The week that was in the amazing world of horse racing.
With no Grand National to write about I have been scrapping about a bit for quality news to report on and horses who caught my eye, but a quick flick back through my little black book has at least given me something to say despite no new additions.
Before we look to the future we still have the end of the National Hunt season to get through and what a ride by Jamie Moore to win the Scottish Grand National on board Al Co, trained in Wales by Peter Bowen and a 40/1 shot (exchange starting price even bigger at 60.13/1) and fair to say, pretty unfancied! French bred, trained by a Welshman and ridden by an Englishman (and a Southerner at that), all that was missing was some Irish input for the full house but more importantly, surely the jockey was stuck on with glue? Jinking twice to the right close home the nine year old did his best to unseat his pilot, but somehow they remained intact to take the £100,000 plus prize money.
Earlier on the card I felt My Tent Or Yours ran a blinder to finish third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle – remember, this was a handicap unlike the Cheltenham equivalent, and he was giving lumps of weight to both the winner and the runner up. And in my view ran his best career race here – he will certainly be interesting next season in the top races though please, does he really need the blinkers?
As for the flat, well we had our first recognised Classic trials from Newbury, but what exactly did we learn? Personally, I learnt that I should have listened to my Newmarket contacts who told me Kingman was a class act, as he ran away with the Greenham stakes at a better than expected 15/8 starting price, implying that he may well improve for the run! If that is the case, then perhaps the Evens for the 2000 Guineas is value after all? The fillies finished in more of a bunch which makes me question the form, but then I may be sulking after doing my dough on Al Thakhira who was a head second after a less than perfect passage. J Wonder was a worthy winner on the day but neither of the first two home set my heart a flutter, and I am hoping we see something better at Newmarket in the days ahead?
Lastly, a word of caution about blindly backing all the John Gosden horses carte blanche despite the number of winners the yard is banging in of late. He does clearly have his horses well forward and they are fit as fiddles BUT unless you believe he has a stable full of stars, other stables will surely paly catch up soon enough and with all the value gone, it may soon be time to lay them instead at silly prices?
Next Week: Newmarket review plus the weekend.