Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
It’s another difficult morning for those who would like to pretend that horse racing is well organised and professionally run. Users of social media have pointed out that Isdaal, the 33-1 winner of the final race at Kempton last night, started from stall eight, despite having been drawn 13. No official seems to have noticed, judging by this page on the BHA website where stewards’ inquiries are reported.
It’s impossible to know, without further investigation, what caused this to happen. But the fact is that replays show Isdaal breaking from stall eight and slipping inside towards the rail in midfield while her stablemate, Haames, broke from stall 13 instead of eight and set a fair pace.
The rules of racing appear to be silent on what should happen now but I imagine the BHA will arrange for one of their ponderous inquiries, reporting in perhaps a month’s time when all the heat has gone out of the situation. Perhaps Isdaal may have won from stall 13 in any case but it’s no use pretending that stall position doesn’t matter around tight all-weather circuits and some punters would have been more interested in her had they known she was actually going to start from eight.
Just so that we can feel appropriately depressed about this, the next par is a quick recap of official foul-ups in racing over the past year. It only includes the ones we know about and which I can remember off the top of my head.
An ineligible runner won a Saturday TV handicap chase. A Saturday race was run at Towcester over a distance other than the one released to the morning papers. The eventual Gold Cup winner appeared in initial declarations with a low-profile jockey who had never ridden him before. No mention was made in published cards for the Derby of a tongue tie that had been correctly declared for a French runner. The first and second colours of a high-profile owner, correctly declared for a Newbury race, were published the wrong way around. The favourite for a major Saturday handicap, riderless as the stalls opened, has been declared a non-runner; no he hasn’t; wait, what? A horse won the St Leger; no she didn’t; yes she did!
Even before all this, retaining punter confidence was a priority for racing, in order to shore up its income from bookmakers and the interest of the general public. In that context, this string of blunders is a serious problem. One hopes that the riot act is being read to all racing officials because all this self-harming behaviour has to stop.
Today’s nap is Top Spin (3.50), now a 6-4 shot for his handicap hurdle at Warwick. He was popular on his debut for Jonjo O’Neill at Market Rasen last month but couldn’t quite get to a good winner.
He hadn’t shown much for a good while when based in Ireland but the ability is clearly there and this looks a good opportunity for the eight-year-old.
With Mick Channon continuing to get winners, Sophistica (7.15) is worth a look at Chelmsford. Having shown little in maidens, she was a good fourth of 20 on her handicap debut at Redcar, despite hanging both ways. Perhaps this tighter circuit may help her and she’s a fair 5-1 shot for a less competitive heat.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Jigsaw Financial 5-1
Scots Fern 6-1
Regal Ways 13-2
Tuesday
Drifter 4-1
The Big Dipper 11-2
Edgar Balthazar 3-1
Wednesday
Ballykan 100-30
Lord Franklin 16-1
Think Ahead 3-1
And our leader is …
royal1scot +16.83
… who added another two winners in Ballykan and Think Ahead. Four people made significant ground with Lord Franklin, led by yasmin11 (+14.50) and AndieAndson (+13).
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.25 Bangor, 4.20 Warwick, 4.40 Beverley.
This week’s prize is a copy of the Racing & Football Outlook Jumps Guide 2015, hcurrently at the printers and expected in plenty of time for the Charlie Hall. It’s packed with its usual features, stats and expert views and can be purchased here if you don’t happen to win a copy.
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. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -9.
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 the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
