We might have two in the Ladbrokes Gold Cup Final at Monmore on Thursday, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to back either of them.
Hoffman is rated a 4-7 chance but the draw is tricky enough. At one stage last Friday, I didn’t think any wides would make it through to the final, but the sprinklers evened things up after his qualifer. So my advice to any punters would be, ‘check out the early races before backing him’
“Of course we have two in the final with Vatican Gurkha likely to benefit if the going is favouring the inside runners. I thought he ran an absolute cracker in the same qualifier to outrun Farloe Nutter. It might be one of his last races over four bend. I am thinking of trying him out over six bends. He is bred to stay, and we may target the Doncaster St. Leger.
On Monday night, Camp Joker ran second in the semi finals of the Caffreys Puppy Classic at Nottingham.
On semi final form, he has the most to find after clocking 30.41 (500m) when beaten seven lengths by Coolavanny Pat (29.81). Droopys Buick was fastest on the night in 29.69.
But I think the race is a lot more competitive than the bare form suggest. In the case of Joker, I thought he ran really well after almost getting clear and then finding trouble at the second bend. He was knocked back to fourth and ran on for second.
I thought he might have reversed form with the winner had they been drawn the other way around. As for the favourite (Buick), he has plenty on his plate from trap five in Monday’s final. Joker did the fastest sectional (5.04) and he was to lead up from trap one, he would take a lot of beating.
It would be nice to keep the race in the kennel as we won it last year with Newinn Yolo. But we are winners already because as the only British bred in the final, he is immediately entitled to a £500 breeders’s prize.
We also have Graigues Diva through to the final of the Northern Flat at Belle Vue. On the clock (28.25) she has plenty to find on Calzaghe George (27.58), but he has four in the final which completely opens the race up.
Whatever happens, it will be her last race for us. She has been bought by Tom Heilbron, who has a licence at Pelaw. Let’s hope she can retain the title for the kennel. We won it last year with Bush Standard.
