Strong Views And Stronger Horses - Well, That's The Plan

ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN

After a particularly “busy” article last week I am having a bit of a rest with just the one subject to talk about, just promise me you will try to stay awake.

Racing held a meeting in London just around the corner from the Houses of Parliament last week, where points were made by one and all that any attempts to harmonise tax on racing bets to duplicate those of other gambling mediums (slots and casinos) would be detrimental to the sports finances (let’s face it, it won’t be lowered), and thus to punters like you and me, who ALWAYS end up footing the bill. Unlike others you may have read or heard elsewhere, I won’t be breaking the rules and naming names – suffice to say I was there and that to my shock and delight, racing folk were all in tune for a change, from top to bottom (probably me). Even the representatives from various anti-gambling groups acknowledged that racing was a very different beast to the far more harmful slots and casinos, and to lump us all in as “gambling” was seen by many, myself included, as an insult. Far from being the same, racing’s argument was that we need to be taken out of the equation where possible – less or no cross-selling (we all get offers of free spins if we risk a tenner on the slots when all we are interested in is horse racing), with separate wallets suggested as a minimum – different websites entirely if I had my way.

The very fact that bookmakers weren’t happy to be absent from the conversation has to be a good thing in my eyes, we may have a funding mechanism that uses betting turnover or profit, but our goals are radically different.

In conclusion, it showed me that racing can sing from the same hymnsheet when the chips are down – now we need to take it another step forward and see where that takes us, and then maybe, just maybe, we can find a chink of light at the end of the tunnel – rant over!    

On to the racing this weekend…

Saturday

Goodwood 2.05pm

A field of eight are currently declared for this Listed event over a mile and three furlongs and it looks an interesting contest of improving three-year-olds – and a tough one to call. Too Soon brings group form after finishing fourth in the Zetaland Stakes at Newmarket last October for the Moores, while Tycoon made all for a comfortable maiden win at Windsor last month and is open to any amount of improvement. Both can go well, but I will be siding with Ralp Beckett’s Amiloc, albeit to small stakes. The winner of all three of her career starts, two on the Kempton all-weather last year, and on her return here over the mile where he ran on strongly to go three and a quarter lengths clear at the line. As a son of Postponed he ought to get this trip standing on his head,  and as he was weak in the market on his return I am hoping that means he has plenty of improvement to come.

Haydock 3.00pm

A highly competitive six-furlong sprint is next on our agenda, and there is every chance the winner of this will go on to Group One glory later in the season with Royal Ascot on most agendas. Big Mojo heads the early markets for Mick Appleby and he can certainly go close with a run under his belt for the season after winning at Ascot last month but all the value has gone and I prefer the chances of Powerful Glory, though I do feel he may be better over further as the season progresses. Unbeaten at two with wins over this trip in a Pontefract maiden and the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes, he seems to have been largely forgotten at around the 7/1 mark, and if he gets the fast early pace I expect that he can attack from late in the race, he ought to prove hard to keep out of the first three.    

The Curragh 3.05pm

The only reason I am covering this race is the Irish debut of Storm Boy for Aidan O’Brien, who has transferred from the Australian yard of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, after what appear to be a private sale. His five career wins have been at up to Group Two company in the Southern hemisphere, and although it seems a strange move to go from competing for bigger money to the relative poverty of Irish racing, if he is fit enough to do himself justice, he is the class act here without any doubt.

Haydock 3.30pm

The speedballs are out in force for the five-furlong Temple Stakes, headed by Starlust according to official ratings, who own the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last November before being put in his place in Hong Kong over a furlong further. He is a class act at his best but hasn’t won on his seasonal debut before and for that reason, I will pass him over. Thinking outside the box (way outside to be honest), I will have the smallest of each way bets on Grand Marquess, who travels over from Ireland for James “Fozzie” Stack. A daughter of Starspangledbanner with just the one win from eight starts, she gets weight as a three-year-old and as a filly here, and that may make all the difference. Returning at Cork in a Listed race over half a furlong further, she weakened close home to be beaten a length and three-quarters at the line, but she should strip fitter now after her first start since last October. Her second to Coto De Caza in the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket proves she has plenty of ability when needed, and although she is not as good as Starlust as an example, she is officially rated 12lb inferior to the likely favourite, but gets a pull of 16lb this afternoon, and that suggests she has a fighting chance if nothing else.

The Curragh 3.40pm

The big race of the day is unsurprisingly the Irish 2000 Guineas, where Field Of Gold will look to go one better than his second in the English equivalent with a change of jockey making all the headlines. Kieran Shoemark has been jocked off in favour of Colin Keane, which I have no real opinion on to be honest, other than to say he obviously has considerably more experience of the track. He finished with a flourish to be beaten half a length by Ruling Court at Newmarket, and will be a short price to take this classic and do so with ease. Hotazhell came under serious consideration for Jessica Harrington with his neck won over Delacroix last season franked with the runner-up winning the Leopardstown Derby trial with ease last time out, and as he is now as short as 9/2 for the Epsom Derby, that is clearly way above average form. He can go well on his first start of the season but I will take a chance on Cosmic Year, apparently the Juddmonte second string. Oisin Murphy rides the Kingman colt who has done nothing wrong so far, winning all three starts for Harry Charlton, albeit at a lower level with the Listed King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket his most recent victory. He does try the mile for the first time here but as he travels so well in his races and will get plenty of cover in this line-up if needed, I am hoping he can pounce late on to being home the spoils and mark himself down as one of the best horses in training.

Sean’s Suggestion:

Powerful Glory each way 3.00pm Haydock Saturday