forum.sports-pro.co.uk

jennywales

HEREFORD, 8 APRIL 2009

A mid-week meeting at a small rural course at the tail end of the NH season is always something of a salutary experience after the “embarras de richesse” of Cheltenham and Aintree.

But take it in its own context – a pleasant course favoured by trainers because of its decent ground (usually) and well-laid-out fences to encourage the less experienced; a slightly oddly-configured range of facilities which is nevertheless adequate (and the viewing is very good); a sharply bright spring day with plenty of blue in the sky; an access all areas entrance price (£14) that is fair enough, and the usual “under-16s get in free” also applies - although I do wish they wouldn’t require pensioners to join a “Pensioner’s Club” in order to receive a concessionary rate, because if you don’t attend almost all of the meetings, the cost and inconvenience of joining the club outweighs the concession granted.

Or more pleasant and helpful staff, about whom more in a moment. Mon Mome (trained locally by Venetia Williams and of course winner of the Grand National the Saturday previous) was on parade. It was very interesting to see (a) how extremely well he looked given his recent exertions and (b) what a strapping traditional type of chaser he is, despite being French bred. Obviously either the French breeders are getting something right, against the run of public opinion, or someone spotted a (as it turns out) dazzling exception. I don’t think for a moment Mon Mome is or could be another Kauto Star, and it will be interesting to see whether he can continue his career in good style or whether the National experience has taken too much out of him – this sometimes happens, although his physical well-being on the Wednesday after couldn’t be faulted.

The presence of Mon Mome had a slightly unfortunate side-effect, however. The crowd was very much bigger than had been estimated in advance, partly because of course no-one had predicted (apart from Machiavellian and a very few others!) that Mon Mome would win the National and be parading. That was fine for the course, but less fine for those of us who prefer to bet on the Tote – the Tote had sent staff to man (or perhaps I should say “person”, since most of them are kindly and expert ladies!) the windows according to attendance estimates provided before Mon Mome made the headlines; added to it being a perfect racing day weather wise, and the beginning of the school Easter Holidays, and the result was only two Tote windows open in the whole of the non-restaurant complex – which created long queues, and people (including me) deserting the Tote for the bookies. As an inveterate complainer, I had a good moan to course officials about this; in effect taking bread out of the mouth of racing. I can understand that circumstances “beyond our control” had some influence, but surely the Tote should be quicker on its feet to respond to what was a partly predictable set of factors – or at least, predictable at shorter notice than the Tote seemed able to handle effectively (surely there were additional staff available who could have come to Hereford if the need and they had been identified quickly?) I hope my moaning was passed on to the Tote area manager (as was promised).

It seemed to have been a busy day at Hereford for all sorts of reasons – I was informed (by one of the before-mentioned kindly and knowledgeable Tote ladies) that the Gambling Commission were present on, presumably, some sort of inspection of practice. If they were, their disguises were good ones…..I also came across an interesting little bit of legal complexity. I had with me a 13-y-o son of a friend. Now, the Tote rules say explicitly that anyone under 18 can’t place a bet – it is illegal. On another notice, it says that under-18s can’t bet. So as usual, I put his modest money on for him. But on one occasion I was pulled up by a Tote staff member because I had handed the slip (which I had bought) to him – because I like to make sure that youngsters can be responsible for their own paperwork!! Now placing a bet (passing money over to a bookie or the Tote) is surely a different thing from simply hanging on to a betting slip given to you by someone else till the result is known (when hopefully that someone else will return to the Tote window with a winning ticket and hand over the winnings with a strong hint that it’s about time some cash was handed back because a 13-y-o can’t buy a beer, either!). It’s not an important issue, obviously, but it did intrigue me. I think that there is a difference between placing a bet (illegal) and holding a slip bought by someone else (legal). Am I wrong or right?

So what about the racing, you might reasonably ask? Well, on balance it was OK – there were some decent finishes, and some horses that may repay keeping an eye on (you can read the results and analysis in the RP, so there is no need to repeat them here).

First, I was impressed by Maria’s Rock in the parade ring and on the course (4th in the Conditionals’ Handicap Hurdle). A strapping type who may (a) win a handicap hurdle fairly soon, and (b) make a decent fist of it if going chasing in future. My only worry would be his high head-carriage; stargazers are in general to be avoided, but I’d be willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt.

The form was probably not too strong in the novices’ selling hurdle (well I wonder why that would be??) with a pretty mediocre performance from the 13/8 favourite, Le Brocquy. Fateful Attraction planted herself at the start (the most determined “plant” I think I have ever seen – rock solid, in fact!) and refused to race – withdrawn as “unruly at start” though “unruly” would hardly be a fair description of a horse who managed to stand absolutely stock still, despite all encouragement, for a whole five minutes…Oddly enough, I liked Bridie Rooney very much in the parade ring, and backed her. I think her “tailed off” and 66/1 odds may be slightly deceptive.

In the maiden hurdle, I liked (and backed) Mayor of Kilcock, whose 3rd at 18/1 was a nice little earner. I also think this horse has a win in him, and he will go into the notebook.

My companion had a very bad case of fifthitis – after a win in the first, he had four consecutive fifth places and another in the hunter chase (Lady Myfanwy) whose performance was disappointing given the opposition and the early exit of Mr Ed, the odds on favourite. She ran in snatches and was pretty much a shadow of her commanding pointing presence. This was won by Grey Kid, who will repay watching in the future, as he seemed to stick on gallantly, and has a turn of foot. There was a huge gamble (relatively speaking – hunter chases aren’t the Ballymore!) on Howard Howard just before the off, which wasn’t in the end justified.

So please, everyone, don’t be seduced by the top class stuff (or at least, not to the exclusion of anything else!) It costs me time and money to get to courses like Hereford, but on many occasions I enjoy the racing at the smaller courses just as much as the big, hyped, top class meetings. And oddly enough, it isn’t about those famous or infamous “grass roots” – it’s actually about local courses providing local sport and local entertainment, to the enrichment of the community and racing. So next time when you are tempted to pay out a small fortune for tickets to Cheltenham, Aintree, Newmarket or Royal Ascot, just remember that around the corner (relatively speaking!) is a racecourse which can do with seeing you five times a year, rather than just once.

Go racing locally – it’s what keeps the sport alive!

© JennyWales 10 April 2009