Mike Cattermole on the week's big racing stories

ROB HAVLIN LIVING THROUGH A NIGHTMARE

Rob Havlin’s failing a drugs test in France last October was, and remains, one of the most surprising racing stories of recent years. Knowing Rob as the professional and upstanding individual that he is, it just didn’t sound right or make any sense at all.

Shockingly, traces of cocaine were found, along with several other banned substances, including three contained in medication he was taking for a back injury but which he believed he had observed the correct time delays before riding.

Since then, Havlin has kept his head down and industriously gone about trying to do everything to clear his name, including providing hair samples which proved that the cocaine trace came about by contamination. You would have thought then that that alone might have provoked both the French and British authorities to sit up and re-examine the whole sorry story, but they didn’t.

Havlin, meanwhile, also responded to legal advice to stand himself down on January 24, which meant that a six-month suspension, which officially didn’t start until April 4, would have ended last month.

This week, Havlin, who has been strongly backed throughout by his boss, John Gosden, failed to convince the BHA not to reciprocate the remainder of his ban, which still extends until October 4. What a nightmare.

It is impossible to imagine the frustration, anger and stress this sorry affair has caused the Scottish-born jockey. Not to mention earnings quoted as a six-figure sum and the effect on his reputation.

Even with someone by his side like Gosden, a man possessed with one of the brightest brains in the game and who is universally respected, Havlin has made no progress.

I don’t doubt he is innocent and that he has been badly let down by the system. The conclusion is that the system is at fault.

EMINENT IS BACK!

Having seen the way that Eminent had behaved in the Eclipse Stakes, when he refused to settle for much of the race and appeared to take a side swipe at Decorated Knight in the home straight, I was wondering if temperament was beginning to get the better of him.

After all, Sir Henry Cecil had to use all of his considerable skills to keep his sire Frankel in check.

So, to see Eminent gallop to Group Two glory at Deauville on Tuesday was a welcome sight, and full credit must be given to Martyn Meade and his team who have clearly worked wonders to keep their star colt fresh, willing and ready to race.

Before the Eclipse, there was talk about Eminent being allowed to use his long stride but that never happened as Silvestre de Sousa reined him back behind the leaders.

At Deauville, in the extremely valuable Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, he was given a no-nonsense ride by Ryan Moore who kept things simple by making all at a brisk gallop, meaning that Brametot would always struggle to make up the ground he lost, as usual, at the start.

Eminent probably didn’t improve – his defeat of runner-up Salouen was similar to the beating he gave Sylvester Kirk’s colt in the Eclipse – but it was satisfying to see him deliver again and Meade was rightly delighted.

Now where to next? It looks likely that this admirable colt will head back to the deep end again with the Irish Champion Stakes, Arc and Ascot’s Champion Stakes all possibilities.

That’s a tough call but the Irish Champion could well be next where the uphill finish at Leopardstown should suit him.

ALMANZOR MAY BE FINISHED

In the last month, we have seen comprehensive defeats of arguably the two best horses in the world in Arrogate and Almanzor. It just goes to show that racehorses are flesh and blood and not machines.

We wait to see how Arrogate fares when he returns this Saturday night in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar (for which he has been put in at 1/2 by Sky Bet who are betting non-runner, no bet), live on ATR, and his trainer Bob Baffert is saying all the right things.

However, contrast that to the downbeat response from Jean-Claude Rouget after Almanzor’s dismal return at Deauville on Tuesday. The swagger and blistering acceleration which accounted for the best around last season, were missing as he trailed home in a race that he would have won without breaking sweat at his peak.

Rouget has been very upfront with the news on Almanzor this year when his yard was affected by a deadly virus and then later when the colt’s preparation was halted by a physical problem. Who knows what scars have been left on Almanzor but on this evidence, his future as a racehorse is not bright.

It is such a shame as few horses can quicken like Almanzor. When he won the Irish Champion Stakes last September, Christophe Soumillon allowed Found to get first run on him and she quickened impressively. Yet Almanzor was able to sweep by her with an unforgettable surge.

Check it out below. Pure brilliance.

PERMIAN WAS A STAR

At least, all being well, Almanzor will have a stud career to look forward to and until last Saturday night, that would have been the longer-term plan for the admirable Permian who was fatally injured in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park.

Permian became a personal favourite this summer, and to many others too, with his toughness and genuine attitude prominent in all of his performances. I especially enjoyed calling him home in the Dante and then watching him bouncing back to take the King Edward VII Stakes after a rare disappointment in the Derby.

Mark Johnston’s colt was denied a whisker from a Group One success in the Grand Prix de Paris and I strongly suspect that the reason he wasn’t running well in Chicago was because he was already feeling something.

It was sad and unfortunate that were some harsh words being bandied about on social media directed at Charlie Johnston, who saddled the horse for his father on Saturday, and indeed to Mark himself who some accused of over-racing the colt.

Charlie apparently was on the scene very quickly to decide that Permian should be euthanized as the horse was so badly injured. Permian’s suffering therefore was kept to a minimum and Johnston jnr should have received praise for that.

Meanwhile, best wishes to William Buick for a speedy recovery. It could have been a lot worse.

BIG SCREENS AND IN-RUNNING

So, Arena Racing Company are introducing a delay to live pictures being shown at its tracks to help combat illegal streaming which gives an advantage over those betting off-course.

As things stand, those who bet in running sometimes have several seconds in hand at the track compared to those who are watching on television.

It’s hardly a way to make honest money, is it?

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