Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
Today’s Talking Horses is brought to you by the 6.30am train to London, which has excellent wifi, for once. You can keep your three days of quality jump racing at Cheltenham, what I really do for kicks is attend appeal hearings in the dungeon below the offices of the British Horseracing Authority.
Today’s contest should be a tense affair, if everyone turns up. It concerns the controversial finish to a handicap on the day of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, in which Banditry finished strongly but just too late to catch Laurence, having been hampered by the winner as he was starting his run.
To me, it seemed an especially bad example of stewards being unwilling to intervene and change a result when they ought to have done so. But what may make the hearing all the more compelling is that the jockeys involved are Ryan Moore (Laurence) and William Buick (Banditry).
Here’s hoping for a keenly fought battle of wits, with perhaps some harsh language thrown in. On the other hand, perhaps they’re both too busy to be there, now that the good Flat racing is finished in this country for the year. But it’s going to be a bit of a nonsense if they try to hold this hearing without either of the riders.
As a side issue, Banditry came out four days later and won at Chelmsford. Had the Doncaster stewards awarded their race to him, he’d have had a penalty at Chelmsford that may have changed the outcome, so connections of the runner-up there may be aggrieved if Banditry’s people win their appeal today.
Anyway, the rest of you will have to make do with the tussles taking place on actual racetracks. The most interesting bit for me will be the seven-furlong handicap at Chelmsford tonight in which Vincenzo Coccotti (7.25) is 9-1.
This American-bred passed through a couple of yards before getting to Ken Cunningham-Brown, who recently brought him to a peak with a strong-finishing success at Wolves. The gelding is only 4lb higher and ready for this step up in class. The extra furlong at this tight circuit ought to help and I hope to see an irresistible surge from him up the straight.
At Towcester, Jimmy The Jetplane (3.15) may make all around a track where his trainer, Kim Bailey, does well. This eight-year-old was helped by first-time cheekpieces when getting off the mark over fences at Sedgefield last time. He’s 7-2.
I’m often inclined to favour potential over proven form but Ballyhill (2.35) should be favourite to beat Moscato in Ludlow’s introductory hurdle, rather than second in the betting at 2-1. He carries a penalty for a slick Hereford win on his hurdles debut but I don’t think that’ll be enough to give his rival the edge. Moscato looked a work in progress when third in a small field at Ascot last time. I can quite believe that this grey, who won off 87 on the Flat, will also win races over obstacles but I don’t think he’s a 6-4 shot for a race like this.
.jpg?w=600)
