Our annual quiz of the racing year...
...will be at 1pm tomorrow (Friday). It’ll be a live quiz, so you’ll have to be there to answer questions as soon as they appear. Follow this link to see where the quiz page will appear shortly before 1pm on Friday.
First prize will be a pair of tickets to Cheltenham’s Trials Day in late January. You can see last year’s quiz here.
Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Back in February 2015, the impression was given that hair sampling was an important new weapon in the fight against drugs in horse racing. The British Horseracing Authority briefed that the process was in its infancy but samples would be taken and stored against the possibility that they might be useful in the future and more use would be made of the technology as time passed and the science became familiar and trustworthy.
That all appears to have been pie in the sky, judging by evidence at the Hughie Morrison hearing this week. A hair sample in that case eventually proved to be informative and moved the investigation along but the BHA can take no credit for that, having declined to arrange any such hair testing; it was eventually arranged and paid for by Morrison himself.
This was sufficiently surprising to provoke questions from the disciplinary panel. Tim Charlton, one of the three panelists, asked Tim Miller, a senior BHA investigator: “Who decided whether a hair sample should be sought in this case?”
The BHA’s veterinary advisors, was the answer. They evidently felt, as the investigation gathered pace in February, that blood samples from Morrison’s horses would be enough.
Charlton asked Miller: “Are you aware of the reason why hair samples were not in fact sought?” No, came the dispiriting reply.
A BHA spokesman said hair testing is still not sufficiently advanced to be used as the primary means of racecourse testing. However, there is no reason why it cannot be used as an investigatory tool in a case like this, where a positive sample has been returned. Morrison’s barrister told the panel it was “inexplicable” that the BHA had not followed that course here.
When Morrison eventually commissioned a test of a hair sample from Our Little Sister, it identified the drug (Laurabolin) which she had been given that provoked her positive test for nandrolone. The implication of that was that she must have been deliberately injected, as that drug would not show up in a hair sample if she had merely ingested it orally. Further, a month-long timeframe for the injection was identified.
So the hair testing proved fruitful indeed, considering the BHA had known none of these details beforehand. It is therefore discouraging to relate that the BHA still don’t seem at all keen on making more use of hair testing, to judge from the reactions of Miller and its spokesman yesterday.
It seems that, rather than risk getting bogged down in the difficulties and complexities which may arise from the evidence of a hair sample, the BHA would rather keep things simple and insist on the trainer being held to account when a horse tests positive. Is that good enough for a body with its investigatory powers and resources? Or does it make them seem too much like the lazy copper who says: “I don’t need another suspect. I’ve got you.”
In an attempt to look beyond the usual suspects at Exeter (what a link!), I’ve dug out Llancillo Lord (1.35) from today’s action. He had basically no chance at the weights in a novice chase last month, when making his debut for Robert Walford after coming over from Ireland, and in any case must have needed that first run for a year.
In his last two handicap hurdles in Ireland, he won one and was beaten only by the Pertemps winner next time. He’s not thrown in on today’s rating but, with Walford now getting winners, he makes each-way appeal at 12-1.
At Towcester, Somewhere To Be (3.00) is napped at 7-2. This five-year-old was handicapped on his modest hurdles form, which, amazingly, meant he was well treated when he went over fences last month.
The four-length runner-up absolutely hosed up next time, while the third and fourth have also made the form look strong. Somewhere To Be should still be on a beatable mark after his 8lb rise.
Tips for all Thursday races
Southwell
11.45 Good Time Ahead 12.15 Moving Robe 12.45 Why Me (nb) 1.15 Gettin’ Lucky 1.45 Helen Sherbet 2.15 Bushel 2.50 Ghaseedah 3.25 Archie Stevens
Towcester
12.25 The Bottom Bar 12.55 Some Finish 1.25 Rif Raftou 1.55 Rather Be 2.25 Tommy Rapper 3.00 Somewhere To Be (nap) 3.35 Queenohearts
Exeter
12.35 Ebonys Encore 1.05 The Nipper 1.35 Llancillo Lord 2.05 Overtown Express 2.40 Travertine 3.15 Ocean Cove 3.45 Bact To Black
Chelmsford
5.45 Complicit 6.15 Artieshow 6.45 Best Blue 7.15 Dellaguista 7.45 Anna Medici 8.15 Cappananty Con 8.45 Pulsating
