill Downs. I hope Midday wins the Turf and So You Think wins the Classic, but I won’t be backing either of them. I will, however, be backing Strong Suit to dethrone Goldikova in the mile. Freddy Head’s wonder mare goes in search of her fourth consecutive victory at the meeting, but she might just be vulnerable to Richard Hannon’s colt. He was mighty impressive when destroying a Group Two field at Newmarket last time out, and despite being hindered by a wide draw, if Richard Hughes can pop him out the gates smartly he could be very hard to catch.
The Cambridge University Horse Racing Society is holding a pub meet on Tuesday 8th, 7:30 at the Mitre. All are welcome.
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