CROWDS BAN BIG BLOW TO THE GALWAY FESTIVAL: A reprieve for the smaller tracks, a major blow for such as the Galway Festival. That’s the reaction to news yesterday of the Irish government ban on gatherings over 5,000 people until September 1. The seven-day Ballybrit meeting (from Monday, July 27) will now have to be staged behind closed doors.
MORE OF DAQMAN’S SECRETS OF WINNER FINDING: Follow trainers and jockeys. That was part of Daqman’s question-and-answer routine on Monday. But, as his explanation unfolds today, that’s not as straightforward as it looks. It’s all part of his Secrets Of Winner Finding every day this week, from which you can make your own rules. You can ‘hunt down the hidden horses’ from videos of past results.
HUNT DOWN THE HIDDEN HORSES
Watch racing as much as you can. If you don’t get to the track, make sure you pick the best TV coverage of the day. For one thing, you need to see more than just the finish.
If they don’t show you back in the field, particularly in straight sections of the race when positioning takes place, and in the final two furlongs at the business end, complain like hell. Or you might have missed a hidden horse, one ‘buried’ in behind, or a late finisher.
Rarely is the horse in question a non-trier in the criminal sense of the word. There are other reasons why he might not be ‘at the races’ that day, or why he might be set back by being put under pressure in this particular race (maybe the ground is heavy and he’s a bit fragile).
If this is early in his career, it might be a case of gently does it. Have patience with horses in that situation. Spot the skills – or otherwise – of trainers and jockeys who are educating them.
Trainers can’t teach their two-year-olds at home to master all the skills: to settle, to race upsides or go through between other horses; to tuck in, to conserve their energy, and ‘get themselves together’ when ‘let down’. There’s nothing like the racecourse for showing them the ropes.
One that does all that’s required of him at home and responds quickly is ‘a natural’, willing and able to quicken up and be leader, where another may lack confidence against rivals or be ‘too green’ to understand that he’s actually meant to go and win the damned race!
Look for horses for whom racing is no bother; they tend to be quiet in the paddock, even amble round, and run ‘well within themselves’ in the race itself, before coming alive when ‘asked a question’.
Only horses that can quicken should quicken your blood. Those that can quicken instantly.. they’re the ones to give you and the trainer sleepless nights.
It weighs heavy that it’s all down to him whether the horse gets the right opportunity and is ready to take it. As for your own sleepless nights, it’s about the waiting, grasping the opportunity when it arrives, and having the nerve to back your own judgment.
So there you have it: most horses must have time to develop, and need patience, and you need to note which owners and trainers are prepared, and able, to give them time, and have the skill to place them in the right races.
HANDICAPS: But you will also observe races closely in order to track down (to be known only to yourself) which trainers of handicappers are capable of ‘disguising’ a horse, prepping him to perfection or giving him ‘sighters’, so that he comes to his target race with confidence behind him.
Particularly with handicappers, think in terms of horses being trained to a peak: they might race short of peak fitness and you might have to resist having a bet, expecting the race to bring them on for ‘next time.’
Look at each contender in a race: how many runs did he need before his last win? Look at his trainer: does he use that method of peaking their performance, or does he get them ready at home?
Don’t blame the trainer for bringing a horse on for one hit. He has to work with difficult animals and even more difficult owners. You will build up a list of ‘usual suspects’ who have the skill and judgment to ‘get one ready,’ and the jockeys who can be trusted to do ‘the job’.
Beware of big fields and traditional trials when you are looking for a ‘hidden horse’; there might be several ‘hidden horses’ in the same field!
Take the case of the trainer Fred Artful, who whispered to his jockey, Will O’Bey, in the paddock: ‘Keep him covered up and don’t be in a hurry to get out. Fifth or sixth would be a nice place to finish.”
Will came back fifth, with ‘plenty of horse under him’ and Fred, hardly able to contain his excitement, asked hoarsely: ”What do you think of those who finished in front; can you beat them next time?’
‘No problem at all, guvnor,’ said Will, ‘I could have done them all for speed. No; not one of them’s on my mind; it’s them devils behind that worry me.’
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