The Tin Man enlivens Monday night’s card at Windsor by making his seasonal reappearance there. He’s a really likeable veteran sprinter who always makes me think of Tom Queally, the Irishman having twice won big races on him Ascot, but Oisin Murphy was given the ride in the autumn and looks set to keep it.
That’s a pity for Queally, whose only ride at Windsor on Monday is in a maiden race 90 minutes later. Amazingly enough, the jockey will be trying to end a losing run in Britain that stretches back more than five months, during which time he has had 60 rides without success.
At 34 years old, Queally should definitely not be past it as a jockey. Is this a case of a once-prominent rider becoming unfashionable? This is the man who was hired by no less a judge than Sir Henry Cecil and trusted to ride the mighty Frankel throughout his career. And Queally was far from being a one-horse man, as he rode the winners of 22 Group Ones from 2009 to 2012, Frankel accounting for less than half of that total.
I don’t claim to know Queally at all well but it seems to me he has never sought the media spotlight. Other jockeys are probably more effective at selling their services to owners and trainers. And perhaps motivation is an issue for him; after all, he has had a long and highly successful career already and may feel he shouldn’t have to talk people into giving him a chance. It seems unlikely that he would need the money.
Queally is still associated with the Newmarket trainer John Butler, a really useful ally who will surely provide him with a tremendously well-handicapped mount at some point. But the betting market does not expect them to reach the winner’s enclosure when they team up tonight with Bated Beauty, freely available at 100-1.
As for The Tin Man, he is clearly the most likely winner of Monday’s race, which he also won in two of the last three years. But the difference this time is that he carries a 7lb penalty for having won a Group One in September and I would rather not risk actual money on a veteran in those circumstances, whoever’s doing the steering.
Monday’s best bets
If there’s a bet on the Windsor card, it could be Equitation (7.00) in the sprint handicap that follows The Tin Man’s race. He was a strong-finishing runner-up here in April and probably found soft ground against him at Ascot last time. Stuart Williams’s runner has been made the 4-1 favourite and appears to be attracting support.
The nap goes at Redcar, where Makanah (4.05) tries to follow up his reappearance success at Thirsk. This is a competitive sprint handicap with two other last-time winners in opposition but I’m still surprised to be getting 5-1 about Julie Camacho’s runner, who won despite keenness a fortnight ago and has been raised by a manageable 6lb. He’s improved over the winter and that surely won’t be his last win of the year.
With Roger Charlton’s yard hitting its stride, Blowing Dixie (5.35) is of interest in the last race on that card. He was only seventh on his recent handicap debut but there was encouragement in that effort and the extra quarter-mile here can help. He’s 9-2.
Redcar 2.00 Great Aspirations 2.35 Huraa 3.05 Dancing Mountain 3.35 Sharp Breath 4.05 Makanah (nap) 4.35 La Sioux 5.05 Puzzle 5.35 Blowing Dixie
Carlisle 2.10 Spartan Fighter 2.45 Mr Orange 3.15 Moxy Mares 3.45 I Could Do Better 4.15 Ramesses (nb) 4.45 Gale Force Maya 5.15 Star Shield 5.45 Knowing Glance
Ludlow 2.20 Jane Lamb 2.55 Alltimegold 3.25 Robyndzone 3.55 Between The Waters 4.25 Teaser 4.55 Global Tour
Windsor 5.30 Monsieur Lambrays 6.00 Love Love 6.30 The Tin Man 7.00 Equitation 7.30 Pink Sands 8.00 Magical Rhythms
Leicester 6.15 Regular 6.45 Eye Of The Storm 7.15 Meagher’s Flag 7.45 Manolith 8.15 Beryl The Petal 8.45 Babbo’s Boy
