Bert’s Horseracing Blog

Bring it on

Aug 21st, 2008 by Bert

I travelled up to Newmarket late on Monday night with Mick and we checked into a hotel. In the morning I went down to watch work with Pete.

Winker was out first lot. He worked extremely well without seeming to extend himself - Pete thought it was there or thereabouts his nicest piece of work this year. Nicky Nutjob, an unraced 2yo, worked second lot and he did it nicely enough. He’ll be out soon, although he may need his first run.

Back at the stables we looked at the others. Poor old Bouguereau was confined to his box and had his foot bandaged. Other than that he was well, and it was good to see him. Maxwell Hawke had been unwell after his last run, but he looked perky and happy. We still have high hopes for him. Skid Solo looked well, but he’s been a real disappointment on the course. He has great talent, but unlocking it is not going to be easy.

The high point was Teia Tephi. The similarity between her and her half brother, Tariq, is extraordinary. Identical markings, identical heads and around the same size - apparently they also have identical personalities. They could be twins. She only cantered but she moved smoothly with a lovely stride. It’s early to know but she’s definitely got potential.

Later we went to Dukes Stud and to New England Stud to look at the mares and yearlings. All was well and I took a few pictures;

This is Park Acclaim, a mare I bought in the July sale. She was unraced having had a knee problem and is in foal to Motivator. I thought she looked great - good strong bone.

This is my Pivotal yearling filly that I bought from the Sangster dispersal. I posted a picture of her recently that I took early in the year. She looks great and always has.

This Rock of Gibraltar yearling filly was also pictured earlier, and she has improved enormously. Her front legs are now broadly as they should be, which is a big relief - she was far too straight before.

I headed home later, and in the evening I went into town for the Betfair “pre-board poker night” at the Sportsman Casino. I was seated right of Josh Hannah, who had just flown in from California. I was nicely up when the big hand finally came late on.

I had 10-9 offsuit. First in I called, and I had to call a couple of raises - the flop came 10-10-2. I checked and raised all in - this was called three times. Josh had two jacks and there were two queens to his left. A seven came on the turn and Josh hit his jack on the river. Ho hum.

I got just enough sleep to function at the board the next day. After the meeting we all went down to Wembley to watch the England match. The most impressive thing was Wembley stadium itself - it’s the first time I’ve been since the rebuild.

The Gimcrack finally happens tomorrow, and Marine Boy will be running in my new colours - Lime green and Orange. They re-opened the race to the original five day decs - two drop out and six come in, including Art Connoisseur, Spin Cycle and Shaweel, all of whom have group form. I should be upset that the race has become so much more competitive but I feel the opposite - the more scalps the better. Bring it on.

Later in the day at Newbury Bet Noir goes in a maiden. I’m starting to like this filly - she’s bred to mature a little later in life and she might be doing that now. She’ll be pushed to beat the Stoute trained hotpot tomorrow but she should run a decent race and a win can’t be ruled out. I’m looking forward to seeing how she’s progressed physically.

Winker goes in a listed race at Newmarket on Saturday. We’d rather be running in a higher grade but we keep being frustrated by the weather and he needs a run. He should be a certainty. Pansy Potter and Scrapper Smith run in the consolation sales race on the same card - I’m hoping for progress but both have disappointed and at this stage I can’t recommend a bet.

Posted in Berts Horses, Bet Noir, Bouguereau, Marine Boy, Pansy Potter, Winker Watson | 13 Comments

13 Responses to “Bring it on”

on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:24 pm1scott armstrong

Thanks again Bert for all the news.

Was very dissapointed the race was off on Weds as i think i had secured my bet of the season. Last Tues the Magic Sign had given me 40s on MB at a maximum of £200. Came from trading room. Couldnt believe it. Was trading at 5/4 on BF.

Gutted. Will try to win some back tomorrow.
on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:31 pm2Niall B

That 40’s must have been for next years Guineas or something. They would have just quoted palpable error rule and paid you at s.p.!

Best of luck for the weekend Bert
on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:35 pm3Michael F

What a feast of racing tomorrow has now become, just like Cheltenham when we had those extra races on Thursday and Friday. Magical! The Gimcrack looks a terrific race and like you Bert, I would welcome the inclusion of Art Connoisseur to take the pressure off Marine Boy and give a decent price. To my mind that horse has not progressed from his Royal Ascot win and is a big scalp waiting to be taken.

