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Ach, what a shame. Bet you were on at a nice price, too.
I’m just glad he’s still fighting fit and believed to have more to offer in the sphere. I know he pulled up at Erw Lon last weekend, but hoped that wasn’t down to him deciding this pointing lark’s not for him after all having done so well at the same venue the time before.
Howick this weekend was never in the offing, was it? A win there would still have got him qualified, albeit with only 13 days’ rest to follow.
(I know, sorry, so many questions!)
Cheers,
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
News through today (which in hindsight, I should have been aware of) that current Foxhunters favourite Cappa Bleu will be one of the first to be ballotted out if the race is oversubscribed at the overnight declaration stage.
Rules are rules, I suppose, but it just goes to show how ridiculous the current rule is (i.e. a horse that finished last of four in a race under Rules fourteen months ago but has shown nothing since, would have preference over arguably the best Pointer in the country, who is penalised for the fact that he has never raced/won under Rules).
As the holder of a 25/1 ante-post voucher for the beast, I am somewhat miffed.
For those who haven’t seen the decs in the
Weekender
or http://www.pointtopoint.co.uk yet, another interesting recruit to pointing set to make his first appearance in the sphere this weekend is
Geeveem
, still with Nicholls until last Spring and fifth in the 2007 Welsh National.
He’s joined Paul Hogarth, who also has King Killone in at the moment, but his first assignment is going to be in a 3m5f Mens Open at the very testing Corbridge course just along the A68 from Hexham.
Seems like a statement of intent to have him targeting something so far out of his native territory first time up to me. There’s a chance he could start at a better-than-expected price, too, as he will be up against a popular local favourite in Hartburn who has won at three of the last four Corbridge meetings held since 2007, including the corresponding race last term.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
News through today (which in hindsight, I should have been aware of) that current Foxhunters favourite Cappa Bleu will be one of the first to be ballotted out if the race is oversubscribed at the overnight declaration stage.
Rules are rules, I suppose, but it just goes to show how ridiculous the current rule is (i.e. a horse that won a race under Rules four years ago but has shown nothing since has preference over arguably the best Pointer in the country, who is penalised for the fact that he has never raced/won under Rules).
As the holder of a 25/1 ante-post voucher for the beast, I am somewhat miffed.
Thee and me both, HJ – the 22s I took about him on Betfair straight after his Horseheath win aren’t looking quite such a sure thing now.
And don’t even get me started on the "three wins and out" rule slapped on a slew of hunter chases this season, which are ostensibly supposed to stop certain high-profile yards from farming hunter chases but have in fact had the reverse effect – Ofarel D’Airy can still run in any hunter he likes until he wins one more, whereas "proper" hunter Natiain can’t take part in any more at his beloved Kelso until much later in the season and has to go handicapping off a stiff mark now instead. Meh.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
The Kelso Hunter Chase on March 29th that Natiain has won for the last two seasons has in fact reverted to an Open Hunters Chase with no eligibility restrictions.
Has it now? I’m sure that’s a change from the planner. Ta for the update.
Ah well, that’ll keep Alistair and June Brown happy if no-one else.
I’m not sure why the Kelso races were altered in the first place, as it’s not as if the likes of Nicholls have been sending horses up there to mop up. Hunter chases at the Fontwells of this world would be far more appropriate targets, if any races are in dire need of changing at all (clue: they aren’t).
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Ach, what a shame. Bet you were on at a nice price, too.
I’m just glad he’s still fighting fit and believed to have more to offer in the sphere. I know he pulled up at Erw Lon last weekend, but hoped that wasn’t down to him deciding this pointing lark’s not for him after all having done so well at the same venue the time before.
Howick this weekend was never in the offing, was it? A win there would still have got him qualified, albeit with only 13 days’ rest to follow.
(I know, sorry, so many questions!)
Cheers,
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Fourth wasn`t he? Difficult to understand as he came home fine. Hope he is good for Aintree ,try and recover a bit there. Maybe his destiny is to win there where he gave us such joy. Maybe he preferred the retirement but it was his enthusiasm at home that persuaded us to have a go.
Fourth in the end, was it? Ah, I was misinformed. Grapevines are silly things. They should be accorded a squiggle.
Either way, I’m delighted he’s still in one piece and still very much present tense where his racing career is concerned for now, be in no doubt of that.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
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