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jennywales · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:21 am Post subject: THROUGH THE BINS: MAMA MIA....

MAMA MIA………

Mama Mia, here we go again……
My My, how can I resist you…….

To be honest, I’m not sure exactly when the new jumps “season” starts, since there has been jumping of a sort all through the summer. Officially, of course, it’s the day after the Whitbread in May, but this is just nonsense in terms of the “real” jumps season; although I can see the point that some smaller courses, particularly those, like Worcester and Stratford, which don’t have a Flat programme and which are usually under threat from the weather during the winter because of flooding/drainage problems, might need summer jumping simply to remain viable.

But whether it’s Bangor, Wetherby, Uttoxeter or Ludlow, in October is when the jumps season really starts.

We’ve had a long and not so hot summer. It started in April/May with a warm spell that left the ground as hard as a rock. Then for most of July and August it rained and rained. In September it stopped raining and we have seen hardly a drop from the beginning of September up till now. Summer holiday (“We’re all going on a…..”)? – no chance. We had one horse with a very serious injury (broken pedal bone, which we think was caused by the hard ground), and we have been nursing him for most of August, September and up till now (“These boots were made for walking”…..)

This has also been a problem for jumps trainers. Very few of them have been able to get any jumping practice into their horses, especially over fences, where it is simply not possible to use all-weather surfaces. Horses coming out early season will be reasonably fit, but if novices they won’t have had much in the way of schooling over the larger obstacles (some trainers, but not all, use hurdles on their all-weather surfaces). Alan King says he hasn’t jumped a horse at home since the last decent rain in August! Very few trainers, if any, have watering systems on their gallops, because it is just not economically viable to install them. Therefore, race fitness and previous runs over fences, in particular, become even more important when reading the form.

It was therefore with some relief, if not actual leaping about, that I realised that “next week it’s Ludlow and Cheltenham” (“Take a chance on me…..”)

I rattled off to Ludlow in the “new” Land Rover – compared to the previous vehicle it is Metallica rather than Frank Sinatra, and you have to turn the radio up really loud to hear it above the roar of the 3-litre turbo diesel. The card at Ludlow was much like Ludlow itself; quaint, rather old-fashioned and friendly, though not terribly classy.

I can’t honestly say I had either a good day’s punting or saw much that gave me pause. Quite a few of the horses were pretty burly still, and the sole Nicky Henderson runner, Ci Vediamo, didn’t look as fit as I thought he ought to. In fairness, the same could be said of several others. Alison Thorpe had a winner (Rampant Ronnie) to follow up Treaty Flyer at Ffos Las last Sunday – she is a trainer that is “in and out” and when on form is capable of racking up a string of winners quite quickly. Dear Young Tot (who has changed trainers and now has a record of 00P00-0) surprised everyone, including me, by coming second in the handicap hurdle at extremely long odds, from which I benefited because I simply couldn’t, silly old me, not back him for the place (“Do not forget me oh my darling”…..) Orfeo Conti of Henrietta Knight’s led almost all the way in the 3-mile chase, but could not sustain the effort when challenged by the outsider Winsley Hill at the business end. Orfeo Conti does look a decent prospect, and dropping him back a couple of furlongs may see him get a win soon. As ever, given his trainer, he jumped by far the best of a reasonably decent field for a Class 3. Sydney Sling, by contrast, needs to sharpen up his jumping, and again may come good in the future (he is only 4 and needs more experience).

So it’s off to Cheltenham – memo to self, make sure to pick horses that look fit; at this time of year this policy can give you some unexpected (and long-priced) winners.

Well, what did I say? (“Cm’on baby light my fire…..”) Arrived at Cheltenham, first time I have had membership, so sailed in in the Land Rover into the member’s car park – to be honest, a beaten-uo “working” Landy has a bit more cachet than all the BMWs, Audis, Mercs and Rollers – at least, that’s what I tell myself, but it’s probably because people tend to keep out of my way!!

I think that there was a bigger crowd, even on the Friday, and definitely on the Saturday, than last year. It felt as though people were defying the recession, rather than succumbing to it, and there was a definite sense of anticipation about the up-coming season. Cheltenham had apparently been watering to the extent that they had emptied their reservoir and had started to buy the stuff, at an inordinate price, from Severn/Trent Water – and the going was still good/firm, good in places. That tells you (a) how well-drained Cheltenham is, and (b) how little rain we have had for the last 7 weeks.

Keeping strictly to my programme of “look at them in the paddock and then make a betting decision” I kicked off the meeting to a storming start, when I backed the 23/1 outsider in the first who duly won. Mutual Friend was certainly a friend on Friday, and I can honestly say that I did pick him in the paddock (“You’ve got a friend….”) Which frankly set me up for the day. I didn’t quite go through the card, but I also had a 17/2 winner (Templer), a 7/1 winner (Nelson’s Spice) and a reasonably-priced place, William Hogarth (12/1). So for once, I was ahead of the game on Day 2.

Mutual Friend may be a one hit wonder, and I think the horse to take out of the race is Fairyland, who finished well and may benefit from further, although he didn’t look particularly trim in the paddock. The second race saw Snap Tie win, but not comfortably, and unless he can be well-placed and raced conservatively, he doesn’t look like fulfilling his early promise. He looked workmanlike rather than full of greater potential, although it must be remembered that this was his first outing over fences. Kayf Aramis, recently moved from Venetia Williams (why?) didn’t do a lot, but he has had a Flat campaign and they may have gone to the well once too often with him. Change of trainer may not have helped in this case. Aimigayle might repay further watching.

Always Waining fell at the second last – otherwise he would have been involved. Nelson’s Spice probably benefited. Boychuk just doesn’t seem to get his head in front when expected. A 4-runner juvenile novice hurdle wasn’t the best of a betting opportunity. Barizan at 1/4 won. Mister Apple’s won his race for the second time in a row. In the last, The Jigsaw Man won at odds-on, but one to look out for in the future is William Hogarth, who at 4 clearly has potential to go further.

Day 3 wasn’t perhaps as productive as Day 2, but on the other hand a long priced winner in the 5th(Right Option) helped, so can’t complain! Rhys Flint is still a conditional (just!) but is having a purple patch at the moment, and is clearly up and coming; should do well (“Up where we belong……”) Simarian seems to be a spent force, Billie Magern (the favourite) fell at the last, and my other picks came nowhere. One to take out of this day was Poquelin, who won as he liked under top weight. He has been a bit in and out in the past, but if he can gain consistency should be a potential star.

A good three days, marred by the announcement on Friday of the death of Inglis Drever from colic. Good place to be when the news was made known, though. A scene of past triumphs (“Always something there to remind me……”)

Hunter chasing starts in earnest in Ireland soon, and over here in December. Gosh, how quickly the years fly by.

© JennyWales 2009