Best of luck Bert and what a choker about Josh catching that extra Jack on the River.
on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:39 pm4Jon

Best of luck for tommorrow. Have lumped on MB and will also be doing MB in a dascombe patent as I like the look of Shadow Bay with Ross on board claiming 7lb and the way his 2yo have come out also worth sticking Lambourne Genie in the mix.
on 21 Aug 2008 at 10:22 pm5lastfiver

“Bring it ON”, well done, great to hear such confidence. I would like to think MB will win by 4+ lengths and to hear a few people suck wind through their teeth. Actually I think he will
But I’m sorry I can’t see WW being a certainty. He’s looked rather ‘annoyed’ this year. I just hope a drop in trip pleases him. He is a v.good horse and he needs a opportunity to shine…let’s hope that this is it.
Lime Green and Orange…..? Where did it come from?
Good Luck
on 21 Aug 2008 at 11:37 pm6Bert

Lastfiver,

I’m not sure I agree that Winker has been “annoyed” but I do think he hasn’t quite been himself. The combination of a few physical problems with two long spells of box rest would have left him with plenty of cobwebs to blow away, and I think he felt his last two runs. It feels like he’s had time to get over it now though, and his home work seems to be improving.

I’m not sold on the drop in trip. He didn’t get home at Goodwood, but I think he was still on the recovery trail. His sire was a sprinter, but Winker bears little resemblance to him - he’s far more Seb Coe than he is Linford Christie. I’m hoping to see him back over a mile some day soon. I called him a cert as I have him several pounds clear of anything else in the race, the ground suits and he seems to be extremely well in himself. I don’t see myself weighing in with a big bet though.

I bought the colours at auction - they were relatively cheap (£1k). I was never that happy with my colours - I ended up with them almost by default.
on 22 Aug 2008 at 6:51 am7The Gambler.

Morning.
Swynford Paddocks Hotel in Six Mile Bottom is worth a visit, if you need somewhere to stay in the Newmarket.
It is very much a racing hotel. First horse races were run friom Six Mile Bottom to Newmarket.
Worth a visit even for lunch/drinks/whatever.
on 22 Aug 2008 at 7:56 am8Mark Bellew

Bert i hopr you do it mate as well as for a few lumpy bets to be landed. I also fancy ADDICT………maybe thats because one of our regulars commented that he thout i eas on drugs…. LOL All goodd fun and lets hope we scalp those bookies and can book the holiday flights although mine would probably be in the states at KEENELAND LOL

Good luck regulars and no i am not (Fergy) always a grumpy bnastard with a bad temper although when i have been beaten a snotter for five gramnd i really am a man to avoid especially with a gun in my pocket … not to kill punters but myself LOL

Anyway i feel great about topday people.

Mark
on 22 Aug 2008 at 10:23 am9Ray Jay

I reckon that Marine Boy will have to be about seven pounds in front of Classic Blade to be confident of winning today. I hear that they galloped at home and that MB gave CB two stones and a beating, your guy must be a racing cert. Except that the fact that you had to geld him before his debut and that he dropped his jockey after the line suggests that he has some issues between the ears. Best of luck anyway and I hope that everything goes to plan.
on 22 Aug 2008 at 10:39 am10lastfiver

Hi Bert, I agree with you about the mile but as with the comment in the RP “Winker Watson’s return from injury at Longchamp 17 days previously had been inconclusive, as besides the long injury he was trying a new trip and racing around a bend for the first time. He ran much better here, making an effort up the outside from last place that got him within a length or so of the winner before his stamina started to ebb away in the closing stages. On this evidence he has a good race in him, possibly at 7f.”
I also concluded from that run that 61/2-7f would be good. Sometimes we can all get it wrong and it’s the jockey that can put us right. It would be interesting to know what Alan is thinking.
Looking at WW his demeanour it is one of a quality animal. He always looked well in his coat as a 2-y-old, I haven’t seen him in the flesh this year and I would be interested to hear what the paddock judges say.
When I say he looked ‘annoyed’, I wasn’t questioning his temperament I just mean that he looks like a England full back….probably an outside centre played out of position.
I don’t make him a cert for the listed race as I think some of the older horses have a bit more ‘recent’ experience at the distance and are battle hardened. I think that this is the definite turning point in his 3-y-old career and can see him winning group races before the end of the season.
GL today with MB. 5/2 last night was a good price. 7/4 is skinny but probably still worth a bet. I can see him going off at 6/4 if there are any negatives coming out of the Bell stable over the ground.
on 22 Aug 2008 at 5:16 pm11HQO

Ray Jay

MB was gelded as he was a rig, nowt to do with temperment.

His UR at Newbury, imo, was just one of those things for an inexperienced horse, nowt malicious.
on 22 Aug 2008 at 7:01 pm12Jon

Bert….. Thanks for all the info on MB. I just hope that he is ok and there was no problem after his run today.

A bad day at the office for all that backed him, but we are grown men capable of making our own decisions on form etc and its just one of those things. Again thanks for the heads up and lets hope he comes back to winning ways soon.

The brilliant thing about this game is there is always tommorrows card!!!!!!!!!!!
on 23 Aug 2008 at 5:55 pm13micko

Hope WW is ok bert?

He just never travelled.

Interested to hear your thoughts?

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