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Every now and again the much derided artificial surface racing scene produces a real winning machine.
Tim Pitt’s ill-fated Eccolo springs to mind and this year we’ve had John Ryan’s Final Drive who put a field of decent Class 2 Handicappers to the sword at Dunstall Park this afternoon.
Since winning a Class 6 at the same venue in November this year, the Viking Ruler gelding has won six times and been beaten two noses (when unwisely challenging up the quicksand rail at Leafy), and has now won around £33k in prize money. A pacy hold up horse and a generous, flashy traveller with an electric turn of foot, he’s risen from an unremarkable perch of 65 to a probable 99 in just under two months. And as anyone who feasted on his victory today will testify, he might not be finished yet – two more wins and a tilt at the Winter Derby trial would be perfectly feasible. And he’d probably win it in his current form.
Yet,despite giving race starved punters all this entertainment, all these odds-against victories forged in the most fiercely contested and yet most unglamorous of environments, until today, for all these wins, Final Drive had earned only just above the £22,000 winning prize money donated by punters to the Stewart Family and Paul Nicholls this afternoon at Newbury, for the bloodless non-race won by Big Buck’s (apostrophe intended).
How can this be justified? Surely this is an anomaly? As a confirmed punter,I know which horse has kept my cockles warmed this bleakest of winters – and I’ve only backed him once.
A Happy New Year to you all!!
Thank you, Maxilon 5…..for an eloquent post….gems may be discovered even on the All-Weather and Final Drive is one of them.
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Yet,despite giving race starved punters all this entertainment, all these odds-against victories forged in the most fiercely contested and yet most unglamorous of environments, until today, for all these wins, Final Drive had earned only just above the £22,000 winning prize money donated by punters to the Stewart Family and Paul Nicholls this afternoon at Newbury, for the bloodless non-race won by Big Buck’s (apostrophe intended).
How can this be justified? Surely this is an anomaly? As a confirmed punter,I know which horse has kept my cockles warmed this bleakest of winters – and I’ve only backed him once.
There’s horse racing as spectacle and then there’s horse racing as betting fodder. Ideally, never the twain should meet
So Big Buck’s’s (apostrophes intended
) race can be admired for its own sake, providing the spectator with the grand sight of a top class horse far ahead of his contemporaries.Do Brigadier Gerard’s succession of odds-on victories render him of lesser value because most punters may have grumbled his races didn’t provide betting opportunities?
And then there’s the likes of Final Drive and the legions of unsung horses who provide you (and me) with the majority of day-in day-out bets. You the fibresand afficionado, me the gaff chase afficionado. Poles apart racing-wise but cockles-warmed in the same manner by modest horses who fatten the wallet
Does it matter to me that these dear old second and third raters barely earn enough to pay for the contents of their nosebags? Not really, and I actually doubt it matters much to their proud connections though I’m sure there’s only so much erosion of prize money they can take
Prize money at the top level, particularly on the Flat, is necessary/questionable/excessive/
obscene
(take your personal pick) and the wide, wide gulf between it and the purses the Southwell Cavaliers (who after all run only slightly more slowly than the G1 blue-bloods) receive unfair if we erroneously believe the Racing World is run on democratic principles, which it isn’t
So admire Big Buck’s the horse and admire Final Drive the horse and bet provider. Personally I like both types equally.
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I just can not believe how this horse has found the current improvement, it weren’t so long ago in September this horse was beaten 5l off 56 at Yarmouth!
I think the credit certianly has to go to John Ryan for this, it would be really interesting if he came out and gave a little talk on the horse as it really has achieved a lot with even more to come on yesterdays evidence.
John Ryan done well with Silver Griecan a few years back as a 2yo and looked a really smart prospect but think the owners decided to sell, that was a big loss. I hope he’s made a fair few quid of Final Drive and can get in 5 or 6 decent horses as he really knows how to train.
Will keep my eye on this trainer along with Pat Phelan
Drone, I think it was Stilvi who said yesterday that even the hardest of NH afocianados were getting a bit tired of Big Buck’s hammering the same hapless opposition each time.
What yesterday amounted to was a racecourse gallop. Do you not think there is a case for reducing levy-based prize money for these type of races unless, say, three horses oppose with a 7 – 10lb spread take part?
