11.10am Chris Cook wins Racing Reporter of Year award
Tony Paley: Had a terrific day yesterday at the Lancaster London Hotel and it was my delight to report that Chris Cook, whose work appears in the Guardian and Observer and is a regular blogger here, won the John Oaksey Trophy for Racing Reporter of the Year at the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Derby Awards.
Cook won the award, which was inaugurated in 2012, for the second time in three years ahead of the Times’ Alan Lee, the Racing Post’s Jon Lees and the Telegraph’s Tom Peacock, who were the other shortlisted nominees.
Cook gained the Racing Reporter award following voting by members of the HWPA on his three submitted articles, the 40th anniversary of the Gay Future betting coup at Cartmel, Kieren Fallon winning the 2,000 Guineas and Tony McCoy’s 4,000th winner.
I was at Cartmel that day last August for birthday celebrations on a week off and was surprised to see Chris there, considering the long trip, but it’s a measure of his recognition of an excellent story and his dedication to the job that he was prepared to make the long journey. He’s a terrific part of our team and the award was fully deserved. You can read my full story on the awards lunch here.
Tuesday’s best bets, by Greg Wood
Ransom Note (2.20) is perhaps the most interesting runner on the cards today, as Nigel Twiston-Davies’s hurdler returns to action at Southwell’s jumps meeting after a truncated first season racing under National Hunt rules last term.
His Flat career included several starts in Group One events, albeit at long odds, as well as a trip to Sha Tin in December 2011, but he could finish only seventh of nine on his hurdling debut in November 2013 before running with slightly more promise in a jumpers’ bumper at Lingfield two months later. It takes a little faith to support him today, but he is still only seven, was very useful at his best on the Flat and has presumably been kept in training because Twiston-Davies has some hope of coaxing out a least a little of his talent over timber.
Elsewhere on the same card, Gold Ingot (12.45) can emerge in front at the end of a competitive handicap chase. Several in the line-up hold realistic claims, but Gold Ingot has run with promise on both his starts over fences to date and may have more potential for progress than his main rivals.
At Sedgefield, Apache Pilot (2.30) returns to the scene of last week’s controversial void race, in which he passed the post only a neck behind the “winner”. He should probably have finished in front, not that it would have done him much good, but should underline the point today, while at Wolverhampton, the second favourite looks the one to be one in both the maiden events, as Spinaminnie (3.10) and Miniskirt (4.40) have fair claims against the market leader.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Hold The Bucks 9-2
Ballyvoneen 5-1
Shirley’s Pride 3-1
And our leaders are:
Ellandback +8.50
72luca +8.50
sandiuk +8.50
... who all had the first two winners of the week. Sportingbest (+6.50) also had a double.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.50 Southwell, 3.00 Sedgefield, 3.40 Wolverhampton.
This week’s prize is a copy of the Racing Post Annual 2015, now in its fourth year and running to 208 colour pages packed with stories from this racing year and some of terrific photos of the greatest moments. Interviewees include Willie Mullins and Tony McCoy. If you don’t win, you can buy it here.
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 -3.
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!
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
