I am beginning to wonder if I am jinxed in my trap draws. I have seven runners at Hove on Saturday and six are in the same two races. I don’t even bother to look at the draws any more, I know ours will be in together.
Most interest will obviously feature on the Regency and I thought Antigua Fire (T6) was magnificent in his heat last Saturday.
He completes the four bends and there is very little happening and then he hits the far side for the second time and just takes off. He is a slightly different dog to last year, a lot more laid back in his behaviour, he used to get a bit fraught.
We also have Schooldays and No Can Boogie in the same heat and I am hoping that Schooldays can take a flyer and drag out the field. I said before the event started that he was a decent price (125-1) and could make the final; he ran a great race to be caught late on by Southfield Code last time out. Some of the trainers were of the view that the outside was running better than the rails. If that was the case, it was a very good run.
It is the toughest of the three semis and No Can Boogie will probably be the big outsider but he is a good solid performer and will not let himself down.
I wish out trio in the third heat of the bitch’s dual distance stakes had been drawn apart to at least give ourselves a chance that they could all qualify.
Playbook was beaten by Jaxx Purple in a trial but I expect her to improve. It was a particularly good run from Purple as I think she is a bitch with great potential to stay further. Don’t be surprised if she is mixing it in good class staying races later in the year.
I’m not really sure what to say about Antigua Sand. She was a prolific winner last year but just isn’t doing it at present. We’ll see how she goes on Saturday and then I’ll probably speak to Nic (Jeal) about her.
All things considered, the industry has come out of lockdown pretty well, thanks in a big way to the Ladbrokes Coral sponsored events. We would be in big trouble without them.
There is a bit of frustration building though due to a lack of open race opportunities. Because so few tracks are staging them, the likes of Romford are being overrun. I have five runners on Friday night, but four who have only been made reserves. But then there are 45 reserves listed.
Things are a little easier on the graded side. I have 40 on the card at Henlow and it is generally working pretty well. You might wait two weeks to get a run with an A3/A4 railer but a middle or wide seed can get three runs in that time. Three runs in a fortnight is quite do-able though you wouldn’t want it over a long period of time.
We have eight or nine graded at Towcester of which two thirds probably get a run the first week, and the remainder are on the following weekend’s card. But we have plenty lined up to go there as soon as they are able to increase the number of meetings.
