Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
So you’re at the races, waiting for the start of a Group race for two-year-olds. You expect the favourite will probably win but you don’t have a strong view. You’re more of a handicap kind of guy.
An announcement comes over the PA system: the trainer of one of the 50-1 rags says his horse has had a wind operation since it last ran three months ago. What do you do? You’re going to have a couple of quid on it, aren’t you? Aren’t you? Oh look, it’s won.
That’s how things went for Irish racegoers on Saturday when Hit The Bid managed to land the Curragh Stakes. Since he was actually returned at 50-1, I’m guessing that not many of those present acted on the information they were given. How annoyed would you be?
Anyway, credit to Darren Bunyan, the trainer in question, who was under no obligation to tell anyone about the surgery to his colt but shared the news with the stewards before the race. Credit also to the Curragh’s officials, who chose to share the information with their racegoers. I’ve never heard similar news being announced at a British track.
In an ideal world, we’d find out about wind ops even earlier, perhaps on a dedicated web page. The ruling bodies in Britain and in Ireland are considering whether they need to make such disclosures mandatory, which is all very well, but I do wish they’d hurry up.
In Britain, we’ve been humming and hawing over this issue for years. I understand that there are logistical difficulties but a way will have to be found to deal with those because the basic principle that we should be told about wind ops seems irresistible to me.
They may not always make a difference but on occasion the effect can be dramatic and it is disheartening for all punters when we only get let in on The Big Secret after the event. Does racing want its followers to be regularly disheartened? I think not.
Unnoticed (7.10) seems poorly named, given that he is no bigger than 3-1 for his sprint handicap at Chelmsford tonight, despite not having won for almost two years. Now four, he has done most of his racing for low-profile yards but joined Luca Cumani for this year and was a real eye-catcher at Lingfield last time, running on to be a close second after blowing the start.
Three weeks later, he gets to run off the same mark, 9lb below his peak rating. A slightly more professional exit from the stalls will be required but, granted that, he should be hard to beat.
In Newbury’s nursery, I shall swerve the hotpot Nayyar, who was so green in the Molecomb, in favour of Blue Suede (5.10), a Richard Hannon filly that has taken time to get her head in front but did so at Bath last time when making all. The handicapper has taken a risk in leaving her on the same mark, even if she was entitled to score that day. I think she has more to offer, especially on a fast surface.
At Yarmouth, Sir Mark Prescott looks like finding a winner at the end of a path he has worn smooth over time. Alsacienne in the 3pm race is only even money, so I can’t tip her but I wouldn’t want to be betting against her either.
By an Arc winner out of a mare who has already produced a winning hurdler, she was always likely to need time and distance. Today she makes her handicap debut over a mile and a half from a low rating (62) that reflects the ability she was able to show over much shorter distances as a juvenile last autumn, when her three runs came in the space of seven weeks. A blind man could see the potential for an improved showing today.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Monday
Multitask 6-4
Swirral Edge 13-2
Athlon 9-4
And our leader is:
wiggy12 +7
... who had both Multitask and Swirral Edge. Garynic and BatmanKaisers (+4.50) are in hot pursuit. Well, pursuit.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.30 Yarmouth, 6.20 Newbury, 7.10 Chelmsford.
This week’s prize, kindly offered by Ayr racecourse, is a couple of Club enclosure tickets to Ayr Gold Cup day on Saturday 17 September. It’s the climax of Scotland’s biggest and richest Flat-race meeting and always hugely enjoyable. If you don’t win, you can read more about it and buy tickets 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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
