Counting the cost
It was good to see British Champions Day at Ascot rise above the whip ban controversy. Albeit
briefly. The BHA and the jockeys have been around the table today trying to
thrash out their differences. The issue has been kicked back to the review
group for an urgent revision. There will be an inevitable watering down now.
And I thought this was something the BHA had got right for a change.
Frankel buffed up his
already gleaming reputation with a ridiculously easy win in the QEII Stakes to
seal his place with the legends. And fantastic news that he remains in training
next year. Frighteningly, he could get better. My fancy Immortal Verse might
have been nearer if at her best, but she will never be a match for this one.
The competitive Champions Stakes was hugely enjoyable. Maximum respect to Soumillon
for wearing down So You Think aboard Cirrus Des Aigles. A great ride. The form
seems to frank the Arc result with 3rd and 4th there
filling 3rd and 2nd here. Nathaniel in the end was a poor
bet. Drawn wide, as Gosden feared, he was ridden too handily to avoid sliding
out on the bend, and arguably the ground/trip was not in his favour either.
So my fevered punting
returned one win (Deacon Blues) and two places (Gertrude Bell and Snow Fairy)
from seven bets, showing a tiny profit. But before I get carried away with my
thruppence winnings, there is the small matter of a couple of losers on the
jumps up at Kelso that plunged my day into the red.
It’s also time to review the
20 to follow flat project. I’m winding it up for the season as we approach the
end of October, though a couple may still have another outing before the
month’s end. It shows tidy enough profit at +61.08. I’m happy with that,
overall. As usual, some sob stories and near misses (as well season-long
no-shows), but I’m also aware of a couple of dodgy win-doubles and place tokens
that have bulked out the bottom line. So all in all, a good result. Details
below, for the hardy:
BOURNE –
Luca Cumani
6 runs, 1
win: -26.39
Started the season as a live Ebor candidate and went
out with a whimper in Italy. Flattered to deceive too many times.
BOSAMBO – Alan Swinbank
3 runs, 1 win: +4.65
Disappeared
half way through the season after finishing last in a Newmarket handicap.
Possibly injured.
CANFORD
CLIFFS – Richard Hannon
3 runs, 2 wins, 1 winning bet: +5
Wonderful
victory over Goldikova in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. Injured against
Frankel at Goodwood. Only backed him once, and then it was in a spawny exacta
with the French mare.
CAPE
BLANCO – Aiden O’Brien
5 runs, 3 wins: +33
Inauspicious
start in Europe but then won three Grade 1s on the bounce in the States,
winning his last race whilst injured and now retired to stud.
FRANKEL – Henry Cecil
4 runs, 4 wins (since selected), 1 winning bet: +8
Lived up
and probably surpassed the hype. Not a betting proposition most of the season,
but I did pick up a small win at Goodwood amongst an afternoon of big losers.
HAVANT – Sir Michael Stoute
2 runs, no wins: -9
Two poor
runs in the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks and her season was over.
HOOF IT – Mick Easterby
6 runs, 3 wins: +66
Wonderful
season, improving through handicaps, landing the Stewards’ Cup under a record
weight, to compete in Group 1s, unluckily missing out on the Sprint Cup by a bumped whisker.
HOORAY – Sir Mark Prescott bt
6 runs, 1 win +14.1
Generally
disappointing. I managed to double up his solitary win in June at Epsom with St
Nicholas Abbey to achieve an undeserved profit on the horse this season.
LAAHEB – Roger Varian
3 runs, 0 wins: -15
Simply
didn’t go on from last season’s progress at all. In fact, went backwards. Hard
to explain, especially given the excellent start his trainer has made to his
career.
MODUN – Sir Michael Stoute
5 runs, 1 win (since selected): -10
Series of
near misses for this horse. A bit like his trainer. Hit the mark twice (once
whilst selected), but it could have been so much better. Now transferred to
Godolphin.
MONSIEUR
JOE – Walter Swinburn
4 runs, 0 wins: -18
Another
that has gone backwards. Also a bit like his trainer. Looked out of sorts since
his first run back from Meydan. By October I’d learned my lesson and left him
alone. His trainer packs up at the end of this season.
QUADRANT – Brian Meehan
5 runs, 2 wins: +7.55
Started
well enough winning a maiden he was subsequently disqualified from because of a
banned substance in his system, but not before I’d pocketed the winnings. Lost
his way a bit, gelded, then picked up another maiden, legally this time, but
looks to be no more than average.
PATHFORK – Jessica Harrington
1 run, no wins: -3
Muddling
performance in the 2,000 Guineas and then met with a series of setbacks so not
seen again this season. Shame.
RODERIC
O’CONNOR – Aiden
O’Brien
5 runs, 1 win: +2.5
Odd season.
Nicked the Irish 2,000 Guineas from the front at a good price, but never
competitive again and indeed used in Ballydoyle’s increasing bizarre
pace-making operations on a couple of runs.
ROSE
BLOSSOM – Richard Fahey
8 runs, 1 win: +15
Highly
tried this season and took a long time to hit the mark. When she did I’d
managed to get a good price and had a decent bet. But she never got on the
scoresheet again. Shade disappointing.
SANS FRONTIERES – Jeremy Noseda
0 runs:
Not seen
after a couple of early season niggles.
SARAFINA – Alain Du Royer-Dupre
4 runs, 2 wins, 1 winning bet: -1.50
Barely
backable in races before the Arc and then given too much to do in the big one
itself. Still remains a very high quality mare.
SNOW
FAIRY – Ed Dunlop
5 runs, no wins, 2 winning place bets: +5
Admirable
mare, pretty much been thereabouts all season without getting her bonce in
front. The penny dropped for me in her last two races and I spawned some handy
place money on the Betfair markets.
TEMPLE
MEADS – Ed McMahon
0 runs
Slow to
come to hand, apparently, and the trainer then remarked that three year old
sprinters are hard to place. So this one has been kept for next year, I assume.
WOOTTON
BASSETT – Richard Fahey
4 races, no wins: -22.50
Possibly
the most disappointing horse on the list. Never came close to recapturing his
two year old form, despite attempting a variety of distances and going
conditions. The yard appears to have become frustrated and have packed him off
to stud.
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