Monday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I’d never have anticipated this 10 days ago but it has become quite important for racing to get through a Saturday without fighting at the track. After nasty incidents at Goodwood and Ascot over the past two weekends, the pressure will fall in particular on Newbury this Saturday to show that violence has not become an inevitable consequence of big crowds going racing in summer.
The video footage posted online of those two recent brawls must have been off-putting for most potential racegoers. There is a serious risk that the problem may become self-perpetuating, if the racecourse becomes a regular destination for young people who want to have a public fight and then go home without getting arrested.
So I’m pleased to hear Newbury’s chief executive, Julian Thick, say: “In light of recent incidents, we will be extra vigilant in all our security and staff briefings.” I would prefer to hear of an increase in security staff numbers and an assurance of a police presence but perhaps Newbury is comfortable with its existing arrangements.
The track was badly caught out in July 2012, when a 15-minute fight involving 60 people broke out, seemingly as a result of a planned clash between football fans from Cardiff and Swansea. Four men were sentenced to 10 months in prison for that, though they didn’t actually serve the time.
It so happens that Newbury’s management team has since changed and perhaps Thick’s staff have a good grasp of what is required to minimise the risk of violence and to break it up quickly once it starts. I’m sure everyone who loves racing has their fingers crossed for a peaceful Saturday in which our attention is allowed to remain on events on the track.
With that in mind, Catterick stages an interesting novice race today with an opposable Saeed bin Suroor favourite, there being no other kind of Saeed bin Suroor favourite just now. Godolphin’s main trainer has hit a quiet patch, an 8-13 shot at Wolves being his only winner in the past fortnight, during which time he’s had runners beaten at 1-4, 5-4 and 6-4.
His Dayking would just about deserve to be favourite on form, if the yard were faring as normal. In the present circumstances, this once-raced four-year-old makes zero appeal at even money and I imagine he’ll have drifted by the time you read this.
Regulator (3.05), from the in-form Richard Fahey yard, looks a good alternative at 7-2. He kept quite good company as a juvenile and should be better suited by this surface than the soft on which he made his reappearance last month.
There’s been some support for Italian Riviera (4.10) and the 9-2 still looks fair for the staying handicap at a track that seems to suit him. He travelled strongly before being done for toe at Newcastle a fortnight ago and will be sharper now.
Dan Skelton could have a good day at Kempton, where his Bandsman (3.15) is napped over fences, running off the same mark as the one from which he bolted up in a handicap hurdle last week. He’s a shade of odds-on as I type, while 7-2 is available about Skelton’s Weightfordave (4.50)in the last.
This one became frustrating for Noel Meade but is on a fair mark on the pick of his form, seems to appreciate a sound surface and has had a wind op since he came over.
Wolverhampton 1.50 Willow Brook 2.20 Miniature Daffodil 2.55 Raashdy 3.25 Elysees 4.00 Sevilla 4.30 Ravenhoe 5.00 Spryt 5.35 Willsy
Catterick 2.00 Second Generation 2.30 Bertie Moon 3.05 Regulator 3.35 Brockholes 4.10 Italian Riviera 4.40 It Must Be Faith 5.10 Zapper Cas
Kempton 2.10 Cause Touhours 2.40 Massini’s Dream 3.15 Bandsman (nap) 3.45 Cheltenham De Vaige 4.20 Barton Rose 4.50 Weightfordave (nb)
Windsor 5.20 Wild West Hero 5.50 Adam Tiler 6.20 Little Palaver 6.50 Oh This Is Us 7.20 Nautical Mile 7.50 Andok 8.20 Gossip Column
Towcester 5.30 Passing Dream 6.00 Grand Introduction 6.30 Nikki Steel 7.00 Coole Cody 7.30 Druid’s Folly 8.00 Port Melon 8.30 Jen’s Boy
Tips by Chris Cook.
