THE GOOD OLD DAYS AND THE GOOD OLD HORSE: Daqman goes down memory lane today with news of the death of Bill Elsey, son of champion trainers from the north of England. He also previews a Saturday race that could be won by a 15-year-old.
KEMPTON SUPERNAP: He checks out four meetings in England: two Jumps and two AW on the Flat. He saves his best bet of the day for Kempton.
LAST OF THE GENTLEMAN TRAINERS
Racing can grip you for generations. That’s certainly true of my family, who will today be remembering their connections with Elsey stables at Baumber and Malton, going back as much as a century, with the death this week of Bill Elsey.
His father, Charles Elsey (responsible for Musidora) who was champion trainer in 1956, was the son of William Elsey, whose 19th-century winners total in a season was not bested until Henry Cecil.
The last in the line, Bill Elsey, who was 97, was so long associated with jockey Edward Hide, and trained Pia to win the Epsom Oaks and Peleid the St Leger.
But the toast of my father’s household for many a year was Babur, winner of the Lincoln Handicap back to back for Charles.
Bill left six grandchildren so, who knows, maybe that racing grip will exert itself again and renew this special northern line of gentleman trainers.
GRAND OLD MAN OF RACEHORSES
They were 165 years young. That was the combined age of last year’s finalists in the veteran’s-chase series, run a year ago at Sandown on Saturday.
Despite heavy ground, 10 of the 14 finished and only one actually fell. The year before, when Pete The Feat won, 12 out of 16 finished, though none was younger than 11.
Whatever happens on Saturday, Pete, who was also runner-up last year, is sure to earn one accolade: as the first runner in the final aged 15.
He first won a race eight years ago but his heyday came when, moved to Charlie Longsdon, he scored five wins in a row for a ratings rise of 40lb.
Despite his age he is still considered by the handicapper only 2lb worse than his rating then which is either faintly ridiculous or a testimony to the old boys’ talents. Or both?
He won on today’s track in March and was placed there on the last day, just a month ago.
Pete’s conqueror in the previous running of the race, Buywise, is better off by a couple of pounds at the weekend, and there have been market moves in the race for Le Reve and Rathlin Rose, mere striplings at 11 years old.
They were only 10 a few days ago and that seems to be the clue to this race – stick with the youngsters, who have won two out of three – though every heart, if not every wallet, will be open for Pete to repeat his feat!
REETH A SUPERNAP AT KEMPTON
3.05 Lingfield The Surrey course survived a morning inspection and Court Master could be the value play in this handicap hurdle over 2m 7f.
Trained by Michael Scudamore, the top weight ran well at Newcastle last time out despite only finishing third of four runners and remains unexposed.
The mare Bonza Girl is on a right old roll at present and who’s to say she can’t defy her penalty and make it four on the spin but she will find this harder than the mares only race she contested last time out.
Big Man Clarence ran a mighty race at Ascot last time out when only headed at the last. He was a 40/1 chance that day but there didn’t appear to be any fluke about the run and providing there’s no bounce factor can certainly run into a place here.
3.15 Kempton Reeth looks the pick of this four runner handicap. Trained by John ‘Godsend’ Gosden the Kodiac colt is up 7lb for a smooth course and distance last month but looks progressive and can defy the hike and can again account for Redemptive who was back in third.
Anycity only won a claimer last time out at Wolverhampton, and narrowly at that. He has much more on his plate here whilst the filly Teresita Alvarez already looks a little exposed but might fare better over this longer trip.
6.45 Wolverhampton Lahessar ran respectively in all three of his races on turf and is very interesting on his handicap debut off a mark of 71 in this Ladbrokes-sponsored handicap.
He might be a value option against the penalised Freedom And Wheat who made all to win a lesser event at Lingfield last week.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points except SUPERNAP and PLACE bet win 10)
BET 3.1pts win COURT MASTER (3.05 Lingfield)
BET 7.1pts place (WIN 10) BIG MAN CLARENCE (3.05 Lingfield)
SUPERNAP BET 20pts win REETH (3.15 Kempton)
BET 4.0pts win LAHESSAR (6.45 Wolverhampton)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
