1.15pm Wincanton host first sidesaddle charity race
On Sunday, Wincanton will stage the first ever sidesaddle charity Flat race on a British racecourse in celebration of the Somerset track’s two-season association with the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust (SSIT) – held on the anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade.
The late October raceday is synonymous as a fundraising fixture, and this year’s event will make history with 11 female riders elegantly dressed in the traditional sidesaddle attire of a bygone era, galloping one mile, two furlongs in a dash to the winning line.
The Andy Stewart Charitable Foundation has generously sponsored the SSIT Sidesaddle Dash which is an adaptation of the Diana’s of the Chase Cup (DOC), a two-mile cross country sidesaddle contest that was revived two years ago and is now an annual event held in Leicestershire.
The 11 women jockeys taking part in the race at 12.20pm before the main card have a wealth of point-to-point, hunting and sidesaddle experience and includes the successful point-to-point jockey Clare Gundry, side-saddle specialist Philippa Holland and a number of female work riders. The ladies will race on appropriate thoroughbreds, largely ex racehorses and will be led down to the start by the legendary Big Buck’s ridden by Lucy Tucker. Actor Martin Clunes will be on hand to present the prizes.
Friday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
A new season begins at Cheltenham this afternoon, and while the Showcase is the most low-key meeting at the track in the early part of the campaign, there is such a thin scattering of meetings here in the run-up to the Festival next March that for professionals and punters alike, every last one is significant.
There is also a growing list of Festival winners who ran at this meeting, including The New One, a subsequent winner of the Neptune Investment Management Novice Hurdle, who took the same sponsor’s race on this card three years ago.
Penglai Pavilion (2.10) is the favourite for that race this time around, and should confirm John Ferguson as a growing force in National Hunt, albeit one without a Festival winner to his name as yet.
Ferguson has access to a wealth of talent in the form of choicely bred Flat horses who are surplus to requirements at Godolphin, and Penglai Pavilion, who finished fifth behind Treve in the 2013 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, two places in front of that year’s Derby winner, Ruler Of The World, looks like another outstanding prospect. He has been an impressive winner in his two starts to date over hurdles, and though he steps up in trip today, there is no reason why it should bring further improvement.
Kilfinichen Bay (3.20) has been busy already this year, with four wins in as many starts since early June, and is now 26lb higher in the weights as a result. His latest 8lb rise since a narrow win at Plumpton should, in theory, be enough to bring his winning run to an end in this better company, but that race did not really play to his strengths and a price of around 7-1 is very fair.
Savello (5.40) has joined Dan Skelton from Tony Martin since winning in Ireland last time out and is interesting off a hurdles mark 15lb lower than for his last start in a chase at Galway in July.
Vintage Vinnie (3.55) put up a faultless front-running display last time and will be difficult to beat if he can find a similar rhythm today, while Distain (3.35) and Silken Skies (3.00) look best on a competitive card at Newbury.
Tipping competition - final day
Winners so far
Monday
Harlequin Rock 12-1
Rufford 11-1
Shifting Star 8-1
Tuesday
Art Collection 25-1
Cruise In Style 16-1
Duke Of North 7-1
Wednesday
Gaspirali 8-1
Color Me Hapy 5-1
Drum Valley 5-1
Thursday
Hadfield 9-4
Cusheen Bridge 11-1
Theredballoon 13-2
The leader, Kingklynch, ended up in profit yesterday after finding the 9-4 winner Hadfield and is now on +39.25. Factormax also found that winner and is second on +20.25.
This week’s prize is a copy of Strictly Classified, a new book by that recognised judge Marten Julian. It aims to offer “a unique insight into the workings of a horseman’s mind, notably in relation to their understanding of a racehorse’s psyche, emotions and character,” to which end Julian has interviewed many of the world’s top trainers. Those of you who buy the Racing Post may have read a fascinating extract last week. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy here.
For the final day, we’d like your selections, please, for these races: 3.10 Doncaster, 5.05 Cheltenham & 5.30 Doncaster.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. You can join in today but you start on -12.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on this, the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
