Yesterday’s Review

0.75pt e/way Quandary (99) – It was right to take on the favourite Cloud Cover (99) who had question marks against her heading into the race. Unfortunately, I landed on the wrong horse and I doubt very much if I would have went with the 200/1 winner Heavenly Whisper (105). The selection beat the runner-up Aramis Grey (104) comfortably at Lingfield last time out, but never looked like she was going forward with any purpose during the race.

0.75pt e/way Smart Hero (90) – The selection was impressive last time out at Wolverhampton, but his latest winning tactics of challenging closest to the far rail were never going to work at this track today. I was hoping that he would be dropped out and challenge between horses rather than try the same tactics at a track which they traditionally don’t work. I was expecting too much, and I also should have moved off the horse on account of his draw in stall one. A bad pick by me. While the race had looked to be one of the most exciting of the day it turned out to be the slowest run race on the card, and nobody wanted to  lead. Credit must go to David Egan for a real enterprising ride aboard the winner Salamanca (98) who controlled the race from the front, and left the hold up performers with a very slim chance of winning. Most timing and visual enthusiasts would have been purring about Old Harrovian’s chances pre-race, as indeed I was. His course and distance win last time out was described by Attheraces top tipster Hugh Taylor as “wildly impressive”, and when I put my going allowance numbers onto his sectional times it was one of the best performances seen over the extended ten furlong distance at the track since it opened in 2016. I had to let him go untipped on this column as he was a 15/8 shot by the time I had given twenty two all-weather races a proper look….Usually in quality races of this kind one would hope that somebody might set some sort of pace in the race, but on this occasion David was allowed an uncontested lead. Four-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy has come in for a fair bit of criticism for his ride on the second placed finisher, and 6/4 favourite Old Harrovian, who made up around seven and a half lengths on the leader in the final four furlongs (1.27 seconds according to TPD’s sectional timing on the Attheraces website). Even taking into account the pace of the race, it looked like an ill-judged ride by Oisin who went down by a neck at the line. Oisin felt the need to put out a video explaining the ride on Twitter X, and he has done this in the past for winning rides as well. He is known as one of the more sociable jockeys in the sport, and always has time for fans. It is always a great help for punters when we get to hear how the race went from the viewpoint of a jockey who rode in the race.

Today’s Advice

No Investments

A couple of horses were on the shortlist today but they have been well backed overnight, and it will be a watching day only today.

Back Tomorrow

Graham