I see old boy Gosden has got NIGEL out again tomorrow in the ‘lucky last’ at Chelmsford City (9.10). And the question must, must be can he finally win a race?!? As my regular readers are aware I’ve been following this one’s career with interest this term (Nigel’s not old boy Gosden’s) as he’s from a family that I know well (again Nigel’s not old boy Gosden’s).
Nigel has though been very costly to follow and he’s been beaten in his last 5 races at odds, respectively, of 9/4, 4/6, 2’s on, 5/4 and 15/8. Don’t think the old boy is ungenuine though and the form of his close defeats at Kempton Park and then Newbury now read rather well as both winners have since gone in again. There are also excuses for his last pair of defeats because at Sandown he stumbled upon leaving the stalls and never fully recovered whilst his handler was critical of the surface at Ripon, last time, saying it was far softer than detailed and Nigel never handled it.
On official ratings tomorrow’s affair looks a 3 horse race between Nigel, Barefoot Dancer and Bellajeu. He has actually already beaten the second named (back in June, at Kempton, by 1.75 lengths) and I think he’s most to fear from, the only filly in the contest, Bellajeu. She was actually 2nd in the Listed ‘Lingfield Park Oaks Trial’ and ran in the Oaks itself but you would have to say she has been most disappointing in her 4 races since that Listed placing (and her perch has slumped a whopping 18 lbs because of that! Not that is relevant as tomorrow isn’t a handicap).
All things considered to be honest I doubt very much if I will back Nigel, of the morrow, but am fascinated to see if he can finally get off the mark. Long term I’d love to see him jump a hurdle under the tutelage of the forum’s favourite trainer.
Good luck, pilgrims.
