5 things from the weekend….
1) Fallon is king….
It took a bit longer than I thought but King Kieren booted home his first Grade 1 winner since his return to the saddle on Saturday night. It came thanks to a typically forceful Fallon ride that got Gitano Hernando up by a neck to beat local favourite Colonel John. This represented a vast improvement in form for the winner as his previous run had seen him win a £7000 class 3 race on the all weather at Wolverhampton. It also gave me a nice payout on the bet I placed with BlueSquare back in August at 11/4 for Fallon to ride a Group 1 / Grade 1 winner before the end of the year.
2) Zenyatta is a great filly…
but until she races (and beats) the colts she can never be classed a great horse. Obviously you have to be pretty special to win11 straight races (7 Grade 1’s and 4 Grade 2’s) but racing and beating the same horses each time doesn’t really prove much. She has raced only against Fillies and Mares, started at odds on for her last 9 starts and won each time as she was expected to. A good run in the Classic will prove far more than an easy expected win in the Ladies Classic and I really hope the trainer takes the more difficult option at the Breeders Cup to add a little more spice to a race that could be the perfect climax to a great Flat Season.
3) The decline of the Betting Shop - Part 1…..
I placed a couple of bets in Cardiff’s William Hill shop on Saturday taking 16/1 each way on Webbow in the first at York. He ran his usual honest race and was gaining all the way to the line when finishing 3rd. I went back on the Sunday to pick up my winnings only to find both of my bets had been settled at the 12/1 SP despite the price clearly being marked on the slip. Having worked in betting shops all my adult life I know mistakes can happen and simply explained that the payout was wrong. But the manageress was having none of it blaming the cashier, the computer, something about translation and accusing me of fabricating the price! My hackles were well and truly raised now and a swift phone call to Customer Services ensued. The problem was quickly resolved and I went back to claim my money which is when the fun really started…
I would have thought that anybody running a betting shop should have the intelligence to be able to work out a simple £20ew place at 16/1 a quarter the odds without the use of a computer setttlingmachine or having to have it checked by another shop but 10 minutes later I was still waiting for my money. And when the manageress had finally worked out that both bets had £100 on them I was absolutely gobsmacked to see her use a calculator to add £100 and £100 up, I kid you not! I really fear for anyone in a betting shop placing a bet should the computer system go down one afternoon.
4) Decline of the betting shop Part 2…
The other piece of startling news is that Ladbrokes have just opened up a betting shop insideone of their current betting shops so they can double the number of Roulette type machines in the premises to 8. The current law states that no more than 4 of these machines can be installed in any one shop so Ladbrokes have used a legal loophole to apply for a separate licence for the same premises. Both’shops’ have a counter and are linked by the same entrance but as they bothhave a licence there are both able to have the full complement of FOBT (Fixed Odds Betting Terminals). Your local bookies is being turned into a glorified amusement arcade with horse-racing a mere afterthought.
5) Nobody rides Ascot as well as Frankie….
While my season long bad run at the Berkshire track continued Mr Dettori once again showed that nobody rides Ascot as well as he does. His ride on Opinion Poll in Saturday’s big handicap had it all - course knowledge, strong handling, timing and above all tactical awareness. A really great ride and, incidentally, another horse to add to my list of well fancied Royal Ascot runners who have left their poor form well behind on their next run.
One for the notebooks…
He won’t ever be a world beater and he made his debut yesterday at 66/1 in an all weather claimer but the way he finished suggests to me that there is definitely a race to be had with No One Likes Us. Having been hampered early and racing in the rear he made fantastic late headway on the rails to finish a never nearer 6th. A similar race should be well within his compass and he’s one to look out for on the all weather this winter.
£100 to a Grand Challenge
Round 4 details have now been sent out to all 18 remaining contestants. Entries must be received by 2pm this Saturday with a simple ABOVE or BELOW depending on whether you think the returned SP on the Cesarewitch winner will be more or less than 17/1.
FREE NH FESTIVAL TRENDS
The free NH trends until January 1st 2010 are still available and so far over 400 of you have signed up. Remember there is absolutely no catch and no payment or card details are required.
See Sundays Post for full details or simply sign up at…
http://www.festivaltrends.co.uk/amember/member.php if you are already a Festival Trends customer
or
http://www.festivaltrends.co.uk/amember/signup.php if you are not.
The first NH Guide will be for Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase on October 31st.
Good luck,
Gavin