More evidence today of institutionalised sycophancy in the racing press – I cannot find so much as a word of criticism from the Racing Post directed at Jamie Spencer, who deserved brickbats for his woeful effort on Autumn Blades at Kempton yesterday. As is his wont, Spencer waited far too long at the back of a packed field and then, surprise, found all manner of trouble when trying to make his run up the rail. The horse finished full of running in 10th.
Spencer does this kind of thing far too often and one of the reasons is that, when it goes wrong, there are no consequences. No one says a word against him in public, trainers and owners continue to treat him as a little god who is privileging them by taking the ride on their yak.
Another little god is Frankie Dettori, who outlined the extent of his professionalism this week when he told the Post: "The Frankie Dettori you get on Monday is not the same one you get on Saturday." He rides the first two favourites at Leicester this afternoon, so punters must ask themselves - how hard will Frankie be trying? It's still only Tuesday and these races are both maidens, so presumably he won't be busting a gut. Emirates Roadshow and Al Marmoom should both win, but how can you back them when the jockey has explicitly warned you to expect a lack of commitment from the saddle?
There are no such doubts about Martin Dwyer, who partners Absent
Pleasure (3.10) in the feature race. Brian Meehan only took this one out of the Dewhurst at yesterday's five-day stage and he looks a class apart from his seven rivals.
His maiden win at Newmarket in August could hardly have worked out better. The runner-up, Huntdown, has since been placed in the Middle Park, while the fourth, Adorn, was again fourth in the Cheveley Park. Absent Pleasure put up a heroic effort from a bad draw when third in a nursery last time, giving a stone to the two that beat him, and is a good bet today at 6-4 on Betfair.
Reg Hollinshead is flying at the moment, with five winners and three placed from his last 12 runners, and his Drawn Gold (5.10) should not be 8-1 for the 10-furlong handicap that closes the card.
The going is heavy at Newcastle but First Swallow (3.20) should go
through it alright, having won on the soft at Beverley two runs ago. He was running on at the death over five furlongs last time, having been hampered at the start, and is interestingly upped to six on this going. Richard Fahey's yard is not at peak form but I still can't see why this one is 25-1 on the leading exchange.
It's three years since Staffordshire trainer John Stimpson took out a licence and he remains unfashionable but seven winners from 32 runners this jumps season suggests he knows what he is doing. His Elaala (4.00) gets the fast ground she needs at Huntingdon and can be backed at 7-2 to beat four rivals, three of which are thoroughly exposed.
2.15pm Tuesday's Frankie is full of woe
Alas, Frankie was only second on each of those two fancied rides at Leicester, one of which was sent off at 4-6. Both entered the final furlong with every chance before being outbattled. Maybe Friday Frankie could have won at least one of those.
3.15pm No Pleasure there
Absent Pleasure ruined his chance by pulling furiously for his head through the early stages. He had nothing at the finish and came sixth — he can do a lot better, provided he learns to settle. Meanwhile, victory goes to the well-backed High Alert, ridden by . . . Frankie Dettori! That'll teach me to have a go at him.
4.15pm Another winner for Reg Hollinshead
Stravita wins the claimer for women amateur riders at 5-1 under capable, if tender, handling from Rachael Kneller. Anna Wallace and Faye Bramley turned in rather better efforts on the placed horses, while Miss E J J Knight (who I take to be the daughter of the trainer William Knight) looks one to avoid after a frankly appalling effort on Afram Blue. If you backed that one, you never had a chance.
Results roundup
Drawn Gold couldn't give Reg Hollinshead a double, finishing fifth of 16 (the fate of all good each-way bets), while First Swallow went well enough to trade at 3-1 in running at one stage before fading. Both probably saw too much daylight early on.
Elaala was a real disappointment, finishing third without ever threatening.
Ron's back tomorrow — here's hoping he can turn things around!
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
And click here for today's latest odds.
