Trackman picks out his Saturday racing NAP and has all the latest paddock gossip
WHAT A week of sport that was.
Federer looked allergic to tie-breaks, Jofra Archer delivered a better story than his uncle Jeffrey could write and Rory shot a dart player’s score.
He wasn’t the only one to spend a day in the rough.
The Billy Bunters had to sit and suffer while two well fancied horses refused to leave the stalls at Lingfield on Wednesday.
Wind Place And Sho and Sari Mareis cost the good guys a nice few quid when they downed tools and it just doesn’t sit right that they were declared runners.
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Rules are rules and bookies are entitled to pocket the dough. But it’s not really in the spirit of the game, is it?
Anyway, there’s no fear of that old rascal Wind Place And Sho turning us over again.
Trainer James Eustace got the raging hump and retired him on the spot.
It’s been a ropey month for the money buyers and they copped another haymaker to the schnozzle when The Very Moon (4-11 to 1-4) was chinned by Maktabba.
The word from the jock’s room is that this race was well above average…
The winner was ridden by evergreen Dane O’Neill who celebrated by setting a new 6f course record on Rewaayat in the last.
Bell-bottom slacks were trendy when Dane started riding winners, but you can’t buy experience and he’s still got better timing than a Rolex.
Charlie Fellowes’ supporters love to flex their wallets and got stuck into Onassis (6-1 to 7-2) in the fillies’ novice.
Their money went west when she caught a tartar in Richard Hannon’s runaway winner Dark Lady, and the word from the jock’s room is that this race was well above average.
Talking about heading west, apprentice Ryan While has questions to answer after disappearing when asked to provide a urine sample at Bath the other day.
It may have been totally innocent, but the BHA’s Anti-Doping Manager wants a word in his shell-like and the incident didn’t look too clever.
The kid’s granddad, veteran trainer Bill Turner, restored a bit of family pride when The Lords Walk (8-1 to 7-2) landed a right touch at Epsom on Thursday.
He came up the hill faster than a Sherpa to nail Jim Boyle’s Amaretto, who was done at 1-9 after kicking clear at the furlong pole.
Sir Mark Prescott is rumbling through the gears and his Alpinista (9-2 to 9-4) landed some lumpy wagers in the two-year-old heat.
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Newmarket’s favourite baronet makes more dosh Mr Whippy when the sun shines and punters should stick to him like a limpet.
Silvestre De Sousa is made of tungsten but even he winced when a loose horse trod on him at Windsor on Monday.
SDS has walked like a fella with a beach ball wedged between his knees since then, but he’d sooner pickle his bonce than take an afternoon off and has a full book of rides at Newbury today.
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Top man Ian Williams is hoping for a big pay day there with THE GRAND VISIR.
This gelding landed a quiet tickle for wily Williams at Royal Ascot and has been primed for a follow-up in the £100,000 Marsh Handicap (2.25).
In-form Ian reported his stable star in fine fettle earlier this week but was praying for a drop of rain to ease the ground.
Well, the man upstairs has delivered with his celestial watering can and a bold bid is forecast.
Andy's Saturday Selection
FOX CHAIRMAN (1.50, Newbury) was well fancied when finding all sorts of trouble at Royal Ascot and must go close.
THE TIN MAN (3.00) looks another likely lad at Newbury, while there will be some long faces at Andrew Balding’s yard if FOX CHAIRMAN (1.50) gets beaten in the opener.
This fella found more pockets than Ronnie O’Sullivan when an unlucky loser at Royal Ascot last time and can win this before stepping back up in grade.