All Weather round-up: Lingfield eyecatchers and Chelmsford race to follow
Richard Mann's latest All Weather Weekly column features hard-luck stories, a winning Nap of the day and a Chelmsford nursery delivering plenty of joy.
Eyecatchers, headscratchers and a winning Nap
It’s been a tough week on the punting front, so much so that not even a winning Nap of the day at Lingfield on Monday could force me into a smile. I’m not sure I have teeth anymore.
It started on Friday when one of last week's eyecatchers, Clay, ran another brave race in defeat at Lingfield, only finding Godolphin hotpot Tamborrada too strong late on. Never mind Tamborrada, I might need to sell my nephew’s tambourine at this rate.
Still, I’m not losing faith in Clay who has been allotted a handicap mark of 76 now and should win races in time, particularly once handed a stiffer test of stamina and potentially finding himself sneaking into 0-75 company off top-weight.
If Friday hit me with an early body-blow, Saturday left me well and truly on the ropes after Sergeant Major and the Charlie Hills-trained Give ‘Em The Slip both ran well in defeat at Lingfield, but ultimately proved expensive losers.
It probably won't turn out to be Cieren Fallon's ride of the year on Give ‘Em The Slip, initially not appearing quite strong enough to stick with his original plan of mounting a challenge down the centre of the Lingfield straight, before then dropping his whip when about to use it for the first time.
Give ‘Em The Slip had gone a neck in front at that point, deep inside the final furlong, but without his stick for help, Fallon was powerless to keep his mount going as Big Narstie rallied gamely to get back up and claim victory.
There is the possibility that Give ‘Em The Slip simply got tired on his first start since June, and that he might not have won anyway, whip or no whip, but he responded gamely for pressure on his Newmarket debut and I suspect he would have done so again.
Connections can console themselves with the knowledge that they have a promising type on their hands and this son of Oasis Dream should be able to claim compensation before too long. On a personal level, this was one that got away.
It could be a similar similar story with Sergeant Major after he did what all good each-way bets do and stayed on for fourth on his handicap debut. He probably ran as well as could be expected having found himself at the rear of the field and then being forced to mount his challenge on the wide outside turning for home.
He stayed on really well in the closing stages and, given the strength of market support behind him beforehand, I can’t believe that Richard Hannon’s Siyouni colt won’t win his fair share in time.
There was a small light at the end of the tunnel on Monday when Atomic Jack landed a jumpers’ bumper at Lingfield after I had protested to all that would listen that these races are ‘cash machines’ ready to print money...
As can so often be the case in such events, solid Flat form, particularly on the All Weather, proved the key to success, though Richard Johnson was as strong as the proverbial ox in the finish to ensure National Hunt fans could still claim a share of the bragging rights.
Remember the names, follow the race
Remember the ‘Frankel’ maiden? The race won by Henry Cecil’s superstar colt on the July Course which had future King George hero Nathaniel back in second and winners galore in behind.
The moral of the story – aside from the fact that Newmarket was birth to one of the greatest racehorses of all time – is that it can often pay to follow specific races if you can spot the strength of form early enough.
While clearly at a much lower level, the nursery won by Ladywood at Chelmsford on December 17 is already looking like a hot race for its grade with the form working out very well indeed.
The winner, a well-bred daughter of Dark Angel trained by Mark Johnston, has won again since while the runner-up, Swinton Noon, has scored a couple of times at big prices in recent weeks. The horses to have finished fifth, ninth and 11th, have also been successful in the interim.
There is still scope for the form to be handed a few more boosts and I’ll be particularly interested to see what Real Dude has to offer when he reappears. Having been sent off favourite at Chelmsford, Roger Charlton’s charge trailed home in eighth, but I suspect he remains capable of much better.
For starters, Real Dude pulled hard throughout despite the generous fractions on offer and though beaten at the time, jockey James Doyle was happy to accept his fate when impeded a furlong from home.
He looks the type of slow-burner that Charlton is so good at getting the best out of, and with a handicap mark of 54 leaving him with plenty of room for manoeuvre, he could be one to keep an eye out for in the future.