STOP ‘FARCICAL RACES’, SAYS DAQMAN: Your horse must be able to win. Racing authorities have strict rules about most things but don’t want to face the unpalatable truth that some horses don’t have a chance, are running even when everyone concerned knows they haven’t. That’s Daqman’s view of the Farcical Race.
THERE’S A BIG BIG-RACE WEEK AHEAD: Look out this week for Daqman’s analysis of the acceptors for the Cambridgeshire (Saturday) and the Arc de Triomphe. (Sunday).
YOUR BETS MUST BE ABLE TO WIN
Name your farcical race! Is it the one where a pacemaker goes off so fast that it eventually tails off and finishes 31 lengths last at 66-1?
Is it the one where a horse is left in the stalls, crawls out miles in rear, but is still considered to have run?
Or is it the one in which a horse of virtually zero ability is allowed to take part in a major event for social reasons?
Those horses cannot win and I contend that bets placed on horses that cannot win should be void. The bet you choose must be given every chance to win, must be ridden to gain the best possible placing.
The punter is usually the last to be considered but has a window of opportunity here, because racing authorities are most concerned with the public perception of racing.
At all costs, racing must retain a dignity to raise itself above ridicule or the sport falling into disrepute, seen to be only a fool’s game or possibly bent.
We’ve started out already to prevent social runners in the Grand National. Only horses of a level of stamina and ability are allowed to take part.
Yes, it removes some of the Corinthian approach from the old race, but that’s because it isn’t the old race. Its new style, specialist jumps are no longer killing obstacles.
Similarly we have to remove the no–hoper from major conditions races on the Flat, particularly those under the spotlight like the Derby, whether entered for charity or for the sake of some girl rider’s chance to appear in a Classic.
There should always be a bar on any colt or filly with a rating below a certain level as registered by the official handicapper. How are we going to enforce that? We already do! In handicaps.
The handicap trainer has to struggle with graded racing all the time. He simply cannot get a mediocre horse into a top handicap. Too often, he can’t even get a good horse in, because of the restriction on numbers.
Racing is not a game, but authority is Janus-faced about it. Racecourses will quite happily put on a veterans’ donkey Derby, or some similar nonsense like musical jockeys for the Shergar Cup, while at the same time penalising a rider for finding traces of a single tot of whisky or a trainer for giving his horse a peppermint.
Zero tolerance is the easy way to pretend you have control and you are doing the right thing. Racing’s powers-that-be don’t agree with that? Ok, so let’s apply it to racecourses, fining them for allowing horses to run when they have no chance!
In so blurred a culture, and in a crowd atmosphere of boozing and bravado, rules mayhem is egged on by television. You’ll hear this: why shouldn’t she ride in the Derby if she wants to? Why isn’t a donkey eligible? Good on him or her for trying! Why shouldn’t a trainer run 10 horses if he wants to?
This is air-time pandering to the ignorant. I doubt the same commentator would welcome stepping into the ring against the current heavyweight boxing champion.
6.0 WILLY CAN CONQUER THE LAYERS
2.35 Leicester I don’t often tip Gay Kelleway horses because they don’t often win, but they do win this race (she is 2-2) and she has lined one up.
Oakley Pride (BETDAQ 9.6 as I write) has dropped a stone in the handicap since June, and additionally has the 3lb claim of the smart David Egan. Not out of the first five in the last five starts, so this leniency at the scales could tip the balance.
The main threat may be Undiscovered Angel (4.6 offers). While I went for a big day for Aidan O’Brien yesterday, it was Karl Burke who pinched the betting headlines with a 37-1 double.
And, though his Angel here is so far undiscovered, she is down in grade and, as a front runner, could benefit from being dropped back a furlong.
2.55 Kempton The 3lb claimer wee Georgie Wood could have ridden Intimately in the 5.45 Leicester, a race the partnership won last year.
But he wanted to be on Exceeding Power in this one here at Kempton, after losing out at Sandown when the pair came to lead a fraction too soon.
Exceeding Power has finished in the first four seven times out of eight this year, and win and place at 9.2 on BETDAQ early mouse looked a good early position in a race where the favourite is a maiden.
3.40 Leicester Willytheconqueror (6.0 on BETDAQ this morning) is all set up for this. He likes 5f on soft ground. He is dropped in grade for the first time since he raced off a 10lb higher mark at the July Meeting.
The only other in the race to have won at class-2 level since they were juveniles is Soie de l’Eau who holds Venturous, Signore Piccolo and Union Rose on form, but he’s run 13 times this year without winning and clearly has to have everything drop right.
5.35 Kempton The Racing Post Signposts gives Jo Hughes, who saddles Quinteo, a massive 67% strike rate for first-time blinkers, but the same paper’s Spotlight for the race points out that Quinteo has raced ‘in blinkers last four starts.’
I fancy Peace And Plenty, another who likes to front-run now dropped back in trip, and with Silvestre De Sousa booked. Offers of 8.2 on BETDAQ looked tasty.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points except the nap)
BET 5.5pts win UNDISCOVERED ANGEL, and 2.3pts win and place OAKLEY PRIDE (2.35 Leicester)
BET 2.4pts win and place EXCEEDING POWER (2.55 Kempton)
BET 6pts to win 30 (nap) WILLYTHECONQUEROR (3.40 Leicester)
BET 2.7pts win and place PEACE AND PLENTY (5.35 Kempton)
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