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Anyone else going? Last chance until October, remember!
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.
Those of you lucky enough to be there will be able to witness another step in the remarkable career of an 8-y-o mare called
Ski
, who runs in the opening Novices Hurdle and whose form figures in points read: PPPPPFPBR/RPPPP4. She seems to have turned over a new leaf under Rules however, as letters have yet to appear in the form figures for her runs in that sphere (4-7).
While I admire the optimism of the owner/breeder in persevering with this beast, I wonder what on earth persuaded Charlie Longsdon to take over her training?
I’ve a feeling I might have seen the P-t-P where Ski managed that one number in her figures. Her fourth place was notable due to the comment in the racecard "Always gets behind, never finishes".
There were more than 4 runners but not so sure if there were more than 4 finishers
Hey Have you had a look at the racing there at Towcester…. Its got to be the worst fields I have ever known lads. I have gone through through the form in every horse in every race and bar Sea Wall in the 830 and possibly Alanna Castle or Restless Harry in the 80, picking other winners or looking for anything else to give you a run looks impossible. !!!
Many of the runners have either been beaten 40L or their best form is on soft/hvy or theyr e getting too long in the tooth.
So are we all still ready for racing lol. Well with a bit of luck we might get a nice sunny evening. P.All being well with the trains i plan to do my first ever visit at the November Saturday meeting.
I don’t finish work till 5, so it’s not really on for me sadly.
Have a good evening anyway!Hey Have you had a look at the racing there at Towcester…. Its got to be the worst fields I have ever known lads. I have gone through through the form in every horse in every race and bar Sea Wall in the 830 and possibly Alanna Castle or Restless Harry in the 80, picking other winners or looking for anything else to give you a run looks impossible. !!!
Many of the runners have either been beaten 40L or their best form is on soft/hvy or theyr e getting too long in the tooth.
So are we all still ready for racing lol. Well with a bit of luck we might get a nice sunny evening. P.Ach, there’s never nothing of interest. Ever! There are each-way opportunities on all of the novice events as long as there are no serious defections, and certainly the opening two contests rate among my favourite sort of races that there is, as at least one horse will get into the frame at a working man’s price in each. It’s just a case of finding it.
I was at the last Towcester meeting and there looked to be a couple of occasions where Restless Harry just had the drop on Bulwark late on before giving best by 1/2l.
As well as seeing how he goes, however, I’d also like to see if there is support for Miss Carroll, given her best bumper effort was recorded on the only previous effort she’d encountered a non-sharp track (Worcester) and good to firm; and given that she’s representing a yard in Martin Keighley that can frequently get one to pop up at nice odds.
Sea Wall will be popular in the 8.30 still 11lb below his hurdles high OR, and having had his 1/4l second to Dennis The Legend at Exeter last time boosted by that one’s John Corbett Cup win. I think Fruitfull Citizen has been let in on a competitive enough mark of 86 for this move from hunters’ chases to handicaps, though, and having won over C&D on good to firm last time under Lucy Jones, a lot of questions have been answered already.
The finale is just fun! Can Cove Mountain go in again dropped 1lb below her last winning mark (gained over C&D a year ago)? Can Hippodrome double up on ground possibly a little livelier than ideal? Can Manjam or Meadow Hawk defy monster layoffs? Or will Nez Rouge – an unmitigated disaster in points this term for Cath Twiston-Davies by virtue of a terminal inability to jump fences – revive for his first try back in 2m hurdles since short-heading Whiteoak just 19 months ago? Take yer pick!
I appreciate these sort of cards are anathema to a lot of people, but I love ’em even if not betting.The glass isn’t just half full, it’s in a fridge containing another three dozen half-full glasses. And a ruddy great Thai chicken salad.
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.
Nicely put, J.
And if Lancs didn’t have a date with the old enemy, I’d be tempted to make the journey south myself.
All being well with the trains i plan to do my first ever visit at the November Saturday meeting.
Neil, there is a good bus service from Northampton but the bus station is a ten to fifteen minute walk from the station. Towcester is a nice wee town with some good pubs especially the Saracen Head. Don’t linger too long though as it is an uphill climb to the track.
Don’t linger in Northampton at all after racing, I lived there for ten years and it has nothing to commend it at all except the Royal/Derngate theatres and the Charles Rennie Mackintosh house nearby. Otherwise it it best left, quickly.
Even though it is my local track I have to plead a prior engagement.
Enjoy the racing – it should be a good crowd tonight.
A few nays, but also a few yays. Jolly good!
I’m not certain to get there for the opener, as my office is 75 minutes away with a clear run, but certainly race two onwards will be within compass. Look for a speccy loon with the worst hair ever (possibly tied back by then) in head-to-foot black, lurching around the paddock or death-burger stall between races.
Happy – hope things go better for you this meeting than last. I’ve got a soft spot for Alderbrook Girl as she did me a monster favour a couple of years ago, but it’s just not been happening for her in quite the same way since. I wonder what else you could try with her? Best of luck with your hurdler tonight – as I say, I’m about 50-50 to see it in action.
Highflyer1 – I guess what might have possessed Charlie Longsdon to take on Ski (other than the fee!) was either spare capacity, or the belief she has rather more to offer at tonight’s sort of trip compared to the 3m of most point-to-points. Can’t see her finding anywhere close to the necessary improvement, though.
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.
gc, I’ve just discovered that Ski’s owner/breeder is Charlie Longsdon’s new landlord. Not much encouragement from last night’s performance I wouldn’t have thought.
The place was absolutely heaving judging by the ATR transmission. I wouldn’t like to have been stuck in the queue getting out.
That explains plenty – ta, highflyer!
The place was indeed packed to the rafters. Very much like the corresponding fixture last season, wherein I eventually managed to meet up with Rory, Happy Jack and Burroughhill among the seething mass of humanity, but not several other TRFfers in attendance. Sad to have missed Happy and Equus last night, but we’d have done well to find each other short of having swapped mobile numbers, I fancy.
All very civilised as well, considering there were a lot of people there more interested in dressing up and imbibing than unearthing too many winners. How did they manage to keep it pleasant when so many other Friday night and Saturday afternoon racing crowds at this time of year can not? Answers on a postcard.
Laugh of the evening came from Martin Harris’s comment that having raced for most of a circuit with practically no saddle underneath him, AP McCoy would be able to sing for the Vienna Boys’ Choir.
Lots of nice photo opps at the end of the evening, with AP willing to pose for pictures with Steve Davis (the face of sponsors Glazerite Windows, apparently) after the latter had presented him with the prize for winning the finale.
All in all, rather more hectic and asphyxiating than most Towcester meetings, but hugely enjoyable as always nevertheless.
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.
Was that this time last year when we all met up? Crumbs, I hadn’t realised it was that long ago!
I must admit I was considering making the effort after work, like you Jeremy, but with the weather being so glorious, I knew the place would be absolutely heaving and it was such a nightmare to get to last time, I didn’t fancy it.I enjoyed it last year though
I remember so well feeling pretty ignorant about the whole game all evening compared to you, HJ and Rory, but being absolutely certain that a particularly skinny old nag had no chance of winning as I watched it in the parade ring. Even I could see that was a no hoper!You can guess the punchline……
Have a good evening anyway!
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