I love the unfortunately apostrophed Big Buck’s as much as the next guy, but check out some of the prize money at Wolver yesterday and Lingers today. A short sighted embarrassment.
For the sport itself, would it not have been better to spread some of that £22k cash around?
One of Nic Coward’s legacies to the sport is the reinforcement of the philosophy that prize money at the top end needs to be maintained to encourage the world’s best horses to contest our races. I’ve always disputed that as dogma and weak science.
If you seed prize money at the lower levels, you keep owners (like the great Norma McCauley) interested and engaged, you attract new owners to the sport and more of the 605 licenced trainers remain viable as businesses.
Better, by offering strong levels of prize money at lower levels, you reduce the need for hard pressed stables to carry out completely hidden and unpredictable gambles – which border on sharp practice – like the unedifying example offered to the racing world by the Quinlan Brothers earlier this afternoon.
Did the Stewart Family need that £22k yesterday? They’d have raced for ten. I do see your point though regarding these types of races.
Mr W – love Johnny Ryan. I hope to see Iver Bridge Lad land a big prize this year to make up for the one at York he should have won. A stable (and horse) to follow.
Regarding Final Drive, one of only 2 horses to beat him since his winning spree began, Blue Moon, went in today at Lingfield. The other Copperwood is one to look out for perhaps in the coming weeks.
Like to see Mr Blanshard have one or two winners before plunging though, DJ. Seems to like Lingfield.
Just been having a look at the Winter Derby since 1998.
Remember sandboy
Hail The Chief
rising from an ordinary 72 to a peak of 107 from October 00 to February 01.
Or the determined and flashy rabbit
Eccentric
, heavily backed winner of the 2005 Winter Derby, rising from a modest 71 to a whopping 110 in ten months, before winning Graded races in Canada.
Then there is 2007 winner, sand specialist
Gentleman’s Deal,
perennial runner up
Grand Passion,
and several others who improved dramatically throughout their winter season.
The best horses to have run in the Winter Derby (Running Stag, Gitano Hernando and Nayyir) would probably beat Final Drive, but would Sri Diamond? Catulki?
Suits Me
placed twice in the Trial and the Drive made that one look silly yesterday.
Winners seem to average between 104-108 and John Ryan’s horse isn’t that far off the standard. He needs to be at least 104 for a challenge to be worth while but I don’t think that’s impossible with luck and crossed fingers.
I think it was Stilvi who said yesterday that even the hardest of NH afocianados were getting a bit tired of Big Buck’s hammering the same hapless opposition each time.
Well I may be alone but this granite-like NH bore doesn’t tire of watching the best perform cakewalks. The very best of the best (relative to contemporaries) is a rare thing, so I find it both admirable and impressive: forget the race, relish the horse
My beloved Ardross used to canter all over his Cup fields at long odds-on once Le Moss retired and rendered the races wholly uncompetitive. Boy oh boy it was great to watch
What yesterday amounted to was a racecourse gallop. Do you not think there is a case for reducing levy-based prize money for these type of races unless, say, three horses oppose with a 7 – 10lb spread take part?
Unnecessary surely? Thoroughly uncompetitive Group/Grade races are very much the exception to the rule. You can argue endlessly about whether such races are over-endowed in the first place but on the assumption we believe they aren’t (you and I probably believe they are
) let’s have the good grace to allow connections the full whack as reward for owning such a very good horseIf Big Buck’s were owned and trained by dear Mrs McCauley would you feel the same way?
If you seed prize money at the lower levels, you keep owners (like the great Norma McCauley) interested and engaged, you attract new owners to the sport and more of the 605 licenced trainers remain viable as businesses. Better, by offering strong levels of prize money at lower levels, you reduce the need for hard pressed stables to carry out completely hidden and unpredictable gambles – which border on sharp practice – like the unedifying example offered to the racing world by the Quinlan Brothers earlier this afternoon.
This has been mentioned by Signor Rampante in his ‘Review’ post and I do think there is a strong case for upping the prize money for what can be called the ‘core’ AW season: that daily dish served between January 1st and the return of Doncaster. Firstly because it is a standalone mini-Flat season wholly distinct from NH and with a largely separate army of followers, both punters and fans; and secondly because it is – and was largely intended as – a back up to keep the racing show on the road during NH abandonments.
