Thursday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
A tip of the hat this morning to racing’s rulers, who have made another significant effort to protect our jockeys. From 1 October in Britain, jockeys will be given an extra 1lb allowance at weighing out to allow them to wear an upgraded version of the body protectors currently in use, the new version being slightly heavier.
The ‘Level Two’ variety has actually been in use in Irish racing since last year and Ruby Walsh is quoted by the British Horseracing Authority as offering his approval. “I think there’s a huge improvement,” he said. “From taking heavy enough falls riding in steeplechase races to horses landing on you, standing on you, kicking you, I find the Level 2 provides way more protection.”
Still more impressively, Aidan Coleman has this to say: “I had to wear one when I rode in Ireland about eight months ago and when I got back to England I immediately ordered two, and have been wearing them ever since.”
Cartmel 2.20 Lucky Lucarno 2.50 Apachee Prince 3.20 Prince Garyantle 3.50 Isle Road 4.20 Damiens Dilemma 4.50 St George’s Oval 5.20 Regulation
Chester 5.55 Brigand 6.30 Even Keel 7.05 Feline Groovy 7.40 Sound Advice 8.15 Mr Reckless 8.50 Fingal’s Cave
Doncaster 2.00 Golden Guest 2.30 Evie Speed 3.00 Karnavaal 3.30 Al Jellaby 4.00 Arabian Gift 4.30 Rude Awakening 5.00 Ghost
Newcastle 5.45 Artarmon 6.20 Katheefa 6.55 Party Fears Two 7.30 Atletico 8.05 Magnoila Springs 8.40 Algaffaal 9.10 Dandy’s Beano
Newmarket 5.35 Shamaheart 6.10 Lover’s Knot 6.45 Excelleration 7.20 Midnight Blue 7.55 Gorgeous Noora (nap) 8.30 Breath Caught 9.00 Escalator
Yarmouth 2.10 Wiff Waff 2.40 Autumn Splendour 3.10 Camomile Lawn (nb) 3.40 Broken Force 4.10 Lady Freyja 4.40 Insurgence 5.10 Greenview Paradise
Tips by Tony Paley
Body protectors don’t prevent injuries, as Walsh knows only too well, but they can be the difference between missing days at work and being able to ride in the next. The Level 2 protectors are said to offer up to 50% better protection against direct blows than the previous version.
For book-related reasons, I’ve become a bit more familiar with the protective equipment that used to be available to jockeys. Within living memory, of course, it was hardly anything at all. It’s pleasing to see the subject being taken this seriously.
Newcastle start their Northumberland Plate meeting today and I notice with some regret that everyone else seems to be giving up on Kylie Rules (5.20). It’s not a particularly surprising turn of events, given that she’s raced eight times and hasn’t won yet, but she only came up short by a neck last time and had no chance on her previous start at Beverley, with the way that race panned out.
Her two runs in a hood have strongly suggested she can win something and perhaps this return to the all-weather can get her over the line. Odds of 10-1 are very fair, considering she’s on the same mark as last time.
In Newcastle’s opener, I can’t seem to tear my gaze away from Charava and I think it’s at least worth watching to see how he runs. I’ll be having a highly speculative few quid on at 50-1 because he’s on a beatable rating and has joined a trainer who is actually winning some races, Lawrence Mullaney, having spent last year with Patrick Holmes, whose strike-rate was 1% at the time.
Charava must have needed his first run for a year recently and Paul Mulrennan is a pretty interesting booking. He wore headgear in the past and has none today, so perhaps this is just another step back along the road, but he’s worth a look.
At Newmarket, On The Warpath (4.25) is now a Charlie Appleby horse, having won twice on the Fibresand for Sir Mark Prescott last year. I think he’s got plenty more to offer at odds of 3-1.
Newcastle 1.30 Charava 2.00 Island Flame 2.30 Amadeus Grey 3.05 Daafr 3.40 Weather Front 4.15 Poet’s Society 4.50 Amazour 5.20 Kylie Rules (nb)
Newmarket 1.40 Happy Odyssey 2.10 Starlight Mystery 2.40 Prevent 3.15 Hateel 3.50 Choco Box 4.25 On The Warpath 5.00 Bacacarat 5.30 Diamond Lady
Nottingham 2.20 Swiss Pride 2.50 Extra Elusive 3.25 Midnight Meeting 4.00 Tahreek 4.35 Tallinski 5.10 Kingstreet Lady 5.45 Kilbaha Lady
Leicester 5.40 Captain Lars 6.10 Nayef Road 6.40 Biotic 7.15 Bowler Hat 7.50 Choral Music (nap) 8.20 Swissal 8.50 General Brook
Hamilton 6.00 Four Kingdoms 6.30 Port Of Leith 7.00 Semana Santa 7.35 Desert Fire 8.10 Duck Egg Blue 8.40 Desert Ace 9.10 Mujassam
Tips by Chris Cook.
