You know it’s Winter when you hear that dreadful word Inspection!!
That’s what the Don and Penny heard on their way to Sandown yesterday for one of the great pre christmas treats.
Tingle creek day. We have had such a mild Autumn and early Winter that you quickly forget such things as Snow and Ice but Newmarket the last couple of days has certainly dropped a degree or two.
With All Weather Racing Newmarket is much busier Off Season these days even though the bigger yards are winding down they never really shut down anymore although if you spot Sir Michael Stoute or Sir Mark Prescott at an all weather meeting I promise to read Andy Bell’s new book from cover to cover in one sitting !! He’s more Dick head than Dick Francis a less kind man than the Don would point out.
It was nice to be part of the special with the Colonel and Bell and it made a good profit for those who joined. The Don loves a big Festival and is already dreaming of Cheltenham but there’s many a winner to be found before that.
This weeks racing has been dreadful until yesterday where I went to Sandown and watched Aintree on my return home. Sam Walley Cohen is simply superb around the big fences and it was great to see him triumph although sad to see our members bet Renard run out of puff. I’m convinced theres a big handicap in him!!
Sandown was a great spectacle and Dodging bullets was a convincing winner of the Tingle creek. The horse was ridden aggressively after being continually restrained at Cheltenham in his last two performances. The two favourites Gods own and Balder Success were awful and neither looked particularly good in the pre parade ring. I wonder if hard early season races have taken their toll or if in Balder Success’s case he needs to go left handed.
Some top judges have told me Dodging bullets lacks stamina and that’s why he has been so lame at Cheltenham the last twice. Well the way he ran up the Sandown hill told a different story. If he’s given his head in March he will give anyone a race.
The race and day were sadly overshadowed by the death of Oscar Whisky who suffered a horrible injury in the big race. He won so many big races and was such a mercurial talent and he really didn’t deserve this ending, simply horrible. It will have been a long and very quiet night back at the Henderson yard.
It’s Peterborough Chase day and it should be a fantastic race and it’s there that our bet runs. Eduard gave the subsequent Big race winner many Clouds plenty to think about at Carlisle and I’m told looked like he would improve for the run. I’m not a massive fan of his jockey Brain Harding but he does know the horse well and this isn’t a tough course to ride. Eduard is 9/4 with William Hill and I think a win bet is called for.
From the Don’s Notebook
Dodging Bullets
Give him a long break bring him back for the Queen Mother champion Chase and then STOP holding him up he will be a tough nut to crack. If connections had stamina doubts they have gone and he is a very slick jumper. If Sprinter Sacre doesn’t return which sadly I’ve a feeling he won’t we may have seen the horse to beat here at Sandown.
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Back next Sunday.
The Gambling Don
http://go.betfan.com/1000/119
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