Therefore given its ‘importance’ it seems only fair that its participants should be adequately rewarded for putting the show on; in the courses’ case frequently in the most trying of circumstances. Incidentally I wouldn’t include the Kempton evening meets, as personally I regard them as a wholly unnecessary addition to the racing calendar. Scrap them and use the brass saved to bolster the AW afternoon cards IMO
I don’t really believe converting 3K races into 6K..9K… or 5K into 10K…15K…would reduce the prevalence of ‘insider’ gambles to any great extent. It tends to be the same old familiar faces who pull these strokes and as such it seems to me that it’s in their nature to do it: the ‘fun’, the intrigue, the nudge nudge wink wink knowwharramean. What the honest first prize for winning the race is is likely to be small beer: the race was worth 5K, now its worth 10K… so what?
Did the Stewart Family need that £22k yesterday?
Nope and they wouldn’t need 220K or 2.2M either. Racing at the top level is dominated by folk who don’t need the prize money. Such is the capitalist way of the world in general. Ideally racing would embrace the good old Socialist principle of taking money from the rich and giving to the poor – viz cut prize money at Royal Ascot and send it to Southwell but it will no more happen in our little cloud-cuckoo land as it will down there in the real world. Cloud-Cuckoo Racing Land and Real World: both are run by Capitalists with a big bold C. They stand and fall by their decisions…ha ha ha…bail us out levy-payer, tax-payer when we balls it all up, they mean
I posted on another thread about this one Final Drive & I profited 5 out the last 6 races-he is in a different league, canters over everything he races against & is truly a wee superstar.
Many of my friends/family were on him as I told anyone ready to listen to bet him in each & every race, & I have been rewarded with as much as 9.6 on BF.
What do you people think of him-what a turn of foot for a dirt horse-He cost £5000 & the yanks will be bidding lots for this gelding-he will defo be sold to race abroad, not enough £s in this country & he could compete for races worth $100,000-for claimer winners with three legs.
I really cant see him being beaten in this country again apart from not getting the run of the race.
Go onto ATR website & watch his races, stunning to watch-This is no ordinary horse.
The making of him was undoubtably gelding him & he has now filled his powerful frame so much so he looks like a Clydesdale compared to most others.I absolutely love him-so does many others close to me-he has won us a fortuneI think it was Stilvi who said yesterday that even the hardest of NH afocianados were getting a bit tired of Big Buck’s hammering the same hapless opposition each time.
Had Big Buck’s not had that unseat in the Hennessy two and a bit years ago which prompted the switch to staying hurdles, I imagine there’d currently be fewer such cries of discontent over a division which, without him, would be palpably weak in quality but far more competitive for all that.
It’s hardly the gelding’s fault that his time in staying hurdles has come when there’s stick all else around to give him a race of it in them, and as such I’m loathe to take the "I’m bored, me!" line with him.
I don’t really believe converting 3K races into 6K..9K… or 5K into 10K…15K…would reduce the prevalence of ‘insider’ gambles to any great extent. It tends to be the same old familiar faces who pull these strokes and as such it seems to me that it’s in their nature to do it: the ‘fun’, the intrigue, the nudge nudge wink wink knowwharramean. What the honest first prize for winning the race is is likely to be small beer: the race was worth 5K, now its worth 10K… so what?
Nail, head. The idea that there is some tangible prizemoney figure, below which usually perfectly rational owners and trainers suddenly metamorphose into clandestine job-plotters, hasn’t ever really cut it entirely for me.
It’s simply a predisposition some have and some don’t – and that at all levels. Anticipating plunges at the opening fixture at Black Forest Lodge each November, for example, is a well-established pastime for many Pointing fans. Which Welsh horse will get smashed into? What Person X-owned animal will make the trip down? So it goes on. And all this, of course, to make a return far in excess of the £100 or so first prize the races in question would offer.
Alan Hill, husband of Lawney, is at least entirely explicit about what he’s laying out for the opening Cottenham fixture every year, identifying a "milk bottle" horse at the yard’s Open Day each autumn. Plot foiled this year, alas, as the intended victor Viel Gluck crashed out of his race at halfway.
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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