The Middleham trainer clearly knows an immense amount about the business of training thoroughbreds to win races but appears to know very little about punters and their motivationsMark Johnston suggested a couple of months ago that the introduction of mandatory declaration of wind operations – which debuts on racecards on Friday – would see thousands of punters chasing “fool’s gold”, as they queued up to throw money at every horse with the letters “WS” attached to its name in the mistaken belief that it was a route to certain riches.It is, of course, very early days for the latest attempt to give punters as much information as possible about the horses that the sport wants – in fact, urgently needs...
Three Musketeers (2.05) gets the vote in the intriguing four-runner graduation chase at Market RasenIt was one of those “give it every chance” sequences of inspections that generally seems to lead to a last-minute abandonment, but after officials walked the track at both 8am and 10am, the valuable card at Market Rasen on Wednesday afternoon has been given the go-ahead, albeit with the rider that there is a “small amount of melting snow remaining, [which] should be clear by [the] first race.” Related: Punter left furious after Ladbrokes take £800 in ‘dormancy’ fees Lingfield Park 12.10 Victoria Drummond 12.40 Exchequer 1.10 City Gent 1.40 Topapinion 2.15 Bernie’s Boy 2.50 Great Return 3.20 Spare Parts 3.55 Mr Andros Continue reading...
The Italian rider’s booking to ride Toast Of New York next week in the richest race in the world offers him a serious incentive to be as fit and sharp as possible this monthTo no one’s great surprise, given the weather forecast overnight and also for the remainder of the day, Ayr’s meeting over the jumps scheduled for Monday afternoon failed to pass a morning inspection. That leaves Hereford as the only action in daylight, but Kempton will take over with a twilight card at 4.35 which will include Frankie Dettori’s first ride in Britain this year.Dettori has taken just half a dozen rides in Britain in the first month of the year since 2003, not one of which was...
Humbert (5.40) may have been let in on a lenient mark for his first start out of maiden company at WolverhamptonSeveral of the biggest names in jump racing will be in the spotlight on Monday when Willie Mullins opens his doors to the media at an event to launch the new Dublin Racing Festival, incorporating both the Irish Champion Hurdle and its Gold Cup, on 3 and 4 February. The domestic action over the sticks, however, is understandably low-key, and the most attractive bets of the day are due to run at the twilight all-weather meeting on the Tapeta surface at Wolverhampton. Related: MPs to tackle bookmakers over case for new ‘minimum bet’ rule in horse racing Monday racing tips...
After his recent Sussex National win aboard Vinnie Lewis, the jockey has another chance of victory in a marathon handicap – Warwick’s Classic ChaseHarry Bannister gets another chance in a marathon handicap when he takes the ride aboard Topper Thornton (3.35) in Warwick’s Classic Chase only six days after his Sussex National success aboard Vinnie Lewis. Now having his third start since joining Alex Hales from Ireland, this chestnut has potential on his present mark but found a way to get beaten under Noel Fehily and then Daryl Jacob.A badly timed mistake at Sandown, like the one Topper Thornton made in the London National, has been the undoing of many a horse. At 16-1 it could be worth giving him...