6pm update
A series of dawn arrests in Southampton and Gosport on Thursday has led to 11 people being charged in connection with the mass brawl at Goodwood in May that gripped racing’s headlines for weeks. Sussex police announced through the force’s website on Friday that 10 named individuals have been charged with violent disorder, while one has been charged with actual bodily harm.
The accused have been bailed to appear at a magistrates’ court next month. A 12th man was released under investigation.
Ceri Spratt, the officer in charge of the investigation, said: “The video of the altercation was widely circulated on social media at the time and this level of violence is unacceptable. We have worked hard alongside Goodwood and Hampshire Constabulary to identify these 12 suspects from the altercation and are pleased we managed to get a full house in arrests.”
Friday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
It’s a quiet day by the normal midsummer standards of Mark Johnston, who has just four runners, spread around Nottingham, Wolverhampton and Chelmsford. If they all happened to win, he would set a new record for career winners by a British-based trainer, currently held by Richard Hannon Sr, but the odds are against that, not least because Johnston has hit a bit of a flat spot.
He’s on a losing run of 22 runners just now. If he doesn’t break that streak today, he could be on the Racing Post’s ‘Cold List’ tomorrow, because there are trainers on that list today after 26 losers in a row. For the most part, those trainers have had a blank couple of months; Johnston had a winner on Sunday, so the good thing is that he’s barely had time to get depressed about it, even if he were so inclined.
There can’t be much wrong with the yard, given that Johnston’s Main Edition won the Sweet Solera on Saturday. But his August strike-rate is 12%, following an average of 19% through the previous three months, so it’s something to think about, if you’re a punter mulling the chance of one of his runners.
Also on the subject of trainer form, Aidan O’Brien is on a 9% strike-rate with his British runners for the last four months, according to figures published by the Racing Post today. That would be pretty good for your average trainer going to a different country but, of course, Aidan is Aidan and he’s been over 20% in Britain for the equivalent period in the last three years.
As chance would have it, O’Brien is in just about the same situation as Johnston, on a losing run of 23 runners over the last six days. He’s had a 4-9 favourite beaten in that time and it seems to me his yard is not quite over the after-effects of the virus it has suffered this summer. I think it’s fair to have a degree of suspicion when weighing up his runners over the next week.
No such doubts exist about the form of John Gosden, who trains today’s nap, Gumriyah (4.45), a 6-4 shot as she makes her handicap debut at Nottingham. This is a Shamardal half-sister to the stonkingly good Legatissimo and there’s every reason to hope she can improve on her reappearance, when she made all at Salisbury in June.
Those of you who read this column during Glorious Goodwood will be well aware of what a happy experience I had with Alhakmah. When I eventually came to terms with the fact she didn’t win (this is a lie; I’m still struggling with it), I feared she would be unbackably short next time and, oh look, she’s 4-11 for the 4.35pm race at Newbury. The knife has been twisted so much, it might as well be a corkscrew.
I draw a veil over her, pausing only to mention that I hope for her backers’ sake she’s a little more straightforward this time, and move on to Swiss Air (3.30) in the St Hugh’s Stakes, a Listed event for juvenile fillies. This is a hot race but 10-1 is good compensation for taking a chance on this lightly raced, highly progressive sort, whose dam won this 17 years ago.
No inside information led me to stick the (nb) on Barbarosa (1.50), making his debut in a Newbury maiden. I was pretty sure he’d be a big price and he is indeed 40-1 but his pedigree is at least interesting, his rivals are less than terrifying and Brian Meehan has had plenty of juvenile winners at Newbury over the years. He could nick a place.
Newbury 1.20 Moon King 1.50 Barbarosa (nb) 2.25 Exec Chef 2.55 Saroog 3.30 Swiss Air 4.00 Island Of life 4.35 Alhakmah 5.10 Bayston Hill
Nottingham 1.30 Qutob 2.00 Cale Lan 2.35 Madam Devious 3.05 Peggy McKay 3.40 Dixieland Diva 4.10 Benadalid 4.45 Gumriyah (nap) 5.15 Born To Please
W’hampton 1.40 Ingleby Molly 2.10 Micronize 2.45 Three Little Birds 3.15 Eyelool 3.50 Admiral Spice 4.20 Al Mureib 4.50 Lunar Corona
Newmarket 5.25 Indian Viceroy 5.55 Robero 6.30 Chatham House 7.00 Brigand 7.30 Matewan 8.05 Major Partnership
Catterick 5.40 Bollin Joan 6.10 Capla Gilda 6.40 Aurag 7.10 Alfie’s Angel 7.45 Spirit Ridge 8.15 Perfect Words
Chelmsford 5.50 Lovin 6.20 Anycity 6.50 Race Day 7.20 Queen In Waiting 7.55 Rashadan 8.30 Oakley Mimosa 9.00 Final Choice
Tips by Chris Cook
