Tuesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
It’s too early to be making actual predictions for the 1,000 Guineas but I know for sure which horse I’ll be cheering for, having been told by the owner-breeder that all prize money won by Dan’s Dream goes to a spinal injury research charity. Dan’s Dream won a notable trial race in the Fred Darling at Newbury on Saturday and the question now is whether she should be supplemented for the Newmarket Classic a week on Saturday, at a cost of £30,000.
This filly was bred and is still owned by Steven Smith of Hunscote Stud in Warwickshire. Smith told us at Newbury that he broke his back some years earlier. He didn’t mention how it happened but I have since read reports of how he had to jump from a window to evade armed burglars while on holiday.
Since then, Smith has become a trustee of the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation and this filly is evidently his latest contribution to the cause. While his stud still owns her, her prize money will go to the NSIF. As Smith put it: “If she won the Guineas, that is life-changing for the charity.” First prize for the race is over a quarter of a million.
Dan’s Dream, a 20-1 shot for the Guineas, is named after the man whose injury caused the creation of NSIF, Dan Nicholls, who broke his neck while swimming on Bondi Beach at the age of 18. “Dan’s dream is to walk again,” Smith explained.
“He probably hasn’t improved very much in the last five or six years. But the charity supports ground-breaking stem cell research, which, for him and even me, could change our lives.” NSIF has helped fund research carried out at University College London.
It could be said that the 1,000 Guineas owes something to the victims of spinal injury. I was there eight years ago when Noel Martin, rendered quadriplegic by a racist assault some years before, saw his Jacqueline Quest disqualified from first place. Viewed purely in terms of what happened on the track, it was definitely the right decision to disqualify, but it was heartbreaking at the same time and Martin evidently had not realised he was going to lose the race until it was announced.
Turning to today’s action, I see the market doesn’t fancy Marracudja (2.30) and that is understandable, as he has done his share of underperforming. But he won last time when Bryony Frost rode for the first time and she is back aboard today at Newton Abbot, where the horse is one from one.
Today involves a step up in distance to two and a half miles and Marracudja has not always looked a strong candidate for going further. But he kept going at Musselburgh last time and he’s by Martaline, a stallion who has not exactly made his name with two-milers, producing Dynaste, Agrapart, Terrefort and Ucello Conti among other slow horses.
He still looks very fairly handicapped on the pick of his form and I’ll take 4-1 against this handful of beatable rivals, even if he did open at 15-8.
The in-form James Ewart sends Sky Full Of Stars (2.20) to Hexham, hoping he can go one better than at Newcastle last time. He was a close second that day, with the rest beaten 21 lengths, and 3-1 is fair about him managing a similar effort against an unthreatening field here.
Newton Abbot 1.30 Goldslinger 2.00 Sensulano 2.30 Marracudja 3.00 Sao 3.30 Sparky’s Spirit 4.00 Champagne George 4.30 Virak
Hexham 1.50 Whoshotwho 2.20 Sky Full Of Stars 2.50 Pineapple Rush 3.20 Rydale Racer 3.50 McGinty's Dream 4.20 Melekhov 4.55 Mendip Express
Pontefract 2.10 Five Amarones 2.40 Dawaaleeb 3.10 Holmeswood 3.40 Tyrell 4.10 Three Saints Bay 4.40 Alhawdaj 5.15 Hot Hannah 5.45 Delph Crescent
Windsor 4.50 Nutini 5.20 Nina Petrovna 5.50 Rebecca Rocks 6.20 Stream Song 6.50 Fajjaj (nap) 7.20 Pretty Jewel 7.50 Rupert’s Lass
Sedgefield 5.10 Alfiboy 5.40 Nefyn Bay 6.10 Hurricane Dylan 6.40 Discoverie 7.10 Danceintothelight 7.40 Diplomate Sivola 8.10 It’s O Kay
Tips by John O'Hara.
