Saturday's Meetings Newbury N/H 7 Races 12:55-4:25p.m. Naas N/H 7 Races 1:20-4:50p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 9 Races 3:35-7:45p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 7 Races 5:30-8:30p.m. Uttoxeter Abandoned Warwick Abandoned Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The 1.30 at Newbury should be worth watching with a view to the Pertemps Final as 5 of the top 6 in the handicap (the exception being American Sniper) have qualified for that race. I wouldn't think any of them would want to do anything too detrimental to their handicap marks if they do plan to got for the final and this may well just be a "pipe opener". One of those includes Kyntara who is already attracting money and is as low as "Burlington Bertie" in places for Saturday's race. His current perch of 128 looks very nice in terms of the final (for which he is as low as 12/1) as does that of Emitom (132), given he finished 4th in the 2020 stayers hurdle. Emitom qualified for the Pertemps Final with a good 2nd in the Newbury qualifier, giving 6lbs to Young Butler (not seen since) and I'm sure Alan King is targetting the Pertemps Final with him (currently a general 50/1 shot).
So is Newbury not off then.... Or are they waiting until noon tomorrow? (Seems a shame for the transport teams involved).
Teeshan is out over the weekend too (Sunday) Champion bumper winner elect perhaps? Nice prices about for that one too as if he wins cosily Sunday will he 3/4's of the price he is currently (16's)
As the calendar repeats itself exactly every 28 years, today is the 56th anniversary of one of the finest hurdle races ever run. The topweight Persian War won the Schweppes Gold Trophy by half a length from Major Rose with Sempervivum a quarter length back in 3rd place. He carried 11st 13lbs (still a weight carrying record for the race) and beat a field of 31 horses (the 2nd and 3rd were both Champion Hurdle 2nds). Racing was different (and better) then. Persian War had won the previous season's Triumph Hurdle and went on to win the 1968 Champion Hurdle, winning again in 1969 and 1970 before coming 2nd to Bula (another great) in 1971.
There was a good article on Sporting Life earlier in the week Bustino - here's the link if you haven't seen it. https://www.sportinglife.com/racing...s-and-wonders-if-they-can-be-reclaimed/215735 I said 2 years ago that Henderson should have entered Constitution Hill as a novice (he could have got a mark after winning 2 hurdle races in accordance with BHA rules). He could certainly have done it last season and this (dirty scopes notwithstanding). Glory and Fortune won the 2022 Betfair Hurdle off 143 and Constitution Hill was only give 148 after his demolition job in the Supreme. He would likely have got in the Betfair Hurdle off a mark in the mid-130s.
I agree there is less to get excited about the way some trainers wrap them up in cotton wool and it's all geared towards March. It's all so predictable. Some people remember where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. I was working on building site first job 84' and I used to take the lines to the bookies at lunchtime I was the office boy as you were then. Anyway an old labourer had a book on backing horses and the was a little comment he pointed out to watch for Bill O'Gormans early 2 year olds. Provideo (14 2yo wins) was in his line. Different days. I remember this like it was yesterday....I'm too young to remember Kennedy...that's my Kennedy moment.
Happy days. A couple of years after that (late 1980s) when I was getting into racing I often used to look for 4 horses ridden by Michael Roberts and put them in a flag bet. Never struck it rich but often made a nice profit. I had my little rituals as well - used to follow Barry Hills at Chester and Cumani at Yarmouth or Brighton. Cecil horses at Leicester too. I used to love flat racing, that is what got me into the sport but I find the jumps much more interesting these days. Funny how our tastes develop as we journey through life
I always used to look in the News Chronicle where there was a small section on stables (hints I think trhey were) and I always looked at the Ogbourne stable (Gordon Richards after he retired from riding). I also told my mum that Geoff Lewis was a good up and coming jockey and when we were on our annual holiday at Brighton and Hove we were at the races and he was riding a horse called Dorothea. As my mum's name was Dorothy she backed it and it won at 6/1
Absolutely agree, Bustino. The 1968 race was the finest ever run, in my opinion. A champion hurdler, who had a post career rating of 179 by Timeform, and ran 51 hurdle races, winning 18 of them- not another show pony , like Constitution Hill and many others. Today’s renewal highlights the level to which National Hunt Racing has sunk. This field wouldn’t have an entry in the ‘68 race. My feeling is that Constitution Hill would hack up off top weight today against this lot, and pick up a nice 87 grand. Where did ambition, enterprise, and the thrill of expectation go to?
Yes there were some great hurdlers around in those days. My favourite was Night Nurse, who then didn't do too badly as a chaser
